Meat retail brand Nandu’s has launched its first round of Employee Stock Options Plan (ESOP). This is a customized plan that allows employees to participate in the company’s growth. The total pool of funds that the company will use for this round is 5% of its equity. 

The first batch of employees covered by the scheme are from all levels of the organization, the company said in an official statement. The next few installments will expand the scope of the scheme to include more employees.

Narendra K Pasuparthy – Chief Farmer, CEO & Founder, Nandu’s said, “We already have several company policies in place to ensure a healthy and happy environment for our people.” Pasuparthy is hopeful that this move will go a long way in retaining employees as well as attracting fresh talent into the company. “Our long-term goal is to include more employees in this pool, thus enabling each and every employee to reap the benefit of their hard work and loyalty towards the brand.” he further added.

Nandu’s is eyeing to scale up its business by expanding its footprint to four more cities by 2024 apart from adding more stores in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The company is further looking to raise funds to invest in state-of-the-art technology.

Nandu’s and the larger Nanda Group, have been in the business of livestock and poultry farming since 1963. It has a vast supply chain that includes farms, retail stores, and ready-to-cook-and-eat products. The company’s various offerings include fresh chicken, fish, and seafood, as well as ready-to-eat and heat-and-eat meals.

In FY18, Nandu’s reportedly recorded a revenue of Rs 9.27 crore, and in FY22, it managed to grow its revenue to Rs 67.52 crores. The company has 55 outlets in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and it plans to expand its operations in other cities. The company’s fiscal performance also reportedly improved in the same period. In FY22, the group’s revenue increased from Rs 239.53 crores to Rs 338.7 crores.