“I loved the taste of the pizza and wondered how it was made. It seemed to be a fatter version of a roti with a different sauce and cheese,” Sandeep recalls.
In December 2015, he opened the first Pizza Galleria outlet in Gohana, Haryana.
What sets this pizza chain apart from others is that it is 100 percent vegetarian, and has pizzas starting from Rs 69.
After pursuing engineering at a nearby town, he moved to Gurugram for a job.
However, the bug of entrepreneurship bit him, leading to a wish to start his own food business, for which he learnt the nitty gritties at Pizza Wings in Rohtak.
“My father was upset about me quitting and returning. He expected me to make a name for myself as an engineer,” shares Sandeep.
However, the hustler took the help of friends and his brother to raise Rs 6.5 lakh with which he started the business.
To create awareness about the venture, Sandeep rode his bike around the city, knocking on doors and distributing pamphlets.
All around Gohana, his mike and speaker spread the word, ‘Khul gaya, khul gaya, ab aapke sheher mein Pizza Galleria khul gaya (Pizza Galleria is now open in your town/city)’.
To entice customers, he offered the first 300 pizzas free, a practice followed even today at all new outlets.
After Gohana, he has spread his wings across 72 outlets in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Delhi-NCR, and Chandigarh.
His outlets sell over 20,000 pizzas every day, with a turnover of Rs 15 crore in the last financial year 2023-24, employing over 700 people.
“I feel proud that I’ve been able to create such a large family through Pizza Galleria. We had a meetup where we had invited over 100 staff members to Karnal. Seeing so many people together who are doing well today is my biggest accomplishment,” shares Sandeep.
Pizza Galleria serves pizza, pasta, garlic bread, sandwiches, fries, burgers, soft drinks and more. Their pizzas start at Rs 69 and their combos start at Rs 89. Their bestsellers are the tandoori paneer pizza, pizza galleria exotica, and makhni pizza, and also offers a ‘Baahubali’ 24-inch pizza.
Their USP, apart from being vegetarian, is their tomato sauce and cheesy liquid sauce, which adds to the flavour of the pizza, states Sandeep.
Sandeep’s dream is to create an Indian brand with footprints across the world. His biggest validation, he says, eventually came from his father who praised Sandeep for his exceptional work.
“Work hard to fulfil your dreams. Don’t stop yourself from achieving big dreams because you’re from a small town. It’s the best time to start a business. Start small; even food carts have turned into massive businesses. Live your life in such a way that it becomes an example for others,” he shares.