Food on Wheels

Around the time the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chakh De! India was inching towards hit status in 2007, Nitin Agarwal was chatting with some friends and got this idea of Indian food being served where the people were. "I suggested the movie title as the name and my friend improvised," says Agarwal, Co-founder, Chakh Le India, which today sells branded food on push carts from 15 locations in Gurgaon, the satellite business town south east of Delhi.

Agarwal, who started with an investment of Rs 25 lakh with two other partners, bought out their stakes a year ago. He has a central-food-processing unit in Gurgaon, where the carts come to top up. Local entrepreneurs operate the carts. "I broke even within seven months," Agarwal says.

On the menu are about 18 items and the carts' franchisees are free to load up with what they think will work best for them. So there is rajma chawal for Rs 25, puree and curry for Rs 25, buttermilk for Rs 10, rasmalai or a kulfi for Rs 15 and so on.

CHAKH LE INDIA

• COMPANY: Chakh Le India
• OUTLETS NOW: Only carts, in Gurgaon
• GROWTH PLANS: Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore
• BUSINESS MODEL: Carts run by franchisees
• FUNDING: Nitin Agarwal
• HOT ITEM: Pyaaz Kachori