In the fiercely competitive HoReCa sector, where consistency, quality, and reliability define success, ingredient choices can make or break a culinary experience. Leysha, a premium rice brand from the SSEIL Group of Companies, is leveraging four decades of global export expertise to become a trusted partner for hotels, restaurants, and catering professionals across India. Led by Aman Gupta, Managing Director of SSEIL Group, Leysha is redefining what chefs expect from staple ingredients, ensuring every grain delivers uniformity, aroma, and cooking performance at scale. The brand’s focus on traceability, premium quality, and tailored B2B solutions is helping professionals create memorable dining experiences, from luxury hotel kitchens to high-volume banquet setups.
In an exclusive interview with Asmita Mukherjee, Aman Gupta discusses Leysha’s vision for the HoReCa sector.
The HoReCa sector is a high-volume but highly competitive space. What role do you see premium rice brands like Leysha playing in redefining quality benchmarks for hotels, restaurants, and caterers?
In HoReCa, quality is currency. With Leysha, we’re not just supplying rice, we’re bringing four decades of export-grade standards into Indian kitchens. Whether it’s a luxury hotel, a wedding caterer, or a biryani seller, Chefs consistently tell us they look for three things: uniformity, aroma, and performance. That’s where Leysha sets the bar – every grain cooks the same, every time.
For the HoReCa industry, reliability is as important as volume. Premium brands like Leysha raise the benchmark by guaranteeing aroma, texture, and cooking performance across every batch. From delicious kheer and light khichdi to banquet rice, Kashmiri pilaf, and the all-time favourite biryani, we’ve prepared ourselves to meet every HoReCa need – truly crafted for every cuisine. This consistency helps chefs deliver memorable dining experiences, which is critical in competitive hospitality. We’re helping elevate dining experiences, one plate at a time.
Big brands dominate rice supply in the institutional segment. How does Leysha plan to differentiate itself in terms of consistency, pricing, and service to build long-term partnerships with HoReCa operators?
Big players dominate the market, but Leysha takes a different approach. The brand focuses on working closely with chefs who prioritise quality and with partners who value transparency. It maintains competitive pricing without compromising standards, provides personalised service, and leverages SSIEL’s scale to ensure consistent operations. Strict quality checks, uniform grain sizes, and adherence to high standards guarantee consistency, while fair pricing, flexible pack sizes, and dedicated B2B support reinforce transparency. Reliable delivery schedules and a hands-on approach to partnerships strengthen relationships further. In addition, the parent company’s experience in hospitality with IHG provides Leysha with direct insights into the specific needs of hotels and restaurants, positioning the brand not just as a supplier but as a strategic solutions partner for the HoReCa industry.
How does Leysha ensure traceability and maintain trust with chefs and procurement managers in the HoReCa industry?
Traceability isn’t just a label for us; it’s our discipline. At Leysha, we understand that consistency and authenticity are the cornerstones of trust in HoReCa. For chefs, this means confidence in authenticity and consistency on the plate. For procurement managers, it means audit-ready supply chains, global certifications like FSSAI, ISO, HACCP, and Halal, and zero surprises in quality or compliance.
What makes Leysha unique is that we monitor quality every hour, closely overseeing critical processes. That kind of ownership is rare in this industry – and it’s what makes Leysha trustworthy.
As Leysha expands beyond retail into HoReCa, what challenges do you foresee in scaling operations while maintaining quality, especially in high-demand environments like banquets and large-scale catering?
Scaling operations without compromising quality remains the central challenge for Leysha, especially in banquets and large-scale catering where both high volumes and consistent, timely supply are critical. The brand draws on decades of global export experience, successfully delivering at scale while maintaining stringent quality standards. To meet the growing demands of the HoReCa sector, Leysha is investing in robust logistics and forecasting tools to anticipate demand, larger format packaging specifically tailored for hospitality needs, and a dedicated Chef’s Collection curated for both Indian and international cuisines. The upcoming Leysha Chef’s Collection is designed to cater to this segment, offering a wide variety of options that chefs can rely on. At Leysha, chefs are seen as true connoisseurs, and the brand’s role is to provide them with a trusted portfolio, whether in a Michelin-starred kitchen or a wedding serving thousands of guests, ensuring every dish consistently meets the highest standards.
How do you envision the balance between export legacy and domestic HoReCa growth shaping Leysha’s brand identity over the next five years?
Our export legacy is our anchor, A proof that Leysha delivers on the toughest global standards. In India, we’re building an identity that feels closer to home: premium yet practical, global in standards but local in heart.
Five years from now, I see Leysha as the natural choice for chefs – a trusted partner for hotels, restaurants, and caterers across India, while continuing to hold its place in global fine-dining. From a Michelin table in London to a biryani in Lucknow, Leysha should stand for one thing: uncompromised quality.
Leysha is steadily building its presence both in India and internationally. While we are expanding strongly into the domestic HoReCa sector, we are also creating space for Leysha in global markets. Over the next five years, our brand identity will be shaped by this dual growth, becoming a trusted partner
Could you highlight some of Leysha’s current B2B tie-ups?
We’re encouraged by the trust the industry has already placed in us. Today, Leysha is available through Metro Cash & Carryfor wide distribution, Zomato Hyperpure for chef-led sourcing, and BigBasketfor smaller kitchens.
Beyond distribution, we’re actively collaborating with luxury hotels, premium catering companies, and institutional distributors across metro cities. We align with how HoReCa really works, bulk procurement in 25kg formats, demand for aged Basmati, branded suppliers with strong hygiene protocols, and certifications that guarantee compliance.
Our systems are designed around these needs: reliable supply, consistent quality, and compliance baked in. That’s what makes us a long-term partner for the HoReCa ecosystem.
This ecosystem approach – combining distribution scale with premium assurance – is what makes Leysha a long-term partner for the HoReCa segment.
