Farman Beig, Co-founder and CEO, Wat-a-Burger, says his brand has stemmed from India but will go global soon

Established in 2016 by two childhood friends, Wat-a-Burger started with the mission to take fresh and delicious yet affordable burgers to the masses. Founded by Farman Beig and Rajat Jaiswal, the burger joint, has spread its presence across 21 cities and 11 states, serving 8,000-plus delicious burgers daily.

(L-R) Rajat Jaiswal and Farman, Co-founders of Wat-a-Burger

While exploring the market, Beig, Founder-CEO, noted that the food market is one sector that never witnesses a dip in sales but is dominated by foreign brands in the country. “We decided on opening a burger chain that will stem from India and go global one day. The catch is that this time we will plate our flavours in their dish,” he says.

After conducting a comprehensive survey around the preferences of youngsters, the brand set its menu by offering Indian fusion burgers, shakes and wraps. “We also identified where other brands lacked. For example, in most Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), they only serve aerated drinks. Therefore, we added freshly prepared shakes,” adds Beig. The brand follows a franchise model where they provide end-to-end ready restaurant setup to their partners with well-defined Standard Operating Procedures for smooth operations.

SURVIVING THE UNCERTAINTY & FUTURE PLANS

Lockdown, unlock and restrictions, the fast-food industry has gone through all in the last 18 months. Wat-a-Burger too suffered the heat and had to keep its outlets shut for a long time. “We started reopening when the government relaxed the norms,” informs Beig adding they are presently focussing on recovering the lockdown numbers. When online deliveries began during the pandemic, the brand used the period to gain maximum traction through digital platforms. “At present, the situation is more or less the same. Therefore, we are focussing more on digital presence and trying to attract more customers through online food-tech platforms. We are expanding rapidly which is helping make up for the revenues lost during that challenging period,” says Beig.

Wat-a-Burger Outlet in Noida

The Wat-a-Burger CEO aims to take the brand across the globe. “We have some short- and long-term goals. To begin with, we want to build the brand’s own supply chain along with inaugurating over 500 outlets across India in the next five years. We have already reached 65 outlet-mark and considering the current pace, we will easily touch a milestone of 100 by the fiscal year end with a focus on Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala,” he puts in.