Meet this Gurgaon man who quit a ₹50 LPA job to start Momo business, earns ₹5 Cr in 2.5 years

In 2023, Gurgaon-based Saket Saurabh, a corporate professional earning a ₹52 lakh-per-annum salary, made a striking career shift by quitting his high-paying job to launch The Momos Mafia, a momo-centred food business that has now crossed ₹5 crore in revenue in just two and a half years.

Gurgaon's Saket turns Momo stall into a food brand

In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Saket shared that his entrepreneurial journey began with an early experiment at Bamboo Cafe in Gurgaon, which he ran with his sister and brother-in-law.

While the cafe offered a broad menu, momos quickly emerged as the best-selling item. Encouraged by this response, Saket set up a small Momo canopy, followed by a cart at Gurugram’s Infotech area, where daily sales ranged between ₹10,000 and ₹12,000.

“The Momos Mafia” was officially registered in January 2024 with five partners, including Saket, Ekta Kumari, Gautam, Surya Prakash and Shubham Thakur.

Initially focused on Momo carts, the team soon encountered operational challenges such as regulatory interventions, staffing issues and weather-related disruptions.

To build a scalable, recognisable brand, Saket transitioned to a hybrid store strategy. The company adopted a “Cart Service Restaurant” model (CSR), pairing small outlets with momo carts outside.

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The Momos Mafia riding high

This approach balanced the appeal of street food with the consistency and hygiene of a proper shop. Today, The Momos Mafia operates around 40 carts, 20 small outlets and two quick-service restaurants across seven Indian states.

Financially, the growth trajectory has been notable. In its first full year, the venture earned ₹16 lakh in just three months, followed by ₹2.2 crore the next year.

This year, the business has already matched ₹2.2 crore in revenue and is projected to close at about ₹3 crore, bringing cumulative earnings past ₹5 crore.

On social media, Saket shared an Instagram reel captioned, “50 lakh ki job resign kar chale momo business karne,” which resonated widely and attracted nearly three lakh views.

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