What started as a simple sandwich idea has grown into a business worth Rs 1 crore. This gourmet sandwich brand is an example of how students' entrepreneurial vision can turn an everyday food item into a promising venture.
Founded by a group of Masters' Union students, the journey of Lexi's Gourmet Sandwiches started right from their college campus. Ayush Melwani, Rhea Melwani, Alex Francis, and Naveen Balaji began preparing sandwiches while living in the college hostel. The team sold only five sandwiches on the first day of their pop-up. Although it was not as successful as they thought it would be, their first campus pop-up helped them understand customer demand and improve their products.
While many big brands focused on burgers and pizzas, Alex noticed an opportunity in the market for premium sandwiches. He worked on food quality, packaging, pricing, delivery, and customer feedback.
“Every time we ordered in, it was almost always a burger. Not because it was the only option, but because it was the only thing that really hit. Sandwiches were there… just not in the same conversation. Too basic. Too safe. Or trying too hard to be healthy. So we did what most slightly delusional founders do. We decided to build it ourselves. No big kitchen. No playbook. Just a lot of trial, a lot of errors, and an unhealthy obsession with getting things right,” the founders wrote on Lexi's website.
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The real change happened when one of their videos went viral on Instagram. According to the founders, the reels pushed daily orders above 100. With growing demand and repeat customers, Lexi's reached Rs 1 crore in sales.
According to Rhea, one of the biggest achievements for the brand was making Samay Raina taste their sandwich. The comedian absolutely loved their lamb birria sandwich.
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Some of their best-selling sandwiches are grilled onion and bacon sandwiches, chicken katsu sando, truffle mushroom ciabatta, and The Bombay Broski. Lexi's currently has physical shops at Gurgaon and Delhi. They are also available on Swiggy and Zomato.