Pune, April 2022: WeIdliwale is on a mission to bring South Indian flavours to people using the right cooking techniques so that people can experience food the way the founder Abhishek Joshi did growing up. This chef-driven brand has been an independently run, small business led by creative spirits, Chirag Jadhav and chef Abhishek Joshi, with a strong culinary background until April 2022 when Neha Anand, Director of Kings Group Ventures, partnered with WeIdliwale to support their expansion plans of decentralizing the idli in and beyond Pune.
Idli Chicken is where it all started for both the brands as the talk of the town and the partnership with Kings Group Ventures. The dish is inspired by the chef’s childhood Sunday staple at his attya’s table and WeIdliwale has sold nearly fifty thousand plates over the last two and a half years. One of those fifty thousand happened to be Neha Anand who fell in love with the flavours and the team while she was dining at their second location in Pune. Idli Chicken still retains the top spot as the fastest mover followed by fan favourites Kothu Parotta, Mutton Pepper Fry, Ghee Roast, and Jaffna Prawn Curry.
WeIdliwale has always had a strong belief in collaborating with like-minded people and products, taking a humble dish to the next level with the right combination, and also having some fun with it along the way. They’ve found a perfect partner, Neha Anand, who spearheads multiple national and international food businesses under Kings Group Ventures and is proud to announce that WeIdliwale will be joining the group. In India, she drives the homegrown Circle of Crust brand across Pune, King’s Dairy, and is preparing for the launch of the Fuji Cream frozen dessert line. In Dubai, Neha leads the international expansion of Circle of Crust along with launching the flagship location of their newest brand – a modern dining experience specializing in Progressive Asian – launching in Spring 2022. Both founder-led, built-from-scratch companies join both forces and passions to challenge the status quo when it comes to food.
Started in August 2019 as a humble 150 square foot store in Baner with only 4 dishes and no seating is now a thriving brand with two locations today. Their second project in Viman Nagar seats 30 and boasts a relatively bigger menu where the team can delve deeper into recreating traditional recipes from across south India and express themselves better to bring good food to the table. With the support of Kings Group Ventures, WeIdliwale plans to scale the business beyond Pune with long term goals of global locations along with Kings Group Venture’s Food and Beverage operations.
Long time customers can expect nothing to change about the honest attempt at recreating traditional recipes from across south India with a strong emphasis on technique, hygiene and innovation except for easier access to locations and seating through expansion with Kings Group Ventures.