The biryani market in Tamil Nadu is a culinary powerhouse with a staggering valuation of ₹10,000 crore. Food business trackers in Tamil Nadu said the organized market is worth ₹2,500 crore while the unorganized market is worth more than ₹7,500 crore. Chennai is the largest market for biryani and 50% of the business comes from this region.
Look Chennai’s Biryani ‘Master’
Major players in the biryani industry in Tamil Nadu include Dindigul Thalappakatti, Junior Kuppanna, Buhari, Anjappar, Salem RR Biryani, Ponnusamy and SS Hyderabadi Biryani. Apart from these well-known brands, there is a vast network of medium-sized establishments operating under different names. Additionally, countless push-cart vendors serve biryani throughout the day and night, contributing to the wide availability of this popular dish.
“The primary areas known for biryani in Tamil Nadu are the Kongu region – Coimbatore belt, as well as the Ambur and Dindigul regions. Some of the famous styles are Chennai Muslim Biryani (Basmati rice), Kongu Biryani (Seeraga Samba rice), Chettinad Biryani, Ambur style biryani, Walajah style biryani and Dindigul style biryani,” says Junior Kuppanna, executive director of Balachander R, who has done a comprehensive work. Research on biryani market in Tamil Nadu. Junior Kuppanna sells around 1.2 million biryani per year.
With 65 outlets across Tamil Nadu, the famous Dindigul Thalappakatti, one of the biggest players in the sector, sells around 5,000 to 6,000 kg of biryani per day. Its managing director, Satish D. Nagasamy, said the numbers vary depending on festival days and weekends. Mr. Nagasamy said that the unorganized market is growing year by year.
Abdul Rahim, founder of Mount Road Bilal, said, “I am not a quantity player – I focus more on quality and we cook biryani every two hours and then serve. We don’t make it in the morning and keep it all day. We make around 300-400 kg of biryani every day.”
Price points for biryani vary widely depending on the establishment and type of meat (chicken, mutton). At roadside shops, chicken biryani can cost less than ₹100 per plate, while a quarter plate is available for ₹60. The price of Mutton Biryani is usually high due to the cost of the meat. Popular brands offer biryani in the range of ₹250 to ₹400 per plate. Some premium brands sell biryani at ₹600 per plate, while high-end hotels and restaurants charge more than ₹1,600 per plate. Food business watchers say that regardless of price, mutton is the clear favorite while chicken is considered a pocket-friendly option.
Taj Coromandel’s Gilli Biryani, created two decades ago, remains a favorite choice among biryani lovers in Chennai. Ronald Menezes, Hotel Manager, Taj Coromandel, said, “The demand for Gilli Biryani is very impressive and high, especially considering its signature position at Anise at Taj Coromandel in Chennai. On a regular day, we sell around 60 to 70 portions including mutton, chicken and vegetarian options.”
According to Swiggy’s report titled ‘How Chennai Swiggy’d in 2024’, “The city ate 46.1 lakh chicken biryani! Enough for a Biryani Mountain. One user laid the foundation of this mountain by ordering 66 in a single order.” This data is based on data collected from January 01, 2024 to November 22, 2024.
Seeing the increasing demand for biryani, start-ups and masala brands are also taking advantage of the opportunity to cash in on this fast-growing market. Chennai-based startup Cooked is selling around 30 thousand biryani kits every month, which helps in making biryani for around 1 lakh people every month. “We wanted to create a product that people could use almost every week and in most households, biryani is a weekend ritual. This influenced us to create our biryani kit,” said Athitiyan, Founder and CEO of Cooked.
The founder of a popular masala brand in Tamil Nadu said that he is currently working on introducing five different biryani masala packs in the coming year. He said, “Research and development work is still going on.” Whether enjoyed at a humble roadside stall or in a sophisticated restaurant, biryani in Tamil Nadu is not just a meal for food lovers… it is an experience!
