MS Dhoni backs House of Biryan with Rs 32 crore funding as brand eyes 150 kitchens and global markets

House of Biryan raises Rs 32 crore led by MS Dhoni to expand from 22 kitchens to 150 and take its personalized biryani concept to Dubai, UK, Japan, Australia, and North America.

I am Aadi, an MBA in marketing and finance who has worked with food tech founders and early investors navigating the growth versus profitability puzzle. My interest lies in spotting where consumer taste meets scalable business models. That is exactly what makes House of Biryan’s latest funding round worth unpacking.

Summary:

If you think biryani is just another comfort food, House of Biryan wants to prove you wrong. The startup has raised fresh funding, picked a cricketing legend as an investor, and is now planning to take its personalized biryani bowls global.

1. House of Biryan raised Rs 32 crore in growth funding led by MS Dhoni and Bestvantage Investments.

2. The brand currently runs 22 kitchens across Mumbai, Delhi and Dubai with its first international outlet now open in Dubai.

3. Founders Mohammed Bhol and Mikhail Shahani want to scale to 120 to 150 kitchens within three years.

4. Revenue targets are set at Rs 450 to 550 crore while the company is already EBITDA positive in its core markets.

5. Future plans include expansion into Australia, Japan, the UK and North America using its personalized Meri Wali Biryani concept.

Cricket fans know MS Dhoni for his cool head in a run chase. Now he is lending that same confidence to a different field: food tech. House of Biryan has secured Rs 32 crore in a funding round backed by Dhoni, Bestvantage Investments, and a group of seasoned investors that includes Mohit Goyal, Abhineet Singh, and former executives from SoftBank, Kedara, and APAX.

The timing matters. Cloud kitchens in India have seen mixed fortunes, with many struggling to scale profitably. House of Biryan is already EBITDA positive in its main markets, giving it a base most young brands lack. This gives credibility to its next big move, scaling from 22 kitchens today to as many as 150 in three years.

The company has just opened its first international kitchen in Dubai. That may sound like a risky jump, but Dubai’s diverse expat community often acts as a testing ground for Indian food brands. A personalized concept like “Meri Wali Biryani” taps into that diversity by letting customers build their own bowls. Think of it like Subway but for biryani, a dish that usually comes as one-size-fits-all.

Founders Mohammed Bhol and Mikhail Shahani are chefs by training, not just entrepreneurs chasing a trend. That matters when you are trying to scale a product as taste-sensitive as biryani. The vision is ambitious: Rs 450 to 550 crore in revenue, while setting up shop in places as far apart as Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York.

What makes this interesting from a business lens is how the brand is trying to balance three difficult things at once. First, keeping food authentic while allowing customization. Second, maintaining unit economics that work across geographies. Third, using celebrity association not just as a marketing stunt but as a lever for credibility with both investors and consumers.

If they pull it off, House of Biryan could become a case study in how Indian food brands scale globally without losing their cultural core. For now, the numbers and investor interest suggest the market believes in their recipe.

5 things to Do and Don’t for founders and investors:

1. Do focus on profitability early. Expanding without showing EBITDA strength can backfire in food tech.

2. Do use cultural icons wisely. Celebrity investors can create instant brand trust but they should align with the brand identity.

3. Don’t forget that food delivery margins are thin. Discounts may grab attention but long term retention comes from taste and service.

4. Don’t expand globally without building supply chain strength at home first.

5. Don’t rely only on a celebrity name. It opens doors but it cannot fix operational flaws.