London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger to launch in India

UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger to launch in India

UK-based coffee and sandwich chain Pret A Manger has become the latest high-profile Western brand to launch in the Indian market.

The firm opened its first shop in India's financial hub Mumbai on Friday.

It comes in the same week that US technology giant Apple launched its first two stores in the country.

Pret said last year that it was partnering with a unit of Reliance Industries, which is owned by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani.

Pret's chief executive Pano Christou said its offering in the country will reflect the company's brand "while also adapting to local preferences and food habits".

It marks the first venture by Reliance Brands, which also owns India's biggest retail chain, into the country's growing food and drinks industry.

Reliance said its first outlet is a recreation of Pret's UK shops.

The shops will be aimed at "the new Indian consumer", Darshan Mehta, the managing director of Reliance Brands said.

The launch came just days after Apple chief executive Tim Cook opened the iPhone maker's first retail store in India.

The opening of the store in the financial centre Mumbai on Tuesday was followed by a second outlet in the capital Delhi on Thursday.

Pret A Manger, which means "ready to eat" in French, was founded in London in 1983, with the first shop opening the following year.

After the original company went into liquidation the brand was bought by college friends Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe, with their first store opening in 1986.

The brand currently has 400 outlets around the world, across nine markets including the UK, US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Reliance Brands operates more than 2,000 outlets across India.

In 2021, parent company Reliance Retail announced a franchise deal with the US-headquartered convenience store chain 7-Eleven.

The deal helped to cement Reliance's position as India's largest bricks and mortar retailer.

Mukesh Ambani is India's richest person


Who is Mukesh Ambani?


Mr Ambani has a personal fortune of around $84bn (£67.5bn), according to Forbes magazine.

The 65-year-old's late father Dhirubhai Ambani founded a textile manufacturer that would eventually become Reliance Industries.

It is now one of India's largest conglomerates - with businesses including petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecoms and retail.

Mr Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Industries. The Ambani family has a 49% stake in the company.

The family also owns assets in the UK worth tens of millions of pounds.

In 2019, a unit of Reliance Industries bought the iconic UK toy retailer Hamleys for an undisclosed sum.

Two years later, Reliance bought the historic British country club Stoke Park for £57m.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×