Highlights:
- Vikas Khanna invests in New York-based Kolkata Chai Co.
- Partnership aims to expand authentic Indian chai across the US.
- Kolkata Chai products will debut at GupShup and Punjab Meet House.
- Hasan Minhaj remains an investor and business partner in the brand.
- Deal reflects the rising popularity of South Asian food in America.
Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna is betting on the growing popularity of Indian food and beverages in the United States with a strategic investment in New York-based Kolkata Chai Co., marking a significant step in expanding South Asian culinary brands across the country.
Khanna, who co-founded Bungalow Hospitality Investments with restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi, announced a partnership with Kolkata Chai Co., a New York-born brand established in 2019 by siblings Ani and Ayan Sanyal. The collaboration combines investment with restaurant integration, bringing the company's signature chai to some of New York City's leading Indian restaurants.
The agreement includes a strategic investment by Bungalow Hospitality Investments into Kolkata Chai Co. and the exclusive addition of the brand's products across Bungalow Hospitality Management's restaurant portfolio.
Beginning this summer, diners at GupShup and the soon-to-open Punjab Meet House in New York City will find Kolkata Chai's signature Masala Chai on their menus. The partners also plan to introduce limited-time collaborative menu offerings later this fall.
Founded with the goal of introducing "millions of Americans to authentic Indian chai," Kolkata Chai Co. has grown from neighborhood cafés into a nationally recognized specialty beverage brand. The company operates café locations throughout New York City while also selling chai blends and concentrates through its website and retail distribution channels across the United States.
The company gained additional visibility in 2024 when Emmy Award-winning comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj joined as an investor and business partner, helping expand the brand's cultural storytelling and media presence.
Describing Khanna's involvement as an important milestone, Minhaj said having the celebrated chef join the company is a "genuinely exciting moment" for Kolkata Chai.
For Khanna, whose culinary career has helped elevate Indian cuisine on the global stage, the investment extends beyond restaurants. Through Bungalow Hospitality Investments, he and Rizvi aim to mentor, support, and invest in emerging food and hospitality businesses that showcase authentic South Asian flavors to broader American audiences.
Kolkata Chai represents the firm's first investment, reflecting Khanna's personal connection to India's tea culture and his confidence in the company's commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship.
The partnership also highlights a broader shift taking place in the American food industry.
Indian cuisine has steadily moved into the mainstream over the past decade, driven by new restaurants, specialty grocery products, and consumer demand for authentic international flavors. From spice blends and ready-to-drink beverages to regional Indian restaurants, South Asian brands are increasingly finding space on grocery shelves and restaurant menus nationwide.
The companies believe the collaboration places both Kolkata Chai and Bungalow Foods—the consumer packaged foods brand co-founded by Khanna and Rizvi, at the forefront of that movement.
As interest in Indian cuisine continues to grow across the United States, the partnership represents more than a business investment. It reflects the expanding influence of South Asian entrepreneurs, chefs, and food innovators who are reshaping how Americans experience Indian flavors, one cup of chai at a time.
