Malaka Spice
Malaka Spice is a Pune-based, founder-owned Southeast Asian restaurant group founded in 1997, operating three dine-in outlets (Koregaon Park, Kharadi, Baner), cloud kitchens, outdoor catering, franchise operations, a loyalty club, and an owned farm under 'The House of Malaka Spice' masterbrand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersPune, Maharashtra, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Malaka Spice does
Malaka Spice, operating under the legal entity Chiranjeev Restaurant and Foods Pvt. Ltd., is a Pune-headquartered, founder-owned Southeast Asian restaurant group founded in 1997 by Praful and Cheeru Chandawarkar. Its core business consists of three dine-in restaurants in Pune - Koregaon Park (flagship), Kharadi, and Baner - serving Southeast Asian cuisine inspired by culinary research trips across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Cambodia. The group operates extended service hours (11:00 am to 1:00 am), offers weekday buffets and Sunday brunch packages starting at INR 999 plus taxes, and serves urban professionals, families, and corporate groups in Pune's premium catchments. Approximately 70 employees support operations across the restaurants and ancillary units; the company is bootstrapped with no external equity or debt funding evidenced.
The group's revenue is generated through multiple streams: dine-in F&B sales, outdoor catering (ODC) for corporate events and weddings, cloud kitchen/home delivery under the Malaka Spice and One China brands serving the Kharadi IT corridor, franchise fees (INR 2.5 crore per outlet) targeting Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Nagpur, an annual Malaka Pioneers Club loyalty membership with monetary royalty payouts, and Cherish Farm hospitality (farm stays, paddle boating, agro-tourism). The portfolio sits within 'The House of Malaka Spice' masterbrand, which also includes One China (Hong Kong-inspired cuisine), Chiranjeev Gurukul (leadership development academy rooted in Indic knowledge), Malaka Market (farm-product retail), and the Malaka Pioneers Club.
Differentiating technical and operational infrastructure includes owned 4-acre Cherish Farm on the Bhima River supplying organic, hard-to-source ingredients (Kaffir Lime, Pandan leaves, Bottle Gourd, Sponge Gourd) directly to restaurants via third-party-free farm-to-table logistics. Recipe portfolio is built from in-house culinary research with self-developed recipes and seasonal menus refreshed every 3-4 months. The technology stack relies on airMenus (menu platform), WhatsApp-based reservations, Zeno loyalty management, and supporting booking/telephony infrastructure - none involving proprietary AI. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer dine-in, reservation/WhatsApp booking, experiential events (Wine Fest, Night Markets, Taste Panels, Bar Takeovers, Table of Tales book club), media-PR presence in outlets such as Indian Express, NDTV Food, and Times of India, and community-driven loyalty engagement with voting rights and royalty payments to members.
Malaka Spice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Malaka Spice
- Legal name
- Chiranjeev Restaurant and Foods Pvt. Ltd.
- Website
- https://malakaspice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Malaka Spice is a Pune-based, founder-owned Southeast Asian restaurant group founded in 1997, operating three dine-in outlets (Koregaon Park, Kharadi, Baner), cloud kitchens, outdoor catering, franchise operations, a loyalty club, and an owned farm under 'The House of Malaka Spice' masterbrand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Malaka Spice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual and Fine Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Caterers (72232)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Asian QSR (Chinese/Thai/Japanese/Korean) (THAFAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK)
Keywords
Where Malaka Spice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pune, Maharashtra
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Malaka Spice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant Operations: Revenue from food and beverage sales across three physical restaurant locations in Pune - Koregaon Park, Kharadi, and Baner. Extended hours from 11am to 1am daily, with weekday buffet and Sunday brunch offerings.
- Outdoor Catering (ODC): Catering services for corporate events, private celebrations, weddings, farm events, and private home caterings. Includes live counters, meal trays, and corporate meal services.
- Franchise Fees: Franchise opportunities requiring INR 2.5 crore investment with 2000-2500 sq ft owned space. Revenue share from first month. Looking for Mitras in Pune, Mumbai, Indore, Chennai, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Nagpur.
- Home Delivery / Cloud Kitchen: Delivery operations from cloud kitchen brands including Malaka Spice and One China food, serving the IT community and residential areas in Kharadi and surrounding areas.
- Malaka Pioneers Club Membership: Loyalty program with annual membership fee. Members receive 25% off food (teetotaller perks), 50% discount during Joyful Hours, Feel Good Card, birthday cakes, anniversary sparkling wine, royalty payments, and voting rights.
- Cherish Farm Retail: Cherish Farm Store retail operations selling farm produce and products. Farm stay accommodations with 25% discount for Pioneers, paddle boating, farm walks, and agro-tourism experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sunday Brunch packages |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Restaurant Franchise Investment |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Malaka Spice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Malaka Spice operates a Southeast Asian restaurant chain serving farm-to-table cuisine across three dine-in outlets in Pune, supported by cloud kitchen delivery, outdoor catering for events, a loyalty membership program, and franchise expansion. The menu is informed by culinary research tours across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Cambodia, with seasonal menus refreshed every 3-4 months using organic produce from the proprietary four-acre Cherish Farm.
