The Mumbai-born sourdough pizza chain has appointed retail veteran Gaurav Sachdeva as Chief Operating Officer at a time when the company is scaling rapidly across India’s urban foodservice landscape.

“43 stores, 12 cities — aiming to take it to 200-plus restaurants in the next few years,” says Sachdeva, summing up the ambition driving the brand’s next phase of growth.

But Si Nonna’s story is not merely about expansion. It is about building an entirely different pizza culture in India.

Beyond Conventional Pizza

Founded in 2022 by Ayush Jatia, Si Nonna’s entered a market long dominated by value-led, delivery-heavy pizza chains. Instead of competing on discounts or speed, the company built its identity around slow fermentation, artisanal preparation and immersive dining experiences.

The brand’s core differentiator lies in its sourdough philosophy.

Its pizzas are crafted using long-fermented dough, inspired by authentic Neapolitan techniques, creating a lighter, airy and flavour-forward crust that stands apart from conventional commercial pizza bases. The company has consistently highlighted craftsmanship, fermentation science and ingredient quality as central to its proposition.

Si Nonna’s also became India’s first pizzeria to receive certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the globally recognised authority that preserves authentic Neapolitan pizza traditions — a milestone that significantly elevated its credibility in premium culinary circles.

Building a Menu Around Craft and Freshness

Unlike mainstream chains that rely heavily on standardised mass-market offerings, Si Nonna’s menu has evolved around artisanal combinations, fresh ingredients and elevated comfort food.

The menu spans:

• Classic Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas
• Burrata-based pizzas
• Truffle-infused variants
• Fresh mozzarella and ricotta-led combinations
• Roasted vegetable toppings
• Pepperoni and gourmet meat selections
• Handcrafted appetisers and sides
• Desserts inspired by Italian café culture
• Specialty beverages and coffee pairings

The company has also built strong appeal through its open kitchens, visible dough preparation and wood-fired cooking processes that turn pizza-making into a theatre-led dining experience.

In many ways, Si Nonna’s operates closer to a modern lifestyle café than a traditional QSR chain.

Its outlets are designed to encourage community engagement, long-format dining and social sharing — a strategy that resonates strongly with younger urban consumers seeking experiential food brands rather than transactional eating occasions.

Dine-In Energy with Digital Reach

While dine-in remains central to the Si Nonna’s experience, the brand has simultaneously leveraged digital platforms to expand accessibility.

The company is available across major food delivery platforms including Swiggy and Zomato, allowing it to participate in India’s rapidly growing premium delivery economy without diluting its experiential positioning.

This hybrid strategy — combining artisanal dine-in culture with digital convenience — has helped the company scale faster across markets.

The brand now operates across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore and several other cities, largely focusing on premium malls, high-street destinations and affluent urban catchments.

Why the Brand Is Scaling Fast

Si Nonna’s rise reflects larger shifts underway in India’s foodservice industry.

Urban consumers today are increasingly willing to pay more for:

• Authenticity
• Ingredient quality
• Better fermentation and healthier formats
• Open kitchens and transparency
• Instagram-worthy dining spaces
• Global culinary storytelling
• Community-led food experiences

The premium pizza segment, especially sourdough and artisanal formats, is emerging as one of the fastest-growing sub-categories within organised foodservice.

Si Nonna’s has managed to position itself at the intersection of premium dining, café culture and modern lifestyle consumption.

Its rapid expansion from a single Mumbai outlet to 43 stores across 12 cities in a short span underlines the growing consumer appetite for differentiated food brands.

Enter Gaurav Sachdeva

As Si Nonna’s prepares for its next expansion phase, the company has brought in a leader with deep experience in scaling consumer-facing businesses.

Sachdeva joins after serving as Chief Retail Officer at BlueStone and brings over two decades of experience across Bestseller India, Puma, Hero Cycles, VF Corporation and Genpact.

Originally from Shimla, he often speaks about resilience as a defining influence in his life.

“Hailing from Shimla, my school was a 4 km uphill walk every day. I did that for 12 years and resilience is my biggest gain from there,” he says.

An alumnus of Pearl Academy of Fashion, LDT Nagold and INSEAD, Sachdeva believes strongly in people-led leadership and brand-building.

