In his expanded role, he will now oversee the company’s modern trade business in India in addition to leading its e-commerce and international business operations. Prior to this elevation, he served as Director – E-Commerce (India) and International Business at Veeba.

With around 14 years of experience in the FMCG industry, Aditya has built expertise across the food, personal care, health, hygiene, and nutrition categories. Throughout his career, he has worked across multiple business functions, including e-commerce, channel marketing, merchandising and shopper strategy, commercial planning, product launches, and category development.

Before joining Veeba, Aditya held key roles at leading consumer goods companies such as Mars, Reckitt, L’Oréal, and ConAgra Foods. The elevation comes as Veeba continues to strengthen its leadership team and expand its presence across both domestic and international markets.

The post Veeba Elevates Sayan Aditya to Director – E-Commerce and Modern Trade (India) and International Business appeared first on Business of Food.

The new restaurant marks the brand’s expansion beyond its high-street format and is designed to cater to the rising popularity of Korean cuisine among families, young professionals and K-culture fans in the city.

Inspired by contemporary Seoul, the outlet features modern interiors aimed at delivering an immersive dining experience. The menu showcases Seoul Dak’s signature Korean Fried Chicken in flavours including Volcano, Hot & Spicy, Ganjang and K-BBQ, alongside popular Korean favourites such as Ramen, Tteokbokki and Korean Corn Dogs. The beverage and dessert selection includes K-Pop Coolers and Bingsus.

To celebrate the launch, the brand will host a grand opening event on July 10, 2026, featuring interactive games, live entertainment, a Korean-themed photobooth and other activities centred around Korean culture.

Commenting on the launch, Sean Lee, Founder, Seoul Dak, said, “Opening our first mall outlet at Phoenix Marketcity marks an exciting milestone for Seoul Dak. As Korean culture continues to connect with Indian audiences, our vision has always been to create more than just a dining destination; we want guests to experience the flavours, creativity, and warmth that represent contemporary Seoul. This outlet reflects our commitment to bringing people together through food and culture.”

The menu has been curated to appeal to both first-time diners and regular patrons of Korean cuisine. In addition to its food offerings, the brand seeks to recreate elements of Korean culture through its interiors, music and overall ambience.

Following the launch of its first mall outlet, Seoul Dak plans to further expand its footprint across India through new menu innovations, collaborations and enhanced customer experiences.

The post Korean QSR Brand Seoul Dak Opens First Outlet in Phoenix Marketcity, Mumbai appeared first on Business of Food.

Spread across 2,660 sq. ft., the restaurant features a deep-red tiled façade and a cobalt-blue arched entrance. The interiors incorporate timber, stone, metallic finishes, bespoke furniture, and curated artwork, while a fluted stone bar counter serves as the focal point of the space.

The new outlet offers FOO’s signature Pan-Asian menu, featuring over 100 Asian tapas, including sushi, dim sum, Nikkei-inspired creations, and a range of shareable small plates. Its beverage programme includes signature cocktails crafted with Asian ingredients such as yuzu, miso, sake, and house-infused spirits.

The Indiranagar restaurant also introduces Foo Brew, the brand’s Japanese rice beer, to the Bengaluru market for the first time. Developed to complement FOO’s Pan-Asian cuisine, the beverage menu is further supported by a curated selection of sake and non-alcoholic offerings.

Speaking about the launch, Ryan Tham and Keenan Tham, Founders, Pebble Street Hospitality, said, “Indiranagar is one of those neighbourhoods that people naturally gravitate towards. It’s energetic, welcoming, constantly evolving, and deeply connected to Bengaluru’s dining culture. With FOO Indiranagar, we wanted to create a space that feels like it belongs here — somewhere people can drop in for a quick meal, gather with friends over multiple rounds of food and drinks, or spend an entire evening making memories. We’re excited to become a part of the neighbourhood and see how the city makes the space its own.”

With the latest launch, FOO continues to strengthen its presence in Bengaluru as it advances the expansion of its contemporary Asian dining concept across India.

The post FOO Scales Up Bengaluru Footprint with Third Outlet appeared first on Business of Food.

