From ₹20,000 to Three Food Businesses: How Kshitij Tripathi Is Building His Café Empire in Uttar Pradesh
Starting a business with limited money is challenging. Building three food businesses from that beginning is an entirely different journey. For Kshitij Tripathi, a young entrepreneur from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the journey into the food and beverage industry started with an initial budget of just ₹20,000. What began as a small ice cream parlour gradually developed into multiple food ventures, including a café and a dedicated momos business.
Today, Kshitij is building three ventures: Ice Corner, Momos Corner, and Florista Cafe. His journey includes financial risks, personal struggles, changing business plans, and the realities of managing a growing food business.
Inspired by established food brands such as Haldiram Bhujiawala and Wow! Momo, he has been working towards creating affordable food experiences for customers in Prayagraj.
His story is not just about business expansion. It is about starting small, learning independently, and finding opportunities in a competitive food market.
The Early Journey of Kshitij Tripathi
Originally from Prayagraj, Kshitij Tripathi completed his schooling at Bishop Johnson School and pursued his college education at Allahabad State University.
His interest in entrepreneurship developed through his admiration for established food businesses, particularly Haldiram Bhujiawala. He was inspired by how a food business could grow into a recognised brand through its products and customer experience.
Initially, Kshitij wanted to open a restaurant. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his plans. Instead of immediately investing in a large restaurant setup, he reconsidered his approach.
His early experience with Tulsi Sweets became part of his entry into the food business. It helped him move closer to understanding the practical side of the industry.
Rather than abandoning his entrepreneurial ambition, he decided to begin with something smaller and gradually build from there.
Ice Corner: A Food Business That Started With ₹20,000
In June 2024, Kshitij officially launched Ice Corner as an ice cream parlour in Prayagraj.
He identified an opportunity in the local market and wanted to introduce a dedicated ice cream parlour experience for customers.
His starting budget was approximately ₹20,000.
Starting with limited financial resources meant that he had to be careful about expenses and learn different aspects of business management through practical experience.
The initial phase was about understanding customers, managing daily operations, and figuring out what worked in the local market.
For Kshitij, this was more than opening an ice cream outlet. It was his first independent step towards becoming a business owner.
December 2024: Turning Ice Corner Into a Café
The next major development came on December 25, 2024.
On Christmas Day, Kshitij expanded Ice Corner by introducing continental food items and transforming the ice cream parlour into a café.
This decision changed the direction of the business. Instead of focusing on one product category, Ice Corner began offering a broader food experience.
However, expanding a food menu also meant taking on additional responsibilities, including ingredient management, kitchen operations, staff coordination, and customer expectations.
Interestingly, Kshitij worked on developing the food menu himself. He took responsibility for deciding what to offer and understanding what might appeal to customers.
This hands-on approach became an important part of his entrepreneurial experience.
Momos Corner: Building an Affordable Food Brand for Students
While managing Ice Corner, Kshitij identified another opportunity in the popularity of momos.
Inspired by Wow! Momo, he decided to develop a separate business around one of India’s popular street-food categories.
This led to the creation of Momos Corner.
His business approach focused on affordability, particularly for students and young customers. With starting prices between ₹50 and ₹100, the idea was to make momos accessible to customers who wanted an affordable food option.
Instead of positioning the business as an expensive food destination, he wanted to create something that could attract regular customers.
Kshitij also explored the franchise model.
He helped a friend establish a Momos Corner outlet, which she now operates. This became an early step towards taking the business beyond his own direct operations.
It also introduced him to another important aspect of entrepreneurship: building a business model that other people can operate.
From Individual Entrepreneurship to Maa Annapurna Multi-Cuisine Private Limited
As his food ventures continued to develop, Kshitij took another important step towards formalising his entrepreneurial journey by registering his business as Maa Annapurna Multi-Cuisine Private Limited.
This marked a significant milestone in his journey, moving beyond the initial stage of independently managing a small food outlet towards building a formally registered business entity.
For Kshitij, the journey was no longer limited to running an ice cream parlour or a café. He was gradually exploring different opportunities within the food and beverage industry.
With Ice Corner, Momos Corner, and Florista Cafe forming part of his growing business journey, company registration represents another step towards creating a more structured business setup.
Formalising a business is an important part of entrepreneurship. It can help establish a legal identity, support organised business operations, and provide a foundation for future expansion.
