Entrepreneurial spirit has turned five plus two students in Kerala into owners of a fast-growing food joint. What started as a means to find an income to meet their personal expenses quickly evolved into a remarkable business venture for the five friends, capturing the hearts and taste buds of customers in Kottayam.
Meet Ishack P A, 19, Malavika Vinu,18, Prince Jac Lesley,18, Avinash S,18, and Nohin K B, 19, — the five friends who shared a dream to do some business right from the class of nine and finally pooled in their resources and skills to build a food enterprise despite facing many challenges.
“We had an idea about developing a food joint brand like McDonald’s or KFC. So we thought about a variety of dishes and finally zeroed in on Kolkata Kati Rolls which were not that famous in Kerala despite being known for its versatility and taste. We believed that this particular street food had the potential to appeal to a wide range of customers. So we saw an opportunity to establish a brand,” said Ishack.
After raising some funds from family and friends, they started their dream cafe at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh and named it “Roll Bunk”. “The first shop was set up in Changanassery. Though their business was good in the initial days, the sales dipped and day to day running costs mounted after a few days. But they weren’t ready to give up and decided to shift their shop to their hometown in Kottayam.
In fact their decision turned out to be a good move as their outlet in Kottayam attracted a lot of customers. They also improvised by partnering with a tea-seller.
The new outlet surpassed all expectations receiving rave reviews from food enthusiasts and attracting a loyal following. The innovative menu along with their dedication to quality and affordability set them apart from the competition.
“As everyone likes to have a cup of tea in the evening, we partnered with a tea-seller and worked in coordination. We now sell more than 120 rolls daily. Our outlet also offers a variety of fresh juice,” Ishack said, adding that they are planning to open more outlets in other parts of Kottayam.
While Ishack is currently waiting to get admission at CMS college Kottayam for doing his Bachelors in Economics, Avinash has joined for BBA at CMS College. Both Prince and Nohin have also joined for graduate course in Economics and Malavika decided to pursue a course in Journalism.
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