@foodbykirti (handle for Facebook and Instagram)
White flakes, mustard and cream flowers as well as cherries dressed in rose petals are what you find when you land on the sparkling social media pages of Food by Kirti and you can almost taste her cakes and pies when you do.
In 2010, Kirti Kamal founded Food by Kirti, a catering company supplying weddings, events and parties. The company has two part-time employees and two directors and is certainly going places. Food by Kirti’s reviews on social media and word-of-mouth reflects the company’s phenomenal success.
Kamal says that they are very happy to sustain the business with a new business model. Due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, Food by Kirti scaled down on event catering and pivoted to supplying a retail store. Aandal Foods’ clients keep returning for the Food by Kirti range of eight different products including savoury frozen pies, fresh product doughnuts, cream puffs, naan bread, cakes and biscuits. Kamal says, “Our clients wanted to taste our product without buying large quantities, so we kept our product artisanal and maintained the quality in smaller, easily accessible quantities.”
Another success ingredient of Food by Kirti is partnering with people and companies with shared goals, beliefs and values. Food by Kirti’s business partner Dasen Sarugaser has been in the industry for a long time and is also the executive chef at the Sandton Holiday Inn and chairman of the South African Chefs Association. Kamal says, “Sarugaser used his contacts and network to improve the business in so many ways.”
Having the right premises is another contributor to its success. In November 2020, Food by Kirti moved from a tiny kitchen in Fourways to a bigger kitchen at Riversands I-Hub. A year later, Food by Kirti outgrew this space and is now moving to Herb Café in Midrand. The company will take over the café and function facilities and will also add a doggie café and picnics on the lawn.
The growth strategy of Food by Kirti is supported by Kamal’s great products, favourable reviews, partnerships and connections. Kamal says uncompromising quality, transparency, integrity, staff and importantly the clients, contribute to Food by Kirti’s success.