Growing up in the bylanes of Mumbai, brothers Mohammed Selia and Faisal Sunesara were drawn to the comforting chaos of their local Jamaat kitchen. Amidst the bubbling pots, aromatic spices, and generous servings, their quiet love for cooking started blooming.

The early days

Their initial training ground was right at home. “Our fathers and forefathers were in the restaurant industry,” Faisal Sunesara shares. “Watching them work inspired us to start something of our own.”

In those early years, they absorbed both the discipline of service and the thrill of experimenting with flavours that clicked with people. While Faisal Sunesara studied commerce and Mohammed Selia pursued science, both felt a familiar pull towards the kitchen.

A brief stint in the UK gave Faisal Sunesara a fresh perspective. “I noticed a stark difference between the baked goods available abroad and what we found at home. That’s what first got me thinking of a way to bring those flavours to Mumbai, at prices people here would find appealing.”

The first step

In 2016, that thought became action when the brothers launched the first Deliure outlet—a dessert spot rooted in warmth and quality. They chose Claire Road for its familiarity and proximity to their family’s other businesses.

“From the beginning, we’ve done thorough research before setting up each outlet,” says Faisal Sunesara.

Growing against the odds

They grew quite slowly in the beginning. Taking a call on pricing was one of the toughest decisions they had to make.

Faisal Sunesara explains, “Because of our product quality, many felt we should price on the higher side. But we stuck to our idea of keeping it reasonable, since we wanted our delicacies to reach households across the city.”

As complete newcomers to the bakery business, the brothers also had to compete with well-established brands. He mentions, “People already had favourites. We had to work twice as hard to build a name people could trust.”

To create awareness, they turned to online and on-ground campaigns, inviting people to sample their creations and experience the difference firsthand. Faisal Sunesara says, “As we connected with communities in different localities, we found pockets of customers who truly appreciated what we offered.”

A platform that enables

That same year, Deliure onboarded with Zomato. “It was all about accessibility, making it easier to deliver our products to people across the city,” says Mohammed Selia.

Then came a turning point in 2018. With the support of KAM Zaid Zameer, Deliure gained steady traction and soon crossed a hundred monthly orders. That’s when the brothers knew Mumbai had found its sweet spot.

Resilience through COVID

The pandemic dealt a heavy blow. Two outlets had to be shut. But the Claire Road branch stayed open for a few hours a day, thanks to special permission from local authorities.

“I would work in the kitchen myself,” Faisal Sunesara recalls. “People missed their favourite baked goods. We wanted to be there for them, to offer some comfort during those troubled times.”

Scaling flavours, expanding dreams

Despite the hurdles, Deliure grew rapidly between 2018 and 2023—order volumes surged 40x. With the KAM’s guidance, the menu expanded thoughtfully, growing beyond just desserts to include savouries, Mumbai-style chaats, and refreshing beverages.

They combined this with their agility. “We were quick to hop onboard with the latest food trends,” says Mohammed Selia. “To take one instance, we were among the first to launch the kunafa chocolate cake, as soon as the flavour became viral.”

Still, expansion didn’t come easy. “We were nervous about opening new outlets,” shares Mohammed Selia. “We feared we’d have to shut down. But we kept pushing. And because of our quality and pricing, we have been able to achieve success with every new outlet that we’ve set up.”

Sweet new horizons

Started as a small store in Mumbai, Deliure has now grown to twelve thriving locations across Mumbai—with more on the horizon.

Mohammed shares that one of their biggest lessons has been the importance of constant innovation. To stay relevant, they go beyond following trends, and aspire to set them too.

He adds, “Our goal is to go far and wide and reach every corner of Mumbai. And for that, we’ll keep giving our best to everything we do.”