EBG Group, one of India’s emerging multi-sector conglomerates, has appointed Srinivas Ullamparthi as Vice President – Food Business, adding seasoned operational and business development depth to a vertical that is now entering an aggressive scale-up phase. The timing is significant: the group is preparing a national rollout for its flagship healthy QSR brand, Natuf Café, alongside a broader expansion of cafés, food courts, cloud kitchens and franchise-led formats across key consumption markets.
Srinivas brings over two decades of experience across India’s café and QSR ecosystem, shaped through roles at Barista, Café Coffee Day, Wheelys Café, SSP Catering, and Isthara Parks, as well as his own entrepreneurial venture Cyrus Café, which he grew to four outlets in Delhi. His background covers multi-region operations, store expansion, marketing inputs, customer experience, compliance, staffing, and site selection—all capabilities that align closely with the growth trajectory EBG is pursuing. At Barista, he led operations across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while at Café Coffee Day, he handled SOP execution, merchandise planning, inventory cycles, and new store development. His entrepreneurial stint sharpened his understanding of ground-level unit economics, vendor management, and consumer behaviour, making him uniquely attuned to the realities of scaling food formats in India.
At EBG Group, Srinivas is expected to contribute to the strategic expansion of the food business across multiple formats, bringing a combination of commercial acumen and operational rigour. He is also expected to support site acquisition across malls, high streets, transit hubs, IT parks, and mixed-use developments, and to work closely with development partners, landlords, and institutional stakeholders to identify commercially viable locations. His role will likely include evaluating feasibility, coordinating with design and project teams, supporting commercial negotiations, and helping strengthen the group’s partnerships and alliances in the food ecosystem as Natuf Café expands across India.
Natuf Café sits at the heart of EBG’s food vision—a contemporary quick-service concept inspired by Levantine cuisine and built around the principles of nutrition, sustainability, and cultural authenticity. Its menu centres on protein-rich, low-carb, low-fat and low-sugar meals, presented in accessible formats such as wraps, bowls, grills and dips. The brand has positioned itself at the intersection of India’s rising health-consciousness and the growing appetite for global flavours. As EBG’s Co-founder & COO Hari Kiran has emphasised in earlier conversations surrounding Natuf’s growth, the group builds for “People–Planet–Profit,” and the Natuf journey is as much about fostering healthier lifestyles and a more sustainable future as it is about scaling a QSR network. The company sees the brand as a movement in the making—one that aligns global taste profiles with India’s shifting food priorities.
For Amer Juneidi, Founder & CEO of Natuf Café, bringing Levantine flavours to India is a deeply personal pursuit rooted in heritage and culture. He has previously described Natuf’s food philosophy as one that goes beyond nourishment to celebrate connection and authenticity. As the brand expands, he notes, the focus remains firmly on keeping meals plastic-free, protein-forward, and anchored in genuine Levantine culinary traditions, while ensuring accessibility for Indian consumers across dining and delivery occasions.
Natuf Café’s expansion blueprint is ambitious. The IndiaRetailing.com story published in October 2025- https://www.indiaretailing.com/natuf-caf%C3%A9-to-open-100-stores-by-2026 talked about brand’s aims to open over 100 outlets by the end of 2026, with a mix of corporate stores, franchise locations, cloud kitchens and exclusive café formats. Investments per location are projected to range between ₹10 lakh and ₹75 lakh, depending on size and format. The brand is also targeting a doubling of revenue by FY26, supported by a robust back-end infrastructure, process-led scalability, and the surging consumer appetite for nutritious fast-casual dining options. With Levantine cuisine gaining popularity globally and wellness-oriented dining becoming mainstream among Indian millennials and Gen Z, Natuf Café is well positioned to carve out a distinctive space in the competitive QSR landscape.
EBG Group’s broader food strategy includes partnerships and diversification that complement Natuf’s positioning. Collaborations with ventures such as Native Touch—focused on wellness-driven Indian menus—and Chhota Bheem-themed cafés for family-oriented dining formats illustrate the group’s interest in creating a multi-layered food ecosystem that caters to varied consumer segments. This sits alongside EBG’s wider presence across mobility, health and wellness, real estate, lifestyle, technology, and education, allowing it to leverage cross-sectoral capabilities as it scales.
As Natuf Café accelerates towards its 100-store milestone, operational consistency, supply chain readiness, and real-estate discipline will be critical. This is where Srinivas’s experience is expected to add substantial value. His understanding of both corporate and entrepreneurial food environments, combined with hands-on exposure to high-growth café networks, gives EBG Group a strong execution partner for the next phase of its journey. With a clear expansion roadmap and leadership aligned around purpose, health and sustainability, the group appears well placed to build one of India’s most distinctive new-age QSR platforms.
