JustMyRoots.com to now offer Biryani from all Gharanas across India

Rebel Foods, the world’s largest internet restaurant company’s homegrown brand, Behrouz Biryani, has announced Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan as its brand ambassador. 

The association focuses on introducing a new ‘Nawabi Handi Dum Biryani’ range, representing the epitome of royal essence. With this collaboration, the premium biryani brand aims to deliver an unmatched premium royal biryani experience to its customers.

The partnership between Behrouz Biryani and Saif Ali Khan, for the introduction of the 'Nawabi Handi Dum Biryani' range, is not a mere collaboration, but rather co-creation. This endeavour is a reflection of the brand's promise to deliver an unparalleled biryani experience, marrying the rich culinary tradition that Behrouz Biryani is celebrated for with the aristocratic legacy that Saif Ali Khan embodies, making him the ideal choice as Behrouz’s brand ambassador.

“This is not just any brand ambassador partnership but a confluence of values, legacy and a commitment to bring the best for our customers. The Nawabi Handi Dum Biryani is a symbol of our dedication to culinary excellence, a deep rooted legacy and our commitment to craftsmanship, much like the roles that Saif is well known for, that resonate with depth and authenticity,” shared Nishant Kedia, Chief Marketing Officer- India, Rebel Foods.

Seven years since its inception, Behrouz Biryani continues to set the gold standard for premium biryani. The range is now available in Tier 1 cities in the North, South, East, and West markets. The Nawabi Handi biryani range promises an unparalleled dining experience as it is dum-pukht and packaged in a premium metal handi with accompaniments including Raita, Salan, and Gulab Jamun.

“Embarking on this journey with Behrouz Biryani to bring the 'Nawabi Handi Dum Biryani' to life has been a delicious experience. It's about intertwining the richness of royal culinary traditions with the craftsmanship that Behrouz is renowned for. This collaboration is more than just bringing a dish to the table; it's about reviving a legacy and presenting it with a touch of modernity and elegance, ensuring each serving is reminiscent of a royal dawat,” added Saif.

As we bid adieu to 2023, food delivery giant Swiggy has released its eighth annual "food wrap," chronicling the culinary adventures of its users throughout the year.

One of the interesting fact came across that showed 6,64,46,312 unique dishes on Swiggy’s menu across the country but the 5028 users who searched for ‘Swiggy’ on Swiggy, and the 1682 users who searched for ‘order’ didn't find anything. For those who did, here is what they ordered – 

According the report, topping the charts as the most-ordered dish on Swiggy for the eighth straight year, India ordered 2.5 biryanis per second in 2023. For every 5.5 chicken biryanis, there was one veg biryani ordered.

The love for biryani expanded with 2.49 million users making a debut on Swiggy with a biryani order. 

And just in case you’re still doubting the hype, biryani has been searched for a staggering 40,30,827 times on the platform. 

Every 6th biryani was ordered from Hyderabad and the champion of the biryani brigade was a Swiggy user from the city who ordered 1633 biryanis this year.  That is more than 4 biryanis a day.

A Biryani-loving family in Chandigarh ordered 70 plates in a single go during the nail-biting India Vs. Pak World Cup match in October. Swiggy was clocking over 250 Biryani orders per minute during this match.

A very exciting order came from Mumbai, who placed food orders worth ₹ 42.3 lakh (no, that’s not a CTC). 

Maximum orders were by user accounts in Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad who have placed more than 10,000 orders each.

Sharief Bhai, a brand from the house of Curefoods has onboarded esteemed Indian cricketer T. Natarajan as its brand ambassador. 

A distinguished name in the world of cricket, T. Natarajan brings his remarkable achievements and indomitable spirit to enhance the essence of Sharief Bhai's culinary legacy with this announcement.

“T. Natarajan's journey and dedication mirror the essence of Sharief Bhai – a commitment to excellence and heritage. Natarajan's prowess on the field has earned him respect and admiration across the entire country. We are honoured to have him as our brand ambassador and while he supports us in this journey, we look forward to embarking a fruitful partnership,” said Gokul Kandhi, Chief Business Officer of Curefoods.

Popularly known as T. Natarajan or also Thangarasu Natarajan, the cricketer was born on 4th April 1991 in Chinnappampatti, a village near Salem in Tamil Nadu. He entered the world of cricket in December 2020, when he was named as one of the four additional bowlers to travel with, for the Indian cricket team to their tour to Australia. 