Paradise Biryani’s announcement of 20 new outlets in Bengaluru is only the visible part of a much larger story. Behind it lies a decade-long transformation that has seen the 73-year-old Hyderabad brand evolve from a regional restaurant chain into a professionally managed, technology-enabled food service platform targeting national scale. Today, backed by Samara Capital, Paradise is no longer merely expanding its restaurant network. It is attempting something far more significant—transforming a heritage regional brand into a professionally managed, technology-enabled national food service platform.

The latest evidence of that ambition comes from Bengaluru, where Paradise has announced plans to invest Rs. 25 crore to open 20 new outlets. While the city expansion is significant in itself, it is also the first visible milestone of a much larger strategy to invest Rs. 100 crore, add 100 new outlets over the next three years and expand the network from 57 operational restaurants across six cities to around 150–160 outlets.

For India’s organised foodservice industry, the announcement signals something bigger than another restaurant rollout. It demonstrates how private equity is increasingly backing proven regional food brands that combine strong consumer equity with the ability to scale nationally through disciplined execution.

Reinventing a Seventy-Three-Year Legacy

Paradise’s transformation has unfolded over more than a decade.

Samara Capital first invested in the company in 2014, acquiring a 35% stake for Rs. 70 crore, when Paradise operated just six restaurants in Hyderabad. Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, the initial years focused on professionalising the business, strengthening leadership, modernising operations and creating systems capable of supporting long-term growth.

The journey entered a new phase in February 2022, when Samara acquired the remaining promoter stake, taking complete ownership of the business. Since then, the company has accelerated investments in technology, people, operating systems and expansion planning, positioning Paradise for its most aggressive growth phase yet.

“The successful store model, best-in-class technology systems and strengthened leadership team provide a strong foundation for national expansion,” says Nilay Pratik, Managing Director, Samara Capital. “Our focus extends beyond adding stores to building a business that delivers consistency, operational discipline and an authentic customer experience across geographies.”

That philosophy reflects a broader shift taking place across India’s restaurant industry, where investors are increasingly favouring scalable operating models over rapid, capital-intensive expansion.

Beyond Restaurants, Building a Scalable Platform

Paradise’s current strategy is built around three complementary formats – high street restaurants, shopping mall outlets and cloud kitchens.

Rather than viewing delivery as an extension of dine-in, the company is designing an omnichannel business where every format serves a distinct purpose. Compact restaurants improve capital efficiency, malls strengthen brand visibility and impulse consumption, while cloud kitchens extend delivery reach into dense urban neighbourhoods.

Bengaluru has emerged as the ideal testing ground for this model. The company reports 30% year-on-year revenue growth in the city, with its latest mall outlets outperforming internal benchmarks and encouraging a wider rollout across organised retail destinations.

For Managing Director & CEO Abhik Mitra, however, expansion is only one part of the equation.

“The challenge isn’t opening more restaurants; it’s ensuring that customers receive the same Paradise experience every single time,” he has said in earlier media interactions.

That objective explains why Paradise continues to retain a company-owned, company-operated model rather than pursuing large-scale franchising.

Technology as the Secret Ingredient

As Paradise expands nationally, technology is becoming as important as its famous biryani recipe.

Automated kitchen systems, centrally managed recipes, digital operating dashboards and real-time quality monitoring have become integral to maintaining consistency across the network. Every outlet follows identical standard operating procedures, supported by structured staff training and continuous quality audits.

This investment in operational discipline is designed to ensure that the biryani served in Bengaluru, Chennai or Gurugram delivers the same experience that made Paradise a Hyderabad institution.

The Road Ahead

Paradise’s financial ambitions are equally ambitious. Management has outlined a roadmap to grow annual revenues from the current Rs. 260–300 crore to Rs. 500–550 crore by FY29, supported by a network of 150–160 outlets.

To fund this next chapter, the company is planning to raise Rs.100 crore through a 10–12% equity dilution, with the proceeds earmarked primarily for new store development rather than operational funding.

The strategy reflects confidence not only in the Paradise brand but also in the broader evolution of India’s organised foodservice market. Consumers are increasingly gravitating towards trusted regional brands that offer consistent quality, strong delivery capabilities and modern retail experiences.

For Paradise, the expansion into Bengaluru is therefore, not the destination. It is the opening chapter of a larger journey—one that seeks to demonstrate that an iconic regional restaurant chain can successfully scale into a national food brand without losing the authenticity that made it famous.

The post Paradise Biryani’s Second Serving: How Samara Capital is Cooking Up India’s Next Organised Food Brand appeared first on Business of Food.

