Johnny and Jugnu - revolutionizing Pakistani fast food.

Byline: MOHAMMAD ARIF

Interview with Gohar Iqbal - co-founder/managing partner, Johnny and Jugnu

Gohar Iqbal, co-founder and managing partner of Johnny and Jugnu, is a young entrepreneur who is leading the charge in introducing Pakistani-style fast food to the world. With 14 planned outlets across Pakistan in the next 2 years, Johnny and Jugnu is quickly becoming a staple in the country's food scene.

Gohar's passion for cooking and business started at a young age, learning traditional recipes passed down through generations in his mother and grandmother's kitchen. He went on to graduate with a Bachelor's in Economics from LUMS in 2014, with a focus on law and marketing. After graduation, Gohar decided to pursue his dream of opening his restaurant.

In 2014, Gohar, along with his instructor Dr. Adnan, opened a small fast-food restaurant with a budget of around Rs 50-60K. Despite their efforts, the restaurant didn't take off as they had hoped, and they were forced to close it down a year later. But Gohar refused to let this setback define him.

A year later, the idea to re-open Johnny and Jugnu struck him and his team. This time, they were determined to make it work. They rented a small outlet in DHA Phase 4 and focused on recipe development and marketing. They gave out attractive burger boxes to people who were active on food forums and passionate about burgers. This strategy helped them create hype and they started getting noticed. When they finally opened their doors, sales went up daily and they were short of people in the kitchen. This was proof that their burgers were selling not because of marketing, but because of the taste. New customers were mainly referred by their friends and family members.

Gohar attributes his success to his passion for cooking, dedication to using only the highest quality ingredients, and commitment to supporting local farmers and suppliers. He also values community engagement and often hosts events such as cooking classes and charity fundraisers at his restaurants.

As Johnny and Jugnu continues to expand, Gohar and his team are committed to bringing the best of Pakistani fast food to the world. Gohar's unique perspective as the first entrepreneur in a family of white collar workers allows him to understand the challenges faced in breaking through barriers, both cultural and economic, to build businesses from scratch. In his spare time...