WOW STORY OF THE DAY An IIT-ISB Engineer and an XLRI-IBM Professional Turned Delhi's Favourite Street Food Into a National QSR Chain

An 80-Square-Foot Store in Hyderabad and a Mission to Take Punjab to the World

•⁠  ⁠The idea took shape when Tarunpreet observed the immense popularity of chaap in Delhi and Punjab and realised that despite its demand, the category lacked organised branding and consistency. He joined hands with Randhir Raj Singh, who brought a formidable background: a B.Tech from IIT Roorkee, an MBA from the Indian School of Business Hyderabad, and over eight years of experience in management consulting and operations at Bain and Company and Deloitte.

•⁠  ⁠Tarunpreet's own background was equally strong: an MBA in HR from XLRI Jamshedpur, 18-plus years of industry experience at IBM and Deloitte, and earlier marketing roles with Coca-Cola and Ford Motors. A foodie at heart, he became the brain behind the brand's innovative menu.Together, the two brothers-in-law launched Gabru Di Chaap in 2019 from a small 80-square-foot store in Hyderabad as an experiment. The founding mission was precise: bring the authentic taste of North Indian soya chaap to cities that had never experienced it, at a quality and hygiene standard the street food category had never attempted before.

23% Protein, Contract Manufacturing, and a Category That Nobody Had Organized Before

•⁠  ⁠The boldest product decision Gabru Di Chaap made was to build a supply chain from scratch rather than relying on existing soya chaap suppliers. The brand uses contract manufacturing to make the soya from scratch, and each 100 grams of raw soya chaap contains 23% protein, a verifiable quality standard no street vendor in the category could match.

•⁠  ⁠The brand operates across multiple formats including mall outlets, food courts, dine-in restaurants, takeaways, and cloud kitchens. Dine-in accounts for 66.66% of revenue while online ordering accounts for 33.34%. Prices for chaap dishes range from ₹220 to ₹230, positioning the brand firmly in the accessible premium segment.

•⁠  ⁠All products are prepared at a central kitchen and delivered fresh to franchise outlets every day for final preparation and serving, ensuring consistency across every location. The franchise model carries a return on investment exceeding 70%, meaning franchisees break even in under 18 months.

•⁠  ⁠What stood out most about Gabru Di Chaap was its resilience during the pandemic. While many restaurants struggled and shut down, the brand not only survived but grew its revenue from ₹1 crore to ₹7 crore during the same period, a testimony to the founders' execution discipline and the genuine demand for the product.

Four Sharks, a Hygiene Battle, and a ₹26 Crore Empire Validated

•⁠  ⁠Gabru Di Chaap appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4 Episode 18. Tarunpreet and Randhir entered seeking ₹70 lakh for 1% equity at a ₹70 crore valuation.

•⁠  ⁠The pitch generated one of the most memorable negotiations of the season. Aman Gupta and Kunal Bahl expressed doubts, citing chaap's niche appeal outside Delhi-NCR. Peyush Bansal raised concerns about hygiene, referencing a viral video showing unsanitary chaap production in the market. The founders responded with a video showcasing their own contract manufacturing process, demonstrating premium ingredients and hygiene standards that addressed every concern directly.

•⁠  ⁠After intense negotiations, Peyush Bansal, Vineeta Singh, and Anupam Mittal offered ₹1.4 crore for 6% equity plus a 1% royalty until the investment is recouped, valuing the company at ₹23.33 crore. The deal was finalised on January 30, 2025. From a humble 80-square-foot stall, Gabru Di Chaap had built a ₹26 crore empire.