admin Behind every successful business leader, there is an amalgamation of ambition, strategy, intelligence, sheer will, and the inclination to take intended risks particularly in a challenging period of time. The Leaders Globe Media is delighted to unveil a successful entrepreneurship strategy of Fipola’s prolific Founder.
Sushil Kanugolu, MD & Founder of Fipola, is an epitome of brilliance who mastered entrepreneurial skills and competencies, and built the right mindset to determine the prosperity of his venture – Fipola, the first modern meat retail store in India provides all meat requirements of Indian customers with a hygienic and convenient approach. The meat retailer has 18 stores in Chennai, spanning across 1, 9475 sq.ft. of retail space and covering 275 to 300 SKUs in stores. Fipola is bringing the convenience of shopping in a hygienic and comfortable environment.
The Winding Road to Success
After completing his graduation in commerce from Loyola College, Sushiltook on the responsibility of secretary and ventured towards the goal of handling a team of 80 members. It was the start of his leadership journey. After completing a Masters in Operations and Supply Chain Management from Manchester Business School, he decided to sail for his entrepreneurial goals.
Entrepreneurship is about learning everyday; everyday is new and every season comes with its own challenges. My own experience and my team’s strength make us look forward
Sushil gained entrepreneurial skills during his early childhood days from his father and uncle. He fondly recounts their journey of entrepreneurship. His diligence picks up the nuances of running a successful business which turns out to be a game changing strategy for his business. His foresight of investing in the expansion and modernisation of the company and infrastructure led to rapid growth in the product portfolio of the company.
Responding To the Business Impact of COVID-19
With the demand for hygienic products and ready to cook options on the rise after the Covid pandemic, its online revenues jumped four times in one month.
While asking how you prepared for this pandemic, he said “Fipola has always stressed on hygiene. We have been constantly communicating to our consumers through social media that our meat is safe.”
The company won consumers’ trust and retained it. Within 45 days, the company saw close to 1.50 lakh customers buying from them, multiplying sales by 3x post Covid-19.
“Many consumers are habituated to contactless deliveries and payments. This is expected to become a habit. Delay in delivery to consumers was the biggest pain during the lock-down and we are continuously learning to improve it”, he said.
Maintaining Quality and Safety Standards amid the Global Pandemic
With the ecommerce boom, the business grew in different verticals and took food retailing business to the next level. Fipola is enhancing the holistic omnichannel retail experiences by serving quality meat to consumers, to get the safety of their homes.
“We maintain a great standard of hygiene and cleanliness at our stores. Everything from transportation to packaging of the meat is done with care and the meats are kept in air-conditioned containers under a regular temperature without adding any preservatives to it. Our staff operates with some ground rules of maintaining hygiene in all our stores. Customers can even order online or call up a local call center to place orders and get the meat delivered at home,” expressed Sushil.
At Fipola, the overall experience of buying meat is a delight and a convenience for customers. With a variety of products to choose from; there are great options for customers to choose from. We are proud to have changed the stereotype of meat retail in India
While asking about his motivation, Sushil evinced, “My brother, Sunil, is a great support pillar. My kids, a son and a daughter, are God’s gift to me and they give me strength. The moment I reach home and see their sparkling smiles, it de-stresses me instantly!”
Ready-To-Cook Options, Marinated Meats
“We are seeing this particularly in upmarket neighbourhoods like Adyar, Alwarpet and Kotturpuram, as well as IT hubs like ECR and OMR,”Sushilrevealed. Fipola currently has 10 marinated options, but with the escalating purchase rates, the company is expanding its product menu. The company has recently tied up with Oriental Cuisines Pvt. Ltd. (OCPL is a chain of restaurants which has enhanced the palate of India with a remarkable range of cuisines from all over the globe. From tantalizing Thai to sinful Spanish, to the robust richness of the Malabar Coast, minimalist Japanese to spicy Chinese, fun and fast eats to exquisite patisserie and rich desserts) to develop a quick food/restaurant module.
The company is soon to launch 32 new products with collaboration with OCPL, which will be available both online & retail; some of these most anticipated products are Rosemary & Garlic marinated Lamb, Chimmichuri Grilled Chicken, Fish Polichidu, Malai Chicken Tangri Kebab, Amritsari Fish Tikka, etc.
Recently, the brand has come up with six new (dark) stores that will operate like cloud kitchens, to efficiently meet customer requirements in Porur, Perumbakkam, Perumbur, Tambaram, Velachery and Ambattur.
Expanding Business to the Next Level
With Fipola’ssuccessful brand expansion in Chennai, they have planned on expanding their empire to Tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupur, and Salem) by the end of 2020 and other cities like Bengaluru & Hyderabad by 2021.
“We are focusing on technology enabled operations, contactless deliveries, expanding product line and better online experience.” The business model & delivery model is purely driven by data analytics. Fipola concentrates extensively on CAC, LTV & Retention rates.
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