Mohit Malik, Chief Technology Officer, Chaayos sheds light on the growing relevance of technology in the food industry and how Chaayos harnesses technology to achieve efficiencies and offer differentiated experiences
New Delhi: With over 16 years of experience, Mohit Malik is a technology pro. Since June 2015, he has been serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Chaayos, where he has been instrumental in transforming the company’s technological landscape through innovative and data-driven solutions.
His career trajectory has seen him take on leadership roles at notable firms, including his previous position as Vice President at Goldman Sachs, and technical roles at Tribal Fusion and GlobalLogic India Pvt. Ltd. Throughout his professional journey, Mohit has focused on utilizing technology to solve complex business challenges, emphasizing a strong alignment between technology initiatives and business outcomes.
Founded in November 2012, Chaayos was conceived as a modern interpretation of the traditional chai adda, where people gathered to enjoy a cup of chai and engage in meaningful conversations. The brand set out to reimagine the chai experience by offering a highly personalized approach, with its promise of ‘Meri Wali Chai’, allowing customers to choose from over 80,000 tea combinations.
Over the past decade, Chaayos has grown exponentially and now operates over 200 cafes across India, to reach 1,000 cafes in the coming years. The brand’s success is largely attributed to its commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and the ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences.
In an interaction with IndiaRetailing, Mohit Malik, Chief Technology Officer, Chaayos sheds light on the growing relevance of technology in the food industry and how Chaayos harnesses technology to achieve efficiencies and offer differentiated experiences.
Edited Excerpts
How does technology fit into traditional food, especially for chai brands like Chaayos?
Food is all about preferences, and customers want their choices to be served consistently. We made a bold promise: “Customize your chai, and we’ll deliver it exactly as you like.” To achieve this, we automated the tea brewing process and integrated it into our tech stack, ensuring each cup is made the same way, every time. It was a challenge to maintain consistency across cafés, but technology helped us solve that.
How does technology improve the customer experience at Chaayos?
We built a strong loyalty program, making it easy for customers to sign in, track past orders, and receive personalized recommendations. Today, when customers input their number at any outlet, the system recognises them, suggests their preferred customisation, and even remembers their last visited store. It is not just about chai; it is about delivering a seamless, unique experience every, single time.
Do you offer personalisation at every point of sale?
Absolutely. Our promise is “Meriwali Chai.” You tell us how you want your chai, and we will make it just for you. Customers can personalise their chai in 80,000 different ways. Our goal is to provide a consistent, personalised experience every time, across all stores.
How do you measure the success of consistency and personalisation?
We track it through metrics like month-one retention and repeat frequency. Our retention rates and repeat visits are among the best in the industry. Many customers visit us twice a day, for five days straight, not just in office areas but in high streets as well. This shows that our focus on personalization and consistency is paying off in terms of customer loyalty and engagement.
What are the upcoming technologies that will drive the food industry digitally?
The demand for faster service and personalized experiences is growing. Customers now expect groceries in 10 minutes and clothes in 2 hours. For us, it is about constantly researching customer needs and backing our insights with data. We do not just implement technology for the sake of it; we focus on whether it truly addresses our customers’ evolving needs. Our research is extensive, involving 200-300 customer interactions to understand their expectations and then creating data-driven, customised solutions to meet them.
How do you handle data to ensure it adds value to the business?
It is not about collecting all the data; it is about collecting the right data and making it meaningful. Data that was relevant three years ago may not hold value today. We continuously evaluate and filter what we track—removing metrics that have become standard and focusing on those that will drive future growth. This constant refinement ensures our data strategy remains aligned with business goals and customer expectations.
What do you think is the future of technology in the food industry?
The future lies in blending automation with personalized customer service. In hospitality, we want to free up staff from mundane tasks so they can focus on the customer, providing a warm, welcoming experience. Automation will handle the product consistency and services, while staff ensures customers feel valued.
Does IoT play a role in this approach?
Absolutely. Our tea brewing machines and even our CCTV systems interact to capture customer feedback. For example, if a customer leaves food uneaten, our system flags it, helping us address potential issues. It is about using data and automation to improve service quality and experience.
How do you define omnichannel for the food business, and are we there yet?
Currently, we are multichannel, not omnichannel. True omnichannel means having a unified view of the customer, whether they order online or walk into a café. If a customer orders daily but is treated as new in-store, that is a disconnect. We need to align the brand’s view of the customer and vice versa to provide a seamless experience across all touchpoints.
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