Currently representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he achieved a historic feat during India's 2020–21 tour of Australia by becoming the first Indian cricketer to debut across all three formats in the same tour. The collaboration between T. Natarajan and Sharief Bhai signifies a union of values – excellence, authenticity, and a deep connection to one's cultural roots. As the brand ambassador, T. Natarajan will further accentuate the essence of Sharief Bhai's classic flavours and genuine hospitality.

"I am thrilled to be a part of the Sharief Bhai family as its brand ambassador, for a brand that resonates with my love for biryani, an authentic taste and culture. Just as cricket brings diverse people together, food unites us Indians too,” shared Natarajan.

The cricketer also graced the launch of Sharief Bhai’s traditional restaurant in Coimbatore, where he actively participated in the event by conducting the inauguration and ribbon cutting ceremony at restaurant while additionally engaging in a meet-and-greet session with the guests. 

Curefoods is a leading house of F&B brands in India. It was founded by Ankit Nagori in 2020. It houses brands like EatFit, CakeZone, Nomad Pizza, Sharief Bhai Biryani and Frozen Bottle among others. It has over 200 cloud kitchens and offline stores that cater to over 10 cuisines, across 15 cities in India. 

The Biryani Basket unveils its innovative cloud kitchen in Gurgaon. The team is dedicated about delivering the finest biryanis and tikkas and aims to redefine the biryani experience and bring a taste right to your doorstep.

The skilled chefs of 'The Biryani Basket' have  crafted a menu that presents a wide array of flavors and biryani variations.

"Our motto at The Biryani Basket is to elevate your biryani experience. We take immense pride in curating a menu that caters to the discerning palates of our customers, offering a delightful selection of biryanis and tikkas that will transport them to the vibrant streets of India. We are excited to bring this exceptional dining experience to the doorstep of Gurgaon residents." said, Dr. Aakash Bansal, Founder at ‘The Biryani Basket’.

Every biryani is made with great attention, utilizing premium ingredients, fragrant spices, and traditional cooking methods, ensuring an authentic culinary delight for all.

The Biryani Basket presents an assortment of tikkas from juicy Chicken Tikka to delectable Paneer Tikka.

The Biryani Basket is thrilled to present a special celebration. For a restricted period, customers can relish a 'Buy one Get one free' promotion on biryanis.

Something about a wholesome & flavourful biryani calls for celebration and get-togethers to bond over food.

Gurgaon-based Modern Indian restaurant SAGA has introduced a special delivery menu - Saga@Home #BondwithBiryani.

As the name suggests, this is a family portion, comes in four varieties and is a no-miss for any family table.

“Biryani is a hearty celebration meal for all occasions – whether on a lazy laid back Sunday afternoon or a grand delicious indulgence on the dinner table with your family and friends. Our menu hosts diverse varieties to please everyone. With this curation, we’ve entered into the delivery space so that people can #BondwithBiryani in the comfort of their homes,” shared F&B Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of SAGA, Vishal Anand.

Talking about the biryani, two-time Michelin Star Chef Atul Kochhar reveals some exciting options that one can try, such as Kathal Biryani, Kolkata Nizami Biryani, Chicken Biryani, and Goat Biryani.

"There can be nothing better than a plateful of quintessential `biryani’, made with succulent pieces of meat/vegetables. Every region of our country prides itself on its own unique biryani recipe,” added Kochhar.

At SAGA, the biryanis are made using the finest ingredients in a traditional Awadhi style, slow-cooked dum preparation method, served along with maa makhani, salan and raita for a complete meal experience. Our biryani is great for two and serves two-three, perfect for those bonding moments over great food.

Biryani & Kebab delivery chain Biryani By Kilo is projected to grow its revenue to INR 300 crore in FY 22-23.

The brand specializes in offering 4 variations (Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, Kolkata & Guntur) of freshly dum cooked handi biryani along with curated menu replete with kebabs, korma, Desserts and Breads to more than 5 million customers since inception.

“At Biryani By Kilo, we take great pride in promoting and delivering biryanis in the most authentic manner possible pan India. Over the years we have been innovating with our products and have put senior professional middle management team & world class processes & Technology infrastructure to take us to next stage. We are poised to be Rs 1000 Cr. Company in next 2-3 years with Pan India Presence,” shared Vishal Jindal, Founder & Co-CEO, Biryani by Kilo by adding that the company is also looking to expand internationally from next year taking India Heritage Biryanis to Far East & Middle East.

It currently operates 100+ outlets across 45+ cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Dehradun, Goa and Kolkata among others.

With a scalable business model and best-in-class unit economics, the brand also has an Omni channel strategy by having its own website, dine-in restaurants, and dedicated customer care centre, aiming to achieve 35-40% (From Current 30%) of the business through their own channels by Dec 2022.

