Biryani finds its place on the valuation menu

Biryani is set to get its own valuation. Devyani International, the largest franchisee of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) quick-service restaurants (QSRs) in India, is considering the acquisition of Sky Gate Hospitality, which operates restaurants under the brand Biryani By Kilo (BBK), it said in a statement to BSE on Monday.

- AKSHARA SRIVASTAVA

BBK made up the bulk of Sky Gate's annual sales of ₹300 crore for FY25, but the acquisition has put the spotlight on one of India's favourite dishes—biryani.

Considered by many across the country as 'food for the soul', it has created its own standalone segment within food products and, for companies in QSR and Cloud kitchens like Rebel Foods, the ability to create a standalone brand called Behrouz Biryani, a rival to BBK, within its portfolio of nearly a dozen Cloud kitchen brands, including Faasos and Oven Story.

The dish has inspired the birth of several Cloud kitchen brands, including Bikkgane Biryani, Biryani Blues and many more. According to analysts at brokerage firm Emkay Global, biryani is a $2-4 billion market in the country, albeit unorganised.