Formerly Taj-owned Birdy’s set for expansion, aiming for 100 stores by FY26

Currently owned by Grill Splendour Services, the bakery brand operates over 26 stores across Mumbai, with plans to open four more stores in the next 30 days

Bengaluru: Mumbai’s legacy chain of bakery and confectionary stores, Birdy’s Bakery and Patisserie is set to embark on a rapid retail expansion journey, with plans to open around 100 stores by the end of the current fiscal year (FY25), a top company official told IndiaRetailing.

Founded in 1992, Birdy’s is one of Mumbai’s oldest bakery brands. Originally established as ‘Birdy’s by Taj’ and owned by the Taj Group of Hotels, it was later sold to Wah Restaurants Pvt. Ltd.

Since 2019, Birdy’s has been under the ownership of Grill Splendour Services Pvt. Ltd., a chain of gourmet bakeries and patisseries in Mumbai, led by the husband-and-wife duo Srinidhi and Vandana Rao. The company employs over 142 individuals across its stores and kitchen.

The interesting name “Birdly’s” is said to have been inspired by the nickname of the first owner’s sister.

Currently, it offers over 110 stock-keeping units (SKUs) across confectionery, bakery products, savory items, as well as third party beverages.

Rising from the ashes

“When a brand has been around for a long time, people develop a strong sense of trust and nostalgia for it,” said Srinidhi Rao. ”However, as newer brands emerge, especially those with a strong social media presence, the older brand can start to feel dated if it doesn’t consistently innovate. So we are aiming to revitalise the brand’s energy.”

The company’s previous owner sold its kitchen to the Kishore Biyani group. However, the current owner established a new kitchen, which began operations in February 2020, located at Wadala.

The first two years after the acquisition were quite tough, primarily due to the pandemic. Despite investing in the brand, infrastructure, new shops, a new kitchen, and packaging, the challenges persisted.

The first Birdy’s location was actually a cake shop at Taj Hotel in Mumbai. At one point, there were more than 50 Birdy’s shops, but after COVID-19, the number dropped to around 15.

To revamp the brand, Grill Splendour Services spent around Rs 5-6 crores after the acquisition, investing in the kitchen, opening a few new-format stores, refurbishing old stores, purchasing refrigerated packaging, and moving to a larger office.

Following the investments, the company generated about Rs 8 crores in FY21, followed by Rs 11 crores in FY22, Rs 15 crores in FY23, and Rs 13.5 crores in FY24, which was clearly affected by the slowdown in the retail industry.

Currently, Birdy’s has around 26 stores across the city with four more stores coming up in the next 30 days, all company-owned, company-operated (COCO).

The brand is not expecting a big financial figure this year due to the closure of a few old stores for infrastructure work in Mumbai. “New shops take time to build momentum, and the cake business takes time to reach a stable level of sales. So this year, we are expecting to close at around twelve and a half crores,” said Rao.

“By FY26, we aim to become the largest bakery and patisserie chain in the Mumbai region,” he added. 

Rao’s biz tactics

Rao is focusing on two strategies to make the shops and online store more approachable. “One key factor is product availability. Online shoppers tend to prefer a wide range of choices. The more variety they see, the more likely they are to place an order. 

Next method is online marketing activities. This involves offering the right level of discounts to attract the right customers—too much discounting can harm the brand, while too little may drive customers to competitors offering better deals, according to Rao.

Additionally, effective photography and accurate product descriptions are crucial for online success.

“You also need to invest in discounts and advertisements to ensure your brand appears within the first two scrolls for customers. Online shoppers often experience fatigue and are unlikely to spend much time scrolling,” he added.

Retail layouts

Birdy’s employs various store formats tailored to different locations, including high streets, malls, lobbies, and corporate offices.

One of the formats is a cake trolley designed to resemble a double-decker bus, which fits in corporate buildings looking to add to their staff dining areas.

The second format is called a lobby café. It’s a small setup offering tea, coffee, and a selection of our bakery items, savory treats, and cakes. It features a few tables and chairs and is designed to be both attractive and functional, ideally placed in large lobbies.

The next format is the takeaway shop, typically a space of under 200 sq. ft., located in densely populated office areas or upscale residential neighborhoods. 

Lastly, Birdy’s has its experiential store format called bakery café. These are larger, aesthetically pleasing locations with tables and chairs where customers can enjoy a pleasant ambiance and music. These are situated in upscale areas such as Bandra West, Powai, Prabhadevi, Mulund, and Lokhandwala.

“Any of our shops with seating would typically attract about 50 to 60 walk-in customers a day, along with a similar number of online orders,” said Rao.

Consumers can also order Birdy’s products online using third-party delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato. 

“Approximately 35% of our sales come through Swiggy and Zomato, with the remaining sales generated from offline stores. With these platforms, we can  afford to experiment with smaller shops in various locations.” he added.

Looking ahead

“Over the next 18 months, we are highly focused on opening as many stores as possible to ensure we are accessible to everyone in Mumbai and the surrounding areas,” clarified Rao.

If the company expands to another city, it will be partnering with a strong local franchisee for that area, instead of opening COCO stores.

“We will invest in our kitchen, hire skilled kitchen staff to ensure product consistency and maintain standards. However, for retail operations and customer service at the shops, we will partner with a local franchisee who will manage these aspects,” he added.

In terms of product expansion, Birdy’s plans to broaden its range to include wellness products such as gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free options. Some shops will introduce plant protein-based savoury items like green burgers and protein rolls. Additionally, the company aims to increase the variety of fresh savoury foods available at its shops.

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