Shivani

Background

Shivani was founded by brothers Pawan and Abhinav Arora, seasoned hospitality professionals with nearly two decades of experience. After successfully operating Nando’s franchises and launching IndiaGate, a banquet-style Indian dining experience, they recognised a gap in the market for accessible, authentic Indian cuisine. They launched Shivani to provide a unique blend of homestyle vegetarian dishes, regional specialities, and high-quality Indian sweets, creating a strong brand with multiple locations across New Zealand.

Challenge

With increasing demand for authentic Indian food and a growing customer base, Shivani needed a way to expand while maintaining its commitment to quality and tradition. Direct expansion would require significant capital and operational management, which could dilute their focus on delivering the best dining experience. The challenge was finding a way to scale efficiently while ensuring consistency in service, food quality, and brand reputation.

Solution

Franchising provided the perfect growth model, allowing passionate entrepreneurs to own and operate their own Shivani restaurants under a proven system. The franchise model includes:

• A fully developed menu featuring authentic Indian vegetarian cuisine, sweets, and packaged goods
• Exclusive supplier agreements to maintain consistency and streamline operations
• Comprehensive training and support covering kitchen management, customer service, and business administration
• A strong brand presence backed by nearly two decades of hospitality experience
• Multiple revenue streams including dine-in, takeout, catering, and retail sales of packaged goods
• Ongoing marketing and operational support to ensure franchisees receive the guidance needed to succeed

This approach allowed franchise partners to bring Shivani’s authentic flavours to their local communities while benefiting from an established system.

Outcome

Shivani has successfully expanded through franchising, bringing its regional Indian cuisine to new locations across New Zealand. Franchise partners have been able to build thriving businesses while upholding the brand’s high standards for authenticity, quality, and customer service. The franchising model has enabled the company to scale effectively, ensuring that more communities can experience Shivani’s unique culinary offerings.

Conclusion

Through strategic franchising, Shivani has created a sustainable growth model that maintains its core values while expanding its reach. By providing franchise partners with strong support, comprehensive training, and a proven business structure, Shivani continues to grow as a leading brand in New Zealand’s Indian dining scene.