Dadu Salgar’s story is not just about building a tea brand — it’s about never giving up, learning from every failure, and turning pain into purpose.

He was born in a small drought-affected village in Maharashtra. Water scarcity and poverty were a part of everyday life. When drought conditions worsened, his parents had no choice but to move to Konkan (Maharashtra) in search of work. There, they worked in stone quarries to survive — breaking stones under the hot sun, just to earn enough to eat. Dadu spent his entire childhood in this tough environment, growing up with very little, but dreaming of a better life.

Due to family conditions, he had to leave his studies at an early age. But he always believed one thing: “No matter how big the struggle is, you can win if you dare to dream big.” He started his first business by buying a tractor on loan, planning to rent it out to farmers. But the business failed badly. Still determined, he tried farming — he planted grapes and started modern vegetable farming. Even there, he was hit by bad luck — changing climates, poor rainfall, and volatile market prices. Every crop brought a loss. Then he tried goat farming, starting with 100 goats. Unfortunately, this too failed due to diseases and mismanagement.

In just 2–3 years, he faced failure in almost every attempt. But instead of giving up, he chose to learn from each one. With nothing working in the village, he moved to Pune in search of a job. He struggled for over a month, walking from place to place with his resume. Finally, he got a job as a security guard at G4S Company. Even with this small job, his eyes were always looking for a new opportunity.

That’s when he got the idea of starting a mosambi juice cart. He moved to Kolhapur and began selling juice on a roadside cart. The response was decent. A year later, he started a sugarcane juice stall — Raswanti Gruh — and that turned out to be his first real success. This juice business brought him some income and stability. But like every entrepreneur, he was curious to try more. He entered the share market, hoping to grow his money quickly — but again, he suffered huge losses.

That failure reminded him that shortcuts don’t work. So he returned to his juice business with more focus. Slowly, he expanded it to 7+ outlets across Kolhapur.

Still, he didn’t stop. During the monsoon, to manage off-seasons, he started selling boiled sweet corn — and that clicked! He even sold wooden toys, nursery plants, and anything that could support his dream. He believed that no work is small when the vision is big.

He also began visiting exhibitions, talking to successful business people, and learning about poultry, greenhouse farming, goat farming, and more. But deep down, he wanted a business that could work year-round, reach more people, and grow into something big.

That’s when he thought about tea — India’s most loved drink. Tea was not seasonal. It was affordable, loved by all ages, and part of everyone’s daily routine. But he didn’t want to sell just any tea — he wanted to offer something special. He began researching tea recipes. He spent five months experimenting with ingredients and flavours until he created a tea that truly stood out. He kept testing, changing, improving— until he finally found the perfect blend.

That’s when he launched his dream — Salgar Amruttulya Tea — starting with his own five outlets. The response was beyond his expectations. People loved the taste, the quality, the hygiene, and the warm service. Slowly, people began requesting franchises, and that’s how the brand began to grow.

Today, Salgar Amruttulya Tea has over 500+ outlets across India — and the number continues to grow every month. Dadu Salgar says, “People see me driving a Ford Endeavour today, but very few know the 18 years of struggle it took to get here. When someone calls me ‘Sir’, I think of that small boy from the village who just wanted to make his family proud.”

His life truly reflects the famous dialogue from the movie 3 Idiots — “Success ke peeche mat bhaago. Kabil bano, kamyabi toh jhak maarke peeche aayegi.” (Don’t chase success. Become capable, and success will come running after you.)

Salgar Amruttulya Tea: A Brand Made from Hard Work and Heart 

Salgar Amruttulya Tea, the Maharashtra-based tea franchise brand founded by Dadu Salgar in 2018 is known for its rich, creamy, strong, and aromatic flavour profile. What began as a single tea outlet has evolved into a rapidly expanding franchise network operating through more than 500 outlets across India.  Beyond its signature chai, Salgar offers a complementary portfolio of coffees, milk beverages, cold drinks, and tea-time snacks, making its outlets convenient gathering spaces for students, office-goers, travellers, and families. Operated through Salgar Foods Pvt. Ltd., headquartered in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, the company supports franchise partners through training, tea-making processes, branding, and centralised sourcing of key ingredients and raw materials.

