Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Nov 24, 2006
ePaper
Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Nov 24, 2006 ePaper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate
-
Alliances & Joint Ventures States - Tamil Nadu Palimar ropes in Lanson for big-time hotel plans R. Balaji
Chennai , Nov. 23 Imagine a hotel operating with the efficiency of a Japanese carmaker! That's what the Palimar group of hotels is aiming to be. It has partnered with the Lanson group, which has wide business interests including an exclusive dealership for Toyota in Chennai, not just to fund its expansion but to learn how to make it big. Mr S. Venkat Rao, founder and Managing Director of Palimar Kitchens Pvt Ltd, believes that Lanson's contribution, investment apart, will be in bringing standardisation, efficiency of operations and professionalism - lessons Lanson has learnt from Toyota - to the traditional business. Palimar's plans include fine dining restaurants, quick service outlets, industrial kitchens, a presence in the food courts in major commercial complexes and IT parks and franchising to expand the Palimar brand in the domestic and international markets. Mr Rao does not want to share information on the financials just yet. But he is a confident man as he elaborates on his plans over lunch at the newly refurbished Palimar Restaurant as busy waiters scurry around to meet the orders in the packed restaurant. The plans are well under way.
More outlets
Palimar's unit at the Ascendas IT Park food court is doing well. It serves over 1,500 lunches a day; an industrial kitchen that can churn out 5,000 meals a day is just a month away from starting production. The chain has tied up with Naidu Hall to open Palimar quick-service restaurants at its outlets. Three such in Chromepet, Velachery and Valasarawakkam suburbs will open within 45 days, each 1,000-1,500 sq ft with a seating capacity of 75-100. For Mr Rao, the tie-up with Lanson - apart from the promoters being family friends and well-wishers - is an ideal way to strengthen the Palimar brand. Some of those at the helm in Palimar are also members of Lanson's core team, including Palimar's CEO Mr Thambi Radhakrishnan, who says that its flagship fine dining restaurant had evolved from a traditional Udupi hotel to a multi-cuisine offering. Palimar is a pure vegetarian place that serves continental, Chinese and North Indian cuisine in addition to the traditional South Indian fare.
Focus on quality
Mr M. Lankalingam, Managing Director of Lanson Toyota, which is handling the investments, says that the focus is on quality and systems. The expense is not on the trappings in the restaurant; the patrons may not see the money that has gone into the business but "will feel it in our food." The centralised kitchens are modern, transparent kitchens spread over 6,000 sq ft and built to exacting standards like that of flight kitchens. But they will produce food at a lower cost - the focus will be on volumes as they can get over 5,000 meals ready every day. The target customers are the IT Parks along the Old Mahabalipuram Road. Palimar's quick-service outlets are also present at RMZ. This is a business that it is targeting to grow to about Rs 5 crore a month in the next two years. It is now doing a little less than Rs 1 crore. Mr Lankalingam prefers not to divulge investment figures. Lanson holds more than 50 per cent stake but may eventually induct a third partner - "we are now keeping venture capitalists away," he says, indicating that investments are not a limitation. The objective would be for three partners to hold equal stake.
More Stories on : Alliances & Joint Ventures | Hotels | Tamil Nadu
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2006, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|