Indian café Chaiiwala opens second drive through as it targets 500 locations
Indian street food café Chaiiwala has opened its second drive-through location as it targets 500 locations internationally over the next 10 years.
The 2,000 sq ft restaurant has opened in partnership with EG On The Move at a former KFC and Costa site in Mellor Brook, outside Blackburn.
The new restaurant is Chaiiwala’s 112th location worldwide, and comes after the brand recently opened in Bolton, launching the UK’s first drive-through restaurant that serves Indian street food.
As part of the ongoing partnership, EG On The Move – which recently announced plans to acquire over 120 new sites over the next three years – is set to invest in a further three Chaiiwala drive-through openings by the end of the year.
Last month Chaiiwala also opened its first eatery at London Luton Airport, with plans in place to open more concessions at similar air and land transportation hubs.
Muhummed Ibrahim, chief executive officer at Chaiiwala, said the new 100-seater venue is the largest store development in the current Chaiiwala UK network.
He added: “We are delighted to add another great location to our portfolio especially hot on the heels of opening at London Luton Airport.
“Mellor Brook drive-through is a great site and an excellent location and we are really excited and look forward to welcoming the local community and give them the Chaiiwala brand experience.
“We recognise the great brand equity we are building within the Chaiiwala network, and with the brand consideration and capital investment of strategic franchisee partners, we are excited for our iconic brand to grow stronger with each new opening.”
Junaid Manjra, head of convenience and foodservice at EG On The Move, said: “We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new Chaiiwala drive-through in Mellor Brook.”
“This drive-through marks a significant milestone for us as we continue to expand and bring our unique blend of traditional and contemporary chai culture and desi fusion food to more communities on the roadside”, he added.
Established in 2015 in Leicester, Chaiiwala offers authentic Indian street food with a Western twist. The menu showcases breakfast, lunch, dessert and all-day items with signature products such as karak chaii, caramel chaii, English-ish breakfast, Indian breakfast and masala chips.
Chaiiwala utilises various formats for its stores such as high street locations, small kiosks, and retail park units. The brand is focusing on key growth markets including the USA, Canada, and the Middle East.
