The restaurant chain Popo Global, based in Bangalore and operating three brands—The Pizza Bakery, Paris Panini, and Smash Guys—has successfully attracted an investment of ₹532 crore from Artal Asia.
The company announced that it plans to use the received funds to expand its brands beyond Bangalore. This investment marks the first round of external financing for Popo Global. For nine years, the company primarily developed using its own capital.
Popo Global was founded in 2017 by brothers Nikhil Gupta and Abhijit Gupta. The company operates both dine-in and delivery formats, maintaining standardized processes across all its brands.
The founders stated in a release that joining Artal Asia allows them to think on a much broader scale while preserving their original principle—never compromising on quality. They noted that Artal Asia collaborates with some of the most successful global food service enterprises and understands that the product must remain the focus.
Popo Global functions as a mix of fast-casual restaurants and dining establishments, in addition to having delivery kitchens. Over the past nine years, the company has increased its number of outlets from one in 2017 to 40, all located in Bangalore.
Li Swei Yin, Director of Artal Asia, emphasized the company's mission: 'Our mission is to enable outstanding entrepreneurs to transform their industries. We are proud to support Popo Global in continuing their obsession with customers and the product on a larger scale.'
Artal Asia is an affiliate of Artal Group, whose global portfolio includes CAVA, a Mediterranean fast-casual brand in the United States. In India, the company invested in Capital Foods, and now in Popo Global.
The Rainmaker Group (TRMG) served as the exclusive consultant for Popo Global. Avijit Goel, Partner at The Rainmaker Group, noted that thanks to Artal Asia's patient capital and global operational experience, this fundamentally well-managed company, born in Bangalore, has a good chance of becoming India's most beloved restaurant business.
The founders of Popo Global added that nine years ago they never envisioned turning into a restaurant company; they were driven by the conviction that providing quality food would lead to repeat orders. 'This belief turned into a business, then into three brands, and now into a platform that we believe can be much bigger than any of them.'