Sagar Daryani

Sagar Daryani
Born	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Occupation	Entrepreneur
Known for	Co-founder & CEO of Wow! Momo

Sagar Daryani is an Indian entrepreneur and co-founder of Wow! Momo, India’s largest homegrown quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain. Known for transforming the humble momo into a national food phenomenon, Daryani's journey exemplifies innovation, resilience, and the power of branding in the Indian food and beverage industry.

Early Life and Education

Sagar Daryani was born and raised in Kolkata', West Bengal. Deeply inspired by global food chains like McDonald’s, he developed an early interest in food branding. He pursued a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, where he met Binod Homagai—his future co-founder.

United by a shared passion for food and entrepreneurship, the duo identified a major market gap: the lack of branded momo outlets in India.

Founding of Wow! Momo

In 2008, with just ₹30,000 and a small kiosk in Kolkata, Sagar and Binod launched Wow! Momo. Their innovative approach reimagined momos as a mainstream QSR item, moving beyond traditional fillings to introduce:

• Chocolate Momos
• Tandoori and Butter Chicken Momos
• Momo Burgers (Moburgs)

By blending Indian flavors with street-style convenience, the brand gained immediate popularity, expanding rapidly to malls, tech parks, and standalone outlets.

Expansion and Growth

Wow! Momo scaled from a single kiosk to a national brand with over 600 outlets across 25+ cities.

Major Milestones

• 2015 – Expansion into major metros like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi.
• 2017 – Launched sister brand Wow! China.
• 2019 – Raised ₹120 crore in Series B, valuing the brand at ₹860 crore.
• 2021 – Secured ₹125 crore from Tiger Global, boosting delivery and expansion.

Today, the company employs over 4,000 people and is India’s biggest momo-centric QSR chain.

Business Model and Innovation

Sagar Daryani’s model emphasizes:

• Speed and Hygiene – Fast service without compromising cleanliness.
• Affordable Innovation – Unique dishes at accessible prices.
• Strong Branding – Bright yellow logo, quirky taglines, and pan-India appeal.

By blending fast food formats with Indian flavors, Wow! Momo became a case study in scalable QSR entrepreneurship.

Challenges and Resilience

Despite its success, the brand faced hurdles:

• Convincing landlords and mall operators to house a momo-focused brand.
• Building a reliable supply chain for perishables.
• COVID-19 lockdowns that heavily disrupted dine-in revenues.

Sagar’s response involved:

• Focusing on online delivery and takeaways
• Cloud kitchen rollouts for better service coverage
• Adapting to changing consumer behavior post-pandemic

Impact and Recognition

Sagar Daryani has been recognized for:

• Building India’s first national momo brand
• Inspiring a wave of regional food-focused QSR startups
• Promoting youth entrepreneurship through speaker events and mentorship

Vision and Future Plans

Sagar aims to turn Wow! Momo into a $1 billion brand. His roadmap includes:

• Expanding into international markets
• Launching frozen retail products
• Growing cloud kitchen network
• Innovating more Indianized QSR concepts

He envisions Wow! Momo becoming the “McDonald’s of India”—a globally loved brand rooted in Indian street food culture.

Conclusion

Sagar Daryani’s journey from a college student to QSR tycoon reflects how vision, branding, and persistence can disrupt even the most traditional sectors. Through Wow! Momo, he has redefined quick-service dining in India, combining affordability, taste, and innovation.

As Wow! Momo continues to expand its footprint, Daryani remains focused on transforming Indian food into a globally scalable experience.