HOW TO CONQUER THE FOODSCAPE

1 A good question to start with is what’s different about your food offering from your competition. Otherwise it becomes everything about competitive pricing and the one with the biggest pockets wins. Today, engaging customers through visual content on social media to drive product differentiation and creating conversations is a winning formula.

2 Word of mouth has a great say in driving business. It is important that you create a unique experience for the firsttime customers. Families with children, a key segment in food business, relies much on word-of-mouth. For me, customer loyalty is an emotional decision and depends on the experience you create around your food.

3 Comfort foods are making a comeback We are slowly realising that a lot of culinary red flags related to lifestyle diseases were just false alarms. Comfort foods are about our dearest memories, an experience closer to home, and an occasional indulgence that can result in a good frame of mind.

4 Innovate, innovate, and innovate The menu must keep evolving. Inculcate a spirit of experimentation, devise new recipes, shop for lost recipes from traditional homes, bring a new twist to traditional dishes, and accommodate modern tastes. The trend says people are willing to experiment with new dishes and will go anywhere for such an opportunity.

5 Home delivery has grown big time and is a key segment for the food business. Even if you lack a proper infrastructure, there are online delivery services you can partner with to grow your business. It opens up a new revenue stream and also brings in customers who are already patrons of such services without an extra investment.