Rajan Sethi, Managing Director of Bright Hospitality, on consumer trends, regional cuisines, and the group’s ambitious expansion plans in India and overseas
Q: Bright Hospitality manages a diverse portfolio. How have the brands performed over the past year? Which ones stood out most strongly?
Our portfolio covers different verticals. We have The GT Road (three outlets across Delhi, Chandigarh, Indore), AMPM in Gurgaon and Kolkata, IKK Panjab with five outlets now, and OMO – a women-led, vegetarian, farm-to-fork restaurant launched in 2022. Our newest concept is Espressos Anyday – a coffee shop-meets-sandwich bar that has taken off exceptionally well.
Each brand performs in its own segment. GT Road caters to large families and corporates; AMPM is premium and cocktail-led; IKK Panjab is experiential and rooted in Punjabi culture. OMO is progressive and ethical, sourcing only from Indian farmers. Espressos Anyday has been a breakout success – we opened NCR’s first matcha bar and sando shop, and today the concept is booming across the region.
Q: How have consumer preferences in dining evolved, and how has Bright adapted?
I see restaurants today as part of the entertainment business. Fifteen years ago, dining out was about eating together – food was functional. Then came chef-led concepts and cocktail bars where consumers cared about the product. Today, the trend is storytelling. People don’t just want a meal; they want a concept with soul. At IKK Panjab, everything links to the cultural roots of both Indian and Pakistani Punjab. At OMO, we tell stories of Indian produce – from Nagaland avocados to Kerala chocolate. Consumers want narrative-driven experiences. They want to be entertained when they step out.
Q: Post-COVID, cafés and casual dining have surged. How do you see this shift?
COVID gave a massive push to IT adoption, and that led to the hybrid and work-from-café culture. Working from home doesn’t always mean literally working from home – it often means working from your local café. That’s why cafés have boomed. At the same time, the ‘fear of missing out’ culture driven by Instagram has changed consumer behaviour. People want to be seen at trending spots, but they’ll only return if the product and service are strong.
Q: Looking back at the past year, which brands were your strongest performers?
Espressos Anyday has been the big surprise – a moderately priced café serving Japanese- and Korean-inspired food such as sandos and matcha. We were early movers in this category, and it has worked brilliantly.
At the other end, IKK Panjab has revived fine-dining in regional Indian cuisine. In just eight months, we opened four outlets. For years, the industry chased Pan-Asian or European concepts, but there was a gap in authentic Punjabi food. Corporates love it as “soul food” and as a way to showcase Indian cuisine to global colleagues. Regional food is the next big wave, and we’re glad to have taken a lead.
Q: What’s next on the expansion roadmap for Bright Hospitality?
Domestically, we’re opening more AMPM, Espressos Anyday, and OMO outlets. Internationally, IKK Panjab is our big bet – with plans for the UK, US, Singapore, and Dubai. We’re also launching two speakeasy bars – one standalone in Delhi, and one within Espressos Anyday. And yes, we’re considering Lucknow too – it’s a city with a growing coffee culture that we cannot ignore.
Q: Many players talk about experiential dining, sustainability, and digital engagement. What is Bright’s approach?
Trends change too fast to chase. Instead, we prefer to be trendsetters. Espressos Anyday was NCR’s first matcha bar. OMO is India’s only all-vegetarian, India-sourced café. Recently, our OMO team travelled to Ladakh to curate an edition menu from local produce. Before that, we did Nagaland and Kashmir. No other restaurant is doing this. We don’t follow trends – we create them.