“At work my biggest kick is when someone I worked with gets promoted to the next level. At home the same kick comes when someone loves what I cook,” he says.

That blend of operational scale, consumer understanding and passion for experience-driven brands could prove critical as Si Nonna’s attempts to transform from a fast-growing premium pizza chain into one of India’s defining modern foodservice brands.

The post Si Nonna’s: Crafting India’s Sourdough Pizza Movement as Gaurav Sachdeva Joins Growth Journey appeared first on Business of Food.

Built on the everyday appeal of Indo-Chinese cuisine, Lenexis has quietly assembled one of the most formidable homegrown QSR platforms in the country. Its flagship Chinese Wok, alongside The Momo Co. and Big Bowl, taps into a rare sweet spot—high-frequency consumption, strong delivery demand, and deep cultural familiarity. What began as Wok Express in 2015 has now evolved into a multi-brand engine serving millions of customers across metros and emerging cities.

At the heart of the company’s next chapter is a sharply defined ambition: to build a ₹1,500+ crore business with 600+ restaurants by March 2028. This is not incremental growth—it is a scale leap that demands operational muscle, capital efficiency, and brand consistency across geographies.

Lenexis’ rise is rooted in its ability to formalise what has long been an unorganised category. Indo-Chinese food—arguably India’s most ubiquitous “outside food”—has traditionally been fragmented across local eateries. By standardising taste, ensuring hygiene, and delivering affordability at scale, Chinese Wok has effectively institutionalised a street-born cuisine into a national QSR format.

The brand’s footprint— 260+ restaurants across 50+ cities—already places it ahead of most organised players in this niche. But the real opportunity lies beyond metros, where rising disposable incomes and delivery penetration are expanding the addressable market at an unprecedented pace.

Arvind R P’s entry brings both depth and range. An MBA in Marketing from Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchirapalli, with a foundation in Statistics from Delhi University, he combines analytical rigor with consumer-centric thinking. His executive education includes programs at Kellogg School of Management (advanced marketing and data analytics), Hamburger University, Chicago (enterprise leadership), and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, reflecting a strong grounding in modern marketing science and organisational transformation.

Across a career spanning over 25 years, Arvind has built a reputation for turning brands into growth engines:

• At McDonald’s India (South & West), he drove marketing, digital commerce and category innovation while owning revenue and margin outcomes—helping deepen the brand’s integration with delivery platforms and younger consumers.
• At Kaya, he led a significant brand repositioning while building omnichannel capabilities and scaling a new products business.
• At Levi Strauss & Co., he spearheaded a brand relaunch and retail identity transformation, earning a Global CEO Award (2013) for a successful new brand launch.
• Earlier roles at Britannia and TVS Motor saw him work across product strategy, market entry (including Indonesia), and consumer insights—laying the foundation for his cross-category expertise.

This blend of brand-building, digital acceleration, and P&L ownership aligns closely with what Lenexis now requires: scaling fast, but with precision.

What makes Lenexis particularly interesting is its portfolio approach. Instead of betting on a single format, it has created multiple consumption occasions:

• Chinese Wok for core meals
• The Momo Co. for snackable, impulse consumption
• Big Bowl for convenient, bundled formats

This layered strategy allows the company to maximise kitchen utilisation, optimise delivery economics, and cross-leverage real estate, especially in cloud and hybrid store formats.

Lenexis Foodworks: Growth Blueprint at a Glance

The timing of this expansion is significant. India’s foodservices market is being reshaped by three powerful forces:

• Delivery-first consumption becoming the default, not an add-on
• Premiumisation at the top, value expansion at the bottom
• Organised players capturing share from unorganised incumbents

Lenexis sits squarely at the intersection of these trends—offering value-driven meals while leveraging aggregator platforms and digital ordering to scale rapidly.

As the company steps into its next phase, a few priorities will define the trajectory:

• Standardising supply chains across an expanding national footprint
• Balancing franchise-led expansion with operational control
• Driving throughput and speed in kitchens to protect margins
• Strengthening brand recall beyond metros into emerging cities
• Leveraging data and CRM to build repeat consumption, not just trial

The larger question is not whether Lenexis can grow—it already has. The real test is whether it can scale without dilution: of taste, of experience, and of economics.

