From a 5ft X 5ft kiosk to 100 crore per year revenue

“Biggie’s Burgers has achieved a revenue of Rs100 crore this year. I am very happy with the success of Biggie’s Burgers. We started our journey from a small kiosk, and today we are a well-known brand in the country”, the founder, Biraja Rout proudly shared in a recent media interaction.

At the age of 21, Bangalore’s IT professional, Rout tasted his first burger, setting in motion a remarkable journey. Driven by a vision to revolutionize India’s fast-food culture, he founded ‘Biggies Burger’ in 2016.

His goal was clear to bring the taste of authentic grilled burgers to customers with swift service. This venture marked the beginning of an inspiring story of entrepreneurial success and a shift in India’s fast-food landscape.

Let’s delve into his career journey.

Founding Biggies Burger:

Founded by Biraja Prasad Rout, a former IT professional, in 2011 as a weekend hobby, Biggies started as a small kiosk in Bengaluru’s Electronic City, near Infosys. Biraja, a former IT professional, embarked on the journey of establishing ‘Biggies Burger’ in 2016, driven by a vision to revolutionize India’s fast-food culture. The restaurant chain’s unique selling point lies in its dedication to serving authentic grilled burgers that offer a convenient and wholly satisfying dining experience.

Biraja’s Burger Epiphany:

Biraja’s love for burgers blossomed when he tasted his first one at the age of 21, shortly after relocating to Bengaluru to work at Infosys. His infatuation with this fast-food delight sparked a significant realization – India lacked homegrown burger chains, leaving consumers with only American alternatives. This realization ignited Biraja’s ambition to create a global burger restaurant chain originating from India. Despite having no prior business experience and a meagre ₹20,000 in hand, he was resolute in starting his Indian burger chain.

From Kiosk to Franchising Success:

Starting from scratch, Biraja dived into learning the art of burger making through online resources like YouTube and blogs. “I dove into the entire process of making buns, patties, veggies and sauces. I watched videos and referred to international publications, especially in the USA and Germany. I also read blogs that focussed on diversification of burgers,” he said in an interview. Armed with a sound understanding of burger craftsmanship, he opened a modest 5×5 feet kiosk where he began selling burgers, primarily during weekends near his office. He further added, “I hired a home chef to prepare the burgers, and bought a kiosk from a fabricator to start Biggies Burger”.

“Around 2011-12, there was a huge wave of negative marketing against burgers, and the news stated that it was junk food that adversely affected people’s health. So, I decided to offer baked patty burgers,” he explained. He introduced baked patty burgers with 30% lesser calories, countering negative perceptions of burgers. He offered a single product, saving space and added fries and beverages as side items. This venture attracted food enthusiasts from all corners. His hard work paid off when one of his customers in the year 2014 expressed interest in franchising Biggies Burger, setting the stage for the company’s growth primarily through franchising.

Unique Fusion of Flavors:

What sets Biggies Burger apart is its specialty in crafting burgers that resonate with the Indian palate while adhering to international standards of taste and quality. The company’s commitment to innovation and delivering a delightful customer experience distinguishes it in the competitive Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) landscape. Customers get the best of both worlds – the familiarity of global QSR chains and the uniqueness of flavours inspired by Indian cuisine. The company offers 12 types of burgers, and earns a revenue of Rs 100crore per year. Grilled burger is the pioneer among all the types.

Quality and Expansion:

Biggies Burger is committed to maintaining the highest product quality standards. The establishment initiated the ‘Biggies Entrepreneur Programme,’ focusing on training franchisees to become successful food entrepreneurs. Initially, Biraja’s vision revolved around building a diversified menu and keeping customers delighted. However, the scope has since expanded to international growth and introducing authentic burgers to Tier II and III cities in India. Recent funding rounds have propelled the mission successfully.

Future Goals:

Having crossed the forecasted INR 100 crore revenue target for fy2024 already, their next target is to make Biggies Burger an INR 500 crore turnover company by the year 2025.

It has already its presence in 15 states and over 130 outlets in the country. Biggies Burger had added a fried chicken burger brand – BigguysWingery to its portfolio early this year which has seven outlets already. The company also plans to introduce plant-based and high protein content burgers. It focuses on expanding its store count and entering new regions, Tier 2 & Tier 3cities.The company’s store models include franchisee-owned and franchisee-operated (FOFO), company-owned and franchisee-operated (COCO), and a few company-owned and company-operated (COCO) stores. Moving forward, the founder aims to establish more FOFO and COCO model stores in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune.

Conclusion

This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team and the loyal support of valued customers, marking the growth of Biggies Burger from a small kiosk to India’s oldest and largest homegrown burger chain.