Australia’s The Coffee Club sees great potential in India, to enter its market next year

Australian coffee chain The Coffee Club will launch next year the first of 100 cafes it intends to open in India in the next five years, in partnership with local franchiser CK Israni Group.

The first store’s Indian location is still a toss-up between Delhi and Mumbai, according to Chandni Nath Israni, co-founder of CK Israni.

Established in Brisbane in 1989, the Coffee Club now has 400 sites across nine markets. It is owned by Minor DKL Food Group, an Australian franchisor of retail food brands, which also owns the coffee roasters Veneziano and Coffee Hit in Australia.

There is rising consumer demand for premium coffee and coffee experiences in India.

In October, Starbucks debuted its first flagship Reserve location In Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Canadian coffee brand Tim Hortons plans to have more than 250 locations in India in the following five years.

Gloria Jeans, another Australian coffee business, will also return to India.