The newest Nani’s Gelato franchisee is proving that franchising is a—pardon the pun—cool solution for millennials interested in owning their own business
By Rachel Debling
Legend has it that gelato, the popular ice milk treat, was created in the 16th century in Florence, Italy. A trip to lo Stivale (“the Boot”) lends credence to the origin story, with picturesque streetcorner shops often serving the delicacy, usually in traditional, beloved flavours such as chocolate and pistachio.
But where there’s a good idea, there’s always room for improvement.
Nani’s Gelato, under the guidance of founder Parry Sohi, has taken the European dessert and enhanced it for the multicultural Canadian market, in turn attracting customers of all ages and backgrounds—and young entrepreneurs wanting to stake their claim in the franchise industry.
Take Karan Kapoor, Nani’s newest franchisee, who opened his Burlington, Ontario, location in June of this year. At 34 years old, he left his banking career to enter small business ownership, with the encouragement of family members who have franchise industry experience themselves.
One thing that appealed to him as he and his wife were exploring investment options was that Nani’s is a smaller brand that’s newer to the market.
“To be very honest, when we first applied for Nani’s, it wasn’t high on our consideration list of franchises at the time,” Kapoor admits. “I mean, I love the product. I tried it [at] multiple locations, the quality was fantastic, and my wife and I thought that the gelato was absolutely delicious.”
What sealed the deal was that, since it’s an emerging franchise brand, Kapoor felt Nani’s doesn’t have some of the issues that can come along with larger, more established franchises, such as fewer available or nearly overlapping territories and an over-saturated market.
“With newer, younger franchises that are just starting to come up, you can grow with the franchise, and there’s a lot more flexibility and openness [to new ideas].” And luckily for Kapoor, the company agreed he was a good fit, and much to his surprise, the day after he submitted his application, he received a follow-up call.
Taking the time to make it right
The entire onboarding process lasted just over a year, from Kapoor investigating his options in March 2023 to signing the franchise agreement in the summer of the same year, to finally opening his location this past June. Though it may seem like an inordinate amount of time to those unfamiliar with the industry, Kapoor feels it truly flew by—especially since it was around this time he and his wife added another project to their busy schedule in the form of their daughter, who is now almost two years old.
For Kapoor, one of the biggest advantages of signing with Nani’s is the strong relationship he’s built with Sohi who, even as the owner of the brand, finds time to mentor him in his path to business success.
“He’s been so hands-on and supportive,” raves Kapoor. “I call him 10 times a day. And every single time he answers the phone, he’s happy to answer any questions I may have.”
Plus, the training he undertook prior to launch taught him the ins and outs of the entire system, in a condensed time frame. “We had a two-week training program where they taught us how to make the product; how to run the kitchen, back of house; how to manage the operations, front of house; and everything else.”
Kapoor’s location currently employs seven staff members, including Emma Gosse, a shift lead at the shop who is balancing part-time work with her college studies. She also has nothing but positive things to say about her Nani’s experience. “The gelato is a great bonus,” she jokes.
“We don’t have a hard-and-fast rule,” says Kapoor about his approach to hiring part-time versus full-time staff. “We just need good people who are good with customers, who always have a smile on their face, giving the best customer service possible, because we really pride ourselves on that.”
Standing out in the crowd
The value proposition of Nani’s is simple: mouthwatering, imaginative gelato flavours made in-store by hand daily. Each location builds its menu from a selection of more than 200 varieties and changes the lineup every two weeks. And while standard-issue flavours are always available, its more creative options provide Nani’s artisanal foundations. Kapoor says that flavours like rosewater cardamom, vegan pistachio almond kulfi, and matcha attract a South Asian clientele, while interesting combinations like mango and lychee, basil and lemon, and cereal milk (which involves soaking corn flakes in vanilla gelato overnight to surprisingly delightful, slightly crunchy results) have helped build a fanbase of customers who frequent the Burlington shop multiple times per week.
The name itself is a nod to Sohi’s family history. As a child, his mother and nani—the term for maternal grandmother in India—instilled the importance of using the freshest ingredients when cooking. Add to that his father’s experience as the owner of a soft-serve ice cream parlour, and joining the foodservice sector was a no-brainer.
“Parry is fantastic; he really knows what he’s doing,” says Kapoor. “He’s built up the brand very slowly and carefully, and we’re growing really fast. And the support system’s been fantastic.”
Though it’s still early in his business ownership journey, Kapoor is excited and optimistic for what’s ahead. Without hesitation, he says he would recommend the franchising pathway to anyone looking to make the leap themselves, especially for those who may be in their early to mid-thirties.
“Obviously this is just my experience and my perspective, but the younger you are, I think the more appetite [you have] to take a risk and a gamble on something,” he says. “I mean, obviously there’s still a lot to lose, but the appetite is there.”
He does caution that franchise ownership is not for the faint of heart, a fact that is becoming more and more apparent each day he opens his doors.
“[You are] emotionally, financially, and physically invested in the store,” he explains. “No matter how much you’ve been warned, to see it and experience it for yourself is completely different. And it’s exhausting.”
But Kapoor is also invested emotionally in the Nani’s Gelato brand, speaking with pride about how far it’s come and where it’s going.
“The sky is the limit, especially the way they’re growing,” he explains. “They have a good team, and they’re building slowly but steadily.” It’s an approach that, as an investor, he truly appreciates, and one that he understands and trusts 100 per cent. “I’m glad we’re doing things a little differently and we’re taking a more calculated approach.”
In fact, he’s so impressed by the concept that Kapoor hints he may consider opening another location down the line. And though only time will tell, if the sweltering heat continues to creep into autumn and beyond the Greater Toronto Area will certainly need some extra relief in the form of more frozen—and truly inventive—treats.
