Arulsujanesh GK, Founder & Managing Director of Annapoorna Mithai, is a civil engineer turned restaurateur who transformed challenges into opportunities. In this exclusive interview with NextStep Education, he shares his inspiring journey.
Q: As a civil engineer turned restaurateur, how did you emerge as a leader driving Annapoorna Mithai’s success today?
Arulsujanesh:
In truth, one call from my father changed the direction of my entire career. I had always been passionate about civil engineering, but I agreed to take charge of our family business—a restaurant called Annapoorna in Karaikudi. Initially, I struggled with workforce management, task delegation, and even the language barrier. But I soon learned to handle people, drawing on the leadership lessons from my time at Kaleesuwari Refinery.
To this day, I’ve retained most of our staff, including our chefs and team members who have been with us since the very beginning. For that, I’m deeply grateful.
Q: Being a third-generation entrepreneur, what was your idea of making Annapoorna Mithai unique in the market?
Arulsujanesh:
Our first thought was to move from our native Karaikudi to Madurai. We opened a vegetarian restaurant there and wanted to do something special—serve vegetarian cuisines from across India. This required a lot of research and development, and I had to unlearn and relearn many things. I sought guidance from mentors like Mr. Rajiv Talreja, Mr. Karan Hasija, and Aditee, who taught me how to run a business that is both automated and profitable.
Q: How do you strike a balance between taste, nutrition, and wellness?
Arulsujanesh:
Let me tell you a story. Once, a team of FSSAI officers seized some of our sweets and savories, saying they were harmful for consumption. I was shocked and immediately researched why. That’s when I discovered that using artificial colors and flavors is illegal, yet it’s common in the food industry.
Food should nourish us, but many products are designed only to look and smell good, with little nutritional value. I decided to do things differently—proving that business success is possible while prioritizing health, nutrition, and authenticity.
Q: What makes customers choose Annapoorna Mithai, and what is your success mantra?
Arulsujanesh:
We’ve built a loyal customer base, especially regulars who’ve been with us from the start. I believe good food can never cover up bad service. That’s why we track our service captains’ performance based on service quality, not sales numbers. If we measure only sales, staff might see customers as cash machines. Instead, we focus on the value we bring to them.
My success mantra is persistence. Persistence is like blood in your veins—it keeps you going no matter what. And you must keep learning until you can implement what you’ve learned.
Q: What is the next chapter you are excited about for Annapoorna Mithai?
Arulsujanesh:
Currently, we operate as a B2C business. But we’re working to launch a D2C model with a website that serves customers pan‑India and beyond. We want people everywhere to benefit from our products in a hygienic and nutritious way.
Q: Could you share advice for future leaders in the food industry?
Arulsujanesh:
Many people assume the food industry is instantly profitable. But like any industry, you need to learn before you enter. Even with my family background, I had to relearn the business side later. I also didn’t initially consider whether my outlet could succeed in other locations—that was a mistake.
There are plenty of institutes teaching cooking and catering, but few teach how to build a restaurant or food brand. So my advice is: work in a successful setup first. Understand location, customers, operations, and vendors. Learn, then implement. Take failure as a step forward, learn from it, and keep going.
Above all—persistence is a must.
