The inception of Bakingo is a tale of foresight and ambition shared by three engineering friends—Shrey Sehgal, Himanshu Chawla, and Suman Patra. As passionate foodies, they felt that their sweet cravings were never fully satisfied.

In many cities, only two or three prominent bakery brands thrived. What stood out, however, was the absence of a unified, national bakery brand — a gap that seemed impossible to ignore. This realization led Shrey, Himanshu, and Suman onto an exciting new venture!

From simple concepts to sweet creations

The roots of Bakingo trace back to the trio’s experience in running another venture, FlowerAura, a bootstrapped gifting business which they launched in 2011. What began in a modest basement steadily grew into a flourishing company. The valuable insights into logistics and operations that they got from those days, would later become pivotal to the creation and growth of Bakingo.

As first-generation entrepreneurs, the founders understood the significant risk they were taking by starting their own business. Suman says, “We met in college, stayed connected, and eventually decided to take a leap of faith and launch our first venture together.”

In 2014-15, while running FlowerAura, the founders noticed that ordering a cake was inconvenient—customers relied on local bakeries due to the absence of online delivery options. Moreover, the taste and quality of cakes varied widely from city to city, making it difficult for customers to find consistent, high-quality cakes across different parts of the country.

This is how they came up with the idea of launching Bakingo in 2016. The vision was simple, yet ambitious – deliver freshly baked, high-quality cakes and desserts right to customers’ doorsteps.

Since they had previously relied on vendors who were primarily spread across different states, they wished to monitor operations more closely when they established Bakingo. Recognizing the value of quality control, they set up dark stores which were entirely run by the brand.

Suman says “Our learnings from running FlowerAura helped us leverage our technological acumen to streamline operations, minimize wastage, and ensure customer-centric values were at the forefront of our business model”.

By actively seeking and valuing customer feedback, Bakingo continually refines its products and services. This ensures that each interaction with the brand is memorable and delightful.

The brand also focuses on creating customized cakes for specific themes and occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals, ensuring that customers can find the perfect cake for every celebration.

Bakingo sets itself apart by using technology extensively to ensure that every process, from baking to delivery, is meticulously monitored and optimized. This results in minimal wastage and maximized freshness, guaranteeing that customers receive the best products possible.

A dessert for every palate

When Bakingo began, it wasn’t just about making cakes—it was about creating moments of joy for all. With over 200 unique cake designs and a tempting variety of desserts, Bakingo has grown into a brand that balances indulgence with affordability. But what truly sets it apart is the commitment to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their dietary preferences, can enjoy a slice of happiness. This includes a delicious assortment of eggless options for those with specific dietary preferences.

Drawing inspiration from flavors around the world, they weave  global influences into the fabric of Indian tastes. Whether it’s the luxurious, eggless Tiramisu or the light, creamy Tres Leches, each creation is thoughtfully crafted to delight the diverse palates of their customers.

The founders have also gone a step further by launching various initiatives to cater to the diverse needs of their customers. One such innovation was changing the shape of their pastries to a square and placing them in a cup. This simple adjustment in dimensions helped prevent the cakes from toppling during transit, ensuring they arrived in perfect condition, just as they were intended.

Suman says, “When Bakingo started, the vision wasn’t limited to just the metropolitan areas. We wanted to create a national bakery brand that was accessible to people in tier 2 and tier 3 cities as well.”

Improving reach through external collaborations

Bakingo’s association with Zomato has been instrumental in making its delicious desserts accessible to a larger audience. By leveraging Zomato’s network, Bakingo boosts its distribution capabilities and customer satisfaction, ensuring that the products are handled and delivered with the same care and attention as they would in a physical bakery.

In the words of Suman, “The association with Zomato has enabled us to continuously innovate and adapt to market trends. The platform acted as a catalyst for our success – our order volume has grown 24 times over the past 6 years.” Suman added that this growth allowed them to expand their delivery network across multiple cities in India.

“We take a proactive approach on Zomato,” Suman shared. “For the Mother’s Day Photo Cake campaign, we were the first brand to pilot the initiative. We invested in the machinery and equipment needed to print photos on cakes and successfully activated it across over 90 Bakingo outlets in India.” Suman also highlighted how vital it is to stay attuned to the constantly evolving trends and innovations in the food industry, ensuring that Bakingo consistently delights customers throughout the country.

Future plans and expansion

With a vision to spread joy through high-quality cakes and desserts, Bakingo has made significant strides since its inception. What began as a single outlet in one city has expanded to serve over 30 cities, with plans for further growth. With each expansion and every new customer, Bakingo’s story continues to unfold.

In addition to its online food delivery business, Bakingo plans to launch retail stores in the Delhi NCR region. These outlets will allow customers to browse and select their favorite delicacies in person, adding a new dimension to the experience offered by the brand.

Bakingo’s journey demonstrates how a simple idea, when nurtured with creativity, intellect, and perseverance, can evolve into something truly extraordinary.