Brand Positioning

Brand’s core proposition revolves around:
a) Authentic Amruttulya tea
b) Affordable pricing
c) Standardised taste across outlets 
d) Franchise-driven scalability
e) Strong focus on hygiene and consistency

The brand’s vision is to become a preferred tea destination in every neighbourhood while preserving the traditional art of tea-making and adapting it to modern consumer preferences.

What Differentiates Salgar?

What sets Salgar Amruttulya Tea apart is its ability to blend tradition with a scalable and standardised business model. At the heart of the brand is its signature Amruttulya tea recipe, prepared through a consistent process that ensures the same rich taste and quality across all outlets. Deeply rooted in Maharashtra’s tea culture, Salgar has successfully transformed a beloved regional beverage into a nationally scalable retail concept. Its compact outlet format enables efficient expansion, while centralised training, operational support, and franchise assistance help maintain uniform standards across the network. Beyond its core tea offerings, the brand has diversified into coffee, milk-based beverages, cold refreshments, and snacks, enhancing customer choice and increasing consumption occasions. Positioned as a community-oriented neighbourhood tea destination, Salgar outlets serve as welcoming spaces where people can connect, relax, and enjoy a familiar, high-quality beverage experience.

Going Forward

Today, Salgar Amruttulya Tea stands as a symbol of trust, quality, hygiene, and customer satisfaction, having grown from a modest roadside venture into one of India’s fastest-growing tea franchise brands. The remarkable journey of its founder, Dadu Salgar, is a testament to the power of perseverance, resilience, and an unwavering belief in one’s dreams. From enduring drought, poverty, and repeated business failures to building a thriving network of over 500 outlets, his story inspires aspiring entrepreneurs to view challenges as opportunities for growth. As Salgar prepares to expand into international markets, the brand’s success reinforces a timeless truth: with determination, continuous learning, and hard work, even the most ambitious dreams can become reality. 

The post From Drought to Dreams: How Dadu Salgar Brewed a 500-Outlet Tea Empire appeared first on Business of Food.

In his new role, Swaroop will spearhead Instamart’s business strategy, commercial growth, and expansion initiatives, playing a key role in shaping the next phase of the company’s growth journey. His appointment underscores Instamart’s commitment to building a seasoned leadership team capable of navigating the rapidly changing dynamics of India’s quick commerce ecosystem.

Swaroop brings with him more than two decades of diverse leadership experience across some of the world’s most respected organisations. Most recently, he led OYO’s International Hotels & Homes business as Chief Executive Officer, where he was instrumental in driving global expansion and business transformation. Prior to OYO, he held senior leadership positions at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and began his professional journey at McKinsey & Company, building deep expertise across strategy, operations, and business growth.

With a proven track record of scaling businesses and leading transformative growth across industries, Gautam Swaroop’s appointment is expected to further strengthen Instamart’s ambitions as it continues to redefine convenience and accelerate its footprint in India’s highly competitive quick commerce landscape.

The post Instamart Brings Onboard Gautam Swaroop as Chief Business Officer appeared first on Business of Food.

The café chain has continued its aggressive push into high-potential, underserved markets, expanding its footprint to 45 cities across 12 states as of June 2026. With this momentum, NBC remains firmly on course to achieve its ambitious target of operating more than 170 outlets across India by the end of FY 2026-27.

For FY 2025-26, NBC’s revenue climbed to Rs. 90 crore from Rs. 59 crore in the previous fiscal, registering a robust CAGR of 52.5%.The growth has been backed by a disciplined expansion strategy focused on strong unit economics, with the brand increasing its network from 86 outlets in FY 2024-25 to 109 outlets in FY 2025-26, reflecting a CAGR of 26.74%.

As India’s café culture increasingly shifts beyond metropolitan cities, NBC has established a strong presence in emerging urban centres such as Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Varanasi, Surat, and Ahmedabad. The brand is also witnessing growing demand in Tier 3 cities, particularly around high streets and college hubs, where young consumers are willing to spend between Rs. 150 and Rs. 300 on beverages that deliver a premium café experience without the premium price tag.

Capitalising on evolving consumption habits, NBC has built a menu that resonates with Gen Z and Millennials, for whom iced beverages have become an all-day indulgence rather than a seasonal treat. Its range of cold coffees, iced lattes, flavoured brews, and the brand’s signature thick ‘Shrappe’ have become standout favourites. Alongside, flavored brews also drive massive volumes, helping NBC strengthen customer loyalty while accelerating its rapid expansion across India’s emerging café markets.

