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Choolaah

Full company profile

uuid000ce64

Namestring
Choolaah
Legal namestring
Wholesome International LLC
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2014
Short descriptiontext

Choolaah is a privately held fast-casual Indian restaurant chain operating seven corporate-owned locations across Ohio and Pennsylvania, serving tandoor-cooked cuisine via dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering, mobile app, and gift cards.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
51–100
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
HQ citystring
Pittsburgh
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices7 records

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
fast casual dining, Indian restaurant, tandoor cooking, restaurant catering, food mobile app
Industry1 code
1Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants
CodeTHAFACADPrimaryYes
NAICS code1 code
  • Limited-Service Restaurants722513
SIC code1 code
  • Retail-Eating Places5812
Product category
Fast-casual Indian dining
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model5 records
1Dine-in Restaurant Sales
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Revenue from customers dining in at Choolaah restaurant locations

choolaah.com
2Online Ordering (Takeout/Delivery)
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Revenue from online orders placed through choolaah.com and mobile app for takeout and delivery

choolaah.com
3Catering Services
TypeTransaction Fee
Description

Corporate and event catering orders through dedicated catering platform

choolaah.com
4Gift Cards
TypeOne Time License
Description

Sale of gift cards online and in-store

choolaah.com
5Mobile App Loyalty Program
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Rewards program through mobile app generating points and exclusive offers for customer purchases

choolaah.com
Marketing channels5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 record
1Choolaah Gives
Description

A community fundraising program where Choolaah donates 30% of purchases from supporters to nonprofit organizations.

choolaah.com
Core offering1 text field

Choolaah operates a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery of tandoor-cooked Indian cuisine including chicken, lamb, salmon, paneer, and vegetarian dishes prepared with imported Indian spices in custom 600-degree clay ovens. The brand extends its food service through family meal packages, corporate and event catering, and a community fundraising program that donates 30 percent of qualifying purchases to registered nonprofit organizations.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 value
  • 30% of purchases donated to fundraising organizations
Product overview1 text field

Choolaah is a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain operated by Wholesome International LLC. The core offering is dine-in, takeout, and delivery service featuring tandoor-cooked Indian cuisine including chicken, lamb, salmon, and paneer dishes. The product portfolio includes a mobile app for ordering and rewards, gift cards, family meal packages, catering services, and the Choolaah Gives fundraising program that donates 30% of purchases to registered community organizations. The restaurant emphasizes premium sourced ingredients including Halal-certified lamb, cage-free chicken, sustainably raised Atlantic salmon, and authentic Indian spices imported from the subcontinent.

Product and service6 records
1Choolaah Restaurant (Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery)
CategoryRestaurant dining service
Description

Fast-casual Indian restaurant service offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery featuring tandoor-cooked meats, customizable bowls, and family meals prepared with premium sourced ingredients and imported Indian spices.

2Choolaah Mobile App
CategoryMobile application
Description

iOS and Android mobile application that enables customers to place food orders, earn rewards on purchases (including 250 points for sign-up), and access exclusive in-app offers.

3Choolaah Gift Cards
CategoryGift card
Description

Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase online or in-store at all Choolaah restaurant locations, redeemable for menu items.

4Choolaah Family Meals
CategoryFood product
Description

Family-sized meal packages ordered online featuring premium sourced proteins, masalas, rice, and naan, designed for easy shared serving at home.

5Choolaah Catering
CategoryCatering service
Description

Catering services for corporate and private events, providing Indian cuisine prepared with Choolaah's signature tandoor cooking methods, ordered through a dedicated catering platform.

6Choolaah Gives Fundraising Program
CategoryCommunity fundraising program
Description

Community fundraising program that donates 30 percent of qualifying purchases to registered organizations, available via unique digital fundraiser codes online and in-store promotional materials.

Scale indicator1 record

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight2 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers8 records
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Large US fast-casual bakery-cafe chain with a mature loyalty program and strong digital/app ordering penetration. Comparable to Choolaah in the loyalty/app-driven customer engagement model and catering channel depth.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Premium-positioned, fast-growing fast-casual chain with strong brand identity and tech-forward ordering. Comparable to Choolaah on brand-led premium fast-casual positioning and unit-economics-led expansion, though in the burger category.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Public fast-casual salad/bowl chain emphasizing premium sourcing, customizable menus, and a digital loyalty platform. Comparable to Choolaah in operating model, ingredient-quality positioning, and digital-channel revenue mix.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Public Mediterranean fast-casual leader with customizable bowls, a tech-forward loyalty app, and aggressive unit growth. Comparable to Choolaah on the customizable-bowl, fast-casual tech-enabled playbook but operates at far greater scale and in a different cuisine category.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Largest US fast-casual chain, the original customizable-bowl concept with strong digital/app penetration. Provides the strategic benchmark Choolaah would be benchmarked against for unit economics, digital ordering share, and brand-led expansion.

