Tuesday 19 Mar 2024

Small sweet delights pack big taste to savour it in Goan style

BHARATI PAWASKAR | JANUARY 15, 2018, 05:57 PM IST

THE GOAN: Congratulations for winning India's biggest business awards that gave national level recognition to Dainty Delights - India5000 Best MSME Award 2017. A chartered accountant by profession, you have successfully translated your passion for baking into this viable business model. Was this award a pleasant surprise?
Pallavi Salgaocar: I received an email from India5000 Awards that Dainty Delights, retailing under the brand Desserts N More, had been nominated. India5000.com is the research group is part of Benchmark Trust, which is creating a platform by doing research and recognition for 5000 best MSME in quality output. The awards selection process follows a research methodology - entries and nominations are shortlisted and judged by TQV as the process reviewer, a jury panel comprising eminent personalities from various Industries. I had given them all material for their audit procedure like the division's sales, outlets, customer's testimonials, coverage etc. They reverted to me after a month of submitting all information to them that we had been awarded.

TG: Desserts N More, Desserts N More Premia and Wedding Bells, these ventures retail as a part of the bakery division of Geno Pharmaceuticals named ‘Dainty Delights'- why did Geno think of venturing into a bakery chain?
PS: The food industry is constantly expanding and the bakery industry has immense potential. Therefore a vertical was started to tap the exciting food market in the name of Dainty Delights with the best in modern amenities where bakery goods could be made in clean and hygienic conditions using good quality ingredients.

TG: What is the current market share enjoyed by you in Goa?
PS: Desserts N More brand is in the market for six years odd, but in its current form, as a brand being retailed by Dainty delights, it is in existence only from January 2014 - so four years. We enjoy a good customer base, especially in North Goa where our outlets are located.

TG: With too many pastry and bakery chains in this little state wherein each enjoys a space of its own, is there scope for more?
PS: Yes, the competition in the bakery products segment in Goa is fierce but at the end of the day - it's the survival of the fittest.
We were among the first in Goa to make designer customised cakes and that still, is our mainstay. Our loyal customers keep coming back to us and recommend us to their friends. Our season's special, Christmas goodies plum cakes, marzipan fruits, marshmallows, jujubes, Easter eggs and bunny themed cakes during Easter, chocolate modaks during Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali cakes or heart shaped delicacies on Valentine's day are popular.

TG: Innovation is the key in this segment. Do you keep adding to your product line?
PS: Of course, we keep innovating new products and offerings year after year to avoid monotony. Customers constantly demand new flavours. I have been observing that demand for eggless cakes have increased dramatically. Earlier while the demand for eggless cakes was more during the month of Shravan or Lent, now the demand for the eggless varieties is throughout the year.

TG: Do you have healthy snacking?
PS: Yes. In fact, we were the first ones in Goa to start the concept of wheat cakes. Our brown bread is made wholly of whole wheat, no maida. We make carrot wheat cakes, wheat cupcakes, cookies of nachni, oats, flaxseed and wheat, brown bread sandwiches and mini wheat pizzas too.

TG: Tell us about your best seasons and clients
PS: Our customers are basically kids and teenagers and their parents. We accept bulk orders for events, parties and anniversaries, supply for marathons, inaugurals and are into corporate and individual gifting too. We just had our busiest month, December 2017. The year end season with Christmas goodies was too good this year. We worked on back-to-back orders of birthdays and wedding cakes too. The sales of Christmas gift hampers this year was maximum compared to any other year since the inception of Desserts N More. Believe me, on December 25th morning we were totally stocked out on hampers with my counter staff calling me up and telling that customers were asking for more hampers...

TG: Has GST affected your business? Have the prices of raw material increased and has it reflected in your price tags?
PS: GST has definitely impacted our business. Earlier we used to pay 5 % VAT which now is in different slabs from 5-18 % GST rate. We get input credit on raw materials. The bakers associations at the state level in various States and the Centre are taking it up with the Central government representatives and hopefully we should be some getting respite from the high taxes.

TG: What are your popular products?
PS: The fast moving ones amongst the cakes are Dutch truffle cake, red velvet cupcakes, black forest, rainbow cake, brownies and butterscotch rolls. Amongst desserts are Serradura, chocolate mousse, rum and raisin rocks and macarons. Amongst savouries people enjoy the puffs we make, brown bread sandwiches and gobi manchurian and chicken tikka rolls.

TG: Any sugar-free products too?
PS: We retail sugar free cookies in our outlets and make other things on orders.

TG: Any expansion plans, in the near future?
PS: We plan to consolidate our presence in North Goa and then penetrate in the South Goa. Our Mapusa shop was converted into a Desserts N More Café a couple of months ago where freshly made items like sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, mocktails and beverages are prepared and served. We also look forward to open more Cafes...

TG: Your outlets?
PS: We have four self-operated outlets at Caculo Mall, Mall de Goa, Mapusa and our factory outlet at Tivim Industrial Estate. We also sell through our retailers at Anjuna, Bicholim, Sanquelim, Old Goa and Porvorim. We supply cookies to Delphinos, Borkers, Newtons, Magsons, Sahakar Bhandars and Bagayatdars.

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