The Aditya Birla Group has announced a foray into the premium casual dining space, a fast-growing segment in the organised food services market, in collaboration with chef restaurateur Rahul Akerkar. The Group’s hospitality arm housed under Aditya Birla New Age (ABNA) will build premium casual dining restaurant chains across India. ABNA, promoted by Mr Aryaman Vikram Birla aspires to create the most preferred house of food and beverages (F&B) brands in India under its umbrella.

“The dynamism and buoyancy of the Indian consumption story is driving a preference for premium experiences. High disposable income among the rising middle class in India, and the expansion of the urban cosmopolitan lifestyle is driving the boom in dining-out behaviour. Therefore, the demand for premium casual dining restaurants (PCDR) is expected to increase across India as consumers seek new dining experiences," said Aryaman Vikram Birla, director of Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited and founder of  ABNA.

"Our vision is to build the best F&B brands, with a clear focus on both quality and value for customers. Our partnership with Rahul Akerkar is a step in this direction. We are excited at the prospect of developing a distinct PCDR chain. We are in advanced stages of project execution and aim to launch the first restaurant in Mumbai next quarter,” he added.

“I am thrilled to join the team at ABNA and introduce our latest concept—a casual, neighborhood, restaurant for all seasons, weeknight dates, or lunches with a co-worker. The food with a European backbone is an ode to my mixed Indian and European parentage and my travels across the globe. Much of the cooking will be over the live fire with bold, clean flavours, demonstrating a commitment to the freshest ingredients available and an impeccable flair for combining them," observed Rahul Akerkar.

ABNA currently operates Jolie’s, a members-only club, comparable to the best in the world, and spanning across about 30,000 square feet at Worli, in the heart of Mumbai.