Biryani has once again become the undisputed king as far as India’s most ordered dish is concerned. The mixed rice dish, a preferred food item for its ease of eating, has taken the place of on-the-go meals, be it an after-party craving or a meal to accompany binge-watching.
With customers ordering 186 biryanis every minute in 2022, the dish proved to be the ‘GOAT’ (Greatest Of All Time), said Zomato in its annual report. Biryani was followed by pizza with 139 Italian dishes delivered per minute this year, as per the report.
Even Swiggy’s annual trends report (formerly StatEATstics) has biryani set new records with 137 biryanis ordered per minute.
So what makes it the most loved food? Across brands, biryani has become a one-of-its-kind favourite dish. Biryani Blues is serving more than 2.5 million biryanis every year and the brand focuses on quality with 68 outlets across Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Lucknow. With a successful campaign called ‘Biryanis @99’, making biryani available to people across all demographics, the brand has offered value for money and sold the dish in large quantities.
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Not just this year, biryani has been wooing its patrons with great offerings all these years. Technopak Advisors said in FY 2022 that Dindigul Thalappakatti, a restaurant chain that operates primarily in Tamil Nadu, was the largest organised biryani player in terms of popularity and sales in the country.
Pragati Dalal, VP, brands, Rebel Foods, which operates 11 cloud kitchen brands including Faasos, Behrouz Biryani and others, said, “Biryani has grown beyond its culinary origins and has become a favourite meal in India. Various regional variations of the meal have emerged due to the blending of local flavours and ingredients which are considered a speciality in India. The original authentic biryani offering will never lose its prominence in the years to come.”
While the experimentation and innovation continue at Behrouz, the brand has been increasing its presence across India and is now present in over 350 restaurants across 70 cities. The brand has grown at a CAGR of 30%, with Lazeez Bhuna Biryani (chicken biryani) followed by Dum Gosht Biryani (mutton biryani) as top-sellers.
Biryani and kebab delivery chain, Biryani By Kilo, clocked revenue of Rs 132 crore in FY 21-22 with 69 outlets across India and aims to touch Rs 300 crore in FY 22- 23 with 129 outlets pan India.
The Gurgaon-based company specialises in offering four variations (Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, Kolkata and Guntur) of dum-cooked handi biryani along with curated menu replete with kebabs, korma, desserts and breads, processing 5 million orders in a year currently, with an average order value of Rs 725.
“Over the years we have been innovating with products and have put a senior professional middle management team and world class processes and technology infrastructure. We are poised to be a Rs 1,000-crore company in the next two years with pan India presence,” says Vishal Jindal, founder and co-CEO, Biryani by Kilo. The company has plans for an IPO in 2025 and is currently in talks to buy a majority of stake in a few food delivery brands to offer north India cuisine in India as well as an ice-cream brand which is low on calorie and sugar. A world-class handi factory is also on the cards with a total investment of Rs 5 crore by end of the year.
