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"How do you shake up a legacy brand for a new generation and a new market?" This was the point of discussion between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the "young founders" of 100-year-old Keventers at one of its outlets in Delhi where he also made cold coffee for a few customers.
On Thursday, he shared on X a video of this conversation during his recent visit to the store at Patel Nagar area.
"How do you shake up a legacy brand for a new generation and a new market? The young founders of Keventers shared some valuable insights with me recently," he wrote.
"Play-fair businesses like Keventers have driven our economic growth for generations. We must do more to support them," he also said.
Gandhi also said that the banking system in India did not promote such entrepreneurs and people with skills, but was controlled by the big guys who got money and funding easily.
During the conversation with the owners, Gandhi delved into the fascinating journey of the iconic start-up that seamlessly blends legacy with modern ambition.
"Visiting the Keventers store was like stepping into a fascinating mix of legacy and modern ambition. I sat down with the co-founders of this 100-year-old start-up to understand their journey-from its pre-independence beginnings as a manufacturing-focused brand to becoming a consumer-facing powerhouse with over 200 stores across 65 cities," Gandhi said on his YouTube channel.
"We discussed everything: how they've preserved old recipes while experimenting with new ones, their expansion plans into Tier-2, Tier-3, and Tier-4 cities, and even their foray into FMCG products like flavoured milk and ghee. They shared insights on navigating challenges like thin FMCG margins and rising competition in Tier-1 cities, all while maintaining their vision to blend tradition with innovation," he said.
Gandhi said what stood out to him was their determination to build a genuine business in an increasingly difficult business environment.
"Their focus on creating opportunities for others and expanding access to their products speaks to their commitment to growth despite the odds.
"For me, this conversation wasn't just about their story-it was a window into how play-fair businesses like Keventers are reshaping India's entrepreneurial spirit. Watch the full episode to hear their story, their strategies, and their dreams for the future," he said on his channel.
Speaking with the co-founders - Aman Arora and Agastya Dalmia, he uncovered how the brand evolved from its pre-independence roots to a consumer powerhouse with over 200 stores across 65 cities serving its popular milkshakes and desserts. The company, which also sells ice cream and milk powder, now plans to expand to 500 stores and also has opened some abroad, which are competing well with some international brands.
The conversation covered the commitment of the owners to preserving old recipes while innovating, expansion into Tier-2 to Tier-4 cities, and their FMCG foray into products like flavoured milk and ghee.
They also discussed tackling thin margins, rising competition, and their focus on creating opportunities and expanding access to quality products.
Gandhi told the founders during the conversation that there are basically two types of businesses in India - "One is monopoly political sort of businesses and then there are these guys who are sort of genuine businesses that are trying to build stuff in an environment which is difficult, where you have sort of red-tape. So we wanted to get a sense as to what sort of businesses and innovations that they are doing. How they are thinking about sort of navigating about this environment and what their vision is."
The former Congress chief, who underwent a Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra to interact with people and hear out their problems, said when he talked with a host of youth during the march, nobody talked of becoming an entrepreneur.
"Our system does not push you in that direction...It does not tell kids about the options.
"Our banking system is completely controlled by the large guys. Thousands and thousands of crores, they get like that. If you an entrepreneur, young people like you, it is very difficult to get funding. They just don't have the money. People with skills don't get money," he said.
Noting that the geopolitical situation is very unstable, Gandhi also said that people with businesses like this would do good.
Asked whether he himself wanted to be an investor, Gandhi said "I have been an investment strategist for five years. I understand this well."
Gandhi has been meeting people with skills and has been speaking in favour of local entrepreneurs, while stressing on even competition for all and promoting local talent and enterprise.