Bengaluru Couple Lost Rs 4 Lakh On A Cloud Kitchen, Then Made Rs 2 Crore In 10 Months

Bengaluru entrepreneurs Kushal Reddy and Chahak Jain have turned an unsuccessful food business into a reported Rs 2 crore revenue venture in just 10 months, after changing their business model and using Instagram to build an audience before their first burger was sold.

The journey began with a Rs 4 lakh investment in a cloud kitchen in Bengaluru. The business, however, struggled to attract enough orders. High commissions charged by food delivery platforms, advertising costs and a lack of direct orders put pressure on the venture, eventually forcing the founders to shut it down.

Instead of giving up, Reddy and Jain decided to try a different approach. They launched Kried, a fried-food brand built around a food truck in Bengaluru's JP Nagar.

The second attempt was not simply about changing the kitchen. The founders also changed how they marketed the business. While the food truck was being built, Chahak documented the process on Instagram, sharing their journey of starting a food truck in Bengaluru.

Meet Kushal Reddy & Chahak Jain.

They invested ₹4 lakh into a cloud kitchen in Bengaluru.

It failed.

Zomato/Swiggy commissions, expensive ads and low direct orders killed the business.

So they started again.

They launched Kried, a fried-chicken burger food truck.

Before… pic.twitter.com/e3jevufBVn

— Pratham (@CapitalLens_) September 1, 2026

The content began attracting attention online. According to reports, Kried had more than 5,000 Instagram followers even before the truck served its first burger.

When Kried opened in September 2025, more than 100 customers reportedly turned up on the first day. The business recorded around Rs 30,000 in sales during its first three days.

The momentum continued. Kried now reportedly serves around 350 to 450 customers a day and generates close to Rs 1 lakh in daily sales. Its menu focuses on fried chicken and paneer burgers, along with items such as chicken popcorn, strips and fries.

The founders' turnaround has attracted attention on social media, after an X post by Pratham of CapitalLens highlighted the contrast between their failed cloud kitchen and the rapid growth of Kried. The post said the business had gone from a Rs 4 lakh initial investment to around Rs 2 crore in revenue within 10 months.

The story also highlights a broader lesson for small food businesses. Rather than relying heavily on delivery platforms and paid advertising, Kried used social media storytelling to build interest before its physical launch.

The founders are now looking to expand beyond the food truck model. Reports say they are working towards a larger central kitchen and plans for fast-casual restaurant outlets, signalling the next stage of their growth.

For Reddy and Jain, the failed cloud kitchen became less of an endpoint and more of a lesson. Their second attempt combined a different business model, a focused product and an audience built before the doors even opened.

(Disclaimer: The revenue figures and related claims mentioned in this story are based on information shared in an X post by Pratham (@CapitalLens_). NDTV has not independently verified these claims or the reported revenue.)