With a clear target, a differentiated category position, and leadership that blends analytical depth with brand instinct, Lenexis Foodworks is now stepping into a far more demanding arena—one where execution, not intent, will determine whether it becomes India’s defining Indo-Chinese QSR powerhouse.

The post Arvind R P Joins as CEO Lenexis Foodworks; Charts ₹1,500 Crore, 600-Store Hyper-Growth Path appeared first on Business of Food.

This new launch marks the vegetarian brand’s third outlet in Gurugram, emphasizing its expanding footprint across Delhi–NCR and advancing its mission to deliver high-quality, street-style cuisine to food enthusiasts nationwide.

The new outlet is centrally located in Sapphire 83 Mall in Sector 83, Gurugram.  The new menu strives to cater to the bustling local population by offering SGF’s signature dishes such as Afghani, Achari, and Tandoori Soya Chaap, as well as a variety of North Indian dishes and innovative fusion snacks. 

SGF continues to remain a popular choice for vegetarians and street food fans due to its hygienic cooking, robust tastes, and affordable costs.

Speaking on the launch, Kewal Ahuja, Founder and Director, SGF India, said, “We are really excited to launch our third outlet in Gurugram at Sapphire 83 Mall. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing expansion journey. Our aim has always been to offer tasty, hygienic, and budget-friendly vegetarian meals that blend traditional recipes with modern convenience. Sector 83 is a vibrant and rapidly growing area, and we’re eager to serve the community with our delicious, soul-satisfying menu.”

The outlet is now open for dine-in and takeaway, with food delivery services to be launched shortly through leading platforms. SGF India invites Gurugram’s food lovers to visit the new outlet and experience the flavours that have made it one of the country’s most loved vegetarian brands.

Outlet Address:
SGF India – Sapphire 83 Mall
Ground Floor, Sector 83, Gurugram, Haryana

About SGF India

• Founded in 2012, Spice Grill Flame (SGF) has emerged as a prominent name in the culinary landscape, celebrating a decade of excellence in 2022.
• Specializing in tangy, spicy, and fiery 100% vegetarian cuisine, with a particular focus on vegan offerings, SGF stands as a haven for those seeking flavourful plant-based dishes.
• From its humble beginnings with just two outlets, SGF has blossomed into a network of over 100+ kitchens with 75+ outlets in 20+ cities across India.

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The coffee chain operates in the country under Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd (TSPL) — a 50:50 joint venture between TCPL and global coffee giant Starbucks. The revenue uptick is attributed to an increase in store count, with TSPL adding a net 58 new outlets and entering 19 new cities during the fiscal year. As of March 2025, Tata Starbucks operates 479 stores across 80 Indian cities, making it the largest organised café chain in India by store count.

Despite its growing footprint, the company faced profitability challenges due to broader softness in the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector. “Sales growth was subdued due to muted demand across the QSR space, though a recovery was observed in the second half of the year,” the annual report noted.

For context, the company had opened 95 new stores in FY24, compared to 58 in FY25, suggesting a more measured expansion strategy in the past year.

Looking ahead, Tata Starbucks remains focused on aggressive expansion with a long-term vision of operating 1,000 stores, particularly by tapping into tier 2 and tier 3 markets. The brand continues to build on its “Third Place” positioning—offering customers welcoming spaces to relax, work, or connect.

Commenting on the macro environment, TCPL Chairman N Chandrasekaran said India’s long-term growth prospects remain strong, driven by favorable demographics, structural reforms, and a stable near-term economic outlook marked by easing inflation and supportive monetary policy.

The post Tata Starbucks Expands to 479 Stores Across 80 Cities, Eyes 1,000 Outlets Despite Rising Losses appeared first on Business of Food.

The infusion of funds saw Alteria Capital’s Fund II and Fund III contributing INR 30 crore and INR 35 crore respectively, both orchestrated through Orbis Trusteeship. InnoVen Capital India Fund poured INR 45 crore into the debt round via Vistra ITCL.

