How to grow in India

No percentage gleaning, but rock-hard growth. That can be the reality in India. Just look at Logicash, the Indian subsidiary of Syntech International in Limburg. While the number of ATMs in India has grown from 100,000 to 180,000 in two years' time, Logicash's cars and mopeds drive through virtually the entire country to fill them up with piles of rupees. In a year and a half, the company, led by a local director, was profitable. By now, Logicash has 15 offices and employs more than 3,000 people in India. This is expected to grow to 40 offices and over 10,000 employees in the coming years (almost 20 new people a week).

Jesse van der Zand of Janta Meals (Photo: Janta Meals)

Janta Meals has a similar story. In two years' time, entrepreneur Jesse van de Zand has built 21 outlets in Gurgaon. The restaurants are going like mad, with 15,000 meals a day on sale: lentil and vegetable curries with rice or roti. Meanwhile, Van de Zand is holding far-reaching talks on expansion in Haridwar, a pilot is running in Bangalore and he is in the middle of final negotiations with four Indians who want to invest in Janta Meals.

The entertainment industry is also booming, observes Richard Zijlma, director of the Amsterdam Dance Event, which is landing in India for the first time in 2016. "India is a large, explosively growing market for electronic music," says Zijlma. "Just look at world-famous Dutch DJs like Armin van Buuren, Hardwell and Tiësto. Each and every one of them regularly tours India. There, they do not perform in small venues, but in stadiums and at large dance festivals. India is the gateway to Asia.

1. Have a strong core team

"I think every Dutch company that wants to grow rapidly in India must find a Dutch employee willing to live full time in India. In addition, an Indian partner with a relevant business network and a business mindset is essential. Without the Dutchman, everything is too slow and without the Indian, doing business in India is too complicated." Jesse van de Zand, Janta Meals.

2. Find Indian investors

"The Indian economy is growing rapidly and the elite are constantly looking for new investment opportunities. There are active angel investor networks that have quite a lot of money available and there is a lot of investment. Doing business with Indian investors is not much different than anywhere else in the world. Of course, here it's a bit more about a personal connection, but in the end it's all about the business deal." Jesse van de Zand, Janta Meals.

3. Keep believing in what makes sense to you

"Indians are quick to say that something can be done easily or that something is impossible. Follow your own feeling and stick to it." Gandert Roosen, Roosen Industries

4. Stay sharp in negotiations

"Indians are often tactically very smart. Once, I was having dinner for hours with an 80-year-old business associate. I had the feeling that he was slowly dozing off, until he suddenly surprised me and threw a proposal on the table." Gandert Roosen, Roosen Industries

5. Show respect

"Treat everyone with respect. Indians are a proud people, and rightly so. This country has a rich history and will achieve a lot in the years to come. Therefore, adopt a reserved attitude, especially if you are relatively young. Indians are allergic to arrogant foreigners." Gandert Roosen, Roosen Industries

Also have big growth plans in India or useful tips for growth entrepreneurs? Let us know about it!

Dutchman sells 15,000 meals a day in India

Many Dutch companies sell their products to the rising Indian middle class, but Janta Meals focuses on slum dwellers. "With meals for workers, you can make as much money in India as you can with a five-star hotel."

"Very hectic," Jesse van de Zand (33) answers when asked how he is doing. His company Janta Meals, which sells cheap and healthy meals to workers in Indian slums, is growing rapidly. The 21 outlets in Gurgaon are running like clockwork, with 15,000 meals a day on sale: lentil and vegetable curries with rice or roti. Meanwhile Van de Zand is holding far-reaching talks on expansion in Haridwar, a pilot is running in Bangalore and he is in the middle of final negotiations with four Indians who want to invest in Janta Meals.

"We need 2.5 million euros to build a professional production kitchen," says Van de Zand. "With the construction of that kitchen, our production capacity will increase tenfold to 150,000 meals a day. This will allow us to further reduce the cost price and become profitable."

The cost price is already bizarrely low by Dutch standards. Van de Zand: "On a meal costing 20 rupees - about 30 euro cents - we make a margin of four cents. That margin will soon increase to 8 cents. We expect to break even for the first time in 2017. 

Van de Zand started Janta Meals with a pilot in 2013. Together with his Indian partner Prahbat Agarwal, he opened two restaurants in Gurgaon. This proved to be a good way to conduct market research, set prices and test the earnings model. After four months, Van de Zand and Agarwal drew their conclusions. "There was a lot of demand, but the distribution model did not work at all. We even cooked and sold in the outlets. That turned out to be very inefficient."

In 2014, they switched to a central production kitchen, which increased efficiency, allowed the number of meals to grow significantly (from 500 to 15,000 per day) and strongly improved the financial results. It also brought recognition: Last year in Mumbai, Jesse van de Zand received the prestigious Sankalp Award for the best social enterprise in India.

While the social character of Janta Meals is paramount for Van de Zand, he emphasises that Janta Meals can become very profitable. "Our margins are low, of course, but our growth potential is huge. In Delhi alone we can serve millions of people. You can make as much money with meals for workers in India as you can with a five-star hotel. I am convinced of that."

Interested in social entrepreneurship in India? NContact IndiaConnected partner Maarten van der Schaaf!