Good food is rarely the problem. The numbers are.
This site exists for the person standing at the start of a food business in India, wondering what it really costs, which licences they need and whether it will ever make money. It is also, more and more, for anyone in the world who wants to cook Indian food well.
Clear answers, before the money is spent
Every street corner in India has someone who can cook beautifully. Yet many small food businesses, from momo carts to cloud kitchens, close within their first year. Look closely and the reasons are almost always the same: they didn’t know what it would really cost, which licences they needed, or how GST applied to them.
The information exists, but it is scattered across government portals, forum threads and sales pitches. We built Indian Food Business to put it in one place, in plain language, with real numbers.
- How much will it cost to start, item by item?
- Which licences and registrations do I need, and how do I get them?
- How should I price my menu so I make a profit?
- Do I need GST, and what changes when I sell on Swiggy or Zomato?
Three kitchens, one table
Food business guides
Step-by-step guides for stalls, tiffin services and cloud kitchens: setup costs, licences, GST and menu pricing, with worked examples.
Indian recipes for the world
Home-style Indian recipes written for cooks outside India: where to find each spice, what to swap it with, and how to get the flavour right in any kitchen.
Videos
Short videos that walk through recipes and real food businesses, so you can see the steps, not just read about them.
Our promise to readers
Rules change, so always confirm with the official portal or a qualified professional before acting.
Questions, corrections or ideas?
Tell us what you’re planning to start, or which recipe you’d like to see next. We read every message.
Write to usIndian Food Business is an independent site run by Khushali Gujrati. Some links are affiliate links; see the Disclaimer & Affiliate Disclosure.