loading
loading
Japanese-themed dining chain Harajuku Tokyo Cafe has raised $3 Mn (around ₹28 Cr) in a pre-Series A funding round led by ZeroW, with participation from existing investors Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Samved VC. The round also saw participation from new investors, including Blume Founders Fund, Brijesh Parekh Family Office, Epigamia cofounder Rahul Jain, among others. The startup will use the fresh capital to expand its outlet network by opening 10 outlets in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chandigarh, over the next two quarters. It also plans to operationalise central kitchens in Mumbai and Bengaluru by December 2026. Founded in 2021 by London School Of Economics (LSE) alum Gaurav Kanwar, Harajuku operates Japanese-themed dining outlets in Delhi NCR and Mumbai. It operates a casual dine-in chain, Harajuku Tokyo Cafe, and QSR-chain Harajuku Bakehouse. Harajuku Bakehouse contributes about a third to the startup’s top line. It claims to have sold more than 1,000 loaves of bread per week on Blinkit in Delhi NCR. Since raising its seed round of ₹19 Cr in August 2025, Harajuku claims to have doubled both its outlet count and overall revenue. “Our focus has been to build the operational infrastructure required to support consistent quality as we expand. We have invested in centralised kitchens and systems that provide daily visibility into outlet performance, ingredients and costs. This foundation will support our next phase of growth. We aim to achieve ₹100 Cr in revenue this financial year and build on that momentum in the years ahead,” Kanwar said. The fundraise comes amid the growing popularity of café culture in India, driven by increasing consumer interest in niche and international food offerings. According to the Swiggy-Kearney ‘How India Eats 2025’ report, the country's food services market is projected to grow from $78 Bn in 2025 to $120-125 Bn by 2030, with the organised segment expected to expand at roughly twice the pace of the unorganised market.
document fetched 2026-10-23 02:57 · canonical https://inc42.com/buzz/japanese-themed-dining-chain-harajuku-tokyo-cafe-raises-3-mn