His journey reflects how an entrepreneur can move from a small initial investment towards building a more organised business structure.
Managing Three Food Businesses: Investment, Team and Growth
Kshitij’s entrepreneurial journey has gradually moved beyond managing a single outlet.
He is now running three food ventures:
- Ice Corner: Originally an ice cream parlour, later expanded into a café.
- Momos Corner: A dedicated momos business with an initial move towards franchising.
- Florista Cafe: Another venture in his growing food and beverage portfolio.
The financial journey has also evolved.
After beginning with approximately ₹20,000, Kshitij later received an investment of ₹3 lakh from his mother and took a loan of ₹6 lakh to support business expansion.
His operational setup has grown as well. He currently has 11 direct staff members and approximately 16 people working indirectly with his businesses.
He has also invested in a food truck worth approximately ₹1 lakh, adding another asset to his business journey.
For a young entrepreneur, moving from a small initial setup to managing multiple businesses and a growing workforce represents a significant change in responsibilities.
The Difficult Side of Running a Food Business
Behind every growing business are challenges that customers rarely get to see.
For Kshitij, one of the difficult phases came during an LPG shortage. Since food businesses depend heavily on kitchen operations, the shortage forced him to temporarily shut down work for a few days.
The disruption affected him emotionally and financially. He has described going through a period of depression during this difficult phase.
Weather conditions also affected customer footfall. There were periods when attracting customers became difficult, creating additional pressure on daily business operations.
However, his biggest challenge was perhaps managing everything independently.
As a sole proprietor during his early business journey, Kshitij had to take responsibility for several areas:
- Planning and managing business operations.
- Developing food menus and pricing.
- Marketing and customer acquisition.
- Staff management and coordination.
- Handling financial decisions.
- Managing multiple business responsibilities.
Marketing was particularly challenging because he had to handle promotional activities himself.
There was no large marketing department or dedicated management team to solve every problem. He had to learn through experience, make decisions, and deal with the consequences.
The mental pressure of managing employees, finances, customer expectations, and business expansion simultaneously was another reality of his journey.
What Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Kshitij Tripathi
Kshitij’s journey offers practical lessons for anyone considering entering the food and beverage industry.
1. Start Small and Understand the Market
His journey began with ₹20,000 rather than a large restaurant investment. Starting with a smaller setup allowed him to enter the industry and gain practical experience.
2. Understand Your Target Customers
Momos Corner’s ₹50–₹100 starting price reflects a focus on students and young customers. Understanding the purchasing capacity of a target audience can influence product pricing and positioning.
3. Learn Different Aspects of Business Management
From creating menus to managing marketing, Kshitij handled several responsibilities independently. This gave him direct exposure to different aspects of running a food business.
4. Explore Expansion Through Different Models
His move from an ice cream parlour to a café, followed by a separate momos venture and an initial franchise outlet, shows how entrepreneurs can explore different growth opportunities.
5. Prepare for Unexpected Challenges
LPG shortages, weather conditions, financial pressure, and operational problems are part of the realities of running a food business. Planning for unexpected disruptions is essential for long-term sustainability.
Building His Café and Food Business Journey in Uttar Pradesh
The food and beverage industry offers opportunities for entrepreneurs who understand their local customers and can develop sustainable business models.
Kshitij Tripathi’s journey in Prayagraj reflects the determination required to enter this competitive industry with limited resources.
From his initial inspiration from Haldiram Bhujiawala to building Ice Corner, developing Momos Corner, and expanding into Florista Cafe, his entrepreneurial journey has involved continuous experimentation and learning.
His registration of Maa Annapurna Multi-Cuisine Private Limited marks another step in his journey towards building a structured business presence in the food industry.
His story also highlights that business growth is not always a straight line. There are financial risks, operational setbacks, personal struggles, and difficult decisions along the way.
Starting with ₹20,000, Kshitij has moved towards managing multiple food ventures, building a team, and exploring franchising.
He is still building his entrepreneurial journey, and the next chapter will depend on how effectively he manages expansion, customer experience, and business sustainability.
For aspiring entrepreneurs in Prayagraj and across Uttar Pradesh, his experience offers a reminder that starting small can be the beginning of something much bigger.
Explore Kshitij Tripathi’s food ventures and get a glimpse of their offerings on Instagram:
- Ice Corner: Follow on Instagram
- Momos Corner: Follow on Instagram
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