Successful Indian entrepreneurs Tabassum and Sheeba Hasan are the mother-daughter founding duo behind Guilt Trip, one of India’s revered multiform patisseries that has pioneered dessert customization from the early 2000’s and that shares its presence via self-owned and franchised formats across India (three in Mumbai and franchisees in Indore & Hyderabad). Years of relentless perseverance and hard-work and creative excellence has led Guilt Trip to reach unprecedented heights under the tutelage of Tabassum Hasan, the master-baker who is the heart of Guilt Trip’s decadent desserts. Hasan and Sheeba, aim to open at least 5 stores in the city and envisage Guilt Trip to be the first patisserie to bring a dessert table concept of their own to India. In their free time, Tabassum and Sheeba Hasan prefer to take up philanthropy and socially relevant deeds. They strongly believe in the cause for cncer patients and pay their dues to children from various orphanages
What drives you?
The need to excel, the passion to compete and come out on top and that highly satisfied look on our customer's face.
How big is the potential for a business like yours? Any major customers that you now cater to? What kind of numbers do you expect from a business like yours? Any statistics to compare with international standards?
The dessert / food industry has huge potential in terms of growth. There's immense scope for innovation and experimenting with new things with customers always being open to new ideas & wanting something different. Desserts also have a feel good factor which has a big psychological impact and hence its relevance can never be undermined. We cater to a lot of corporate giants like HUL, Viacom 18, Sony, Linkedin, TOI to name a few.
How do you plan to scale up; raise funds through seed or venture capital or simply grow the old fashioned way through rising turnovers?
We would definitely be looking at raising funds through seed or venture capital. It is the way forward in an industry like this.
Who would primarily be your consumer audience?
Youths with high income in the age bracket of 24 to 36 years. We wish to carve a niche as an accomplished patisserie, with culinary expertise in over fifty types of desserts and bakes - each innovative and exclusive in their own stride, with customization of desserts like macarons, cake pops and cookies as it’s main forte. Each dessert is freshly baked and frosted with specially chosen ingredients from around the world unmatchable in taste, quality and palatability.
Where do you see yourself five years down the road?
Five years from now, we see ourselves as one of the leading desserts & bakers chains in the country having a pan India presence & subsequently taking this brand international.