The partnership will see Kolkata Chai integrated across Bungalow Hospitality’s restaurant portfolio in New York City, underscoring the growing mainstream appeal of South Asian food and beverage brands in the US
Bungalow Hospitality Investments, the newly established venture co-founded by Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna and restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi, has partnered with New York-based beverage brand Kolkata Chai, signalling a new phase in the growing acceptance of South Asian cuisine in the United States.
Founded in 2019 by siblings Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Kolkata Chai Co. was created with the aim of introducing authentic Indian chai to a wider American audience, according to a company statement issued on Saturday.
The company currently operates cafés across New York City and retails an extensive range of chai blends and concentrates through its direct sales channels as well as national retail networks.
As part of the collaboration, Bungalow Hospitality Investments has made a strategic investment in Kolkata Chai. The partnership will also lead to the integration of Kolkata Chai products across Bungalow Hospitality Management’s expanding portfolio of restaurants in New York City.
Beginning this summer, restaurants managed by Bungalow Hospitality, including GupShup and the upcoming Punjab Meet House, will serve Kolkata Chai’s signature masala chai. The collaboration is also expected to result in limited-period menu offerings later this autumn.
Kolkata Chai strengthened its investor base in 2024 when Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Hasan Minhaj joined the company as an investor and business partner, helping expand the brand’s reach through content, media and cultural storytelling.
Minhaj said that Khanna had played a pioneering role in taking Indian cuisine to global audiences and added that his association with Kolkata Chai marked an important milestone for the company.
Bungalow Hospitality Investments, led by Khanna and Rizvi, has been established as an investment and partnership platform focused on mentoring, partnering with and investing in emerging food and hospitality ventures.
Kolkata Chai represents the platform’s first investment. The company said the decision was influenced by Khanna’s personal affinity with chai and his appreciation of Kolkata Chai’s emphasis on craftsmanship and authenticity.
According to the statement, the partnership comes at a crucial juncture for South Asian food and beverage brands in the US market, where Indian cuisine and related offerings are increasingly moving into the mainstream.
The company further noted that the rise in South Asian restaurant openings and the growing presence of South Asian consumer packaged goods brands on retail shelves indicate a broader shift in consumer preferences. It added that Kolkata Chai and Bungalow Foods, a consumer packaged goods venture co-founded by Khanna and Rizvi, aim to position themselves as leading players within this expanding category.
