Harajuku Tokyo Cafe Nets INR 19 Cr To Scale Its Japanese Dining Chain

Japanese-themed dining chain Harajuku Tokyo Cafe has raised INR 19 Cr ($2 Mn) in its seed round led by Indian Angel Network. The “structured investment” round also saw participation from Samved VC, LetsVenture and venture debt firm Capitar Ventures.

In a statement, the startup said it is seeing “strong demand” in the ongoing round, with additional capital expected to be raised.

It plans to utilise the fresh capital to scale its footprint across India and bolster its tech stack. Harajuku said it plans to scale its number of outlets to 90, spanning 20 cities, by 2027 and clock INR 200 Cr in revenue. It claims to have already signed letters of intent (LoIs) to set up outlets in 15 new locations in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Ludhiana, and Chandigarh.

It also claims to be in talks for franchise partnerships in the UAE and other international markets to drive demand and shore up revenue.

As part of its expansion, Harajuku Tokyo Cafe plans to foray into the D2C segment by launching its packaged foods vertical, KoiKoi Essentials, which will sell ramen kits, sauces and frozen meals.

Founded in 2021 by Gaurav Kanwar, Harajuku currently operates seven Japanese-themed dining outlets in Delhi NCR and Mumbai. It combines casual dine-in and quick-service formats under brands Harajuku Tokyo Cafe and Harajuku Bakehouse, respectively. It leverages AI-powered inventory management and tech-driven loyalty programmes to streamline digital ordering and customer experience.

The fundraise comes at a time when cafe culture is picking up pace in India on the back of rising disposable incomes, growing demand for niche food products and steadily rising adoption of quick commerce (especially for D2C food brands).

As a result, several homegrown brands have emerged in the space, receiving backing from some of the biggest names in the Indian VC world and aggressively expanding operations.

For instance, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, one of India’s largest specialty coffee chains, which operates over 175 cafes, reported an unaudited revenue of INR 400 Cr in FY25. Tea-focussed chain Chaayos runs 200+ outlets in 10 cities and posted a revenue of INR 237 Cr in FY24. Meanwhile, First Coffee, a new entrant that was launched in 2024, has already opened 10 outlets across Delhi NCR and Chandigarh, with plans to reach 100 by FY26.

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