SHILLONG: COVID has not been able to dampen the spirits of enterprise. When one profession came to a sudden halt some go-getting youth reinvented themselves and got into another trade. Today, there is quite a buzz in Shillong around the new set of people delivering food and groceries at our doorsteps.
Among the many such service providers, there is one that has its genesis from the most unlikely quarter – the Shillong Chamber Choir — which is renowned for its music rather than business acumen.
The first to set out to do this job of delivering grocery items and other utilities (more like a mini mall) immediately after the lockdown, when people especially the elderly had begun to feel the pressure of being closeted at home and not being able to make their regular purchase. And there at that very crucial junction emerged “Uncle’s Home Delivery Service” of the Shillong Chamber Choir.
Today Uncle’s (the moniker derived from Uncle Neil) has established itself as a credible home delivery service. Those who come to deliver wear PPEs and whatever is delivered is sanitised and hygienic. Payment is through Google Pay so that is no physical contact by way of handling money.
From meat to fish to vegetables, fruits, bakes, delicatessen (sausages), cheese, butter et al to homemade curries, pickles and what have you. Every morning a list of what is available complete with the price is sent to all the clients. Meat is cut in the most professional way by the choir members who have by now learnt what is the best cut and how each piece is to be cut. William R Basaiawmoit, the SCC soloist is the new meat carver. He says, “All along we have been carving meat the wrong way. Now after reading up I know better which is the best cut.” That’s quite a COVID-led learning.
What’s unique about the SCC is their ability to meld into any role very quickly and without much ado. They are trained to be disciplined and to serve. Indeed, the SCC had been doing charity and giving out rice and other dry rations to poor people around where they live and elsewhere too.
Sharlene Das who is one of Uncle’s customers says, “There’s a huge difference between the quality of groceries delivered by Uncle’s and others. The packing is flawless and everything is delivered in a professional manner.”
However, it’s not as if the Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) has given up their first love singing. They continue to perform virtually. Recently they performed ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You’ with the European Concert Orchestra.
SCC Director, Neil Nongkynrih has trained his team well. “We need to survive this pandemic and we cannot just sit around waiting for COVID to end and for us to start travelling again. Thankfully we are able to fill a need by delivering groceries especially to the elderly who are told not to venture out. I consider that a mission and so too the Choir members,” said Neil Nongkynrih who continues to create music and practise with the Choir nearly every evening.
Another enterprise that is involved in delivering food to homes from the eateries across town is Netfoodish started by Pynman Nongtdu, a 27-year-old who completed his MBA from Lovely Professional University with Marketing and Operations as his core competencies. Netfoodish has an App through which people can order food from the restaurant of their choice.
Pynman started his venture in 2017 and now employs between 15-16 young people to ferry food across the city. About 80+ eateries are tied up with Netfoodish.
When asked who his closest competitors were, Pynman said, “We don’t believe in competition but in doing our best. We always deliver food on or before time and keep updating our clients about our time of arrival. We are in touch with our clients over mobile phone and not just a shadowy online connection.
Jiwat Vaswani of City Hut Dhaba and Deja Vu among other eateries has a lot of good things to say about Netfoodish. “They are a very good group and it is our duty to support them. They are also very hard working. They are competing with Swiggy which gives 20-30% discount on food but we support Netfoodish because we see a bunch of very hardworking young people struggling to make in a very competitive environment,” says Vaswani and he should be knowing having been in the hospitality industry for a while now.
Pradyot Manikya Debbarma of Tripura Castle with several eateries in the same campus says, “It’s so inspiring to see our local tribal youth breaking the stereotypes that they can’t run a successful start-up. Pynman Nongtdu is pleasant to speak to and has provided jobs to several other unemployed youth. Unless the local youth get into the hospitality industry and realise its benefits this sector cannot grow. Netfoodish is an inspiration and youth in other states should emulate this model. I hope the tribal youth in Tripura too learn something from this entrepreneurship.”
Meanwhile, these new trades of home delivery of food and groceries could be in vogue for a while now since COVID does not seem to be going away any time soon.