Imagine you’re on an extensive work trip, hopping from one Indian city to another.
Amid the chaos, finding a trustworthy laundry service that provides consistent and standard service is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
This was exactly the predicament that Gaurav Nigam found himself in. But, unlike many of us, he didn’t shrug off the inconvenience.
Instead, he saw an opportunity. A gap that was begging to be filled. The eureka moment, if you will.
While international destinations boasted consistent laundry services, India, on the other hand, seemed to be grappling with this area.
As Nigam points out, “Either premium players were addressing a specific market or affordable alternatives lacked a pan-India presence.”
Such glaring inconsistencies called for a solution. And thus, was born Tumbledry, an initiative by Gaurav Nigam and his co-founder, Navin Chawla, in 2019.
Tumbledry: From Mere Observations to Market Innovations
According to RedSeer Consulting, the Indian laundry service market, that’s been experiencing significant growth over the past decade, is predicted to touch the $15 billion mark by 2025.
But what does it take to tap into this burgeoning industry?
For the founders of Tumbledry, it began with a leap of faith. The duo leveraged their savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) of around Rs 2.5 crore from their tenure in the consumer durables and technology sectors.
The Ascent of Tumbledry: Conquering City After City
Since its inception in 2019, Tumbledry, headquartered in Noida, has taken the laundry services sector by storm.
By opening a whopping 604 stores across 198 cities in three years, it’s certainly earned the title of a game-changer.
But what sets Tumbledry apart is its focus on penetrating Tier II and III towns, aiming to build a hyper-local network.
Now, you might be wondering how they’ve managed such widespread reach.
The answer lies in Tumbledry’s franchise model, with the company owning just one store in Noida.
According to Nigam, this innovative approach has allowed Tumbledry to expand into regions experiencing a rising demand for quality laundry and dry cleaning services.
Gaurav Nigam: Revolutionizing the Laundry Landscape
“In India, ‘dhobis’ (washermen) are a common sight who collect and deliver laundry to homes,” says Nigam.
While it sounds convenient, this system often leads to longer turnaround times and a lack of reliability, especially for those unfamiliar with the locality.
Tumbledry swoops in as a much-needed solution.
With rivals like Fabrico and Fabricspa, Tumbledry’s extensive reach into remote parts of India, including smaller towns like Kashipur, Barpeta, Sonari, Silvassa, Shimla, Giridih, Bokaro, Gulbarga, Hubli, Kozhikode, Kollam, Barmati, Erode, Jaunpur, and Sodepur, sets it apart.
Franchise Model: An Opportunity for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Here’s where it gets even more exciting.
Operating on a franchise-based model, Tumbledry offers aspiring entrepreneurs turnkey solutions for a fee of Rs 25 lakh.
It covers everything from location search for the store to interior and furniture setup, and even subsequent royalty fees amounting to 7.5% of the store’s revenue.
Every Tumbledry franchise operationally breaks even within three to four months of operations.
Having reached a company-wide breakeven in January 2022, the company generated a revenue of more than Rs 16 crore in FY22 as per RoC filings.
Overcoming the Hurdles
Although maintaining uniformity in the laundry and dry cleaning sector poses challenges, the company has implemented state-of-the-art machines, standardized chemicals, packing materials, and other equipment to reduce manual intervention.
Tumbledry Technical Training Academy: Ensuring Consistent Quality
Tumbledry has established a free-of-cost programme. Tumbledry Technical Training Academy, that provides a 15-day training course covering various aspects of laundry and dry cleaning operations.
The company launched a customer app for bill checking, delivery dates, and order statuses.
Tumbledry: Marching Towards a Bright Future
Tumbledry aims to launch 2,000 stores by 2026 to cater to the laundry and dry cleaning needs of half a billion urban Indians. It’s looking at a presence within every 3 km radius, including Tier II, III, and IV cities.
Furthermore, it’s planning to venture into home and car cleaning services and explore international markets like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and more.
And so, from a simple observation on a work trip to setting a new standard in the laundry industry, Tumbledry’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation and entrepreneurship.
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