Popular Indian tea chain Chai Sutta Bar plans ambitious expansion in UAE, Middle East

The expansion plan, envisaging multi-million dollar investments, will see the company – also known as Chai Sutta Cafe (CSC) – opening its outlets across the UAE in the next one-and-half years, and also foraying into Saudi Arabia and few other markets in the region.

“We want to offer tea lovers in the region an extensive range of distinct tea flavors and a delightful and refreshing experience of drinking tea served in the traditional Indian ‘kulhads’,” Anubhav Dubey, Co-Founder, and CEO of Chai Sutta Bar, told Arabian Business.

“To ensure our trademark flavour for tea served at all our outlets in the UAE and the Middle East, we will be supplying the two major raw materials – the specially sourced and mixed Darjeeling and Assam tea leaves and also the earthenware pots sourced from a particular region in India, though we will be taking the franchise model for our expansion in the region,” Dubey said.

The company, which opened its third outlet in Dubai at Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) near Preatoni Tower early this week, will add three more Chai Sutta Bar cafés in the next 3-6 months – two in Dubai and one in Sharjah.

Dubey said Chai Sutta Bar also has plans to set up an office in Dubai which will act as its regional headquarter for its planned expansion in the region as also to many other international markets.

“In fact, we have already registered two companies in Dubai’s DMCC in collaboration with our local partner, and will soon establish our physical presence with an office there,” he said.

Renowned tea leaves blend

Dubey said its tea is loved by millions across India – and now in Dubai – because of its trademark special tea variety made from mixing tea leaves sourced from the globally renowned Darjeeling and Assam tea leaves in India’s eastern region.

“We believe the key to the Chai Sutta Bar brand success lies in its unique selling proposition (USP) of serving ‘chai’ (tea) in ‘kulhad’ that preserves heat and enhances the tea’s flavour”, said Dubey who joined his childhood friend Anand Nayak to take a small kiosk in central Indian small town of Indore to a 450 and still growing-outlet chain today.

He said to their surprise the younger generation in India drew in large numbers to the SCB outlets, enjoying time and the authentic experience.

“We are also amazed at the response to our outlets in Dubai as people, cutting across ethnicities and ages, visited our cafes even during the pandemic time,” Dubey said, who described Chai Sutta Bar’s first outlet in Dubai as a ‘Covid baby’, opening just a month before the pandemic broke out.

He said Chai Sutta Bar will be open to tweak its snack menu and also its ingredients to attract both expats from other countries and also the local crowd in the UAE.

“Also, we select the location of our outlets close to sprawling parking areas in Dubai and other emirates as people there want to enjoy their teas either sitting in their cars or just walking within a few meters from their vehicles.”

Chai Sutta Bar’s social impact

Dubey said Chai Sutta Bar has not only revolutionised the tea industry with its innovative approach of serving tea in traditional clay cups, but it also supports over 500 potter families in India by providing them with sustainable employment opportunities.

“With daily usage of over 450,000 clay cups across their franchise outlets nationwide, Chai Sutta Cafe has significantly impacted the local economy, giving them a regular income to support the education of their children also.”

He said he hoped to take this number [of daily clay cup orders] several notches high once the chain’s expansion in the Middle East and other international destinations takes off.

Besides the Middle East, Chai Sutta Bar is also currently in the process of establishing its outlets in the US, Canada and the UK.

“We will soon be opening our first outlet in the US, in Atlanta city,” he said.