Bridging cultures through cuisine: The Nasi and Mee Story

October 12, 2024

Here’s the story of Nasi and Mee, a brand that cut through the competitive scene of Southeast Asian cuisine in India, and their growth with Swiggy.

It all began when Ravi Nahappan, an Indian-Malaysian, was struck by a unique but simple idea. Bringing the food he grew up having in Singapore’s street stalls to the Indian palate.

In 2015, his idea took flight in the form of ‘Nasi and Mee’, now a popular restaurant chain spread across Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kochi. The name Nasi and Mee, meaning ‘rice and noodles’ in Bahasa Indonesian, perfectly reflects the authenticity that has won over food lovers with delicacies from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan. 

So, how did this brand bring cultures together? This is the growth story of Nasi and Mee, along with Swiggy’s Ankit Pai Fondekar supporting the brand’s journey as the account manager.

A flavourful focus on the details

Growing a Southeast Asian eatery in the competitive Indian landscape is no easy feat. But Nasi and Mee cracked the code. “As someone familiar with the region’s cuisine, Ravi observed that the food there has flavours similar to what an Indian audience would enjoy. Aware of ever-evolving tastes and the long-term market potential, he decided to start Nasi and Mee in India,” says Dilip Krishnan, who is currently the CEO of Nasi and Mee after an extensive career in the F&B industry across Southeast Asia.

Dilip Krishnan, CEO of Nasi and Mee.

Starting with the first outlet in 2015, the brand has steadily expanded to seven outlets across three cities. Throughout this journey, the Indian market presented unique challenges despite the similarities in cuisine. Nasi and Mee overcame it all with a strong emphasis on authenticity and quality. “With time, we built a strong access network. For instance, when we launched our Sushi menu, we hired a Japanese chef to set it up. We also onboarded a Singapore-based chef in India to help us curate multiple recipes. It wouldn’t have been easy to run our restaurants without such support,” adds Dilip, who met Ravi in 2016 through a common friend, and has been working closely with him ever since.

From dim sum and dumplings to specialities like Nasi Lemak and Chendol, the authentic flavour profile of every dish stems from true culinary precision. “With our presence in South India, we could afford an easy supply of coconut milk, but Ravi knows exactly how Southeast Asian dishes look and taste. Even today, we import a lot of ingredients, including coconut milk, to ensure the exact composition in original Thai curries and related dishes,” says Dilip. 

Stirring Swiggy into the mix

Nasi and Mee came on board with Swiggy during the pandemic phase, and the partnership continues to grow and evolve ever since. “During the pandemic, we definitely needed a platform like Swiggy. And now, it’s a partner we rely on every day to monitor progress. Given that e-commerce is here to stay, our relationship with Swiggy has only strengthened with time,” says Dilip, who comes with rich experience in implementing delivery-based business models.

Ankit Pai Fondekar, Swiggy’s account manager.

Taking over the Nasi and Mee account in February 2024, Swiggy’s Ankit Pai Fondekar charted the way forward. “I felt the brand needed to restructure and optimise the online menu. By doing so, we wanted to place the best selling dishes at the top using item-wise sales data. The move paid off, with the menu-to-order ratio rising to a point where now it’s among the highest for Pan Asian brands across India,” says Ankit.

Explaining how he helped the brand implement a balanced marketing strategy, he adds, “Initially, Nasi and Mee relied on organic traffic during the weekdays. Their advertising budget was majorly allocated to weekends. While running their ads on Swiggy, I suggested splitting the budget strategically between weekdays and weekends. This eventually led to a broader outreach and higher sales.”

The partnership thrives on collaboration and constant communication, going beyond just virtual meetings. “Whenever possible, we meet in person to discuss growth plans. While opening their recent outlet in Bengaluru, Nasi and Mee invited the Swiggy team to run a soft launch. They were all ears when it came to our suggestions and feedback,” says Ankit, who also keeps Dilip updated with comprehensive weekly and monthly reports, providing a panoramic view of key numbers such as Orders Per Day (OPD), Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), along with all other business and operational metrics.

Talking about the future of Nasi and Mee, Dilip adds, “Based on numerous data points, including those we got from Swiggy, we have identified potential locations to expand further in the South. Going forward, we aim to open two new outlets every year and raise capital to expedite our growth.” 

With its carefully curated cuisine and distinctive charm, Nasi and Mee is a top choice for food lovers craving Southeast Asian fare. As the brand nears a decade of serving up unforgettable culinary experiences, may they continue rice-ing to every occasion. 

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