Central Asia fast-food chain leverages Kaizen to expedite service

Begemot, a Kyrgyzstan-based restaurant chain, aspired to be Central Asia's first fast-food chain, taking inspiration from the popular American quick-service brand McDonald's. There was one problem, though: Service wasn't fast enough at Begemot, the Eurasia Review notes.

The Central Asian chain is known for its own interpretation of the hamburger, which is similar to the traditional Western variant and involves beef patties layered with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mayonnaise. Begemot's offering is unique not only in how it differs from the region's “gamburger” (Turkish-style mutton sliced from a spit) but also how quickly it's produced, typically in five minutes or less.

“We have always had fast food, of course – samsa, chebureki, and so on,” Begemot cofounder Sergey Mogiev explained to the news source, referring to fried Central Asian staples. “But no one had ever recreated the true Western fast food experience.”

The brand wanted to serve patrons more quickly, which led to the company applying Kaizen principles. Mogiev hired a consultancy to come in and help Begemot streamline operations and provide training in the Kaizen mindset. This enabled the burgeoning fast-food brand to not only raise productivity and reduce waste by rearranging equipment and workstations, but also expedite the delivery of meals to patrons.

As the company continues to expand, the Kaizen mindset could help ease any growing pains, especially in regards to supply chain issues. This philosophy can be leveraged as a means to streamline the production and delivery of various supplies, helping to bolster the productivity of each location in the broader network.

“One major challenge for any chain food operation in Central Asia is finding reliable vendors,” the news source adds, highlighting the obstacles Begemot faces. “Beef and vegetables are sourced locally, based on direct contracts with local farmers. But the chicken, along with the potatoes, are imported from the West and shipped frozen.”

Using Kaizen to transform

For companies that seem to be hitting a productivity wall with their current business procedures, Kaizen frequently provides a new way of looking at things. By developing Lean practices, organizations – regardless of which industry they serve – are often able to find new and more productive ways of accomplishing their business goals.