From a viral Instagram page to a streetwear brand, meet Shark Tank-backed Burger Bae
Burger Bae was not meant to be a fashion brand. But it was in one of those viral moments that the social media agency found its calling and pivoted to a streetwear brand.
Streetwear keeps on constantly evolving. It’s a fashion cultural phenomenon like no other, where youth takes charge of how it wants to represent itself. Streetwear is nothing less than a form of self-expression.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global streetwear market was valued at $325.28 billion in 2023. By 2032, it is projected to reach $637.13 billion, growing at a CAGR of 7.89% during the forecast period.
In India, the streetwear scene is crowded with brands, including The Souled Store, Bewakoof, Urban Monkey, Newme, and Bonkers. Amidst this stiff competition, Ludhiana-based Burger Bae, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) streetwear brand, is carving its name in the segment with its trendy designs encompassing bold graphics and unique patterns.
Burger Bae was founded in 2019 by Rohan Kashyap, with Ojasvee Kashyap and Janvi Sikaria joining later in 2021 and 2023, respectively. It offers affordable fashion items. Its product SKUs include 80% essentials—T-shirts, bottoms, cord-sets, and hoodies—and the remaining 20% are Instagram-worthy, statement pieces, like tops and dresses.
The brand has recently secured Rs 2 crore in funding from three Shark Tank India "sharks"—Kunal Bahl, Anupam Mittal, and Aman Gupta.
On Instagram, the brand has garnered a follower community of 269K streetwear enthusiasts. “We’re quite popular on Instagram and have cultivated a robust community. More than the numbers, it’s the strength of the community that we’re truly proud of,” says Sikaria in a conversation with YourStory.
However, Burger Bae was not meant to be a fashion brand; it started as a social media agency, helping brands leverage the Meta-owned social media platform to grow their business.
It was in one of those viral social media moments, where people were interested in the apparel showcased on its page, that Burger Bae found its calling and pivoted to a streetwear brand.
“While the social media agency never materialised, the core belief that drives us remains the same—we are not just in the business of selling clothes; we are in the business of selling a lifestyle through content,” says co-founder Sikaria, who first associated with the brand in 2019 as a creator.
The brand’s USP is being a digital-first, creator-led brand. “Influencers play a crucial role in our process. They are the first source of our design inspiration. They inspire our designs and bring our clothing to life, making them look effortlessly cool,” she adds.
Customer-driven design process
According to Sikaria, Burger Bae doesn’t rely on an in-house designer but takes inspiration from its customers and a network of influencers who share the latest trends.
Based on customer feedback, it replicates designs and showcases them for sale on Instagram. The D2C brand, which sells primarily on Instagram and its website, has produced over 500 exclusive designs, ensuring premium quality and originality. “We started off on Instagram, and our Instagram traffic is redirected to our website.”
She explains, “For example, if someone likes what Hailey Bieber or Khloe Kardashian are wearing, they'll send us a picture and ask if we can recreate it. We aim to produce the sample quickly, often within a day or two. Once ready, the sample is photographed in our studio, and the content is posted on social media.”
Depending on the audience’s reactions, the company decides on the quantity to produce—whether 50, 100, or 200 units. “This way, influencers and long-time customers become part of our design process,” Sikaria adds.
In fact, most of Burger Bae’s social media content is user-generated. The co-founder says that some of its customers often go the extra mile to hire makeup artists and photographers to create high-quality content to get featured on the brand’s feed.
“It’s a way for them to feel connected to the community and, for many, it’s a sort of 'flex' among younger audiences,” she adds.
The brand is also coming up with a few fun, innovative things in the apparel section. It has figured out a way to make fragrance-infused T-shirts, where a T-shirt would smell of coffee or strawberry for up to 25 washes.
It also claims that its products maintain their quality even after extensive use. “Our colours stay vibrant for up to 30 washes, and our prints remain intact without cracking even under extreme stretching. We've conducted thorough stretch tests, and the results are showcased on our Instagram,” says Sikaria.
Revenue and way ahead
Burger Bae manages its manufacturing in-house in Ludhiana, ensuring strict control over quality and pricing. Sustainable practices, including recycling wastewater and maintaining ethical supply chains, are also imperative to the brand.
The brand’s products are priced between Rs 499 and Rs 3499, and its average order value is Rs 1500.
“We handle production ourselves, which allows us to maintain high standards and cost efficiency. Additionally, we collaborate with select vendors, who have dedicated sections of their factories exclusively for our products, with specific machines reserved just for us in Ludhiana,” explains Sikaria.
Burger Bae closed FY24 with a revenue of Rs 11.8 crore compared to Rs 4.6 crore in FY23. In its initial year, it clocked Rs 15 lakh in revenue in FY20. For the current fiscal year, the brand projects a revenue of Rs 16 crore.
Meanwhile, Sikaria has joined the Indian School of Business as part of its ongoing I-Venture Immersive (ivi) programme cohort, which she says, “has opened many doors” for Burger Bae.
She says, “Many successful people argue that a B-school education isn’t necessary, and I agree… The network, the people we meet, and the willingness of others to engage with us because of the institute’s credibility are invaluable. Being here has helped me realise the true potential of our brand—it’s not just a small business, but something that could scale to Rs 1,000- Rs 5,000 crore, just like others from this institution have achieved.”
Going forward, the company plans to expand into offline retail, starting with Delhi-NCR, leveraging its strong influencer community. It also aims to enter quick commerce to cater to fast-moving consumer demand.
“Our US and UK websites are ready and our app will be fully functional in a few months. Additionally, we plan to expand into accessories and, in the long run, launch creator-led sub-brands under our parent company. By 2026, we are confident of achieving at least Rs 100 crore in revenue,” she says.
(The copy was updated with additional information on the company.)
Edited by Suman Singh