London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 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
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×