Aditya Birla Group acquires KA Hospitality; adds Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Nara Thai, CinCin restaurants to portfolio

Kumar Mangalam Birla-helmed Aditya Birla Group announced on Tuesday that it has acquired a 100 per cent stake in Kishor Bajaj-founded KA Hospitality. With it, the group’s hospitality arm Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality has added four restaurant brands, Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Nara Thai and CinCin to its portfolio. 

KA Hospitality owns the home-grown brand CinCin and has the franchise rights to the other three global restaurant brands. The four restaurants cater to a wide segment of customers, from mid-market to premium. 

Hakkasan has a Michelin star to its name for the scrumptious Cantonese food it offers. Yauatcha is an award-winning dim sum teahouse from London. Nara Thai is known for its authentic Thai fare on offer, and CinCin Italian menu reflects the Italian ‘La Dolce Vita’ lifestyle. 

Aryaman Vikram Birla, Director at Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited and Founder, ABNAH that there is remarkable potential in the casual dining space that has been spurred by rising disposable income and evolving lifestyles. “The intersection of growing affluence and the desire for new-age, high-quality dining experiences presents an incredible growth opportunity,” he added. 

Birla said that they aim to create an unmatched portfolio of food and beverage brands within the country. He added that each of the four brands is unique. “Dynamism is the lifeblood of the food industry, and our plan is to broaden the reach of these brands and take these distinctive dining experiences to other cities across India,” said Aryaman Birla. 

KA Hospitality, founded by Kishor Bajaj in 2011, introduced Hakkasan and Yauatcha to Mumbai, with a vision that India was ready for Michelin-grade dining. Karyna Bajaj took over KA Hospitality in 2016, and subsequently brought in Nara Thai and created CinCin. 

Karyna Bajaj said, "Over the span of 12 years, we have nurtured our family business with unwavering commitment. We have built KA Hospitality from its very foundation, driven by passion into a formidable establishment renowned for crafting exceptional dining experiences. It is with great pride that we now pass the baton to ABNAH, to uphold and elevate the legacy of KA Hospitality as its future custodians.” 

Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality also operates Jolie’s a members-only club. The company is aiming to build premium casual dining restaurant chains across the country. With this acquisition, ABNAH has added seven restaurants to its portfolio across three cities.

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