“Our robust growth is a powerful testament to our brand’s resonance and sharp focus on scalable, unit- economics-driven expansion across Bharat. For Gen Z in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, coffee is no longer just a functional beverage; it is an accessible lifestyle choice and a statement of identity. By pairing a refined, premium café aesthetic with disruptive value propositions like our Super Coffee Pass, we are not just opening outlets, we are building the default social hubs for India’s next generation,” said Ankesh Jain, Co-founder of Nothing Before Coffee.

With the Super Coffee Pass, Nothing Before Coffee is doing more than offering an affordable caffeine fix. It is redefining India’s café consumption habits and changing the core of beverage choices amongst consumers. By making premium coffee accessible at an everyday price point while driving consistent customer engagement, NBC has created a win-win model for both consumers and the business. As the brand continues its rapid expansion across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, initiatives like the Super Coffee Pass reinforce its ambition to make quality café experiences a daily ritual for millions of Indians, setting a new benchmark for value-driven growth in the country’s evolving QSR coffee landscape.

The post Gen Z Favourite Nothing Before Coffee Touches Rs. 90 Crore Revenue, Fuels Rapid Expansion appeared first on Business of Food.

He brings extensive leadership experience in finance across the retail and food and beverage sectors. Before joining Starbucks India, he was Brand CFO at Reliance Brands Limited and Head of Finance at Tim Hortons India, where he played a significant role in steering financial strategy and business performance. He has also held leadership positions at Essar Group, further strengthening his expertise in financial management and business transformation.

Over the course of his career, Gattani has built a strong track record in financial strategy, business partnering, operational excellence, and transformation. His experience in driving business performance and implementing finance-led growth initiatives positions him well to support Starbucks India’s next phase of expansion and operational excellence.

The leadership elevation comes as Starbucks India continues to strengthen its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. With Gattani leading the finance function, the company is expected to further enhance financial discipline, improve governance frameworks, and support sustainable growth while advancing its long-term business strategy in the country.

The post Starbucks India Elevates Rahul Gattani as Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Business of Food.

Most airport stories revolve around aircraft, passenger traffic and connectivity. For the organised foodservice industry, however, the more important story starts after passengers leave the terminal. Around the airport, an entirely new urban ecosystem is taking shape—one that could eventually support cafés, quick-service restaurants, food courts, destination dining, hotel restaurants, cloud kitchens and drive-thrus on a scale rarely seen in a greenfield development.

The Airport Is Only the Beginning

Across the world, successful airports have evolved into far more than transport hubs. They have become magnets for investment, attracting hotels, convention centres, corporate offices, logistics parks, retail developments and residential communities. Foodservice is invariably one of the earliest beneficiaries because every new business, hotel or neighbourhood creates fresh dining occasions.

Noida International Airport appears to be following the same trajectory.

While the airport itself is designed to serve millions of passengers, the larger opportunity lies in the 5,100-hectare Aerotropolis planned by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). As commercial districts, hospitality projects and urban infrastructure gradually emerge, the airport will evolve from a point of transit into the centre of a new consumption economy.

For restaurant operators, that distinction changes everything. Instead of evaluating the airport as a standalone location, they must begin looking at it as the anchor of an expanding metropolitan market.

Two Food Economies, One Airport

Every airport creates a captive dining market inside its terminals, but the world’s most successful airport cities generate a second, much larger food economy outside their boundaries.

The first is driven by travellers. It rewards brands that deliver speed, familiarity and operational efficiency within highly regulated environments. Compact kitchens, standardised menus and rapid service are essential because passengers value convenience above almost everything else.

The second economy grows more gradually but ultimately becomes far more significant. Hotels create breakfast, banqueting and all-day dining demand. Office districts generate weekday consumption. Residential neighbourhoods produce repeat local business, while logistics parks and entertainment venues keep foodservice active well beyond traditional meal periods. Together, these diverse demand drivers transform airport retail into a full-fledged urban food ecosystem.

It is this second economy—not the terminal itself—that deserves the closest attention from the foodservice industry.

A Carefully Curated Beginning

The airport’s initial foodservice mix offers important clues about the commercial strategy being adopted.