TypeDirect peer
Description

Multi-unit Indian fast-casual chain with customizable bowls, street food, and brick-and-mortar locations across California and expansion states. Closest direct competitor to Choolaah on cuisine, format, and customer experience.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Fast-casual chain built around made-to-order salads and customizable bowls with an emphasis on premium ingredients. Highly comparable to Choolaah on customizable-bowl operations and premium-quality positioning.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Multi-unit Mediterranean fast-casual chain with customizable bowls, pitas, and salads. Comparable to Choolaah in customizable-cuisine, fast-casual unit format and lunch/dinner daypart orientation.

Market position
Strengths4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights7 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Named customers2 records

Each record includes

Name, Industry, Type, Use case, Source, UUID

Segment4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile4 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature1 record

Each record includes

Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles2 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds1 record

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Choolaah

Fast-casual Indian diningchoolaah.com

Choolaah is a privately held fast-casual Indian restaurant chain operating seven corporate-owned locations across Ohio and Pennsylvania, serving tandoor-cooked cuisine via dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering, mobile app, and gift cards.

Choolaah firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Choolaah
Legal name
Wholesome International LLC
Website
https://choolaah.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2014
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
51–100 employees
Short description
Choolaah is a privately held fast-casual Indian restaurant chain operating seven corporate-owned locations across Ohio and Pennsylvania, serving tandoor-cooked cuisine via dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering, mobile app, and gift cards.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Choolaah industry classification

Industry
Product category
Fast-casual Indian dining
NAICS
Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
SIC
Retail-Eating Places (5812)
akta.pro primary industry
Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

Keywords

  • Fast casual dining
  • Indian restaurant
  • Tandoor cooking
  • Restaurant catering
  • Food mobile app

Where Choolaah is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Pittsburgh
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

Choolaah business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

  1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Revenue from customers dining in at Choolaah restaurant locations
  2. Online Ordering (Takeout/Delivery): Revenue from online orders placed through choolaah.com and mobile app for takeout and delivery
  3. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering orders through dedicated catering platform
  4. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards online and in-store
  5. Mobile App Loyalty Program: Rewards program through mobile app generating points and exclusive offers for customer purchases

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Choolaah product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Choolaah operates a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery of tandoor-cooked Indian cuisine including chicken, lamb, salmon, paneer, and vegetarian dishes prepared with imported Indian spices in custom 600-degree clay ovens. The brand extends its food service through family meal packages, corporate and event catering, and a community fundraising program that donates 30 percent of qualifying purchases to registered nonprofit organizations.

Product overview

Choolaah is a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain operated by Wholesome International LLC. The core offering is dine-in, takeout, and delivery service featuring tandoor-cooked Indian cuisine including chicken, lamb, salmon, and paneer dishes. The product portfolio includes a mobile app for ordering and rewards, gift cards, family meal packages, catering services, and the Choolaah Gives fundraising program that donates 30% of purchases to registered community organizations. The restaurant emphasizes premium sourced ingredients including Halal-certified lamb, cage-free chicken, sustainably raised Atlantic salmon, and authentic Indian spices imported from the subcontinent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • Choolaah Gives: A community fundraising program where Choolaah donates 30% of purchases from supporters to nonprofit organizations.

Products and services

  • Choolaah Restaurant (Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery) Fast-casual Indian restaurant service offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery featuring tandoor-cooked meats, customizable bowls, and family meals prepared with premium sourced ingredients and imported Indian spices.
  • Choolaah Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application that enables customers to place food orders, earn rewards on purchases (including 250 points for sign-up), and access exclusive in-app offers.
  • Choolaah Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase online or in-store at all Choolaah restaurant locations, redeemable for menu items.
  • Choolaah Family Meals Family-sized meal packages ordered online featuring premium sourced proteins, masalas, rice, and naan, designed for easy shared serving at home.
  • Choolaah Catering Catering services for corporate and private events, providing Indian cuisine prepared with Choolaah's signature tandoor cooking methods, ordered through a dedicated catering platform.
  • Choolaah Gives Fundraising Program Community fundraising program that donates 30 percent of qualifying purchases to registered organizations, available via unique digital fundraiser codes online and in-store promotional materials.

Quantifiable outcome

  • 30% of purchases donated to fundraising organizations

Companies that use Choolaah

Customer profile

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Choolaah technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Choolaah partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Choolaah competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Panera Bread: Large US fast-casual bakery-cafe chain with a mature loyalty program and strong digital/app ordering penetration. Comparable to Choolaah in the loyalty/app-driven customer engagement model and catering channel depth.
  • Shake Shack: Premium-positioned, fast-growing fast-casual chain with strong brand identity and tech-forward ordering. Comparable to Choolaah on brand-led premium fast-casual positioning and unit-economics-led expansion, though in the burger category.
  • Sweetgreen: Public fast-casual salad/bowl chain emphasizing premium sourcing, customizable menus, and a digital loyalty platform. Comparable to Choolaah in operating model, ingredient-quality positioning, and digital-channel revenue mix.
  • CAVA Group: Public Mediterranean fast-casual leader with customizable bowls, a tech-forward loyalty app, and aggressive unit growth. Comparable to Choolaah on the customizable-bowl, fast-casual tech-enabled playbook but operates at far greater scale and in a different cuisine category.
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill: Largest US fast-casual chain, the original customizable-bowl concept with strong digital/app penetration. Provides the strategic benchmark Choolaah would be benchmarked against for unit economics, digital ordering share, and brand-led expansion.
  • Chopt Creative Salad Co. Fast-casual chain built around made-to-order salads and customizable bowls with an emphasis on premium ingredients. Highly comparable to Choolaah on customizable-bowl operations and premium-quality positioning.
  • Roti Modern Mediterranean: Multi-unit Mediterranean fast-casual chain with customizable bowls, pitas, and salads. Comparable to Choolaah in customizable-cuisine, fast-casual unit format and lunch/dinner daypart orientation.

