Craveworthy Brands announced Thursday that it added Sigri Indian BBQ to its quickly expanding portfolio of fast-casual concepts.
With two units in New Jersey, the brand reimagines the ancient tradition of clay stoves, also known as “sigri.” Jagat Parikh founded Sigri Indian BBQ in 2015 when he was fueled by a desire to add more international food options to his community. He is partnered with chef Aarthi, a global culinary artist recognized for her incorporation of modern techniques into traditional Indian cuisine. She not only worked as chef de cuisine at Junoon, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, but she also beat chef Bobby Flay in March 2018 and won “Chopped” in August 2016.
The concept offers sigri fried butter chicken, kebabs, kathi rolls, bowls, snacks, and desserts.
“Craveworthy Brands is introducing a new and exciting chapter to Sigri. Gregg has been an inspiration to me, having collaborated with him for over six years,” Parikh said in a statement. “When I first founded the brand in 2015, my vision was to introduce fresh and authentic Indian flavors in the U.S., starting with New Jersey. Our brand is not only unique in concept but also in our wide range of diverse, customizable and handcrafted menu items created by the renowned Chef Aarthi. Now, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce Sigri to new markets and guests.”
Sigri Indian BBQ is the 12th concept to join Craveworthy (Bd’s Mongolian Grill, Dirty Dough, Flat Top Grill, Genghis Grill, Krafted Burger Bar + Tap, Lucky Cat Poke Co., Pastizza Pizza & Pasta, Scramblin’ Ed’s, Soom Soom Mediterranean, The Budlong Southern Chicken, and Wing It On!). The restaurant group expects to earn $1 billion in systemwide sales in about five years and plans to acquire more chains in the future. It’s scheduled to debut almost 17 corporate locations and 60-plus virtual restaurants in 2024.
Craveworthy—led by CEO and founder Gregg Majewski, a former CEO of Jimmy John’s—plans to provide Sigri Indian BBQ with its operating procedures, creative marketing strategies, and dedicated finance processes to streamline operations and build a franchising program.
“With a growing appetite for high-quality ethnic concepts like Indian barbecue, we see remarkable potential for Sigri’s expansion throughout the country. Sigri’s authenticity and innovative service model truly marks the brand as a pioneer in this fast-casual category,” Majewski said in a statement. “Embedding the Craveworthy team along with our systems and processes into the concept will fuel a new era for Sigri. It’s undoubtedly a growth concept that truly complements the brands in our portfolio.”
