Karak Gholam
Karak Gholam is a Kuwait-based Indian café chain founded in 2013, operating 8 dine-in locations in Kuwait plus franchise flagships in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar. It serves casual diners seeking signature Karak tea and Indian street food across dine-in, delivery, drive-thru, take-away, catering, and frozen retail channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSalmiya, Kuwait
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Karak Gholam does
Karak Gholam is a Kuwait-based specialty café chain founded in 2013 by the Al-Mejhem brothers under the parent entity Al-Mejhem Global Group W.L.L., headquartered in Salmiya. The concept centers on authentic Indian street food and signature Karak tea (milk tea brewed with cardamom, ginger, and spices, refreshed every 45 minutes), sold across a menu spanning stuffed chapatis, pavs, hamsas (Indian curries with bread), giant sambosas, burgers in chapati bread, hot and cold beverages, desserts, and frozen retail packs. The brand operates 8 dine-in locations across Kuwait (Salmiya, Hawalli, Sharq, Al Jahra, Alkout Mall, and the original Kuwait City site) and has extended to flagship stores in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar.
The underlying operational technology is light: the company runs a Wix-hosted marketing site and a proprietary online ordering portal at order.karakgholam.com, supplemented by Instagram-based customer acquisition and third-party delivery aggregator integrations. There is no disclosed proprietary software platform, AI/ML system, or developer API. Franchise expansion is supported by a centralized/decentralized kitchen operating model, a 360 Training System, and an operational manual that enable unit replication with disclosed economics of a minimum 25% ROI per annum, a maximum 4-year payback period, and a USD 1,000/day break-even threshold.
Revenue is generated through four streams: direct food and beverage sales across company-operated locations, franchise and licensing fees from GCC franchisees, online ordering transactions (direct and via aggregators), and catering/gathering box sales for events. The customer base is a horizontally segmented mix of consumer foodies in Kuwait and the broader GCC plus franchise investors seeking a proven café concept. Same Store Sales Growth and Same Store Transaction Growth have been double-digit positive for four consecutive years.
Karak Gholam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Karak Gholam
- Legal name
- Karak Gholam
- Website
- https://karakgholam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Karak Gholam is a Kuwait-based Indian café chain founded in 2013, operating 8 dine-in locations in Kuwait plus franchise flagships in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar. It serves casual diners seeking signature Karak tea and Indian street food across dine-in, delivery, drive-thru, take-away, catering, and frozen retail channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Karak Gholam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indian Café / Casual Dining Restaurant
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Regional/Ethnic Specialty Fast Casual (e.g., Indian, Caribbean, African, Eastern European) (THAFABAM), Ethnic & Regional Bakeries (e.g., Middle Eastern, Asian, Latin) (THAFAFAJ)
Keywords
Where Karak Gholam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salmiya
- HQ country
- Kuwait
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices7 records
Markets served
Karak Gholam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales - Direct: Revenue from dine-in, take-away, and catering operations across company-owned and franchise locations in Kuwait and Gulf region.
- Franchise Fees and Licensing: Franchise model generating fees from franchisees in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar with proven business model including 25% minimum ROI and max 4 years payback period.
- Online Ordering: Direct online ordering through order.karakgholam.com for delivery and take-away.
- Third-Party Delivery Platforms: Sales through food delivery aggregators/apps mentioned on Instagram promotions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chapati items (savory wraps) ranging from KWD 0.30 to KWD 1.85 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot beverages from KWD 0.75 to KWD 2.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold beverages from KWD 1 to KWD 2.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group/Gathering boxes from KWD 8.95 to KWD 10.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Soft drinks at KWD 0.55 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Desserts from KWD 0.85 to KWD 1.75 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels1 record
Karak Gholam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Karak Gholam operates a chain of authentic Indian cafés serving signature Karak tea (brewed fresh every 45 minutes) alongside a broad menu of Indian street food including Chapatis, Pavs, Hamsa curries, Sambosas, burgers, hot/cold beverages, and desserts. The business sells through dine-in locations, drive-thru, take-away, delivery, catering, frozen-food retail, and a Gulf-region franchise program.
Product overview
Karak Gholam is a Kuwait-based Indian café chain founded in 2013, operating on a unified product platform centered around its signature Karak Tea (a milk tea brewed with Indian spices, refreshed every 45 minutes) and Indian street food offerings. The product portfolio spans core food categories including Chapati (stuffed flatbreads), Pavs (bread rolls), Hamsa (Indian curries), Sambosa (samosas), and Gholam's Son burgers, complemented by Hot Beverages, Cold Beverages, Desserts, and Soft Drinks. The company extends its offering through Frozen Food products for retail, Gathering Boxes for catering/group occasions, an Online Ordering Platform for direct and delivery orders, and a Franchise Program enabling international expansion across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar. The brand operates 8 locations across Kuwait and is owned by Al-Mejhem Global Group.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Karak Tea Signature Indian-style milk tea brewed with cardamom, saffron, and ginger, refreshed every 45 minutes, served in small and large sizes.
- Chapati Layered flaky flatbread stuffed with sweet and savory fillings including Nutella, chicken, cheese, falafel, and egg, priced from KWD 0.30 to KWD 1.85.
- Pavs Bread rolls served with sweet and savory fillings such as Nutella, labneh, turkey, falafel, and halloumi.
- Hamsa Indian-style curry dishes served with chapati, including Chicken Malai Hamsa, Green Peas Hamsa, Keema Hamsa, and Eggplant Hamsa.
- Sambosa Giant samosas with three-cheese blend, butter chicken, and cheese/potato/vegetable fillings.
