Foodstories raises ₹50 crore from Nikhil Kamath as premium food retail bets gain traction

Food-focused retail startup Foodstories has raised ₹50 crore in fresh funding from investor and entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, underscoring growing investor interest in India's emerging premium and experience-led food consumption market.

The funding round also saw continued participation from the Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office, an early backer of the company.

Founded by sisters Ashni Biyani and Avni Biyani, Foodstories operates at the intersection of speciality food retail, hospitality and digital commerce. The company curates products from farmers, artisanal producers, chefs, bakers and food entrepreneurs, catering to a growing segment of urban consumers willing to spend more on quality, provenance and unique food experiences.

“We’re building a ₹1,000 crore business,” said Ashni Biyani.“Curation, experiential retail and a strong digital layer. That combination is what gives us conviction in the scale of what’s possible here.”



For Avni Biyani, that scale is only meaningful if the standards hold. She said, “We obsess over quality, craftsmanship and provenance. Growth doesn’t change that.”

The investment comes at a time when India's food retail landscape is undergoing a shift. Rising disposable incomes, global exposure and changing lifestyle preferences have fuelled demand for premium ingredients, artisanal products and experiential retail formats, creating opportunities beyond traditional grocery and supermarket models.

Kamath said the company's focus on building infrastructure around food discovery and consumption was a key factor behind the investment.

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“Better food is one of the highest-leverage changes a person can make to how they live,” said Nikhil Kamath. “Foodstories is one of the few platforms building the real infrastructure for that. The founders understand both the product and the business they’re building.”

Foodstories currently operates stores across Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and has recently entered Mumbai with a flagship outlet in Bandra. A second Mumbai location in Lokhandwala is expected to open soon.

The fresh capital will be used to strengthen the company's digital business, expand its delivery network and support further retail expansion.

While premium food retail remains a relatively niche category in India compared with developed markets, investors are increasingly backing businesses that combine commerce with community-building and lifestyle experiences. The space has also seen heightened activity from gourmet grocery chains, speciality coffee brands, artisanal food makers and premium direct-to-consumer labels looking to tap affluent urban consumers.

Foodstories says it is targeting significant scale over the coming years by combining curated retail, hospitality-led experiences and digital commerce under a single platform.

The funding reflects a broader trend playing out across India's consumer economy, where investors are betting that premiumisation from beauty and wellness to food and beverages will become one of the defining themes of the next decade of consumption growth.