How a Homemaker Transformed a Family Business into a Rs 100 Crore Turnover Brand

As Chennai’s most traditional name, Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan, literally scales super-fast by adding new outlets and launching a premier brand in a larger format called VB World, at the helm of it is the dynamic Swarna Ravi who has been driving the brand from the front for more than two decades.

The restaurant chain currently runs 22 outlets, including one in Dubai. With a team of over 2,000 people, the company has reached a turnover of Rs 100 crore and is well positioned to cross Rs 150 crore in the current year.

Carrying forward a family legacy, Swarna Ravi has transformed a traditional Chennai restaurant into a global brand (Photos: Special Arrangement)

For someone leading a successful restaurant chain with global ambitions, Swarna Ravi carries her legacy with a strong sense of responsibility and pride. The first Vasanta Bhavan outlet was started in Chennai in 1974.

“But actually, my father-in-law had started even earlier in Trichy, about five years before that. So altogether, it’s been around 52 or 53 years now,” says Swarna Ravi, Managing Director of Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan, her voice warm and full of energy.


In the late 1990s, the business was divided among the three brothers, sons of the founder, Muthukrishnan - just like how it happens in many other family run businesses. “Each one took responsibility for one outlet. My father-in-law took charge of one of the branches in Trichy,” says Swarna.

Ravi Muthukrishnan, Swarna’s husband, renamed their outlet Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan and added a few more outlets. “I entered the business in 2003. At that time, we had around four outlets in Chennai. When I stepped in, I took over the Mylapore branch. That’s where my journey started," says Swarna, who herself hails from a business family that owned a few vegetarian hotels.

Though she officially joined the business only in 2003, Swarna soon took over the reins and spearheaded the growth of the restaurant chain. She played a major role in modernising the brand and taking it to new markets, both in India and abroad.

Swarna with her father-in-law, the founder whose humble beginnings in Trichy inspired a restaurant chain that now spans continents.

“I and my husband complement each other very well. He has been my support and encouraged me to go all out. There has never been any ego between us,” says Swarna.

“Today, we have 22 branches, including one in Dubai, and we are opening new locations in Sharjah and Germany,” she says with quiet pride. “We also have a larger format called VB World, which features international cuisine, and we are continuing to expand.”

Despite the brand’s rapid growth, Swarna is clear about her values: affordability and quality. “As the business began to grow and we started seeing some profits, we realised the importance of standing out with our food quality,” she explains.

“We have kept prices reasonable so that everyone can enjoy good food without worrying about cost. That’s something we have always believed in, giving the best without compromising on quality or value.”
Even as the brand expanded into more premium spaces with VB World, the core philosophy remained unchanged.

Ravi Muthukrishnan has been Swarna’s constant support, encouraging her to go all out as she led the brand’s expansion

“We believe in honouring our customers, making sure they can enjoy delicious meals without any financial burden. Just like how Captain Gopinath (founder of Air Deccan) once offered flight tickets for one rupee, we want to offer quality food at very affordable prices,” she adds.

What sets VB World apart is not the pricing, but the variety. While the traditional outlets continue to serve authentic South Indian food, VB World has introduced global cuisine to the menu.

“When it comes to pricing, there's no difference between the dosa or idli at Namma Veedu Vasantha Bhavan and VB World because we have a centralised kitchen with about one hundred and fifty people working there,” says Swarna. “Even now, at VB World, we offer coffee for just Rs 55 and dosa for Rs 135.”

“The main difference is in the variety of cuisine. At VB World, you will find sushi, dim sum, pizza, and Thai green curry, dishes you wouldn't typically see at Namma Veedu Vasantha Bhavan.”

They bring in exclusive chefs for each cuisine - Asian, Italian, and more - to ensure that the taste matches what one would expect at a five-star hotel.

Customer experience is clearly at the heart of everything Swarna does, even when it comes to the youngest visitors. “We think about everyone, from kids to adults. Children love our desserts and chocolate croissants, which we make without eggs but with the finest butter,” she says. “Our margins might be thin, but we believe in providing that quality and experience for everyone, because they are our future customers.”

Swarna is also a forward thinker, blending tradition with innovation. “We are planning to open in Coimbatore within the next six months, and we aim to complete that within this year,” she reveals. “Our goal is to achieve a turnover of Rs 260 crore next year. To reach that target, we plan to open a new branch every 60 days.”

With sons Vasanth (extreme right) and Anand, one a rising actor, the other joining her in taking the family business to new heights

The vision doesn’t stop there. “In about three years, we want to have around 150 outlets. This year, we should touch between Rs 150 crore, and with the new branches that are in the pipeline, we aim to hit Rs 250 crore next year,” she adds.

Swarna also plans to refresh the brand to suit modern tastes. “The focus will be on modernising Namma Veedu Vasantha Bhavan by updating the interiors, menu, and overall experience, while still keeping our traditional dishes and prices the same,” she says. “This way, we honour our legacy and also attract a new generation of customers.”

Her story is not just about food and expansion, it’s also about family. “My elder son, Vasanth, is a medical doctor. He finished his MBBS from Ramachandra and went to London for a healthcare management course. He worked at Apollo for a few months but eventually followed his passion and became a full-time actor.”

Vasanth Ravi made his acting debut in Taramani (2017), a critically acclaimed film that won him the Best Debut Actor award at the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards.

He later starred in Rocky, an action film that earned him praise for his intense performance, and shared screen space with superstar Rajinikanth in Jailer. “He’s doing extremely well and even received a Filmfare award,” Swarna says proudly.

Swarna Ravi’s journey is proof that vision and grit can take you far

Her younger son, Anand Krishnan, is now involved in the family business. “He studied hotel management in Switzerland and has worked in various countries like Dubai and Bali. He gained experience in all hotel departments, from front office to housekeeping, before joining our business.”

It’s amazing how Swarna, a housewife-turned-entrepreneur, has transformed a humble family business into a global brand.