“Biryani is the most popular dish in the country, but there is a dearth of quality brands. Right from the start, we have been clear in our vision, to provide 100% fresh dum cooked Handi Biryani to our customers made with authentic recipes along with a  great Delivery Experience. As an organization it is the priority to always retain our focus on quality, freshness and customer delight,” added Kaushik Roy, Founder & CEO.

The brand processes around 4-5 Million Orders in year currently, with an average order value of INR 725.

In spite of the Pandemic, Biryani By Kilo has succeeded to grow its revenue to INR 132 crore by FY21-22 and is eyeing to clock two fold+ rise in the revenue in FY22-23.

Founded in 2015, Biryani By Kilo is food services and delivery category company that prepares and delivers authentic Biryani & kebabs.

Legacy brand Dindigul Thalappakatti has sought an injunction at the Madras High Court against false claims made by a social media page.

The action was directed against the video uploaded by the defendants. The injunction points out the fact that the video tarnishes the reputation of the Dindigul Thalappakatti trademark and is defamatory.

The court order also points out that the video was uploaded on YouTube and Facebook and that it has had 1.2 million views as evidenced by the document.

Following the post (video), the Dindigul Thalappakatti team thoroughly examined all material documents and on viewing the video, the said video prima facie appears to state incorrect information in a video on their social media handle about their experience therefore it tarnished the reputation of the brand.

The social media posts also seem to not be within the bounds of fair comment by a food reviewer. Based on facts, Dindigul Thalappakatti approached the Madras High Court seeking an order of interim injunction which was granted restraining the respondents from broadcasting the impugned video through the URL indicated or otherwise.

“We pride ourselves for serving our customers with food with authentic taste made from hand-picked and quality ingredients. Superior service standards and strict hygiene protocols are adhered to. We have stringent protocols and procedures to investigate feedback on any unpleasant and negative experiences so as to ensure that it is addressed on priority. In this particular case also the brand did what is due diligence,” shared Ashutosh Bihani, CEO of Chief Executive Officer, Thalappakatti Hotels Private Limited.

The brand has a growing footprint in the South of India with 90 Outlets in Tamil Nadu, Bangalore and Kerala.

Started in 1957 at Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. The restaurant has 98 outlets present across India, USA, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia & Sri Lanka.

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has announced its entry into the biryani segment

Called as ‘Ekdum’, the brand is opening three restaurants in Gurgaon for delivery, takeaway and dine-in.

They are also aiming at opening more restaurants across Delhi-NCR in the next few months.

Also Read: Jubilant FoodWorks plans kiosk-based model for Dunkin' Donuts

“Ekdum will offer the widest variety of biryanis from across India to choose from. The chefs at Ekdum have brought together a selection of twenty different biryanis curated from various parts of India using authentic ingredients that bring out the unique flavours and signature tastes associated with the region,” shared the release.

In addition to biryanis, it will also offer kebabs, curries, breads, desserts and beverages starting at ₹99.

You can also place order via an app, a mobile and desktop website.

The owner of Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Chain also entered into the casual Chinese category last year.

May Interest: Jubilant Launches Chinese Restaurant 'Hong’s Kitchen’

"In line with our strategy of portfolio expansion, we are delighted to introduce Ekdum!,our new venture in the Biryani category. We see strong potential in this segment and are confident that Ekdum!, with its sharp and differentiated proposition will create a strong position for itself in the market," said Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman, and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited in a media release.

Jubilant runs 1,264 Domino’s Pizza restaurants across 281 cities with exclusive rights to develop and operate the pizza chain in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. It also operate 26 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in eight Indian cities.

Cloud kitchen platform The Biryani House that serves one of the largest variety of delicious Dum Biryanis apart from melting in mouth kebabs and curries is planning to expand Pan-India.

They are planning to open Master Kitchens, Takeaway and delivery units across the country.

Also Read: How this start-up is working on becoming an international biryani chain

In 2015, The Biryani House started their first outlet in Kalyan, Maharashtra, and started catering locals at a very reasonable price.

“Our organization is based on honesty and integrity. Nowadays, there has been a tremendous demand for food delivery and we always try to serve a hot and sizzling bowl of Biryani to our customers. “The Biryani House”, one of the fastest-growing, Process-oriented & Light asset F&B company since 2015, aims to deliver affordable, consistent, quality, and delicious food to every guest every time they order. Also, we give everyone to choose from our wide variety of Biryanis and relish a different taste on every order,” said Sarvesh Chaubey, Chairman, The Biryani House.

