Pefeteria: Story behind Gujarat's first pet cafe

Himanshu, a young Bcom graduate, who, with the help of his family runs a café, known as café Pefeteria. It is Gujarat’s first pet friendly café. According to Himanshu Vithalani, “At Pefeteria humans are allowed but pets are approved.”

Himanshu, was pursuing B.C.A in Vadodara, when he dropped out and moved to Ahmedabad to pursue his graduation in B.COM. His parents were both employed in government jobs but didn’t want to go that route as he always aspired to do something big and different in life. He always aspired to become an entrepreneur or either work in the private sector. According to him,” my parents are both employed in a government job but I never wanted to get into the field. He adds “I always wanted to either get into my own business or work in the private sector.”

How did the concept originate?

Himanshu didn’t always have a pet of his own. He owned his own pet after he started the cafe. The cafe was started with a very novel thought of treating pets with the sort of respect that they very much deserve and crave for. He also says that the idea was given to him by his brother-in-law as he had a pet. The idea was to spend quality time with pets as there aren’t a lot of pet friendly societies around. The societies have a problem with the pets as they feel that they are unhealthy and unhygienic.

How did the business plan start?

The initiative was supported by Himanshu’s father who had invested in his venture. The main challenge for Himanshu was that he had to do everything from scratch as when he started the cafe he didn’t even know how to prepare tea. Now he says that he can curate his own menus, not just for people but also for pets. For him, the other challenge was also to see that they get a nice place where the pets are safe as Vadodara is a big city. He says, “We are lucky that we found a nice place in a prime location like Alkapuri which is not just a prime location but also on the inside.”

How successful has the business been?

According to Himanshu, the business, with the grace of god has been successful so far. He says, “I had repaid my father’s investment within 6 months of starting the business. Since then I do the business only by myself. We are now also planning on growing our own franchise which can not only create a brand for our business but also help in the welfare of more and more pets.”

From a humble start, to having a well-trained and qualified staff:

They started by just one staff member but now there are seven trained staff members. Himanshu, has himself learned all the cooking from his chef and he can create food which is tasty and of great quality. Today, Himanshu, not only runs his cafe with a lot of success but also is involved with other social causes like feeding the pets and giving them shelter. Himanshu helps feed 500-600 pets each month.

How difficult was it to break the social norm?

The other important reason why he started the cafe was to break the myth about pets being dirty and unhygienic. He further adds that, “we at pefeteria take hygiene very seriously and that we have been using hand sanitizers and other precautions way before the lockdown was announced. “ He also say that, “the customers are gods for other cafes and businesses but for us the real gods are the pets. It’s not a problem if a customer’s menu gets late but a pet shouldn’t suffer from any problem.” He further adds that he really hopes to break the myth for the society when it comes to pets and hygiene.

What is the uniqueness of the business model?

According to him, “my concept is my USP.” He also says that, “for me money is secondary and to start a franchise a person needs to first own a pet. He or she needs to be friendly with pets and own them. That’s the first criteria. I’ve already been in talks with parties from Ahmedabad about the franchise.”

What are the precautions taken during the current COVID-19 pandemic?

The cafe remains shut since the time the lockdown was announced and isn’t risking anyone by opening the cafe. This is how serious Himanshu takes the safety of the pets.

An inspiring message to all youngsters who wish to do something big in life?

According to him, the young entrepreneurs need to stick to their horses and they shouldn’t quit as it might not always be a bed of roses but if they work hard without quitting they can achieve all the fame and success. This isn’t just in the cafe business, but also in all the business ventures.