There’s a lot of revenge spending happening in the post-pandemic times: Rachel Goenka

Adgully is back with a new edition of its annual feature – TRENDING NOW – where we present the strategies and views of a cross-section of industry leaders as they go about reclaiming lost time and market opportunities and build for a stronger future, armed with the lessons of the pandemic period.

Over the last few weeks, Trending Now has been bringing insights from industry leaders on how their organisations are geared up to seize the opportunities in 2022, break through the Covid disruptions and find growth and remain resilient.

Rachel Goenka is the Founder and CEO of the hospitality venture, The Chocolate Spoon Company, and also a member of the NRAI, In conversation with Adgully, Rachel Goenka speaks about the challenges that she faced during the lockdown, the new opportunities emerging in the post-pandemic period, and more.

What are the opportunities and trends that you have observed in this industry?

Personally, I have never been much of a trends person, because I believe in sustainable brands, rather than looking at trends as something that are going to sustain. Trends come and go. So, if you can, rather focus on customer service, great food, consistency, and things like that. Those are what that really drive a great restaurant and a brand in general.

What are the challenges that you faced in the pandemic period?

I don’t think I have faced any challenges that anybody else in my place probably wouldn’t have faced. If you take the pandemic, for example, as a restaurateur, all of us went through the same thing and we were all struggling. It was a matter of survival. So, we pivoted our business models, looked at unsalaried revenue streams as well. Now, in the post pandemic period, it is about getting back on our feet again and getting into the revival and thrive mode.

But having said that, I’ve had some amazing colleagues in this industry who have never let me feel like I had anything less to add because I was a woman. In fact, it was always, you have more to add because you are a woman.

Where do you see this industry headed in the next five years?

If we don’t have any more hiccups in terms of pandemics or anything like that, I just see it blowing up. People in the last two years, who were not able to step out, now you can see them going overboard and there’s a lot of revenge spending happening. People want to make up for the time lost when they couldn’t step out of their homes. So, now people are just enjoying being out for every small occasion. And that’s brilliant for us because that’s what’s going to get us back up on our feet and also allow new entrants into the field.