Maharaja Bhog

Globalizing a regional dining experience

Maharaja Bhog is a multinational chain of restaurants serving unlimited sit-down meals (thali).
In 2015, the company had several locations but lacked a cohesive global identity.

In my role as Director of Strategy and Communications, I worked with them to create a unified multinational presence, integrated technology for smoother operational and financial management and explored avenues for growth through new locations and product verticals.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

SERVICE DESIGN

SYSTEM DESIGN

BRAND IDENTITY

PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

ORGANIZATION

Maheshwari Foods (Maharaja Bhog)

INDUSTRY

Food & Beverage, Hospitality

REGION

India, UAE, Bahrain, USA, Canada

TIMELINE

December 2015 - June 2021

CREDITS

Chromatick Studio (Visual Design)

Devising a Global Brand Identity

The company was using disparate logos and did not have a cohesive brand identity or communication strategy. The existing branding was not unique, registered or consistent. ‍

Developed a new international logo that encapsulates the brand's essence and ensured all marketing materials, including social media, print items like menus and gift cards, and hardware such as signage, followed a unified visual style. Devised a detailed Brand Manual with all required use cases to show application of new identity

OLD LOGO

NEW LOGO

WEBSITE DESIGN

Process & System Redesign

The company was traditionally managed without leveraging technology-driven solutions for data management, both operational and financial. Decisions were often made without readily available data analysis. To address these gaps, several initiatives were implemented:

Monthly MIS reporting between locations to set expectations, and clearer financial planning at the headquarter level
Implemented a cloud-based POS system to better integrate data across locations in different global locations
Streamlined accounting systems to allow for different regulations across global subsidiaries
Data collection and analytics of user data to provide relevant services at region appropriate pricing

Diversifying Verticals

The company's revenue was primarily generated from dine-in services and limited takeaways, missing out on the potential market for its popular products beyond the restaurant setting. In response to customer feedback, I developed a range of retail products that allow customers to enjoy their favorite restaurant dishes at home. This initiative introduced a new revenue stream for the restaurant chain.

Global Vision

Initially, the company concentrated solely on the domestic market without a defined strategy for global growth. They faced challenges with underperforming sub-brands and restaurants. By eliminating these unprofitable sub-brands, the parent company successfully expanded from 6 outlets in 2015 to 12 outlets worldwide by 2019.