Tamil Nadu, get ready to welcome vada pav

Chennai, Oct 9: Mumbai's famous Vada Pav will soon tickle tastebuds in Tamil Nadu as Goli Vada pav, the company producing the potato-pav delicacy is all set to make its presence felt in the state, with plans to open 75 outlets in Chennai alone over a period of time.

"Right now, we are talking to a few people (to establish stores) in Chennai. We have a kiosk at Express Avenue Mall, which has drawn encouraging response and are looking at having around 40 stores in Chennai in one or two years in the first phase," Goli Vada Pav Founder-CEO Venkatesh Iyer told PTI.

The Mumbai based company which established itself in 2004, proposes to open 150 stores in South India and have 500 stores pan India in the next three to five years.

This includes 75 stores in Chennai alone. Iyer said they would replicate something of the traditional South Indian snacks like "Bonda" and "Paruppu Vada".

"The content we provide will be exclusive (to Tamil Nadu)",he said. With his roots in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Iyer set up his first Goli Vada Pav outlet in Mumbai with friend Shivadas Menon, realising that today's hectic lifestyles demanded one having food on the go, particularly those always on the move.

He said the success of a food joint is largely based on the the quality of food. Some of the top hotels are successful because they are known for their quality food "Moreover, instead of campaigning serving good quality foods help people share it with their friends and relatives. Mostly, it is through word-of-mouth", he said.

PTI