Vada Pav the ‘fastest fast food’ of Maharashtra is often referred to as one among the greatest gifts to the Mumbaikars. A versatile food, it is a meal for all meal-times – breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just an afternoon snack. So popular is this deep fried potato dumpling stuffed in a ‘pav’ that it has a special day dedicated to it – 23 August.
From being a meal for many migrant labourers in the ’60s to being a celebrated dish on the menu of various ‘new age’ restaurants, the ‘Bombay Burger,’ as the Vada Pav is sometimes called, has come a long way.
Venkatesh Iyer (Venky), the founder of Goli Vada Pav, saw the immense business potential in this humble recipe. Started in 2004, it has now grown to over 350 outlets across India, with its presence in 20 states and 100 cities. Case studies on its success and growth are undertaken by top business schools such as Harvard Business School, IMD Switzerland, and ISB Hyderabad.
Venky allows The Better India a glimpse into…