Food and Beverages

From homegrown slice shops to global wood-fired brands, here are five pizza franchises worth watching in 2026

Bengaluru-based MELTS is creating a focused pure-vegetarian comfort-food concept with a compact kiosk format, signature Cheese Lava and a structured expansion strategy for India’s growing QSR market.

The Italian dining brand is managed by the Scotland-based hospitality group Viva Italia Group and will pursue a phased franchise-led expansion across India, the UAE and wider GCC markets.

Explore seven emerging food and beverage franchise concepts shaping India’s café, tea, Tex Mex and quick service restaurant market in 2026.

The new outlets, located on Waltair Road and at Inorbit Mall, mark the brand’s entry into the state and take its South India footprint to more than 100 cafés. The company now operates over 240 cafés across India.

Coffee Buddy has entered the Indian market after securing its master franchise for the country. The brand has opened its first outlet in Mumbai and plans to open 130 stores in the next 2 years.

The brand entered the Indian market in early 2025 and launched its first outlets in Hyderabad in April 2026, followed by store openings in Pune and other cities.

The milestone comes as the coffee chain continues to expand its footprint across India. As of June 2026, NBC operates in more than 45 cities across 12 states and is targeting over 170 outlets nationwide by the end of FY27.

The Italian coffee brand partners with Franchise India through FranGlobal Advisory and plans to open 100 stores in the next 3 years.

The launch marks another step in the company’s expansion strategy across western India while strengthening the quick service restaurant (QSR) brand’s footprint in Chhattisgarh.