Eyes restaurants, standalone outlets to sell ready-to-eat products
Chennai: When you think of a South Indian sweet treat that melts in your mouth, you think of Sri Krishna Sweets’ Mysurpa. The Coimbatore-based chain, whose signature dish has a worldwide audience, is strengthening its snacks and restaurants arm.
Sri Krishna plans to open a restaurant chain and outlets for ready-to-eat foods. M Murali, Managing Director, told BusinessLine, “We are in a transition phase and this will be our focus for the next three years.”
Of the 40 outlets in Chennai,17 have restaurants. Murali said, “First, we want to renovate these restaurants .” This will be the precursor to open-ing the chain. His daughter, Sneha, will take care of the design and menu.
His another daughter, Shruthi, will oversee the standalone outlets for ready-to-eat products.
Sri Krishna’s sales have diversified. “Mysurpa, which a few years ago, accounted for 60 per cent of revenues is now 30 per cent with other categories picking up,” Murali adds.
Sneha says South Indian savouries are getting a new twist. “We are introducing murukku with Mexican, Italian, Thai and Jamaican sea-soning. Each will have an accompaniment to enhance the flavour, like Nachos and cheese dip.”
“But, there are challenges. The profit margin is on the decline due to rising raw material cost and rentals,” Murali rues.
But rather than raising prices, the company is focusing on increasing sales. “We are taking smaller spaces,” he says.