This funding round comes on the heels of Rebel Foods’ previous debt financing endeavors. In April 2023, the company secured INR 75 crore ($9.1 million) from Northern Arc and Stride Ventures. Before that, in 2022, it secured INR 55 crore ($6.6 Million) in debt financing from InnoVen Capital and Trifecta Capital.

Founded in 2011 by Kallol Banerjee and Jaydeep Barman, Rebel Foods is the home to renowned Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains including Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, Mandarin Oak, The Good Bowl, and SLAY Coffee. Its operational footprint spans more than 450 kitchens scattered across 80 cities.

In addition to its stronghold in India, Rebel Foods’ brands have made significant strides in international markets such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and the UK.

In a bid to bolster its direct-to-consumer (D2C) offerings nationwide, Rebel Foods recently joined the open network for digital commerce (ONDC).

Despite registering an operating revenue of INR 1,195.2 crore in FY23, signaling a robust 39% year-on-year (YoY) growth, the company witnessed a widening of losses by 23% YoY, totaling INR 656.5 crore in the same fiscal year.

Undertaking an organizational restructuring initiative, Rebel Foods trimmed its workforce by approximately 2% in early 2023.

The post Rebel Foods Secures INR 110 crore Debt Financing Amid Expansion Drive appeared first on Business of Food.

Sushant will continue to contribute towards the growth and development of the rapidly expanding Indian coffee brand. Rajat Luthra, former CEO of KFC- India & Nepal, will assume the position of CEO bringing in his extensive experience to lead Third Wave Coffee into its next phase of success.

Commenting on this development, Sushant Goel, Co-founder & CEO, Third Wave Coffee, said, “As CEO and Co-founder, I have had the privilege of leading the company through its formative years and I am incredibly proud of the journey that we have embarked on. The brand is ready to embark on its next leg of growth. Now, as I transition to the Board, I am excited to continue contributing towards our vision and growth from a different vantage point. Rajat is a veteran in the QSR industry, and I am filled with optimism about what the future holds for Third Wave Coffee under his stewardship.”

Third Wave Coffee has been growing rapidly since 2016, from being a roastery with a single store in Koramangala to currently having over 100 stores across 8 cities in the country. In a short period, the company has become one of the leading coffee brands in India, directly competing with global players in the coffee space. Recently, the company has raised US$ 35 million in Series C funding from Creaegis and existing investor WestBridge Capital.

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In the video, a woman visiting a Wow! Momo outlet encountered a challenge when her cab was unexpectedly canceled, leaving her stranded late at night. However, the dedicated Wow team member not only illuminated the outlet to assist her but also ensured her safe journey home, highlighting the unwavering commitment and service of the Wow team to support independent women.

Crafted by Wow Momo’s in-house creative team, the film delivers a powerful message, affirming that women’s aspirations transcend societal norms, and their dreams are boundless.

The Kolkata-based QSR was started by classmates Sagar Daryani and Binod Homagai in August 2008. The basic idea was to create an experience that would leave their customers with only one word – WOW! Today Wow! Momo has over 300 outlets across 17 cities.

After successfully building the brand Wow! Momo, the duo launched a second brand, Wow! China with the vision to redefine ‘Chindian’ cuisine across the country.

The post Wow! Momo Unveils Empowering Women’s Day Video appeared first on Business of Food.

As these women graduate and step into the corporate world, the brand celebrated this significant milestone with them under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’. The event began with women graduates sharing their inspiring journeys towards achieving financial independence and supporting their families. Esteemed guests, including Aashti Bhartia, Non-Executive Director, Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd  & Executive Director of Ogaan, attended the event alongside senior leaders of JFL, including Avinash Kant Kumar, Deepti Gupta, Chitrank Goel, Narrottam Sharma, Rahul Bharde, and Somnath Das. The guests felicitated these women graduates, witnessing their spirits lifted and happiness.

The post Jubilant FoodWorks Empowers Women from Underprivileged Communities, Promotes Inclusion in QSR Industry appeared first on Business of Food.

Founded in 1986, by Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham in London, Pret opened its first outlet in India in April 2023 – 2,567 sq. ft. in size – at Maker Maxity, Bandra Kurla Complex, in Mumbai. In the same month, Pret opened its second outlet in Mumbai at Phoenix Palladium Mall.

