Goa has always been known mainly for tourism related activities and hence in all fairness that has probably restricted its growth into different startup domains. However, during the last few years Goa and its governing bodies have been showing tremendous improvement towards building a strong startup base and supporting young entrepreneurs to create a mark at a national if not international level. There are many Non-Goans looking to move and begin their startup journey, as the beautiful state has so much to offer in terms of having great quality of life alongside working towards their dream. Additionally, with the positive initiative towards Goa’s capital city Panaji being given a go ahead for a smart city project and additional MSME schemes and accelerators coming in place, there is a potential for a lot more entrepreneurs stepping foot into Goa and in-turn taking the Goan startup ecosystem to greater heights. Headquartered in Goa, Charlie Chang’s is an example of one such brand owned & operated by the company RBros Hospitality Pvt Ltd, that has leveraged the Goan startup ecosystem to create a mark. Charlie Chang’s was born out of a simple thought to provide hygienic, high quality yet economical Pan-Asian food to customers within a rapidly growing delivery and takeaway market.

The initial idea of starting a Pan-Asian oriented delivery kitchen and takeout was born back in 2016 while Robin Menezes,

Founder and CEO was completing his Masters in Petroleum Engineering from Delft University Netherlands. During his university days, he frequented some of the quick-service Chinese take outs preparing hot, fresh meals at affordable prices. Then, after moving back to Goa, he and his brothers, Richard Menezes & Roger Menezes, Executive Directors conducted a basic survey and having the personal know-how of the top few favorite cuisines consumed at least 2 or 3 times a week among the residents, they arrived at a conclusion that Chinese or Pan-Asian cuisine definitely stood out. “We knew that if we managed to place ourselves in the market as a dedicated Chinese oriented delivery or takeout live kitchen that could cook-up a hygienic meal with restaurant standard quality and good quantities at a lower pricing with an added free delivery option there was a high probability of us creating our own customer base,” says Robin. This was when Charlie Chang’s was established, in April 2018.

As we grow, we will strive to use high quality, fresh & local produce and continue to maintain high levels of hygiene to ensure what is ‘right’ is brought to your plate.

The company started with a small setup of just 5 people including Robin, and as of today, there are 35 employees. The company ensures that each employee right from the kitchen staff, delivery executives, supervisors to the admin and accounts person understand the dynamics of this fast-paced food delivery business. “We usually have a 1 to 2-week on-the-job trial session with our prospective candidate where we mainly observe the personal attitude, learning skills and teamwork abilities to provide a full-time offer,” says Richard.

Apart from being competitive in the market when it comes to remuneration, Charlie Chang’s does its best to take utmost care of its employees, review their suggestions and understand their difficulties on a regular basis to better their work environment, allowing them to stay committed towards the company. Going forward, the company is looking to grow the brand as a franchisee model. Further, having recently gotten into a JV with Platinum Hospitality Company WLL based out of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the team hopes to make Charlie Chang’s a success in the GCC region; this will give some of its employees an opportunity to move overseas and experience the work environment and culture in that region. “As we grow, we will strive to use high quality, fresh & local produce and continue to maintain high levels of hygiene to ensure what is ‘right’ is brought to your plate,” concludes Robin.