Globally, gaming is a $50 billion business and is expected to grow into Rs 15,000 crore industry in India by 2015. Entrepreneurs are innovating to make this business exciting. “OOVA” “COFFEE N U” are also gearing up to serve the young gamers Coffee lovers of India. Franchise Mart talked to Shashank Jha, MD, Valiant Automations Pvt Ltd and knew about this upcoming Gaming Giant.

FM: Tell us about the gaming industry and its potential in India.

SJ: The gaming industry is one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world in India too it is expected to grow at 35% per annum. Gaming in India is in nascent age but we cant ignore the community and the scope in the Gaming industry which is poised to be 15000 crore industry by year 2012.OOVAA is a top of the line PC Gaming Zone developed specifically to target gamers. Oovaa provides a platform for gamers where they can have fun testing their skills against worthy competitors, thus building a community for people who love to game. This arena, with a factory like ambience, fitted with 32″ sleek LCD Monitors, gaming chairs with force feedback and computers with very high end configurations, will transport the user right into the game.We are having a technical collaboration with AMD for the top of the line PCs with the best Graphic cards.

FM: Share with us the origin of the Oovaa Coffee N U?

SJ: Gaming came first to us as an idea and we decided to provide the serious gamers in India with a platform where a gamer can ‘experience’ the game and prepared a module for the same. We knew that when people will come for long hours of play, they will require something to eat and drink. Coffee and the concept of a cafe fitted perfectly well and thus Coffee N U started after a long research and development of one year.We have different formats to offer looking at the locations and the target clientele. Apart from the special blend we have developed and the vibrant, youthful ambiance, we have many value additions like free Wi-fi, free library, charging points near tables.

FM: What is the franchising policy that you have adopted?

SJ: Our module is “Franchisee owned, Franchisor operated”. The role of a franchisor is to provide the knowledge and expertise of the field to the franchisee, but we go one step ahead and work on behalf of the franchisee. We do everything starting from the design of the store, execution of interiors, launch of the store to manage the store. The franchisee can devote his time for other business and double his profits.

FM: What is the eligibility criteria for taking the franchise of your company?

SJ: The first criteria is the location he is having. The location is selected by our team looking at many factors like the youth population or the floating youth population in the area. The neighborhood plays an important role and if it having come educational institutions, IT companies or Malls, its added advantage.The second criteria is the availability of capital to be invested. With these two, we can create a very strong franchisee and a very profitable venture as the store is managed by the company and thus the standards of the brand remain intact.

FM: How many franchisees do you have and in which all cities?SJ: We already have franchisees in Nagpur, Jabalpur, Raipur, Chennai and expect to sign up 10 more franchisees by the end of November ’09.FM: What all training and support do you provide to the franchisees?

SJ: Franchisee is given the induction about the company and brief working knowledge about the store. The store is 100% managed by our team.

FM: What are the company’s future plans for expansion through franchising?

SJ: We plan to open 50 outlets by the end of current financial year and expect 60% of the outlets to be franchisee outlets.

FM: Share with us any new venture that your company has entered into?

SJ: At present we are very much focused to the growth of our existing brands ‘Coffee N U’ ‘OOVAA’. We are planning to introduce many new things and value additions to these in coming future.