Hello Fresh!

Entrepreneur Rayees Ahmad, is the dynamic and thoughtful founder and CEO of Tiffin Aaw. He along with his wife Nida Rehman, started the company on a mission to make healthy food more accessible to families and working professionals living in the valley. Their dedication to building a company around high-quality, healthy food without compromising taste, has led this Srinagar-based, homegrown brand, to go attain new heights in a short span of time.

There is a lot of buzz in Kashmir about the name ‘Tiffin Aaw’. Can you provide an introduction to Tiffin Aaw? It sounds more like food delivery service providers like Zomato, Swiggy or famous Mumbai Dabbawalas? What’s the differentiator here?

First of all, I am really glad if our local Kashmiri company ‘Tiffin Aaw’ reminds someone of world-renowned brands that you mentioned. The truth of the matter is that Zomato, Swiggy or Dabbawalas are only a food delivery service providers. They pick-up food from restaurants of your choice and deliver it to you and That’s it!

On the other hand, at ‘Tiffin Aaw’, we cook the food you order ourselves in our home-kitchen and deliver it to you too, right at your door step, but that’s not all. Our USP is the natural and organic hand-picked spices that we use in our cooked meals. This means our customers get to avoid preservatives, artificial food dyes and fake sweeteners that are often added to food at restaurants. In short, ‘Tiffin Aaw’ is more than just eating healthier, it’s about exercising your freedom to choose what you put in your body.

Rayees Ahmad - CEO Tiffin Aaw

Tiffin Aaw is more than just eating healthier, it’s about exercising your freedom to choose what you put in your body.

How did you come up with the idea of launching such kind of a business in Kashmir?

I started the business in 2019, with the intention of providing healthy and home-cooked meals, right at the consumers' doorsteps. The idea to run such a kind of business came to me after I received a call from a friend who was in desperate need of food. On February 5, 2023, we celebrated three successful years of our operations.

What are the number of tiffins you home-cook and deliver every day?

In Kashmir healthy eating has become mainstream, with most consumers expecting foods and beverages that meet increasingly nuanced attributes of health and wellness, ethics, and sustainability. 2023 is turning out to be an important year for Tiffin Aaw. We have witnessed more than 40% increase in our deliveries so far this year, and are currently producing and delivering more than 200 tiffins per day.

Share with us some of your best-selling dishes?

Rogan Josh, Yakhni, Tabak Maaz, Butter Chicken, Hund te Maaz, Muj te Gaad, Mutton Paya and Nadru Palak are some of our best-sellers, all cooked with fresh, all-natural ingredients. We also take pride in being able to offer customized meals for patients or people with different needs, based on their diet plan.

What is the current strength of your staff?

Initially, it was just three of us – my mother, wife, and me. We were a small team, so we all pitched in and did what we needed to do. Now, we are a team of more than 15 employees. My wife and Waza (Kashmiri Professional cook) head the kitchen and take care of the cooking part. Others wear many hats, sometimes helping in making deliveries, answering phone calls and then helping in housekeeping activities.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face today?

Our biggest challenge at the moment is rising inflation. Local food prices have surged since early 2021 in response to increasing energy prices, pandemic-induced supply-chain constraints, and production costs. We are, of course, hoping things will settle down, but as entrepreneurs, we will continue to adapt and do the best we can despite the circumstances.

As we go into an expansion mode, our other biggest challenge is to find new employees who are committed to the mission of ‘Tiffin Aaw’, and will be able to really live the values that have been created by the culture at the company. Though, in Kashmir, it is easy to find someone skilled, smart, talented and has a good resume, but is hard to find people who take ownership of their role and bring energy and passion to it above all else. Without that, especially in a startup environment, other skills mean little.