Introduction Meet Pankaj—a passionate entrepreneur who turned his love for food into two successful businesses, Kati Roll Wala and DNA Franchise Pro. His story is a journey of hard work, adapting to challenges, and building businesses that make a difference.
How Kati Roll Wala Began
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many businesses were shutting down, Pankaj saw an opportunity. With 27 years of experience working in restaurants around the world, he noticed ghost kitchens—delivery-only restaurants—were doing well.
“I worked at a food manufacturing company during the day, and in the evenings, I opened my ghost kitchen,” he says. “I’d stay up until 1:30 AM experimenting with recipes and listening to customer feedback.”
After six months, he had created 15 popular dishes. But as the pandemic eased, ghost kitchen sales dropped. Listening to his customers, Pankaj decided to open a restaurant. A food hall owner loved his dishes and offered him space for his first restaurant. That’s how Kati Roll Wala was born.
“Cooking is about timing and temperature,” he says. “We kept our menu simple and used fresh, local ingredients. Everything is made in-house.”
Growing the Business
After opening the first location, Pankaj expanded with a second restaurant. He created clear systems for running the business, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and branding guidelines. Soon, people began asking to franchise Kati Roll Wala.
“That’s when I built the technology to support the business,” Pankaj explains. “With the help of IT friends, we created software for managing inventory, tracking finances, training staff, and marketing. Everything is simple to use and designed for efficiency.”
Now, Kati Roll Wala has five locations and plans to reach 25 by the end of the year. The franchise costs are straightforward:
- Franchise Fee: $30,000
- Royalties: 6% + 1% for marketing
- Setup Costs: $127,000 to $350,000, depending on the location
“My family doubted if I’d succeed, but now we’re growing steadily,” Pankaj shares. “My vision is affordable, high-quality Indian food on a large scale.”
Launching DNA Franchise Pro
While building Kati Roll Wala, Pankaj saw how difficult and expensive it was to start a franchise. Legal costs alone could be as high as $80,000. To make franchising accessible, he took a certification at Palm Beach Atlantic University and IFPG, and started DNA Franchise Pro.
“We help people find the right franchise from over 600 options,” he explains. “We also guide small businesses on how to turn into franchises. We don’t charge individuals—our commissions come from the businesses they choose.”
DNA Franchise Pro offers end-to-end support, from legal help to technology and real estate guidance. “We make franchising easy so more people can succeed,” he says.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Pankaj’s journey wasn’t easy. He tried opening a café in England, but it failed. He worked in a casino and managed other jobs to stay afloat. These setbacks taught him resilience.
“When I asked McDonald’s for a franchise in India, they wanted INR 5 crore. I decided my franchise concept would always be affordable,” he says.
Here are Pankaj’s tips for aspiring entrepreneurs:
- Learn the Industry: Know about marketing, licensing, real estate, and operations.
- Focus on Quality: “Food is the heart of the business. Never compromise on quality.”
- Build Systems: “Processes keep things consistent and scalable.”
- Value People: “Take care of your team and customers. They’re essential to success.”
What’s Next?
Pankaj dreams of making Indian food as popular as Mexican or Italian cuisine, which have thousands of franchises globally. “Indian food hasn’t scaled because it’s been too expensive and reliant on individual chefs. We’re changing that,” he says.
With Kati Roll Wala offering affordable, fresh food and DNA Franchise Pro empowering entrepreneurs, Pankaj is helping bring Indian businesses to the world stage.
Advice for Aspiring Restaurateurs
“The restaurant business is more than just food,” Pankaj says. “You need passion, financial planning, and a willingness to learn.”
He adds:
- “Work in the industry before starting your own place.”
- “Understand all parts of the business, from marketing to real estate.”
- “Focus on high-quality food and create processes that make the business run smoothly.”
Pankaj’s journey shows that with dedication, adaptability, and the right systems, anyone can turn their dreams into reality. As he continues to expand his businesses, he inspires others to follow their passion and aim for success.
If you’re inspired by Pankaj’s journey and want to learn more about franchising opportunities or explore his businesses, visit:
- Kati Roll Wala: www.katirollwala.com
- DNA Franchise Pro: www.dnafranchise.pro
- Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/pankaj_franchisepro/
- Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/pankaj26dec/
- Book : https://www.amazon.com/Road-Entrepreneurship-Starts-Why-Drastic/dp/B0DMLL1ZKH
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