Tamil Nadu’s biryani binge keeps cash registers ringing
Sangeetha Kandavel
CHENNAI, January 14, 2019 00:00 IST
There’s more space at the table, say established players
The growing appetite in Tamil Nadu for biryani has kept cash registers jingling across the State, with a fourfold increase in the number of restaurants serving the rice and meat (or vegetables) favourite.
According to analysts who track the industry, the organised biryani business in the State is pegged at Rs. 1,500 crore per year while the unorganised segment records a healthy Rs. 4,000 crore per year.
Currently, there are over 300 brands including well-known names — Anjappar, Buhari, Junior Kuppanna, Aasife Biryani, Dindigul Thalappakatti and Behrouz — that comprise the organised segment. Players in the organised space do an average business of Rs. 25 lakh per month which translates into Rs. 3 crore per annum per outlet. The cost of a serving of biryani at these restaurants ranges from a modest Rs. 180 for the vegetarian variant to Rs. 600 or more for the fully loaded non-vegetarian delicacy.
For every pocket
In the unorganised sector, costs range from as low as Rs. 50 to Rs. 120 per serving. Those operating in this category typically churn out around 10-15 kilos of biryani per day. (A kilo of biryani would serve 8-10 persons on an average). Restaurants in this space also offer smaller quantities like a ‘half biryani’ (priced at Rs. 70 to Rs. 90) and ‘quarter biryani’ (priced at Rs. 40- Rs. 60).
Sathish D. Nagasamy, managing director of the Dindigul Thalappakatti chain, one of the early players in the biryani space, said, “This is a huge market and the demand is high. Even if another 100 shops come up, the demand will only go up.”
His kitchens turn out over 4,000 kg of biryani every day. “More than 40,000 people consume biryani from our outlets across Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding, “There is a huge space for vegetarian biryani, a market which remains untapped.”
Aasife Biriyani, another big player, sells over 30,000 servings per day across its restaurants in the State. P.J. Dilip Kumar, director- Marketing, Aasife Biriyani Pvt Ltd, said, “This is one food item which makes you feel complete — it fills your stomach. It’s cost effective too. You end up paying Rs. 170 for a vegetarian meal, if you add another Rs. 20 you can have a vegetarian biryani.”
A market analyst said while the biryani sector has immense potential, the fact that the major players are family-run businesses is a major hurdle to expansion. “Decision making is a key issue. But things are slowly changing with the next generation coming into business,” he said. “Even if there is a slight variation in taste, you will end up losing customers. It is also a highly labour-intensive business,” he added.
CHENNAI, January 14, 2019 00:00 IST
There’s more space at the table, say established players
The growing appetite in Tamil Nadu for biryani has kept cash registers jingling across the State, with a fourfold increase in the number of restaurants serving the rice and meat (or vegetables) favourite.
According to analysts who track the industry, the organised biryani business in the State is pegged at Rs. 1,500 crore per year while the unorganised segment records a healthy Rs. 4,000 crore per year.
Currently, there are over 300 brands including well-known names — Anjappar, Buhari, Junior Kuppanna, Aasife Biryani, Dindigul Thalappakatti and Behrouz — that comprise the organised segment. Players in the organised space do an average business of Rs. 25 lakh per month which translates into Rs. 3 crore per annum per outlet. The cost of a serving of biryani at these restaurants ranges from a modest Rs. 180 for the vegetarian variant to Rs. 600 or more for the fully loaded non-vegetarian delicacy.
For every pocket
In the unorganised sector, costs range from as low as Rs. 50 to Rs. 120 per serving. Those operating in this category typically churn out around 10-15 kilos of biryani per day. (A kilo of biryani would serve 8-10 persons on an average). Restaurants in this space also offer smaller quantities like a ‘half biryani’ (priced at Rs. 70 to Rs. 90) and ‘quarter biryani’ (priced at Rs. 40- Rs. 60).
Sathish D. Nagasamy, managing director of the Dindigul Thalappakatti chain, one of the early players in the biryani space, said, “This is a huge market and the demand is high. Even if another 100 shops come up, the demand will only go up.”
His kitchens turn out over 4,000 kg of biryani every day. “More than 40,000 people consume biryani from our outlets across Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding, “There is a huge space for vegetarian biryani, a market which remains untapped.”
Aasife Biriyani, another big player, sells over 30,000 servings per day across its restaurants in the State. P.J. Dilip Kumar, director- Marketing, Aasife Biriyani Pvt Ltd, said, “This is one food item which makes you feel complete — it fills your stomach. It’s cost effective too. You end up paying Rs. 170 for a vegetarian meal, if you add another Rs. 20 you can have a vegetarian biryani.”
A market analyst said while the biryani sector has immense potential, the fact that the major players are family-run businesses is a major hurdle to expansion. “Decision making is a key issue. But things are slowly changing with the next generation coming into business,” he said. “Even if there is a slight variation in taste, you will end up losing customers. It is also a highly labour-intensive business,” he added.
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