These days, you might get amazed to see people eating pizza sitting outside the straw roofed huts in town. Don’t get confused! You are at The Pizza Cutter.
In a culture where many people have the dream to be in the States, Mr. Shailendra Ghimire returned to Nepal after staying 10 years in the USA with all the positive hopes.
The business was started by a person who took a big decision to return back to Nepal from the USA. In a culture where many people have the dream to be in the States, Mr. Shailendra Ghimire returned to Nepal after staying 10 years in the USA with all the positive hopes.
He had only one fear in his mind while returning to Nepal that he doesn’t have to fly back to the USA holding a luggage in his hands.
Now, people don’t have to worry and get cheated on Pizza. -Ghimire
Once back, Ghimire and his friends went to a local restaurant in town one day, and ordered pizza. And, when our order was delivered, we were taken by surprise. It was just a maidako roti with some cheese on it. Not to miss, there was Ketchup on the pizza. And, it cost us 300 bucks for that, he said. That moment triggered us to start a pizza business in Nepal. Now, people don’t have to worry and get cheated on Pizza.
In Nepal, pizza is still considered as a glamorous food. In most of the places, foods are overpriced and not authentic. And, if you want to have authentic food, you are required to empty your wallet.
After an extensive study and homework for about a year on how we can provide authentic pizza in a low cost, we finally came up with a menu with standard pizza, says Ghimire. Though pizza had already been a part of menu in almost all of the restaurants in Kathmandu, it was not still the part of people’s regular Khaja. Though the name already being in people’s mind, most of them had not tasted it.
“Nepalese people are lucky. They have got to enjoy massive 24” authentic New York style pizza, available only in some limited places in the world,” says Ghimire.
Normally, pizza is a junk food, but the pizza at The Pizza Cutter is not junk. -Ghimire
At The Pizza Cutter, most of the materials for pizza is produced by Ghimire’s agro farm in Chapali and the rest is outsourced from local farmers. Even the sauces are made by themselves. No MSG Ajinomoto, colors, taste enhancers, preservatives, and other chemicals are used in the pizza. The taste and flavor of pizza is very authentic. “Normally, pizza is a junk food, but the pizza at The Pizza Cutter is not junk,” says Ghimire.
We do volume based business where we sell pizza to a large no. of people, he says about the business model. His outlets sell around 1500- 2500 slices of pizzas on a daily basis. And, we are not stopping just here, he added.
In the next 5 years, The Pizza Cutter aims to be in 75 districts and we are not stopping here. -Ghimire
Started by Ghimire and his friends last year, the business now serves people from its 7 different outlets and employs about 50 employees, most of them females. After one year of starting the business, they expanded the method of service delivery and now have provisions of home delivery of foods. In the next 5 years, The Pizza Cutter aims to be in 75 districts and we are not stopping here, says Ghimire.
The Pizza Cutter has also started selling customized pizzas with various exotic toppings.
As per Ghimire, pizza has all ingredients required in a meal. Its base is made up of flour for carbohydrate, sauce is made out of fresh tomatoes and many different herbs for vitamins and minerals, and then cheese is added which serves as a good source of calcium. Our pizza is a complete meal and we ensure freshness every day, he says.
I was in America itself when Pizza Hut started its business in Nepal. And, I was surprised to see the queue of people in Durbar Marg waiting to eat pizza. Pizza Hut since then has nailed the name Pizza in Nepalis minds. -Ghimire
Opening of Pizza Hut in Nepal has helped a lot in our business, says Ghimire. I was in America itself when Pizza Hut started its business in Nepal. And, I was surprised to see the queue of people in Durbar Marg waiting to eat pizza. Pizza Hut since then has nailed the name Pizza in Nepalis minds, he shared the contribution of Pizza Hut in familiarizing Pizza among Nepalese people.
He says that family support is immensely necessary for one to succeed. Since all my family members are happy, it’s not that hard for me. Added to this, my team is very dynamic, I can even skip days from work, he says. Added to this, as I am passionate about this work, I don’t find it difficult to come to work early in the morning and return home late, he added.
Do what you know. Omit imitation. Start innovation.
Giving a message to the youths, he says that young entrepreneurs should do what they know. Omit imitation and start innovation. It takes time to innovate, but you will succeed soon. You will come to spotlight if you do something new, he says. Do your homework properly before launching a product. And, build a sustainable model. Then success comes to you. Don’t stress too much on investment and capital. Business idea is not about dreams, but making money, he added.
About his experiences after returning from abroad and starting a business, he says that people have high expectation from you when you return back from US and you need to go through several challenges.
My family members are proud that their son gave up his American dream and came back to Nepal and started something that is awesome morally, ethically and business-wise and is doing very well. -Ghimire
Now, he is confident that he doesn’t have to return back to the USA. My satisfaction level is very high. And, my family members are even happier than I am. They are proud that their son gave up his American dream and came back to Nepal and started something that is awesome morally, ethically and business-wise and is doing very well.
To order pizza from The Pizza Cutter, just give a call to 9801074992.
Presentation: Basanta Kumar Dhakal