Direct peers

  • Curry Up Now: Multi-unit Indian fast-casual chain with customizable bowls, street food, and brick-and-mortar locations across California and expansion states. Closest direct competitor to Choolaah on cuisine, format, and customer experience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Choolaah social profiles

Digital presence

Choolaah financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Choolaah leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Choolaah funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Choolaah M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Choolaah

What does Choolaah do?

Choolaah operates a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery of tandoor-cooked Indian cuisine including chicken, lamb, salmon, paneer, and vegetarian dishes prepared with imported Indian spices in custom 600-degree clay ovens. The brand extends its food service through family meal packages, corporate and event catering, and a community fundraising program that donates 30 percent of qualifying purchases to registered nonprofit organizations.

Is Choolaah a public or private company?

Choolaah is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was Choolaah founded?

Choolaah was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Choolaah based?

Choolaah is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.

How does Choolaah make money?

Five revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Ordering (Takeout/Delivery), catering Services, gift Cards and mobile App Loyalty Program.

Who are Choolaah's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Panera Bread, Shake Shack, Sweetgreen, CAVA Group, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chopt Creative Salad Co. and Roti Modern Mediterranean. Curry Up Now is listed as a direct peer.

Does Choolaah have an API?

No public API is recorded for Choolaah.

What industry is Choolaah in?

Choolaah's product category is Fast-casual Indian dining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5812.

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Live signals
NebraskaNebraska Union overhaul adds two new eateries, expanded spaceThe University of Nebraska–Lincoln is reimagining its Nebraska Union dining area, expanding to five options including two new concepts, Sossy and Choolaah. The renovation, set to open early fall 2026, shifts to a university-operated model and adds expanded seating and mobile ordering.Nation's Restaurant NewsIndian cuisine gains steamSeveral fast-casual Indian restaurant chains, including Curry Up Now, Tarka Indian Cuisine, Choolaah Indian BBQ, and The Kati Roll Company, are scaling their operations in the U.S. market by adapting traditional cuisine into accessible formats and pursuing expansion strategies such as franchising and new store openings. These operators are focusing on specific menu items like kati rolls and tandoori dishes to differentiate themselves and attract consumers seeking South Asian flavors.FoodService DirectorChoolaah offers a turnkey solution to fast-casual Indian foodChoolaah Indian BBQ has developed a turnkey solution for opening build-your-own bowl fast-casual Indian restaurants, offering pre-prepped spice blends, sauces, and marinades from a central commissary to simplify execution and reduce labor. The company operates 34 nontraditional campus and retail locations plus seven restaurant locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, all corporate-owned by Wholesome International. The concept targets flexible spaces of 300-1,000 square feet in college dining halls and street-side locations, positioning itself as a national-scale alternative to smaller regional Indian fast-casual chains.Restaurant BusinessChoolaah offers a turnkey solution to fast-casual Indian foodChoolaah Indian BBQ, a Pittsburgh-based company, offers a turnkey solution for fast-casual Indian food concepts, providing pre-made spice blends, masalas, sauces, and prepped proteins that allow locations with minimal culinary skill to serve authentic Indian food. The company currently operates 34 nontraditional locations and 7 restaurant locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with plans to expand into college campuses and retail spaces. The concept targets college dining halls and retail locations requiring 300-1,000 square feet, with some campuses reporting serving up to 1,600 Power Bowls daily.Pittsburgh MagazineWomen & Business Profile: Raji SankarRaji Sankar, co-founder and co-CEO of Wholesome International, is profiled for her role in developing the Choolaah Indian BBQ restaurant concept and operating 25 Five Guys locations. The company currently operates seven Choolaah locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with a global expansion goal. The article highlights Sankar's leadership philosophy and the growth of her team of nearly 1,000 employees.SBNA failed restaurant helped Raji Sankar discover the recipe for success at Wholesome InternationalRaji Sankar and Randhir Sethi turned their experiences from a failed restaurant into success with their thriving restaurant chain, Choolaah, which focuses on offering authentic Indian cuisine in the U.S. Since its inception in 2014, Choolaah has grown to seven locations across three states, with plans to expand to 100 locations in the next five years. The founders credit their past failures and experiences in franchising for shaping their approach and operational strategies for the restaurant.