Bissi Bissi Oota

The Paradigm Shift.co| July 28, 2021 | NGO

Bissi Bissi Oota, a chain of canteens that provides healthy food at affordable prices across Bengaluru. The name translates to Hot Hot Food, which is what the canteens serve. Breakfast options include thatte idli, vada, puliogare, bissi bele bath, poori saagu, dosa and pongal. A full lunch has chapati, rice, or raggi mudde with sabji, dal or sambhar, papad, majjige (buttermilk), a bhaggi (pakoda) or medu vada—all this starting Rs30. Pravesh Pandey – Founder Of Bissi Bissi Oota , worked with nutritionists and home chefs to ensure there is no compromise on taste and affordability. The meals, he says, employ Vedic slow-cooking methods to extract maximum nutrition. The ready-to-cook material, like batter, comes fresh from a central kitchen while the cart is designed to enable the final prep. The end result is home-style food so wholesome and delicious, even those from upscale neighbourhoods stop by to pick up a meal.

Orphanages and old age homes are pleasantly surprised at the value for money, and order in bulk. The team also provides meals to slums.

The backroom operations are also guided by a purpose. “Our core values, and logo is Shudh (Pure), Arogya (Healthy), Taza (Fresh) – with the aspiration of bringing Sangh (Community), Seva (Service) and Simran (Self-reflection). Almost 60-70% of our workforce constitutes women who have been imparted training in hygiene, customer service and bulk cooking. They are being given entrepreneurship training to run a full-fledged Bissi Bissi kart. We empower them with training videos through our sister concern, a skill-based tool and app called Releski,” Pandey says.

There are more reasons to like the Bissi Bissi Oota franchise. “We employ autistic adults, who are currently undergoing vocational training. They’re employed for tasks like peeling peas, cutting vegetables… There is a boy, Rishabh, who is so excited at seeing 2-3kg of peas each day, his mother keeps asking us for more!”

There are three Bissi Bissi Oota carts in Bengaluru right now: Billishivale, Gubbi Cross and Kothanur. Three more roll out over the next few weeks. But Pandey wants to take this idea across India. “Someone has to care about what the ordinary Indian eats. I want BBO; to be a brand for the needy. The larger plan is to make Bissi Bissi the primary brand, and in Tamil Nadu, it will be Bissi Bissi Sapad, in the North, Bissi Bissi Khaana,” he adds. Unlike Pandey’s other hospitality ventures, this one is a not-for-profit enterprise. So what is the payoff? “Seeing genuine smiles when people amble in for hot, nutritious food—that is enriching.

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