Couple Vim and Shama Vimalendiran share the story of their first year running a Lunch Lady franchise and what it takes to turn a struggle into success
By Joelle Kidd
Shama Vimalendiran always loved working with children and food. With a background in early childhood education, a previous business running a home daycare, and her own bakery business, she had done “anything and everything to do with children and food,” says her husband, Vim, with a laugh.
When looking for ways to expand her bakery business, Shama happened upon The Lunch Lady, a national franchise that provides healthy snacks and lunches, individually and in bulk, for schools, community centres, and daycares. From the moment she came across the business on Facebook, she was intrigued. She quickly met with The Lunch Lady’s corporate team, went through the approval process, and soon opened her own The Lunch Lady franchise in New Westminster, B.C.
After officially opening in the summer of 2019, the business was off to a good start, serving its first school and child care customers and actively introducing the Lunch Lady brand to the community.
And then March 2020 happened. While the COVID-19 pandemic would create unimaginable challenges for the couple, navigating through it would also create opportunities for success.
Facing the fire
During the pandemic lockdowns, Vim took an early retirement from his job with Canada Post, where he’d worked for 22 years. Vim, now 57, and Shama, now 54, were new to franchising but brought a wealth of experience from their previous careers, she in food service and he in administration.
With schools shut down and social gatherings suspended, both the bakery business and The Lunch Lady suddenly found themselves facing a dearth of clientele. The couple credits the franchise system with giving their business the boost it needed to continue through this rocky period by offering continual support, including winning contracts for The Lunch Lady to supply food to community centres, seniors’ centres, and churches, whose own kitchens were closed during the height of the pandemic restrictions. “That was actually what kept us afloat,” says Shama. “So it was easy for me to let go of the bakery and immerse myself fully in The Lunch Lady.”
That first year was a tough one. Shama and Vim were the business’s sole employees, with one delivery vehicle. They had been stopped in their tracks before they really got a chance to get going. But this was just the start of their story and not the ending.
Almost four years later, the couple have 11 full- and part-time employees, own six delivery vehicles, and are attaining significant financial success. Their location also has the distinction of being fifth-highest ranked Lunch Lady location for sales in all of Canada.
“Every year, we’ve grown,” says Vim. “We like what we are doing here. We started this at a later part of our age, and we are enjoying it. That’s how it is: when we enjoy something, we’re going to keep it going a little bit longer.”
Super support
Shama was initially drawn to the work The Lunch Lady does as a brand, but quickly realized the value of the support a franchise system offers. “I realized that we have a lot of support, [so] it’s not scary to take a chance and do something, because you know they will back you up,” she explains. “They will give you enough training […] You can call them any time you want, and there’s a whole team that is there for you.”
In-person training took place over a one-week intensive in Toronto, which gave the new owners a chance to see kitchens in operation and talk to other franchisees, as well as learn the backend of the operation, from admin work to marketing. After training, the brand offers continued support including marketing, location visits, and more.
Starting in September, the brand’s head office acquired a new contract to provide lunch for an entire school district in New Westminster, which Vim and Shama took on. The ability to win such big contracts is another huge upside to the franchise model, Vim notes. “A contract like this, a [single] person like me cannot do that […] It’s a lot of work and a lot of technical stuff. It’s give and take.” He does the marketing to acquire smaller contracts, such as daycares, that sustain the business over the months when schools are not in session. And of course, there’s the personal connection that a franchisee can have within the community.
“Last school year, I was doing snacks for all the schools in New Westminster, and they had a very good relationship with me. [So] when this contract came in, the relationship was already there, and I was thrilled for the opportunity to serve them further!” Vim recalls with pride. “Head office does their part, we do our part, and it all goes together.”
For any prospective franchisee, Shama advises looking into what support a franchisor provides before purchasing your business. “Talk to other franchisees, [find out] what the pros and cons are … especially how much support you get from the head office.”
At the same time, she adds, “This is not something where you buy the business and give it to somebody else to run. We are the first to come and the last to leave. If you want it to be successful, you have to make sure that you invest yourself in it.”
“You’re going to spend a lot of hours [working on it], because it’s your business,” Vim agrees. That’s why, he says, one of the most important ingredients for a business owner is passion. “Because you can’t just quit in one year. This is going to go long term—the longer you’re invested, it’s going to be better.”
Family philosophy
Through that challenging first year and the years following, Shama and Vim’s passion has built a strong business and a strong community.
“[Our employees] are like an extended family to us,” says Shama.
For Vim, who spent 15 years as a union executive with Canada Post, employee satisfaction is an important part of management. “I try my best to make them happy, because at the end of the day, if they’re not happy, no matter what I do—giving them [their] paycheque—I’m not satisfied. I want them to be happy,” he explains. “I don’t treat them as my workers, I treat them as my brothers and sisters.”
Their team is running smoothly, with kitchen workers on staff from Sunday to Thursday and delivery drivers working Monday to Friday. “When [the food] goes out the door for delivery, that is the highlight of my day,” says Shama. “It’s all gone out, it’s right, it’s the right temperature, all the food is there and there are no mistakes—that’s when I think, ‘Ah, I can actually relax.’ That’s my favourite part because, for me, it’s a job well done.
“It’s just like making a cake: when it’s done, you have pride in what you’ve made.”
For Vim, the highlight comes when he can venture out into the community and see the happy faces their food brings.
“I get to go to these daycares, and I love meeting those children, I tell you,” Vim says, face breaking into a smile. “They know me by name, and they come and have a chat with me. I love it.”
Speaking with the Vimalendirans, their passion for their work is evident, from keeping employees happy to working hard in the kitchen, to seeing the satisfaction of a job well done. From an uncertain first year to a thriving future, it’s clear this couple is cooking up something special.
Learn more about franchising with The Lunch Lady
