5 Spice Wok plans to expand to Bengaluru & Surat by 2016

What led to inception of your brand?

5 Spice Wok was started around 15 years ago with the idea of providing flavorsome Chinese food in Mumbai. Initially, we began with one outlet, but over the time we have expanded to various locations. Our food is our USP; and at the same time we don’t believe in compromising with the quantity of food. We offer food at great price. I also believe that our main goal is to provide good food and service to our customers which will help us to build our brand.

What all is required in designing menu?

Designing a menu takes around 2-3 months as there is a lot of trial and error involved. Our chef formulates the dishes according to the cuisine followed by tasting sessions conducted by our team. Many a times, we put certain dishes on the menu and then check the frequency of order and accordingly the menu is designed. We try to keep a balance of 50 per cent vegetarian and 50 per cent non-vegetarian dishes in most of our outlets.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your restaurant?

At 5 Spice Wok, we serve Chinese and Thai cuisine apart from our desserts which is our specialty.

What are the challenges faced by you in your initial stages?

Initially, we had only one outlet at Fort in Mumbai. We used to have excellent footfalls during the day due to offices around. But the biggest challenge we faced was that our dinner sales were extremely low. However, over the time the scenario has changed and all our outlets are doing very well.

Who are your target customers?

I believe and anyone who likes wholesome Chinese food at an affordable cost is our target customer.

How do you see social media as a marketing medium?

I think social media is a great platform for branding especially with food industry. It makes very easy to put our brand and promote the various services and dishes that we want to offer. It also helps us receive feedback from customers.

What are your growth targets for next few years and can you reveal any strategy for how you intend to achieve this?

Our growth targets would be to open as many outlets possible in this year.

What is your expansion plans? Are you working on any new concept or model to expand your business?

Currently, we have 10 outlets in Mumbai and have recently opened our first outlet in Pune. We plan on expanding to Bengaluru and Surat in coming months. Also, we are looking to cater to our customers depending upon their requirements. Some of our outlets would serve only vegetarian food while some would serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian with alcohol.