Abha Singhal, a Mumbai resident, has built a multi-crore business empire based on the Indian dish Khichdi. Despite personal hardships, Singhal has managed to earn crores of rupees in the first year of her business. She started her food business at a young age, which has now grown to a company worth Rs 50 crore. Singhal’s journey from a model to a woman entrepreneur demonstrates the power of determination, resilience, and innovative thinking in overcoming obstacles.
Birth of Khichdi Express
In 2019, Abha Singhaal started a business called “Khichdi Express” in Hyderabad, offering customers the choice of Khichdi and other dishes. She also included Pakodas and other local delicacies. After a conversation with a friend, Abha rekindled her love for khichdi and launched the business with a modest investment of Rs 3 lakh and a team of two. The brand’s presence on online platforms like Swiggy and Zomato allowed her to reach a wider audience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Khichdi Express provided free meals to those in need, serving as a beacon of hope during the global crisis. The business’s success was fueled by a casual conversation with a close friend and a modest investment of Rs 3 lakh.
Khichdi Express Success and Outlets
Abha has transformed her startup, Khichdi Express, into a Rs 50 crore business in just four years. With outlets across various cities, the company offers diverse khichdi flavors. Abha’s goal is to turn Khichdi Express into a global brand, similar to McDonald’s and KFC. With numerous outlets across India, customers can enjoy various khichdi varieties. Khichdi Express is also available on Swiggy and Zomato, allowing customers to order their khichdi online.
Khichdi Variants and Rise in Popularity
Madhu Kandoi runs a cloud kitchen, Khichdi Khichri, in Kolkata, which serves 35 types of khichdi and khichuri (the Bengali variant), with twenty of them created by her. The restaurant sells at least 150 portions of khichdi daily, with sales increasing during festivals like Durga Puja or during Sawan. The menu includes baked khichdi, salad khichdi, mushroom khichdi, and butter paneer khichdi.
Kandoi believes people are increasingly enjoying khichdi for both lunch and dinner, and is also seeking healthier khichdis with quinoa and ragi. The Great India Khichdi in Delhi NCR has a small section dedicated to “healthy” khichdis, serving Brown Rice Masala Dal Khichdi, Millet Dal Khichdi, and Quinoa Khichdi. Cloud kitchens and restaurants like Khichdi Hub, Mom’s Khichdi, Khichdi Heaven, Khichdi Express, The Great Indian Khichdi, and Khichdi Experiment have also emerged, offering various khichdi variants. Sabudana khichdi has been a staple for devotees fasting during Navratras. The addition of khichdi variants to restaurant menus is a recent phenomenon in India.
Khichdi Recipe
Big brands like Tata Sampann and Adani Wilmar’s Fortune are embracing nostalgia in their food offerings. Tata Sampann offers a six-grain khichdi mix, crafted by chef Sanjeev Kapoor, while Adani Wilmar’s Fortune offers grain mixes for Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Mexican salsa, and pav bhaji khichdi, following fusion cuisine trends.
Khichdi Express Overview
| Company Name | Khichdi Express |
| Founder | Abha Singhaal |
| Husband/ Partner | Mahendra Kumar |
| Company Revenue | 50 Crore |
| Home | Mumbai, India |
| Abha Singhaal (@abhasinghaal) • Instagram photos and videos | |
| Khichdi Express | Abha Singhaal (@abhasinghaal) • Instagram photos and videos |
| Official Website | https://khichdiexpress.com/ |
| Company Birthday | 2019 |
| Starting Investment | 3 Lakh |
| Available Platform | Swiggy, Zomato |
| Recipe | Grandma’s Recipe |
| First Startup Place | Hyderabad |
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