Akshay Prakshale

• Building Zepto Cafe from Scratch: Successfully establishing Zepto Cafe in Pune, managing the end-to-end setup of multiple locations and ensuring operational excellence from the ground up.
• Process Improvement: Developing and implementing processes that reduce defects to 0.6% through targeted process and product enhancements.
• Operational Efficiency: Reducing Key Prep Time (KPT) to 6 mins by designing and optimizing workflows and leveraging technology to streamline operations.

Key Results:

• Customer Complaint Reduction: Improved Swiggy Instant Gratification of Customer Complaints (IGCC) from 4.7% to 1.9% and Zomato Order Requiring Support (ORS) from 11% to 6.23% through targeted process improvements.
• Brand Rating Improvement: Increased overall brand rating on Swiggy and Zomato from 4.01 to 4.12. Enhanced ratings for Faasos from 4.01 to 4.15 and Behrouz from 4.12 to 4.23.

Key Initiatives:

Operational Efficiency Improvements:

• Auto Andon Project: Implemented a system to automatically deactivate brands during high demand, optimizing delivery fleet and kitchen workforce management.
• Rational Oven Implementation: Piloted semi-automatic cooking in 350 kitchens, improving rice quality and productivity while reducing complaints.
• Tray SOP Development: Created and enforced SOPs for packaging to reduce missing and incorrect items.
• Hot Rack Deployment: Introduced hot racks in dispatch areas, reducing complaints about cold or poor-quality orders by 60%.

Process Optimization and Technology Adoption:

• Prep Time Reduction: Implemented a pre-rush preparation model with 85% forecasting accuracy, cutting preparation times.
• Product Modification: Adjusted or removed low-rated, high-prep time products based on feedback, enhancing product quality and satisfaction.
• SOP Video Integration: Embedded SOP videos on Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) to ensure compliance with procedures.
• New Equipment Implementation: Led the launch of an automatic tawa griller, boosting product quality and increasing Faasos' rating to 4.07.

Increased Productivity:

• Associate Productivity: Enhanced per-hour productivity from 8 to 15 orders through process improvements and technology.
• Workforce Optimization: Developed a forecasting-based model for staffing across 350 kitchens, reducing defects.

• Customer Experience Management: Monitored and analyzed customer feedback and reviews on online food ordering platforms. Proactively addressed complaints and implemented improvements to enhance ratings and customer satisfaction for high-revenue brands.
• Data-Driven Strategy Development: Utilized customer feedback, competitor data, and RPI to provide actionable insights to the marketing team. Collaborated on developing and executing discounting and pricing strategies, which led to a measurable increase in sales.
• Brand Management Coordination: Partnered with brand managers to design and implement comprehensive marketing and sales strategies, aligning initiatives with brand objectives and market trends.
• Operational Oversight: Directed kitchen operations across 340 locations, coordinating with field operations to ensure seamless execution and adherence to operational standards.
• Vendor and Supplier Relations: Managed relationships with vendors and suppliers to guarantee timely and efficient delivery of inventory, supporting uninterrupted kitchen operations.
• Training and Development: Led regular training sessions for field teams to enhance customer service skills and operational knowledge, fostering a high-performance work environment.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Built and maintained strong relationships with teams in maintenance, supply chain management, quality assurance, training, marketing, content, and technology. Effectively tracked and addressed operational issues and breakdowns to ensure smooth brand operations.

• Strategic Oversight : Directed quality assurance operations for over 50 kitchens and 500+ internet restaurants in Mumbai, leading a team of four QA professionals with a focus on organizational objectives and high standards of performance.
• HACCP Implementation : Spearheaded the implementation of the HACCP system across multiple locations, initiating from a flagship kitchen and extending the system nationwide, ensuring consistent food safety and quality standards.
• Advanced Root-Cause Analysis : Led comprehensive root-cause analysis initiatives to diagnose and resolve defects, driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Policy Development : Formulated and instituted robust quality assurance policies and procedures, enhancing product integrity and process efficiency.
• Audit and Evaluation : Managed and submitted thorough audit reports, evaluating process performance against established benchmarks to ensure compliance and drive quality enhancements.
• Safety and Compliance : Conducted facility inspections to identify and rectify hazards, maintaining a safe and health-compliant working environment.
• Customer-Centric Improvements : Analyzed customer feedback to guide product modifications and enhancements, fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Internal Hygiene Audits: Conduct daily hygiene audits at various cloud kitchen outlets to ensure adherence to cleanliness and food safety standards.
• Customer Feedback Analysis: Analyze customer feedback to assess product and service quality; implement process improvements based on findings.
• Complaint Handling: Manage customer complaints by evaluating product issues and addressing requirements to enhance overall customer satisfaction.
• Third-Party Audit Preparation: Set up kitchens for third-party audits in compliance with legal and regulatory standards; maintain stringent hygiene practices.
• Food Safety Management: Ensure daily adherence to food safety standards through regular visits, team coordination, and CCTV monitoring.
• External Lab Coordination: Liaise with external laboratories for various tests, including water and food testing, to ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Training & Development: Conduct monthly training sessions for kitchen staff on food safety and quality standards; provide ongoing education during each visit.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Prepare and present data analysis reports across different forums to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Sensory Analysis: Perform sensory evaluations of products to ensure they meet standard quality requirements.
• Audits & Compliance: Conduct vendor, catering, and warehouse audits; assist in implementing changes to align with company standards.
• Temperature Monitoring: Oversee temperature monitoring of kitchen equipment (chillers and freezers) using remote systems (Tagbox).
• HACCP Standards: Maintain HACCP standards through internal audits and collaborative monitoring with the operations team.
• SOP Adherence: Align operations teams to improve adherence to SOPs and reduce food safety and quality concerns through detailed complaint investigation

• Conducting Internal Hygiene Audit.
• Creating and verifying CAPA report for deviations
• Food safety , HACCP ,Sensory analysis ,Net content control, Raw material analysis, etc
• Microbiological Sampling for Salmonella ,E.Coli, EB ,etc.