Biryani by Kilo, a name synonymous with culinary excellence and innovation, has emerged as a household favorite across India. From its humble beginnings in 2015, Founders Kaushik Roy and Vishal Jindal embarked on a journey to redefine the biryani experience, and today, their brand stands tall as one of the largest players in the market.
With a focus on quality ingredients and authentic flavors, Biryani by Kilo has not only captured the taste buds of millions but also topped sales charts on leading platforms like Zomato or Swiggy. In 2023, Zomato users showcased their love for biryani by placing a staggering 10.09 crore orders, enough to fill eight Qutub Minars in Delhi, according to Zomato’s annual ordering trends report. In the last quarter alone, their unwavering commitment to excellence has propelled them to new heights of INR 300 crores, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the days to come.
In a recent conversation with Snackfax, he shared insights into the brand’s remarkable growth trajectory and its plans for the future.
“We hope to grow by at least 35% in this FY. Last year’s turnover was close to INR 300 crores, and we expect close to INR 400 crores this year. That’s a huge number for us! And I am excited to witness this incredible growth because it will undoubtedly benefit all customers and the business!” said Founder Kaushik Roy to Snackfax.
Kaushik highlights the brand’s success across various states in India, with a strong presence in 45 cities and 20 states. He identifies key markets, while emphasizing the importance of tailoring menus to suit regional preferences.
“Delhi-NCR has always been a big chunk of our business, followed by Punjab, UP and Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra and West Bengal have also shown promising growth. And only two years back we moved to the South and East. When you walk down the regions, the palate changes, as does people’s consumption patterns. We keep modifying our menus based on the place, for example spice preferences, rice-to-meat ratio. We believe in understanding the local palate and tweaking our menu accordingly to cater to diverse tastes,” said Kaushik.
Kaushik describes the bustling nature of his business, which employs over 3000 people and experiences peak sales on weekends. He explains the strategic planning involved in managing sales fluctuations and optimizing operations for maximum efficiency. “My day is usually very hectic. It’s a brick-and-mortar business so there’s a lot of firefighting that happens. Managing 3000 people is a big challenge. Our sales are typically higher at weekends, usually over 2X more than on weekdays. We plan our days accordingly, focusing on preparing for the busy weekends.
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Meanwhile, the brand is cooking up something new for consumers as summer is already upon us. Kaushik reveals it exclusively to Snackfax.
“We usually deliver within 70-90 minutes. This summer we’d like to deliver your biryani a little faster. We’re launching a ‘Tufani’ menu that will be delivered in 45 minutes, while still focusing on fresh dum cooking. This will be a shorter menu with five to ten items,” revealed Kaushik.
To meet shifting consumer needs for speedy delivery, biryani makers are experimenting for the first time. However, Kaushik guarantees that they will not compromise on quality.
“To adhere to the notion of dum cooking, we adopted some technology that helps us to cook faster. We have restricted the delivery radius to a five-kilometer radius in order to deliver more quickly,” he explained.
While Biryani by Kilo continues to set new benchmarks, the Biryani industry too is growing exponentially with the brand at the forefront of the gastronomic delight. According to Technopak’s analysis, the biryani market was estimated to be close to $4 billion out of the $70-$80 billion F&B market overall, which makes it the biggest category in F&B.
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Kaushik Roy sees the next wave of growth coming from strategic expansions and innovative offerings tailored to diverse regional palates.
Biryani by Kilo is not only experimenting with services, but it’s also expanding its offerings. With the acquisition of frozen dessert brand Get-A-Way, biryani brand has incorporated sugar-free desserts to cater to diabetic customers. “We have added five to six popular products from that menu to the Biryani by Kilo menu, such as the Kulfi, which contains no sugar. These sugar-free desserts are low calories and high protein. Perfect for any diabetic. I am diabetic and consume a lot of that!” he shared.
Looking ahead Kaushik outlines plans to enhance the menu with new kebab variations and regional biryanis, catering to diverse tastes across different parts of India.
“We will expand the menu further. As I mentioned, one is the dessert addition. In the following six months, you will see a few additional additions of the kebab range, that we intend to sell at a much more efficient pricing point. We also aim to launch a few additional regional biryanis in the future, particularly in the southern region, so that people may better relate to the biryani,” he revealed.
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To be competitive in the fast-paced food sector, Biryani by Kilo wants to stay on top of market developments and changing client preferences. To keep ahead of the game, Kaushik stated that they are always watching market trends. While their primary focus is on offering exceptional customer service to respond to shifting consumer preferences. “This is how we evolve over time,” Kaushik concluded.
