The popularity of wraps isn’t new; it goes back to the school-time, where our lunchboxes used to regularly have a roti/parantha wrap with fillings of vegetables, jam or butter. It was a convenient household meal, which was not only easy to make but also nutritious and easy to eat with less messy.
Now, as the F&B market is growing leaps & bounds, this convenience food item has become widely popular across the globe.
Wraps are also known as rolls or frankies in different regions. Basically, all of them are similar to each other to a great extent. All of them contain a plain roti/tortilla (thin/thick) wrapped around a stuffing. The names are different because of their places of origins. It’s just like golgappa, panipuri&puchka—all are similar but are called via different names due to slight differences in flavour.
The simplicity and convenience of making and consuming wraps, along with the health & customisable factor have enhanced their popularity and acceptability as a commercial offering; that too to such an extent that people all over the world have been increasingly demanding wrap products.
Entrepreneurs saw this as an opportunity to reap huge profits while catering to the demands of customers.
Why the Sudden Increase in Demand?
In today’s fast-moving world, nobody has time to waste—not even on food. The working population is always on the move, and they want food product that can be consumed while they are on the go without making a mess.
This is one of the major reasons why the fast-food industry has been trending. However, the growing health consciousness among consumers has made them switch to a healthier alternative.
As a product, wraps have evolved internationally over the years, with delectable fillings such as leafy salads, roasted chicken/meat, and grilled vegetables. Some other factors which are contributing to the growth of wrap business are:
- The affluence of the working population with an increase in disposable income;
- Rising urbanisation leading to changing lifestyles and less time to prepare food at home;
- Changes in taste and preference of the Indian consumers;
- Increase in tourism in India and international travel by Indians increased the interest of Indians in international food products& flavours;
-Accessibility, growing awareness and increased use of food delivery platforms; and
- Promised quality standards, health benefits of the products.
Franchises Earning profits
Wraps & rolls were mostly dominated by the unorganised sector and roadside shops. But, with the rapid organisation of the F&B sector, wraps& rolls are now also found them in furnished outlets and coffee shops, who understand that it is a must-have in their menus. The increasing acceptability of this product can be witnessed from the surge in the number of brands that have focused on this category.
Many home-grown franchise brands have emerged in the market with wraps & rolls as their best-selling products, such as Fasoos, 34 Chowringhee Lane, Rollacosta etc. The market potential for wraps & rolls in India can also be witnessed by the fact that many international wrap brands such as Pita pit, Wrap it Up, etc. are also foraying into the market and creating a niche for themselves.
In addition, existing food brands are also including wraps in their existing menu. Brands like Mc Donald’s, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, which are majorly a burger & doughnut brand respectively, have introduced wraps due to the high demand of the food item. In fact, according to food delivery platforms like Zomato, Swiggyetc, wraps are one of the bestsellers of these food franchises.
With growing demand, franchisors are innovating with the products to attract more customers. Many wraps and rolls’ franchises have over 50 different options in their menu, which include paneer, chicken, egg, vegetables, etc. Wrap franchises are also experimenting with various flavours. For instance, Wrap It Up offers various international flavours such as Mexican, Portuguese, Turkish etc.
This has led to an increase in sales of a wrap franchise. A wrap & rolls’ brand sells more than 300 wraps per day and tends to gain an average profit of INR 25000 per day.
Business Model
Wraps & rolls are one such food item, which knows no geographical boundaries and are not time bound. Consumers prefer to eat wraps at any time of the day, but mostly it is ordered as a healthy lunch & evening snack option. It has a very high repeat rate from the costumers, making it one of the most profitable franchises in the food industry.
Wraps &rolls’ franchises require low investment & area requirement. In fact, it is also available in a kiosk format.
The investment required for a wrap & roll franchise can start from as low as 5 lakhs, and may also range higher up to 50 lakhs, depending upon the franchise brand and area.
The area requirement can range from 100-400 sq. ft. for a kiosk format and 500-800 sq. ft. for a restaurant. The operational cost will be around 50-70% of the total sales, depending upon the format chosen. The anticipated return of an investment will be around an average of 40-60% and can even get as high as 100%.