- Gholam's Son (Burgers) Burgers served in chapati bread with beef patty, crispy chicken, and mushroom sauce varieties.
- Hot Beverages Hot drinks including Karak Tea, Lite Karak, cappuccino, Spanish Latte, Turkish Coffee, French Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Saffron Milk, Gold Milk, Green Tea, Espresso, Americano, Horlicks, and Matara specialty servings, priced KWD 0.75 to KWD 9.95.
- Cold Beverages Cold drinks including Rose Falooda, Lemon Mint Juice, Iced Karak, Iced Saffron Milk, Iced Spanish Latte, juices, Immunity Shot, and Ice Tea flavors, priced KWD 1 to KWD 2.50.
- Soft Drinks Bottled soft drinks including Coca Cola, Coca Cola Light, Sprite, Sprite Light, Fanta Orange, and Mineral Water at KWD 0.55 each.
- Desserts Desserts including Karak Cheesecake, Lotus Cheesecake, St. Sebastian Cheesecake, Gulab Jamun Cheesecake, Lisan Al Thour (Kuwaiti biscuits), Coconut Ladoo, Gors Egeli, and Milk Cake, priced KWD 0.85 to KWD 1.75.
- Frozen Food Ready-to-cook retail packs including Frozen Chapati (4 pieces) and Frozen Sambosa (4 pieces with cheese, falafel, potato and vegetable fillings) for at-home preparation.
- Gathering Boxes Catering and party packages including Mini Chapati Box, Chapati & Sambosa Box, Chapati & Pav Box, and Karak Mix Box for group servings, priced KWD 8.95 to KWD 10.95.
- Franchise Program Franchise opportunity offering a proven café business model with double-digit positive SSSG & SSTG for 4 consecutive years, minimum 25% ROI per annum, centralized and decentralized kitchen operations, 360 Training system, and operational manual support.
- Online Ordering Platform Consumer-facing online ordering system at order.karakgholam.com for direct delivery and take-away orders, integrated with third-party delivery applications.
Companies that use Karak Gholam
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Karak Gholam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Karak Gholam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Al-Mejhem Global Group W.L.L.coreParent company and franchise operator for Karak Gholam. The Al-Mejhem brothers founded the brand and continue to manage operations through this holding company. Contact: Thaslim Ibrahim, Regional Manager, Tel: +965 22280338/113, Mobile: +965 51149400.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Karak Gholam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Costa Coffee: International coffee chain with dense GCC footprint. Competes for the same beverage-and-snack occasion in malls and high streets, but at a different price point and with a coffee-led rather than karak-led identity.
- % Arabica: Global specialty coffee and tea brand with strong Gulf presence. Comparable as a café format competing for the same casual beverage occasion in Kuwait and GCC malls, though focused on coffee rather than karak.
- Tim Hortons: International café chain expanding rapidly across the GCC. Competes for breakfast, coffee, and casual snack occasions in similar locations, but with a North American coffee-and-donut positioning.
- Starbucks: Global coffee incumbent with deep GCC presence. Competes in the same café-and-beverage occasion across Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE, though at a different price point and with a coffee-led identity.
Regional players
- Caffè Nero: European coffee chain with established GCC presence. Comparable as a café-format competitor in malls and high streets, though less dominant in Kuwait than in UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Emerging players
- The Coffee Club: Australian-origin café chain expanding into the Middle East. Comparable as a casual, all-day café format serving beverages and casual food, though with a Western rather than Indian street-food menu.
- Wild & The Moon: Plant-based café and juice concept with Gulf presence. Comparable as a modern, design-forward café serving beverages and light food, but positioned at the health-focused end of the category.
Direct peers
- Yadawee: Regional karak and street-food concept operating in Kuwait and the GCC with a comparable casual café format and signature tea-led menu. Directly comparable on geography, product mix, and price point.
- Café Bateel: GCC-born café chain serving Arabian-style beverages and pastries in a casual dine-in format. Comparable on regional café positioning, beverage-led menu, and franchise-style GCC expansion.
- Jumo Coffee: GCC-born karak and chai specialty chain with a similar café format, multi-country presence, and a focus on Gulf-friendly tea-based beverages. Closely comparable on product category (karak/chai-led menu) and target consumer (foodies, casual diners).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Karak Gholam social profiles
Digital presenceKarak Gholam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Karak Gholam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Karak Gholam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Karak Gholam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Karak Gholam
What does Karak Gholam do?
Karak Gholam operates a chain of authentic Indian cafés serving signature Karak tea (brewed fresh every 45 minutes) alongside a broad menu of Indian street food including Chapatis, Pavs, Hamsa curries, Sambosas, burgers, hot/cold beverages, and desserts. The business sells through dine-in locations, drive-thru, take-away, delivery, catering, frozen-food retail, and a Gulf-region franchise program.
Is Karak Gholam a public or private company?
Karak Gholam is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Karak Gholam founded?
Karak Gholam was founded in 2013. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Karak Gholam based?
Karak Gholam is headquartered in Salmiya, Kuwait, in the Middle East region.
How does Karak Gholam make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales - Direct is the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Licensing, online Ordering and third-Party Delivery Platforms.
Who are Karak Gholam's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Costa Coffee, % Arabica, Tim Hortons and Starbucks. Caffè Nero is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are The Coffee Club and Wild & The Moon. Direct peers are Yadawee, Café Bateel and Jumo Coffee.
Does Karak Gholam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Karak Gholam.
What industry is Karak Gholam in?
Karak Gholam's product category is Indian Café / Casual Dining Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAG, Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus), with a secondary code of THAFABAM, Regional/Ethnic Specialty Fast Casual (e.g., Indian, Caribbean, African, Eastern European). Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5810.