Rather than filling every available space, the airport has opted for a carefully curated portfolio managed by specialist concessionaires. Travel Food Services (TFS) and HMSHost India (Avolta) oversee the terminal’s food and beverage programme, while TajSATS is establishing a 40,000 sq. ft. in-flight kitchen to support airline catering, airport lounges and selected food operations.

The choice of brands reflects the changing preferences of today’s travellers. Global QSRs sit alongside premium coffee, Indian tea specialists and grab-and-go concepts, creating a balanced portfolio designed around convenience, consistency and throughput rather than sheer variety. It is a strategy increasingly adopted by leading international airports, where operational efficiency is considered as important as culinary choice.

For established foodservice companies, these early openings are significant not merely because they occupy premium airport locations, but because they signal the beginning of a much broader commercial ecosystem.

Looking Beyond the Terminal

Winning an airport concession has traditionally been regarded as the ultimate milestone for restaurant brands. At Noida International Airport, it may prove to be only the first step.

As hotels, commercial districts, logistics hubs and residential communities emerge around the airport, the opportunities for organised foodservice are likely to multiply far beyond the terminal itself. The brands that establish an early presence across this evolving ecosystem—rather than focusing solely on airport retail—could ultimately be the ones that shape North India’s next major foodservice destination.

THE REAL PRIZE LIES BEYOND THE RUNWAY

The first wave of foodservice investment at Noida International Airport is already visible inside the terminal. The second—and potentially far larger—wave will be determined by what happens outside it.

Unlike conventional airports that function largely as transport hubs, Noida International Airport has been conceived as the centrepiece of an integrated Aerotropolis. As hotels, office districts, logistics parks, retail developments, educational institutions and residential communities emerge over the coming years, each will create its own foodservice demand. Collectively, they will transform the airport from a passenger destination into a year-round consumption ecosystem.

For organised foodservice, that distinction is fundamental. Passenger numbers may trigger the opportunity, but they will not define its long-term scale.

Why the Aerotropolis Changes the Rules

Airport terminals are designed for operational efficiency. Every square foot is carefully planned, security protocols are stringent and restaurant formats are optimised for speed and throughput. Outside the terminal, the rules change completely.

The Aerotropolis offers space to build destination restaurants, signature cafés, entertainment-led food courts, neighbourhood dining hubs, hotel restaurants, drive-thrus and even central production kitchens. Unlike airport concessions, which operate within fixed commercial parameters, these developments allow brands to create long-term assets and stronger customer relationships.

More importantly, they generate recurring business. A traveller may pass through an airport once every few months, but an office employee buys coffee every morning, a hotel hosts conferences every week and a residential community creates demand every day. That recurring demand is what turns airport-led development into a sustainable food economy.

A Market That Grows with the City

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Yamuna Expressway corridor is that the foodservice market will expand alongside urban development. Every new hotel increases breakfast and banqueting demand. Every office tower creates opportunities for cafés, quick-service restaurants and food courts. Residential neighbourhoods support neighbourhood dining, while convention centres and entertainment venues generate premium dining occasions.

This creates a diversified customer base that extends well beyond airline passengers. Instead of depending on a single source of demand, foodservice operators will be able to serve travellers, business visitors, airport employees, logistics professionals, office workers, local residents and expressway commuters—all within the same geographic corridor.

That diversity is one of the defining characteristics of successful airport cities around the world.

Who Stands to Benefit Most?

Coffee chains are likely to be among the earliest beneficiaries because they naturally serve multiple customer segments throughout the day. Quick-service restaurants will continue to thrive on speed, familiarity and operational consistency, while food courts are expected to become anchors of future mixed-use developments.

Hotels will expand opportunities for premium dining and banqueting, while drive-thrus along the Yamuna Expressway can cater to increasing inter-city traffic. At the same time, cloud kitchens and central commissaries will have an opportunity to build efficient supply networks serving airport outlets, hotels and nearby commercial developments from shared production facilities.

For shopping centre developers, the implications are equally significant. Foodservice is increasingly becoming the primary reason consumers visit retail destinations. Around the Aerotropolis, restaurants, cafés and entertainment-led dining precincts are likely to become destination anchors that enhance footfall, extend dwell time and strengthen the commercial viability of mixed-use projects.

