Rahul Hazarika, the founder with a vision behind OSK Food & Technology Pvt. Ltd., is now a figure of inspiration in the Northeast India's food tech sector. Rahul grew up in Assam and always had a desire for entrepreneurship. His early introduction to the expanding food delivery and cloud kitchen sectors sparked his curiosity, prompting him to enter the food and beverage business. His keen awareness of market opportunities and a passion for food inspired him to establish OSK in 2017, aiming to revolutionize Guwahati's culinary scene.
During a recent discussion with Business Northeast, Rahul discussed how OSK has transformed from a multi-cuisine cloud kitchen to a successful burger-focused Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brand. OSK, originally titled "One Stop Kitchen," was established as a cloud kitchen during a period of scarce food delivery choices in Guwahati. The goal was straightforward yet bold: provide gourmet meals to customers' homes. However, success did not happen suddenly. OSK only got two orders on its inaugural day. Yet, in just half a year, it was managing 100 orders daily, showcasing the increasing need for its services.
A significant achievement for OSK was the introduction of their mobile application, which increased the convenience of ordering for customers. Within a span of only 7-8 months, the app received more than 10,000 downloads, indicating high customer interest. Rahul's technology-focused strategy strongly connected with the market, positioning OSK for quick expansion.
Nevertheless, with the growth of the company, obstacles started to appear. The cloud kitchen model, though creative, had significant operational expenses, mainly because OSK depended on food aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato. These platforms imposed high fees that diminished the level of profit. The pandemic exacerbated these difficulties, leading Rahul to realize that expanding various cuisines under one brand was not feasible.
Rahul took a bold step by transforming OSK into OSK Burgers, a brand specializing in burgers within the quick service restaurant industry. Rahul, who identified as a burger fanatic, viewed burgers as his ultimate comfort food and made the choice to dedicate all his efforts to crafting an extraordinary burger experience. This change represented a pivotal moment in the company's history. OSK introduced a new focus on burgers and adopted a hub-and-spoke model, preparing raw materials at a central location before distributing them to outlets. This approach enabled them to uphold high-quality levels while expanding effectively.
Rahul discussed important statistics showcasing the growth of OSK during the interview. Since being established in 2017, OSK has accumulated close to ₹3 crore in overall earnings and established a faithful clientele of roughly 10,000 people. Currently, OSK Burgers generates 70% of the company's revenue, with Biryani brand contributing 20%, and Healthy Co. accounting for the remaining 10%.Rahul also discussed the importance of funding in the growth of OSK. The initial investment was mainly focused on developing the mobile platform, establishing a delivery fleet, and improving marketing strategies. Additional investments allowed the company to open two more stores and create a central kitchen, which was important for ensuring consistency and improving efficiency.
Rahul's path as an entrepreneur is characterized by resilience and flexibility. Confronted with the difficulties presented by the cloud kitchen concept, he effectively transitioned to a more targeted and expandable enterprise. Today, his commitment to combining food and technology is as strong as ever, with intentions to expand OSK Burgers into a national brand, beginning in Guwahati where it originated
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