-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org )
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Bengaluru: Homegrown packaged food brand Habanero, known for delivering international flavours to Indian kitchens, is setting its sights on global expansion and a revenue milestone of ₹100 crore within the next three years. This ambitious growth plan is being driven by the booming quick-commerce sector.
The company’s revenue has seen a remarkable jump—from ₹1.06 crore in FY 2019-20 to ₹16 crore in FY 2024-25. With momentum on its side, Habanero is aiming to double its turnover to ₹40 crore in the current financial year.
From Restaurant to Retail Success
Habanero started as a Mexican restaurant chain based in Bengaluru, later expanding to Chennai, Hyderabad, and Goa. Just before the pandemic, Founder & CEO Griffith David noticed a surge in demand for the brand’s signature products—like salsas and tortillas—prompting the team to pivot towards packaged goods.
“We identified strong consumer interest in taking home our flavours, so we began developing a packaged product line,” David shared. “Over time, that arm of the business took off, and we eventually transitioned completely to a product-based model.” The shift involved an investment of just ₹3.5 crore—modest compared to running restaurants.
Today, Habanero boasts a portfolio of 20 SKUs, featuring sauces, dips, tortilla wraps, breakfast foods, and ready-to-eat meals. The company plans to foray into the nachos segment soon. Its name—drawn from the iconic Mexican chili—reflects the brand’s emphasis on authentic, chili-rich flavour profiles.
Stronghold in E-commerce and Quick Commerce
Initially available through retail chains and platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Big Basket, Habanero gained traction for its sauces and tortilla wraps. The brand’s real breakthrough came when Swiggy Instamart invited it to pilot its tortillas in Bengaluru—a success that led to a nationwide rollout.
Since then, the brand has expanded its presence across leading Q-commerce platforms, including Blinkit, Flipkart Minutes, BBNow, and Zepto. Today, nearly 70% of Habanero’s business comes from online channels.
“We’re currently active in around 100 cities through Q-commerce platforms and are scaling fast into Tier 1 to Tier 4 cities by setting up additional warehouses. At this pace, we anticipate reaching 300 to 400 cities soon,” said David.
Offline, Habanero products are available in approximately 2,000 retail locations across modern trade formats—department stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and select premium convenience stores—mainly in Bengaluru. “We focus on affordable premium outlets where our unit economics work better than mass retail,” he noted.
Tapping Global Markets
On the international front, Habanero has already made inroads into the UAE through the Lulu Group and has expanded into other GCC countries like Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. The brand is also in discussions with potential partners in Sri Lanka and South Africa, aiming to enter these markets within the year.
With a rapidly expanding digital and physical footprint, a growing product line, and international ambitions, Habanero is poised to become a significant player in India’s premium packaged food industry—both at home and abroad.
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