Indian street food and café favourite Chaiiwala is gearing up for another major growth phase, with plans to open more than 20 new UK stores next year while also making its long-awaited debut in the United States.
The brand – now operating around 130 locations worldwide – expects to open eight additional sites before the end of this year. Expansion in 2025 will be driven by a focus on drive-thru, travel hub, and Retail Park developments as the company looks to make its offering even more accessible.
Chief financial officer Abdul Piranie, who joined the business five years ago when it had just 25 stores, said the company is entering its “second major growth spurt”.
He explained: “There’s still a lot of untouched territory across the UK. We’re aiming for 20-plus new openings next year, with further growth planned in the years ahead. It’s about doing it the right way, growing responsibly and ensuring our franchisees are supported.”
Chaiiwala’s ambition remains bold, with a long-term goal of reaching 500 UK sites and potentially double that number in the US, building on its 23 stores in Canada and three in the UAE.
Piranie confirmed that the brand is finalising plans to enter the US market, targeting a launch on the East Coast in early 2025.
He said: “We’re being very meticulous about how we enter the US. We know what we want to achieve, and the roadmap is clear.
Canada continues to be a strong and exciting market for us too, but our focus remains on sustainable growth in the UK and North America.”
In recent years, Chaiiwala has become the first Indian street food brand to successfully expand into drive-thrus, airports, and motorway service areas, paving the way for even more diverse site formats.
Piranie added: “Our site at Luton Airport has been a phenomenal success. Operating at an airport brings unique challenges – staff have to pass security every day – but we’ve shown the concept works.
Following that, Birmingham Airport came next, and now we’re in discussions with other airports in the UK and abroad.”
The company is also exploring travel hub and container-style concepts, such as its new partnership with Roadchef at Watford Gap, which has been “very well received”. Conversations are also underway regarding railway station opportunities.
Piranie said: “Drive-thrus and retail parks give us new ways to introduce Chaiiwala to audiences beyond our traditional base. We’ve got more drive-thru sites in development, although competition for those locations is fierce right now.”
Chaiiwala’s momentum follows another strong financial year, with global system sales rising 35% to £89.4m in 2023, up from £66.4m the previous year. The brand has carried that energy into 2025, with year-to-date system sales already up 16%.
