Dosa to pizza chains realize there are no easy ways out of LPG shortage

Mumbai/Bengaluru: Fast-food chains serving dosas and momos to pizzas across India have found out that switching away from cooking gas amid the ongoing supply squeeze is difficult. The piped gas network is confined to a few cities, and the transition to electric cooking is hampered by higher operating costs and a spike in upfront equipment prices.“Over the past three weeks, we have made conscious efforts to reduce our dependency on gas by increasing the adoption of electric equipment across locations,” said Ankur Sharma, co-founder of Rebel Foods, which operates cloud-kitchen brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani and Oven Story Pizza.“In some areas, we continue to face constraints due to limited availability of equipment from vendor partners,” he said.

“Operating on electricity tends to be more expensive than LPG, which adds to the overall cost considerations,” Sharma said, adding that it also requires power backups in locations with unreliable electricity supply.The US and Israel’s war on Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, squeezing energy supplies for India that imports 60% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) requirement, largely from the Gulf region. Limited availability has forced authorities to prioritize essential services such as hospitals, welfare schemes and households over commercial establishments.The ministry of petroleum and natural gas prioritized has allocated 20% of the average monthly commercial LPG to restaurants, causing a severe fuel shortage.Commercial LPG supplies depend on each state’s priorities.