A customer experience masterclass from a biryani brand
Over 6 million biryanis were ordered on Swiggy in 2021. How Biryani By Kilo (BBK) is standing out from the crowd.
The pandemic has changed the dynamics of online food ordering and brands like Biryani By Kilo (BBK) have surfed the wave. It recently raised $35 million in funding and is on an expansion spree. However, the cloud kitchen business is intensely competitive. A simple Google search of ‘biryani near me’ throws up 405 million (!) results in 0.70 secs.
National vs regional
A national brand selling an ubiquitous dish like biryani is not only fighting other national brands like Behrouz, it is fighting regional loyalties. I am from Calcutta and have my clear favourites. Now that I live in Mumbai and can’t get my hands on an Arsalan or a Shiraz biryani, have figured over trial and error my favourite - a Lucknow style joint, Kakori House, in Mahim.
The experiment
This weekend on a whim we decided to try out BBK (note: brand awareness and salience is still key). The biryani was good and is decent value for money but what changed the ‘good’ to ‘very good’ had nothing to do with the food.
BBK serves its biryanis in handis (a clay pot). Traditionally, biryanis have been cooked in clay or copper pots in India and with the top lid sealed with atta (dough) to let the mutton/chicken stew in it’s own juices with the rice, allowing the spices to do its magic.
This is not a BBK speciality, there are others that do the same.
The idea
The delivery contained the expected handi and assorted tiny boxes containing sliced onions and bits of lemon. But there was another item, a small pot, and when we tore off the various tapes, out came this:
First thought that sprang to the mind was that it was too early for Diwali. After looking around for a bit, found the paper covering that I had expertly torn and trashed. It said something like this: Before having the biryani, please light the candles and place the biryani handi on the pot for 8-10 mins. This will not only make the food hot, the lovely aroma of the spices will be released.
The experience
I am not sure if this actually added to the taste of the food but I can assure you it turned a normal dinner into an experience to remember and talk about. Which is what I am doing right now. How much would this have cost? Given the number of handis going out each day, am sure that small pot and couple of candles would have not being more than Rs 15-20, if that.
The value of the idea?
Priceless.
The author is building Your Marketing List, a marketplace that connects startups and small/medium businesses to quality digital marketing freelancers.
A customer experience masterclass from a biryani brand
To find good biryani is rare. To find someone who makes home delivery containers an experience is definitely rarer. Good read suprio. Will definitely try them out