Foodstories, founded by sisters Avni and Ashni Biyani, is reshaping how modern Indian men think about food and wellness. Moving beyond macros and calorie deficits, the brand champions joyful, intentional eating through curated ingredients, small-batch producers and cultural experiences. Backed by major investors and rapid expansion, it positions quality, convenience and pleasure as coexisting pillars of everyday self-care.
For the longest time, conversations around men's wellness have revolved around macros, protein intake, calorie deficits and the relentless pursuit of optimisation. The grocery aisle has largely remained an afterthought, viewed as a place to restock essentials rather than discover something new.
But it won’t be wrong to say that this mindset is beginning to shift. More men are learning to cook, experimenting with specialty coffee, collecting hot sauces, investing in quality ingredients and treating food as an extension of their lifestyle.
This evolution is where sisters Avni and Ashni Biyani’s Foodstories believes it belongs. And looks like the bigwigs of the investing world believe in it, too. The company recently closed a Rs 50 crore funding round led by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, with continued backing from the Narotam Sekhsaria family office that has supported the platform since its first store opened in Delhi back in 2024. From this outlet, the company has expanded to Bengaluru and Hyderabad before landing in Mumbai this month, growing fast enough in its first year alone to triple-digit revenue gains.
Ask Avni Biyani why any of this matters to a man who has never thought twice about his pantry, and she goes straight to the personal. "Food is how we care for ourselves, express our values, connect with others and discover the world." It’s an answer that sounds like it came straight out of a monologue from The Bear, but it makes so much sense when you come back to think about it. So much of our values, how we celebrate life (or simply go about it) has to do with food.
“Wellness has become overly associated with optimisation,” she adds. “A well-lived life isn't about eliminating pleasure—it's about creating balance. Food shouldn't feel like a reward or a punishment. It should be something that brings people together, sparks conversation, celebrates culture and supports well-being.
“For us, wellness isn't measured by how many things you've cut out of your diet. It's measured by whether your relationship with food is joyful, intentional and sustainable.”
Her sister Ashni doubles down on this idea. To them, the goal of Foodstories is to create "a place that celebrates food in all its dimensions. Somewhere you could discover a small-batch pickle from a founder in Kerala, learn about the difference between two olive oils, stay back for a cocktail, meet the maker behind a brand, or simply have a conversation over coffee."
Naturally, a store of this stature would bring comparisons with global brands like Erewhon. "We're flattered by the comparison because Erewhon has done an incredible job of making food culturally relevant," says Avni Biyani. The company's ambitions, however, are firmly rooted in India's evolving food ecosystem. "At Foodstories we're building a cultural space that evolves with the consumer. A space where we would love to champion an evolving ecosystem of growers, makers and producers while also introducing the world's best products to Indian consumers.”
But isn't there no dearth of options when it comes to food? And in a largely agricultural country, how do the sisters decide farmers, producers, bakers or brands get a slot at their platform? "We're less interested in the size of a business than the intent behind it,” explains Ashni. “We're constantly asking: does this product have a reason to exist? Is the founder solving a real problem? Are they preserving a tradition? Are they pushing a category forward? Is there genuine craft involved? Does it taste exceptional?”
At the end of this brainstorming, they're left with brands that are so particular about their produce that even the everyday rice and dal become a dish to relish anew. That, perhaps, is Foodstories' biggest proposition. It isn't asking consumers to choose between quality and convenience, or between wellness and indulgence. Instead, it is betting that the two can coexist.
As Avni puts it, "The opportunity isn't to ask people to compromise between the two. It's to make quality more accessible within everyday life." Whether through better ready-to-eat meals, thoughtfully sourced pantry staples or founder-led brands reimagining everyday categories, the goal is to make better food the easier choice.
For a generation of men who increasingly see cooking and eating well as an act of discipline to reach an ideal physical standard, Foodstories is a call to look at food (and health) as a means to cherish oneself, body and soul.