In January 2024, the chain partnered with food-tech delivery platform Swiggy to grow its presence in Mumbai and Delhi. 

Pret’s mission is to serve freshly made food and organic coffee, while also trying to do the right thing. Under The Pret Foundation, which was founded in 1996, the brand donates all its unsold food to food rescue partners at the end of every day. 

The chain has a Coffee Fund as well, which supports the next generation of farmers. Since 2014 the Coffee Fund has supported 364 young farmers to develop their skills, with 39% of participants adopting sustainable, climate resilient agricultural practices on their smallholdings and 75% believing they had grown as leaders through their experience in the programme.

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In the nine months to December 2023, their income was Rs. 40,096 million, up by 4.3%. They added 144 new stores, surpassing 2,000 stores in India. Gross profit reached Rs. 30,618 million with a margin of 76.4%. EBITDA was Rs. 8,398 million, and after-tax profit was Rs. 2,083 million.

For Q3 FY 2023-24, their revenue was Rs. 13,551 million, a 2.9% increase. Dominos’ delivery sales rose by 6.2%, with mature store daily sales at Rs. 80,111. Despite positive delivery performance, overall sales dropped by -2.9%, influenced by reduced dine-in.

Strategic initiatives like Project Vijay and cost control boosted profits. Q3 gross profit was Rs. 10,387 million with a margin of 76.7%. EBITDA was Rs. 2,827 million, and after-tax profit was Rs. 610 million with a margin of 4.5%.

Shyam S. Bhartia, Chairman and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-Chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, said, “Sustained delivery growth, highest ticket in nine quarters without a price increase since last six quarters, adept cost optimization making way for investments behind category development, and the accelerated expansion of Popeyes as an additional growth driver were the distinctive highlights from our quarter. The commissioning of Jubilant Food Park Bangalore significantly elevates our operational capabilities, in-house integration with ONDC demonstrates our digital prowess and acquisition of majority stake in DP Eurasia unlocks a renewed, profitable growth trajectory.”

Sameer Khetarpal, CEO and MD, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, said, “A series of proactive, strategic decisions being taken on a continual basis is helping us navigate the muted demand environment well. The successful creation of a dedicated spending pool via Project Vijay for pizza category development, sharpening our on-ground executional capabilities, accelerated expansion of Popeyes network, and the continual reinforcement of our competitive strengths in delivery, technology, and supply chain are all key elements that will reignite the growth engine for our India business. The accretive DP Eurasia acquisition marks a new chapter of utilizing our Domino’s experience to aid their business and also in the process create additional value for our shareholders.”

With the addition of 40 new stores and entry in 10 new cities, Domino’s India expanded its network strength to 1,928 stores across 407 cities. The company stepped up the pace of network expansion in Popeyes with the opening of 10 new restaurants and entry in four new cities – Mysore, Mangalore, Cuddalore and Mohali – taking the network tally to 32 restaurants across 10 cities. In Hong’s Kitchen, four new stores and entry in one new city enhanced the network to 22 stores across four cities. In Dunkin’, four new stores were opened with entry in Lucknow, thereby serving Dunkin through 25 store across eights cities.

The enrolment to loyalty program – Domino’s Cheesy Rewards – reached 21.5 million and the loyalty order contribution crossed 53% in December. Consumer engagement remained healthy with quarterly app downloads at 9.1 million and MAU(App) came in at 10.5 million.

Incorporated in 1995, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited is part of the Jubilant Bhartia Group. The Company holds the exclusive master franchise rights from Domino’s Pizza Inc. to develop and operate the Domino’s Pizza brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. In India, it has a strong and extensive network of 1,928 Domino’s stores across 407 cities. The Company also has exclusive rights to develop and operate Popeyes restaurants in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and Dunkin’ restaurants in India. The Company currently operates 32 Popeyes restaurants in 10 cities and 25 Dunkin’ restaurants across eight cities. ‘Hong’s Kitchen’ is the first owned-restaurant brand of the Company operating in the Chinese cuisine segment which now has 22 restaurants across four cities.

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