Pune Inc: how We Idliwale grew from a 150 sq ft shop to a culinary brand while reshaping the idea of South Indian cuisine

South Indian cuisine is among the most commonly available fare across India but only a true foodie is aware that there is more to it than idli. Even when it comes to idli, the only way it has been popularised is with sambhar and chutney, leaving many of its variants unknown. In many areas, for instance, idli is eaten with non-vegetarian curries as a staple.

Chirag Jadhav, a Pune-based entrepreneur whose roots are in Karnataka, grew up eating idli-chicken curry and idli-mutton curry. Abhishek Joshi, a chef, was fed the same by his aunt who married into a family from Kundapur in Karnataka. “Anywhere in South India, one can find these small messes that are run by families or these hole-in-the-wall places that serve idlis and non-vegetarian curries,” says Jadhav.

Starting small but sure

Joshi and Jadhav, who have been friends since childhood, soon realised that they could plug a gap in the market. A lot of Indians might be well-versed with aglio olio or quesadilla but have little knowledge of regional cuisine. When Joshi, who had trained at Michelin-starred restaurant Folly in Dubai, among others, and Jadhav, whose family is in the hospitality business, decided “to do something of our own”, the idli turned into their mystery-hero dish. In 2019, We Idliwale was born.

They started humbly, with a 150 sq ft shop in Baner. The investment was so small that it would not burn a hole in their pockets. There were just four dishes on the menu – idli-chicken, idli-mutton, idli-sambar-chutney, and filter coffee. There was no seating; people ate standing against two ledges.

The concept took off immediately. There were times when people would be sitting on the stairs, waiting to be served. “We were very confident that this would work, but the response of the people of Pune took us by surprise. A few people tried the combination and instantly loved it. They became our regulars,” says Jadhav. Since then, We Idliwale has expanded to outlets at Viman Nagar, NIBM, and the barroom in Baner, serving 3,000 portions of idli-chicken curry every month.

We Idliwale began by pricing the idli-chicken, idli-mutton dishes around Rs 130, while neighbourhood shops sold idlis for less than a tenth of the rate. However, the hit food combinations explained it, clinching all arguments. Joshi led from the kitchen. The curries are a combination of recipes by himself and his aunt – rich, layered, and with deep flavours. It translated into an old, traditional food that was also new to the palate of Pune.

Staying authentic amid a growth spurt

The lockdowns pushed up demand further, with orders coming from across the city. “That’s how we decided, during the second lockdown, to open a bigger outlet in Viman Nagar. This one would have seating,” says Jadhav.

In 2022, Neha Anand of Kings Group Ventures invested in the company. The entrepreneurs ensured that every outlet that We Idliwale opened was bigger than the previous one.

“A business that seeks to bring regional cuisine to the mainstream must be honest and start small,” says Jadhav. Even in the Barroom, the menu of signature cocktails, Haldi Highball, Tamarind Whisky Sour, and Kachampuli Highball, has ingredients from a South Indian kitchen.

This year, We Idliwale will explore different cities in India before going global. “We put in a lot of effort to stay as authentic as possible in our sourcing of ingredients to the ethos of our service,” he adds.

Ground realities

The food industry is, however, battling issues, such as high rentals and tax regimes, they say. “GST in restaurants and eateries was reduced to 5 per cent without Input Tax Credit (ITC, which is the tax businesses pay on purchases that can be claimed as a deduction while paying output tax) in the GST Council meeting held at Guwahati in 2017. This decision adversely impacted several restaurants, primarily those who operate on leased premises in larger cities,” says Jadhav.

“These are all from the organised sector and contribute taxes to the state exchequer. This denial of ITC also results in additional capital outlay of up to 20 per cent on every new project, which in turn adversely impacts investment sentiments in the sector,” he adds.

Jadhav points out that the changing eating habits of people, with deliveries being more popular than eating out, have made restaurants dependent on online aggregators. “They charge a huge commission. We have no option but to go with it, as they have a major chunk of customers. At present, restaurant associations are in talks with online aggregators for a fair deal,” he says.