Developing a business

She is young and venturesome. "I have always been passionate about food and wanted to do something about it,” says Kainaz Mehta speaking about Mexiloko, a new QSR (quick service restaurant) which opened at Bela Court on Colaba Causeway in Bombay on March 31, 2014. Mexiloko’s bright Hispanic colors of reds and greens reflect the tanginess of Mexican food – nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, empanadas and more – served in a casual and affordable ambiance.

Kainaz Mehta (top) and interiors of Mexiloko

Mehta is one of the four partners at Ceres Hospitality Private Limited which owns the eatery. "My brother-in-law Sameer Uttamsingh, who has been a part of the F&B (food and beverage) industry for over a decade, and I started working on the idea of a QSR as it is a small business format with lower investment in individual outlets. We can look at opening multiple outlets after the concept has proved successful and the food is accepted. We also have on our team Deb Mukherjee, an ex banker, and Harsh Patel who comes from a business background. They together strengthened our core team,” Mehta elaborates. They chose Mexican food because the taste and ingredients are familiar to Indian restaurant-goers. "The spice level, tangy taste, rice, beans, chilies and tortillas, to name a few, are known to Indian consumers,” she adds.
The experience has been both challenging and positive. "We are looking to open three or four more outlets in the city by the end of this year. Our prime focus has been to create a genuine brand and engineer a menu keeping in mind the clientele and a widely acceptable price point. While concentrating on all of this, we have ensured we give the best quality food,” she asserts. Mexican flavors of con carne, chipotle, BBQ (barbecue), spicy tex mex, zesty jalapeno, lime and coriander add zing to chicken, fish and lamb fillings as well as vegetarian variations using paneer or soya mince. A range of salsa, fresh pico, sour cream, rich guacamole, etc "make the perfect accompaniments to any dish that you pick off the menu.” Prices range from Rs 90 – 180, with salsas costing between Rs 20-40. Free wi-fi connectivity enhances the modern, casual environment. The small 12-seater restaurant also does takeaway and home delivery and can be contacted on 022-22023100.
Mehta graduated in 2003 from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a degree in business management. On her return to India, she joined her family business RMC Builders and Developers. "My father Rohinton J. Mehta has been in construction for a few decades. Working on the branding, marketing and sales of several real estate projects in Poona and Goa, I learnt how a business functions in India and I had a chance to understand the psychology of Indian consumers and what drives them,” she observes. In 2009 with business partner Kunjan Budhiraja she launched an event management company Aarna which conducts fashion events and exhibitions. "We came together to provide a platform for young designers from fashion and lifestyle backgrounds and give them an opportunity to interact with the client base firsthand. This helped them to understand better the customers’ reaction to their product.”
In December 2013, Aarna presented "The Travelling Trunk Store” at the Coomaraswamy Hall at the Prince of Wales Museum where 25 designers, both new and well-known, showcased clothes, accessories, home products and food under brands like Cupidity, Doodlage, Nothing, Lil Poppets, LFI (Love from India), etc, notes their Facebook page. "Our next event will be held in the last week of November,” Mehta says. Travelling and learning about different cultures and cuisines, art and architecture has fascinated her from childhood. "It is a truly enriching experience. Wherever I am, I always have a book with me and I have recently developed an interest in reading books based on spirituality. With spirituality comes a healthy mind and a healthy mind needs a healthy body. Thus fitness is also an important part of my lifestyle,” asserts the young lady.