The First Movers Will Shape the Market

One lesson is common to every successful airport city—from Amsterdam and Singapore to Dubai and Delhi Aerocity. The companies that establish an early presence are often the ones that define the market.

Early entrants secure the best locations, develop supply chains ahead of competitors and build brand familiarity before surrounding development reaches maturity. More importantly, they have the opportunity to grow alongside the city rather than enter after the market becomes crowded.

For foodservice companies, this means thinking beyond a single airport outlet. The stronger strategy may be to build an integrated network comprising airport restaurants, neighbourhood cafés, hotel dining, food courts, drive-thrus and cloud kitchens, creating multiple revenue streams from one rapidly developing region.

A New Foodservice Geography

The significance of Noida International Airport extends far beyond aviation. It represents the emergence of a new geography of consumption where airports, hospitality, commerce and urban development reinforce one another.

Whether the Yamuna Expressway ultimately evolves into North India’s next ₹10,000-crore foodservice corridor will depend on the pace of development across the Aerotropolis. Yet the direction is already evident. The airport has created the catalyst; the surrounding ecosystem will determine the scale.

For foodservice companies, hospitality operators and shopping centre developers, the opportunity is no longer confined to winning space inside an airport terminal. It lies in recognising that an entirely new market is taking shape—one where the greatest rewards may belong not to those who arrive first at the gate, but to those who establish themselves across the airport city before it reaches cruising altitude.

The post AIRPORT CITY, FOOD CITY: Why Noida International Airport Could Create North India’s Next ₹10,000-Crore Foodservice Corridor appeared first on Business of Food.

The company has outlined an ambitious road map to achieve an annual turnover of Rs. 1,500 crore by 2033 while strengthening profitability. Over the next five years, Charcoal Concepts plans to invest in robust systems, supply chain efficiencies, and operational controls to improve EBITDA by 4–6 percentage points, creating a foundation for sustainable growth.

The company’s established portfolio, which includes Copper Chimney, Bombay Brasserie, Bombay Borough, and Wagamama, has delivered consistent performance in recent years. According to the company, revenues have grown by 12–14% annually over the past three years alongside improving EBITDA, supported by its multi-brand strategy and diversified cuisine offerings.

Rohan Sable, CEO of Charcoal Concepts said, “We have 11 Bombay Brasseries in India and 21 Copper Chimneys in India, with one Copper Chimney in London and two in Kuwait. We have a Bombay Borough in Dubai and in Colombo. The plan is to add 20 restaurants every year, taking us to about 250-plus,” Sable said, adding, “As we speak, we have five projects that are ongoing and four that are in various stages of planning.”

While outlining the company’s multi-brand growth strategy, Sable also highlighted other brands within the portfolio, including Irish House, Joshh, and Nando’s, though these do not fall under his direct leadership. Sable continued to express, “We are doing our first Irish House and Bombay Brasserie combo at Eco World in Bengaluru, and that is going to be the new Bombay Brasserie. We are rethinking it from the ground up.”

Technology is expected to play a central role in this transformation. The company has been investing in AI-powered operational tools such as Amply, which is being used across its restaurants in India, Dubai, Colombo, London, and other international locations. The platform leverages AI-based image recognition to monitor hygiene standards and operational consistency by identifying deviations from predefined benchmarks, helping streamline training and improve execution across outlets. In addition, Charcoal Concepts is exploring energy automation and Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions to further optimise restaurant operations.

Looking ahead, Charcoal Concepts has set aggressive expansion targets. By 2033, it plans to operate more than 100 Copper Chimney restaurants, 75 Wagamama outlets, and 70 Bombay Brasserie locations, while also introducing new brands in high-growth cuisine segments. Overall, the company aims to scale its network to around 250 restaurants globally.

Beyond its existing brands, Charcoal Concepts is preparing to enter new food service categories, including dark kitchens, all-day cafés, patisserie bakeries, and premium South Indian quick-service dining concepts focused on regional Tamil and Telugu cuisines.

With technology-enabled operations, a growing portfolio of established brands, and a clear expansion road map, Charcoal Concepts is positioning itself to become one of India’s largest multi-brand restaurant companies over the coming decade.

The post Charcoal Concepts Charts Aggressive Growth Under New CEO Rohan Sable, Targets Rs. 1,500 Crore Revenue by 2033 appeared first on Business of Food.