Chatpata affair spices up GCC with six dubai stores by March 2025

MUMBAI: Some flavours don’t just travel, they take off at full speed. And India’s fast-growing vegetarian QSR chain The Chatpata Affair seems to be doing exactly that as it maps out an ambitious GCC expansion, beginning with six new outlets across Dubai by March 2025.

Riding a surge of global curiosity for modern Indian vegetarian cuisine especially in Middle Eastern markets where youthful demographics are reshaping food culture, the brand is stepping into one of its boldest growth phases yet.

Back home, The Chatpata Affair has already crossed 100 outlets, opening four stores last week and gearing up to open four more this week. Chennai and Bengaluru alone are set to welcome 20 fresh outlets over the next few months. Its steady rise is backed by strong financials, the brand has clocked a 20 per cent year-on-year growth, with an annualised revenue of Rs40 crore across India and international markets.

Encouraged by the performance of its first Dubai outlet, the company is rolling out multiple formats tailored for GCC consumers kiosks in malls, quick-stop counters in transit hubs, compact stores in corporate zones, and community-friendly outlets in residential districts. The goal: make quick, flavour-forward Indian vegetarian street food accessible wherever people move.

To fuel its UAE expansion, the company is currently raising Rs10 crore (USD 1.2 million) and is inviting master franchise partners, mall operators, petrol station chains, area developers and investment groups across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

“Our first Dubai outlet proved that modern Indian vegetarian cuisine has a global audience,” said The Chatpata Affair founder Shiju Pappen. “We are now scaling rapidly across the GCC with asset-light formats, a strong supply chain and a concept that adapts beautifully to local tastes.”

Looking ahead to its 2028–2029 vision, the company aims to build a multi-country Middle East presence and cement itself as one of the region’s leading fast-casual vegetarian brands, one chatpata bite at a time.

With expansion plans simmering across continents, The Chatpata Affair is no longer just a street-food brand, it’s becoming India’s next global flavour export.