Reliance Brands announced its EL&N partnership in a briefing following its latest quarterly results | Photo credit: via Shutterstock

UK-based boutique café group EL&N has agreed a franchise partnership with Reliance Brands to open outlets in India, its eighth market globally. 
 

EL&N, renowned for its lavishly decorated interiors and claim to being the world’s ‘most Instagrammable café’, opened its first outlet in August 2017 in London and now operates 27 stores around the world. 

Following success in the Middle East, where the café group operates 12 stores across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, EL&N is seeking to enter new markets internationally. 

With stores also in France and Italy, EL&N recently appointed Lagardère Travel Retail as its exclusive franchisee for travel locations and also begun regional expansion across its native UK market. 

Retail conglomerate Reliance Brands, which is also the franchise partner for UK-based coffee and food-to-go chain Pret A Manger, announced its EL&N partnership in a briefing following its latest quarterly results. 

Mumbai-based Reliance Brands opened the first Pret A Manger store in India in April 2023 and is reportedly exploring bringing Armani/Caffè, the boutique café concept of Italian luxury fashion house Emporio Armani, to India. 

India’s out-of-home coffee segment is expanding, with domestic coffee consumption largely driven by younger consumers seeking new, premium café experiences. 

While established global coffee chains, including Costa Coffee and Starbucks, which have operated in the country since 2005 and 2012 respectively, have seen their revenues increase in India over the last 12 months, newer international entries also see untapped potential within the most populous country in the world.  

Canada's Tim Hortons plans to open 120 stores in India in the next three following its market entry in August 2022, while Australia’s The Coffee Club is set to debut in India this year via new franchise partner CK Israni Group. 

Dunkin’s Indian franchisee Jubilant FoodWorks Limited said its new store design, launched in November 2022, caters to growing demand for high-quality café experiences and premium beverages across the country. Additionally, Singaporean private equity firm Everstone Group has signed a franchisee agreement to launch branded Lavazza cafés in India.