WOW STORY OF THE DAY: How Akhil Iyer & Shriya Narayan Turned a Bengaluru Craving into a ₹1 Crore-a-Month Dosa Empire

From Bengaluru Memories to Mumbai Streets

While living in Mumbai, husband-wife duo Akhil Iyer and Shriya Narayan longed for the crisp, buttery Benne Dosa they grew up enjoying in Bengaluru.

They searched across the city for that authentic flavor the golden crust, the rich butter glaze, the perfectly balanced chutneys. What they discovered was a market ready for a focused, high-quality Benne Dosa experience.

So they made a defining decision.

They stepped away from their existing careers and built something of their own.

In 2023, they launched Benne, a tiny 12-seater café in Bandra.

The vision was simple: serve the most authentic Benne Dosa Mumbai had ever tasted.

The Craft: Obsession with Quality

The early days were defined by discipline and detail.

They spent months refining the batter to achieve the ideal fermentation and texture. Cast iron pans were sourced directly from Karnataka to preserve authenticity. Chutney recipes went through continuous refinement. Every rupee was allocated thoughtfully. Cleanliness and consistency became core operating principles.

Every dosa leaving the kitchen carried the same promise: crisp edges, soft center, rich butter finish.

That uncompromising focus created momentum.

Focus, Simplicity, Virality

Instead of building a large menu, they built mastery around one core product.
Instead of expanding quickly, they perfected operations.
Instead of loud marketing campaigns, they allowed product experience to drive organic buzz.

Word-of-mouth accelerated growth. Social media amplified it. Crowds formed outside their café.

Soon, Benne was serving over 800 dosas daily, with reported monthly revenues exceeding ₹1 crore, as covered by major business publications.

The brand even attracted celebrity visitors, including Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, adding further cultural momentum.

What began as a craving transformed into a category-defining brand.

The Power of Doing One Thing Exceptionally Well

Benne’s rise reflects a powerful consumer shift urban India increasingly values authenticity, regional flavors, and focused culinary brands.

From a 12-seater café to a viral food destination generating ₹1 crore per month, the journey demonstrates how:

    •    Precision builds trust
    •    Consistency builds scale
    •    Story builds community

The brand’s disciplined execution turned a regional specialty into a metropolitan sensation.

Mastery Over Multiplicity

Benne’s story reveals a sharp entrepreneurial truth:

• Growth rewards clarity.
• Markets celebrate authenticity.
• Excellence compounds.

Akhil Iyer and Shriya Narayan transformed nostalgia into a scalable business because they chose depth over distraction. They built expertise around one product and delivered it with relentless precision.

• A single dosa.
• A focused vision.
• A ₹1 crore-a-month empire.

Sources: Hindustan Times, Indian Express