They intend to make their presence in major cities of India and will soon open in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Varanasi & Lucknow, for which Master Cloud kitchen franchisee has been signed.

May Interest: The Story of Biryani: She Came, Saw and Conquered India!

The Biryani House is working on a strong expansion plan which will make their presence in every state capital and other major cities of India by opening a Master cloud kitchen. Each kitchen will, in turn, be connected with 80-100 franchised outlets.

They have a presence in Bahrain and Singapore and also planning to explore other international markets soon.

ZFW Hospitality Pvt Ltd, Operator of the brand - Biryani Street launches 11 cloud kitchen outlets across South Delhi and Gurugram during COVID-19 in its first phase.

Biryani Street is launched with an aim to serve a hygienically prepared and safely delivered Biryani Meal.

The brand plans to spread to all pin-codes across NCR with 50+ stores by the end of this year.

Post this; ZFW plans to expand to various geographies across India and aims at achieving the 500+ cloud kitchen outlets milestones within three years. The company is also building a robust tech-enabled platform to manage the operations of all its cloud kitchens and Internet restaurants seamlessly.

As part of ZFW hospitality, the team is mentored and supported as a portfolio of Huddle, a leading incubator in Gurugram. Their latest Cloud Kitchen Concept – Biryani Street follows the 100% Contactless Preparation methodology. This method has been devised during COVID; wherein all the staff members of their Central Kitchen Facility never come into direct contact with the ingredients that go into the dishes with bare hands.

All food containers are sanitised and carefully packed before dispatch. Currently the brand serves eight types of biryani starting from vegetarian delicacies like Vegetable Hyderabadi Biryani, Paneer Makhani Biryani and Non vegetarian delicacies like Chicken Afghan Biryani, Classin Chicken Hyderabadi Biryani Mutton Dum Biryani and Mutton Seekh Biryani along with Chef’s signature Butter Chicken Biryani and Goan Prawn Biryani. The brand also delivers sides which includes Curd, Classic Lemon Iced Tea, Classic Peach Iced Tea, Forest Berry Iced Tea among others.

Premium Biryani chain ‘Biryani by Kilo’ (BBK) has raised about $1 million in its Pre-series A round of funding from a clutch of investors led by Ajay Relan, Founder Chairman at CX Partners and Vinay Mittal from HT Media Strategy.

Currently headquartered in New Delhi, the company is looking to use the capital to scale operations and stores across India.

Founded in 2015 by food veterans Kaushik Roy and Vishal Jindal, BBK was launched with an intent to preserve the Khansama style of cooking wherein the biryani is freshly cooked with rich ingredients, unlike other brands where the food is cooked in bulk and repackaged & sold.

“We aim to make Biryani By Kilo a renowned name in the food service and delivery category from India. With the help of the distinguished team of investors, we will expand both our geographic presence as well as the product range and open outlets in multiple Indian cities,” said Kaushik Roy, Founder & CEO - Biryani By Kilo.

BBK currently has a total of 11 outlets in India across Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. The restaurant chain is looking to expand its footprint in the domestic market by opening over 20 stores in metros by March 2019.

BBK claims to grow at an annual rate of about 70%, currently clocking an annual revenue run rate of about Rs 24 crore. With this fund raise, BBK is aiming to scale its annual revenue run rate to over Rs 40 crore by FY19 end.

Bawarchi Biryanis, one of the renowned Indian Restaurant Chain in U.S.A, has appreciated its customers for their overwhelming response, to all Bawarchi Biryanis restaurants, across the United States of America.

Acclaimed as serving the most authentic Biryani and Indian food in the United States, Bawarchi Biryanis stands out as the first Indian restaurant in USA, serving over 30 varieties of Biryanis.

Kishore Kancharla and Ramanaidu Suryadevara, Franchisee Owners, Bawarchi Biryanis, said, "It has been our aim to bring the authentic South Indian tastes to the Indian community. We are inspired by our customers' overwhelming response to Bawarchi Biryanis and this has been the driving force for our success. We invite every Indian food lover in USA to try out our tantalising food and be part of the Bawarchi family."

They further said, "We are very happy to let you know that many successful entrepreneurs across USA are part of Bawarchi Biryanis locations, across the country. From Bawarchi Biryanis Franchisee, we sincerely thank all the owners of Bawarchi Biryanis locations across the country. We are soon extending our services in Buffalo Grove, Illinois; Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Cumming, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; Superior, Colorado; Boston, Massachusetts; Orange County, California; Parsippany, New Jersey; and many more in 2017."