Know About The Rising Journey of Lollo Rosso

The Rising Journey of Lollo Rosso

A Circumference of Influence

The concept for Lollo Rosso came to founder Aalap Shah when he saw the commonly referred to "platter to plate aspect" of shareable entrées. He thought of making that personal, wholesome bowl meal that mixes flavours and textures together from dozens of cuisines into one meal. In 2017, along with short chef-partner Tarak Das, Aalap started Lollo Rosso, which has since grown from a 12-seat café to five different locations across three cities. 

A Culinary Journey

Aalap's journey began at hotel school in Bangalore, which he later fortified with a master's degree in Hospitality Management back home in the US. His career consisted of various hotel industry jobs, working as a night auditor, a restaurant manager, and anything in between, which all contributed to Aalap developing an entrepreneurial mind. He is a passionate foodie and returned to India, focusing on the following: a menu focused entirely on global flavours but in a modern format. His idea stemmed from seeing the balance while looking at traditional Gujarati platters. From there, he made the concept of easy-to-eat bowl meals, well-balanced, hassle-free, portion-perfect, and waste-free.

The First Jump

After several rejections, Aalap managed to get a small space close to Mansi Cross Roads in Ahmedabad. Having only five bowls on the menu, Lollo Rosso officially launched in September 2017. Today, Lollo Rosso has over 15 bowls, sushi, dimsums, and quick bites—to be enjoyed at any place—be it your work desk or Netflix at home! 

An Identity of Its Own

Lollo Rosso, named after “red lettuce,” was chosen because of its quirky and versatile nature. Aalap jokingly says, While it is food today, it could be anything tomorrow. You get the sense that Lollo Rosso isn’t meant to fit into a predefined box!

Challenges and Innovation

Customers are the real cheerleaders, as Aalap emphasises. Both the upside and downside of feedback contribute to brand growth. For instance, managing employees remains a challenge, as they are the ‘internal customers’ implementing that vision. To keep the menu interesting, they will also implement items like the “Bowl of the Month” to create new flavours and cuisines, while also generating customer engagement and cultivating loyalty. 

What a future awaits! 

Lollo Rosso plans to keep the growth strategy going by introducing new concepts for all-day dining in Ahmedabad and beyond. When it comes to his motto for all entrepreneurs, Aalap states it is ‘be fearful,’ as he believes that fear contributes to consistency and quality of the product, while honesty fosters trust. 

What began as a simple dream became an extraordinary food brand; Lollo Rosso will continue to be a figure of passion, persistence, and innovation in every bowl, of Aalap Shah and Tarak Das.