With 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Diksha Pande’s journey to founding Samosa Party is both inspiring and enlightening. She began her career with the Oberoi Group, working across various hotels and graduating from the prestigious Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development (OCLD).
Her stint with Pizza Hut marked a turning point, as she witnessed multinational corporations thriving in the Indian market with offerings like pizzas, burgers, and fried chicken. However, the lack of organised, pan-India access to beloved Indian street foods like samosas and kachoris was disheartening. This gap motivated her to establish Samosa Party, aiming to provide high-quality Indian street food across the nation at the right price.
The inception of Samosa Party was driven by a profound understanding of what Indian consumers desire and deserve. “Indians want flavours like samosa and kachori, which are the soul of our street food culture,” Pande explains. “Yet, these were not available in an organised, pan-India format, and that was something we wanted to change.” The goal was clear: to create a brand that not only delivered great quality products but also made them accessible and affordable across India.
Challenges and Leadership Philosophy
Building a brand in an unorganised category posed its challenges. Convincing customers to pay a premium for a brand they weren’t yet familiar with required time and education. Pande recounts the initial struggles: “The first and foremost challenge was to build a brand in a category where people were not willing to pay a premium initially. We had to prove ourselves by maintaining high standards of hygiene, packaging, and ingredient quality.” Despite the hurdles, she remained steadfast in maintaining quality. “We decided early on that we wouldn’t compromise on quality, no matter what,” she asserts.
Staying close to customers and understanding their needs became paramount. “Customers might not always articulate their needs, but continuous engagement helps us address their pain points effectively,” she says. This approach, she believes, is crucial in solving problems and retaining customers. “If you solve problems for people, they will keep coming back to you.” Pande acknowledges the role of social media in today’s F&B landscape. “Good things travel as fast as bad things. Your effort must be to have fewer negative instances and more positive feedback about your brand,” she notes. While the circle of influence has expanded, trust in recommendations from friends and family remains high. “People still convert better with word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted sources than from paid influencers,” she observes.
“Having clarity in what you’re doing is crucial. If you lack it, you’ll confuse your team and customers,”
Pande’s leadership is grounded in clarity and communication. She believes in inspiring teams by clearly communicating the purpose and vision of the company. “People join you for more than just money; they join to contribute to a larger purpose. When they see the bigger picture and feel valued, their contributions exceed expectations.”
She shares an instance from her own experience, “There were certain projects where we lacked 100% clarity, went to market, and failed miserably. Over time, we’ve learned that clarity in our vision and goals is non-negotiable.” This clarity, according to Pande, extends to every level of the organisation and helps in aligning everyone towards common objectives.
Product Development and Future Plans
Samosa Party stands out by offering freshly fried samosas every time an order is placed. “A great samosa experience should be hot, crispy, and fresh,” Pande explains. The company avoids pre-cooked, microwaved samosas, ensuring that their product retains its crispiness and freshness. Additionally, Samosa Party has expanded its offerings to include an ecosystem of samosa-based products, maintaining a limited yet consistently high-quality menu.
Product development at Samosa Party focuses primarily on perfecting their classic offerings. “We continuously improve our classic aloo samosa, striving to make it the best in the world,” says Pande. Incremental innovations, such as seasonal specialties like Thandai and Gujiya for Holi or Gajar Ka Halwa in winter, keep the menu exciting for existing customers and attract new ones. “We spend 80% of our innovation time on improving our existing product range,” she adds, emphasising the importance of perfecting what they already do well.
Listening to the consumer is at the heart of Samosa Party’s strategy. “Consumers have all the answers. By analysing their ordering patterns and preferences, we can innovate and adapt to meet their needs,” Pande explains. For instance, recognising the demand for snacks beyond traditional tea times led to the successful launch of ‘Project Sunset,’ catering to evening snackers with innovative offerings. “We looked at the needs after 7 o’clock and developed products that are relevant for that time, whether people are watching Netflix, playing games, or having a cocktail party,” she elaborates.
Samosa Party is now focusing on expanding its offline presence. “We’ve identified a sweet spot where consumers want an elevated, hygienic street food experience in a comfortable environment,” says Pande. Currently operating eight offline stores, the brand plans to double this number in the next two months, with a broader goal of reaching 60 locations soon. “We are not franchised yet; all our stores are brand-owned,” she notes, highlighting the control they maintain over quality and customer experience.
The journey of scaling Samosa Party has been informed by careful analysis and consumer insights. “For example, we initially saw most of our sales during tea time. By listening to our consumers and understanding their lifestyles, we realised there was a market for samosas at different times of the day,” she shares. This insight led to diversified offerings and increased sales throughout the day.
Pande’s insights into scaling a startup are rooted in a deep understanding of consumer behaviour. “Listen to your consumer; they have all the answers. Even if they can’t verbalise their needs, their behaviour patterns give you all the information you need,” she advises. This customer-centric approach has been pivotal in Samosa Party’s growth and success.
Samosa Party was founded in 2017 by Amit Nanwani and Diksha Pande. The brand currently operates 65 outlets across Bangalore, Delhi NCR and Hyderabad and is currently the largest ethnic Indian QSR in India with presence in 3 metro cities.
Diksha Pande’s journey with Samosa Party reflects a perfect blend of tradition and innovation, quality and customer focus, all while expanding the reach of one of India’s most beloved street foods. Her leadership philosophy, grounded in clarity and communication, along with a relentless focus on quality and consumer insights, has propelled Samosa Party to its current success.
As the brand continues to grow and innovate, it remains committed to delivering the best samosa experience to its customers across India.
