Delhi Delicious is described as a small home-run family business that has accelerated to another level in terms of production, store numbers and franchise offer.
The birth of a brand
Taahir Abdool, co-owner and family member, says in their young days his parents took over a small fish and chips shop in Vereeniging. “Everything was manufactured from scratch except samosas, which is ironic because today we are now known for our samosas.”
Progression
A year later the sales of the pies and samosas exceeded the sales of the take-away. Abdool senior set up a wholesale pie and samosa business, but it was a no-name brand at the time. Customers kept on growing. With the profits, the Abdools bought a Milky Lane franchise at East Rand Mall, which ran for about eight years. Even though the Milky Lane store was doing well, Abdool senior decided to sell it, along with the fish and chips take-away, putting all the money into the infrastructure which is currently the Delhi Delicious factory. In 1999 Abdool senior asked Glen Shopping Centre in Johannesburg for space to run his pie and samosa business. They turned him down - the business was unknown. He begged until they gave him a corner to sell on weekends. He was moving around the mall and handing out samples. Eventually stores were set up and the Delhi Delicious idea took shape. The food is still made in-house to a specific quality. The Abdools want to make a good product, affordable for everyone, with recipes passed on from generation to generation. There are no big secrets. Every product has proteins and vegetables, but the magic happens when their own spices and sauces for a special masala mix are added.
Spin-off
Taahir says education is important and helped him to think differently. With an engineering education he produced bio diesel from the discarded cooking oil. He marketed it online. “There were so many clients who wanted it, I had R280 000 turnover in 18 hours online.”
DNA of an entrepreneur
Taahir says the DNA of an entrepreneur is to be inquisitive, to get involved in what’s happening around you and make cautious decisions to learn about different people.
Funding
Taahir says his father did not want to loan money from the bank. “We don’t have a single loan, bond or overdraft facility. Our 70 retail stores are all self-funded.” Today Delhi Delicious is a thriving business, taking care of more than 600 plus families with the number of staff employed. “Every staff member has two or more family members they are supporting. It is not only about us anymore. The more people we employ the more franchises are opened and the more lives are touched.”
Giving back
As the eldest of three siblings, Taahir says he has a lot to be grateful for, especially his parents. “I grew up witnessing how my parents would give back to others. And I look at our business from a small fish and chips shop in Vereeniging to where it is today. It was purely based on the opportunity which was given to them, along with hard work and effort.” Taahir says the Delhi Delicious story started with the fish and chips take-away, that was a gift to his parents. Remembering that, Taahir’s dad has given him a mandate of “giving back and paying forward and to ensure we don’t take on investors”. This has led to a franchise model where Taahir works with franchisees to become part of their franchise family.
Life lessons
Taahir says he has learnt a lot from his parents. “I have not touched a single drug in my life. I had a good start, when we asked for money my dad would say go and work. That’s what my parents did - the sky is the limit.”
Delhi Delicious Vital Facts
Start-up capital R1 000
Current staff 650
Current turnover R68m annual
Year established 1996
Key Players
Yunus Abdool - CEO/manufacturing
Azhar Abdool - Group HR Director
Taahir Abdool - Retail Director
www.delhidelicious.co.za
