Momo House: Taking the fast-casual restaurant market by *steam*

Momos Are Taking Over the Dumpling World for a Reason. And we’re here to growth-hack momos into oblivion.

Since I was a kid, momos have always been an inescapable phenomenon in my household. Holed up in my study room, it was only the smell of momos steaming in the kitchen next door that broke my focus, imploring me to wander over and wait for a plate fresh out of the steamer. I’d never thought of momos as a restaurant commodity until I visited Nepal — their carefully developed recipes, handmade wrappers, and tangy tomato sauce captured my imagination and inspired me to jump into the kitchen with my mom every time she made momos. I needed to recreate that authentic taste from Nepal back here in the US. And so several years ago the seeds were planted for Momo House.

As I’ve carefully crafted my recipe over time and won over friends old and new with momo nights, the market for momos has exploded around the world. In India, Wow! Momos, in only its third year, has reached greater than 150 million dollars in revenues — and it’s not even run by a Nepali! Even Tiger Global Management has jumped into the momo craze, leading a $23 million round valuing Wow! at over $160 million.

The Collision Course: Fast Casual and Momos

The fast-casual (market size: $125.6 Billion) craze is taking over the US market, with billion dollar behemoths like Chipotle, Shake Shack, and Five Guys each experiencing year over year revenue growth of over 20% while overall restaurant growth slows to a measly 3%. The attractive mix of quick-service, health-conscious, and flavorful tastes has contributed to the rapid growth of this sector. Young people and old people alike are gravitating to these hip, dependable spots for a quick and healthy meal. Ethnic concepts like Kung Fu Tea, Curry Up Now, and Halal Guys are bursting into the market, expanding the scope and imagination of the American appetite for bold new flavors from around the world.

It’s only right that we take stewardship of this approaching collision course between the fast-casual craze and the rising popularity of momos. Now is the time to share this concept with the US market and beyond. So join us as we arrive on the scene just in time to make Momos a household name.

Please email divyeshk@stanford.edu for inquiries.