Karak Chaii

About Karak Chaii

Indian street food concept Karak Chaii was founded in Birmingham in 2019, by husband-and-wife team Javed and Sara Sughi, following their travels through the Indian subcontinent. It has now grown to more than 30 locations, with store number 31 opening in Bedford in December 2025. “Karak Chaii isn’t just a brand, it’s a passion project built from the ground up by founders Sara and Javed,” a company spokesman said. “No external investors, no big financial backing - just a dream, a lot of hard work, and an unwavering belief in what we were creating. Our journey from a small shop in Birmingham to a growing national brand has been one of resilience, family, and a deep connection to our roots. Our aim? 100 million cups of chai served in the next ten years. We’ve come a long way since March 2019, when the first store was opened in Hall Green, Birmingham. From then, we’ve had one mission: to perfect the ultimate cup of Karak Chaii. It took us nine months and countless recipes, but one day, Sara made a batch, and the moment we tasted it, we knew, and Karak Chaii was born. Fast forward to today, we’ve served more than four million cups of chai and have grown across the UK - but our journey has been far from easy. The pandemic hit right after we launched, and we went from serving 300 customers a day to just a handful. But even in uncertainty, something unexpected happened - our inbox was flooded with franchise inquiries. We’ve always been about more than just great chai - we’re about bringing authentic Indian street food to the UK, creating spaces where people feel at home, and sharing a love for chai that transcends cultures. And we’re just getting started.” Franchise consultant Paolo Peretti previously told Propel that the then 15-strong Karak Chaii could “comfortably open up to 80 more sites before exploring smaller formats”.

Why franchise with Karak Chaii

• ✓Franchisees get use of the Karak Chaii brand with a proven business formula; a wide product range to suit the customers; comprehensive training and support; strong economics with great revenue potential; flexibility in cafe formats – from moderate (up to 1,000 sq ft) to large format (3,500 sq ft); simple operation across the different formats without skilled staff; authentic yet modern format of South Asian food and drinks; lead generation and customer retention; and multiple revenue potential through cloud kitchens to combine multiple concepts. The company said: “From a self-funded dream to a thriving £20m enterprise, Karak Chaii has quickly become one of the UK’s fastest-growing Indian street food brands. Since opening our first café in Birmingham in 2019, we’ve expanded to 22 locations nationwide – on track to reach 40 by the end of 2025, with targets to open 15 UK stores each year. There are also exciting international expansion plans for the future including the US, Saudi, Dubai, Malaysia and Pakistan. At the heart of our journey is our signature million-dollar cup of chai – a strong, sweet desi tea perfected by our founders, Javed and Sara, after months of dedication. Inspired by Indian street food culture and their family heritage, they built Karak Chaii not just as a restaurant, but as a home away from home for communities across the UK.”