With increased exposure to west-ern food items, the new age Indian consumer is blessed with abundant food choices. The food processing industry is witnessing the entry of a number of unique, homegrown brands that are filling gaps left by the established FMCG giants. One such brand ­ Waffle Mill, is introducing a variety of unique packaged waffles to the Indian Market. Sahil Engineer, the founder of Waffle Mill, commenced his entrepreneurial journey when he decided to industrialize and diversify his aunt's home-based Frozen Waffle business. Since launching the brand in 2018, Waffle Mill has introduced 5 SKUs and supplies to over 300 retailers across 5 cities.

Curating New Categories
Describing the early days of his entrepreneurial journey, Sahil states "Although we had an overwhelming consumer response to our first product ­ our frozen Toaster Waffles, we were slightly early in the market and struggled to get enough freezer space to establish a profitable business model. We felt there was potentially a huge opportunity in the packaged Waffle space, but in order to make the most of it, we needed to develop products that weren't limited to the freezer. We then started to develop our ambient range which includes a variety of Stroopwafels, Waffle Chips and more."

Sahil goes on to say that it was the enormous success of Waffle specific QSRs that have created the opportunity for his brand "The challenge has now shifted from educating consumers about what Waffles are, to creating awareness for the different types of Waffles and making them accessible to the Indian consumer. This is far easier today, due to the incredible success of Waffle QSRs across the country. Not only are consumers aware about Waffles but so are the retailers! They are excited to have our unique packaged Waffles on their shelves."

Ensuring A Gamut of Tasty Snacks
Being one of India's first packaged waffle brands, Sahil believes that it is their focus on product development that will help establish Waffle Mill as the go-to "Waffle Experts" in India. "We have invested significantly in developing a world class product portfolio that is ideal for Indian consumers. Without compromising on taste or texture, all our products are eggless and have the required shelf life for National distribution and ex-ports. Not only have we introduced global favorites like Stroopwafels and frozen Toaster Waffles, we have also created our own unique treats like Waffle Chips which are hugely popular with our customers."

Sourcing ingredients only from certified vendors to produce top-quality products, each batch of waffles at Waffle Mill is made from scratch using the finest ingredients. Baked in specifical-ly designed machinery and packed hygienically, Waffle Mill adheres to strict FDA guidelines at each level of processing to ensure a safe consumer experience.

The time for waffles in India is now, and waffle mill is ready with an incredibly unique and exciting range of packaged waffle products

So, what does the future hold for Waffle Mill?
"We're only just getting started!" says Sahil. "We have some very exciting launches coming up in 2021. New products, new stores and a whole lot of new customers to reach across the country. The next six months of our growth is going to be focused primarily online and expanding our direct-to-consumer sales. With regards to offline sales, we are currently available in Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad and Chennai, and are in the early stages of rolling out to stores in Bangalore and Calcutta"

Waffle Mill's current offering
Waffle Chips ­ The ultimate waffle snack! Authentic Dutch Stroopwafels ­ The gooey chewy waffle cookie.