Product overview
Malaka Spice is a multi-outlet Southeast Asian restaurant chain founded in 1997, operating under 'The House of Malaka Spice' masterbrand portfolio. The core offering consists of inspired Asian cuisine at dine-in restaurants across Pune, complemented by cloud kitchen delivery brands (Malaka Spice and One China), a farm-to-table initiative (Cherish Farm), a leadership development academy (Chiranjeev Gurukul), a loyalty program (The Malaka Pioneers Club), outdoor catering services, and franchise opportunities. The restaurant group emphasizes farm-to-table sourcing from their own Cherish Farm, seasonal rotating menus inspired by research trips across Southeast Asia, and community engagement through events and experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- One China: Hong Kong-inspired cuisine brand operating in both cloud kitchen and dine-in formats across Pune
- Malaka Market
- Chiranjeev Gurukul
- Cherish Farm
- The Malaka Pioneers Club
Products and services
- Malaka Spice Restaurants Southeast Asian dine-in restaurant chain operating three outlets in Pune (Koregaon Park, Kharadi, Baner) offering farm-to-table Asian cuisine inspired by culinary tours across seven countries, with weekday buffets, Sunday brunches, and extended hours until 1am.
- One China Hong Kong-inspired food brand operating in both cloud kitchen and dine-in formats across Pune under the House of Malaka Spice portfolio, serving Chinese cuisine.
- Cherish Farm
Quantifiable outcome
- Charity event raised over Rs 9 lakh
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Malaka Spice
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Malaka Spice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Malaka Spice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Indonesian Consulate-General in MumbaiflagshipCollaboration for Tales of Nusantara Indonesian menu launch. The menu was developed by the founding family (Praful, Ilvika, and Ilisha Chandawarkar) during an immersive research trip across Indonesia, with support from the consulate for deeper cultural authenticity and insight into Indonesian cuisine.
- Chef Matius Faisal Martadinata (Steak Lab, Surabaya)coreCollaborated with Chef Tius and Malaka Spice culinary team to develop the Tales of Nusantara Indonesian menu, featuring dishes like Sate Maranggi, Mie Laksa, and other traditional Indonesian recipes.
- Pagdandi (Bookstore/Cafe)minorVishal from Pagdandi co-founded the Malaka Book Club (Table of Tales) with Ilvika from Malaka Spice, creating a unique book club experience pairing curated meals with reading.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Malaka Spice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- SodaBottleOpenerWala: Premium Parsi/Irani cuisine casual-dining chain primarily operating in Mumbai/Pune with strong narrative-driven branding. Comparable to Malaka Spice as an Indian restaurant using heritage cuisine storytelling, city-specific marketing, and immersive ambience in the same Pune/Mumbai market.
Broad incumbents
- Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality: Indian restaurant group operating Social, Smoke House Deli, Salt Water Cafe, and other experiential dining brands. Comparable to Malaka Spice as a multi-brand Indian F&B operator using ambiance-driven, community-led concepts to differentiate in premium casual dining.
- Olive Bar & Kitchen: Boutique Indian restaurant group (Olive, Olive Bistro, Celini, Olympian) operating in metros with experiential farm-inspired positioning. Comparable to Malaka Spice on premium urban Indian casual dining, ambience-led differentiation, and limited multi-brand rollout strategy.
- Barbeque Nation Hospitality: Public-listed Indian restaurant chain with live-grill casual dining and aggressive franchise expansion. Comparable to Malaka Spice on Indian restaurant chain scale-up mechanics, franchise model and banquet-driven occasion-based dining.
- Speciality Restaurants (parent of Mainland China, Indigo Deli): Listed Indian restaurant group operating multiple brands (Mainland China, Indigo Deli, Sigree, Flame & Grill). Comparable to Malaka Spice as a multi-brand Indian restaurant group using brand extensions and multi-cuisine strategy to grow in the same urban dining market.
- Lite Bite Foods (parent of The Fatty Bao, Punjab Grill): Indian multi-brand restaurant operator running Asian cuisine and North Indian brands in airports and metros. Comparable to Malaka Spice as a multi-brand Indian F&B operator using distinct cuisines under one corporate parent.
Direct peers
- The Fatty Bao: Asian cuisine restaurant brand by Lite Bite Foods operating in India. Comparable to Malaka Spice in serving Southeast/East Asian cuisine in premium casual settings with experiential positioning in Indian metros.
- Mainland China (Speciality Restaurants): Pan-Asian restaurant chain in India operated by Speciality Restaurants, founded 1993. Directly comparable to Malaka Spice as a long-standing Asian cuisine multi-outlet brand targeting urban Indian diners seeking premium Asian dining experiences.
- Yum Yum Cha: Pan-Asian restaurant chain in India serving sushi, dim sum, and Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine in a vibrant casual-dining format. Comparable to Malaka Spice in cuisine focus, experiential ambience, and Indian urban market positioning.
Others
- Pagdandi (Bookstore & Café): Independent bookstore-café partner of Malaka Spice that co-hosts the Table of Tales book club. Comparable as a Pune-based community-led F&B/culinary experience operator that partners with Malaka Spice on cultural dining events.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Malaka Spice social profiles
Digital presenceMalaka Spice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Malaka Spice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Malaka Spice subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Malaka Spice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Malaka Spice 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 Malaka Spice
What does Malaka Spice do?
Malaka Spice operates a Southeast Asian restaurant chain serving farm-to-table cuisine across three dine-in outlets in Pune, supported by cloud kitchen delivery, outdoor catering for events, a loyalty membership program, and franchise expansion. The menu is informed by culinary research tours across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and Cambodia, with seasonal menus refreshed every 3-4 months using organic produce from the proprietary four-acre Cherish Farm.
Is Malaka Spice a public or private company?
Malaka Spice is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Malaka Spice founded?
Malaka Spice was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Malaka Spice based?
Malaka Spice is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, India, in the Asia region.
How does Malaka Spice make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant Operations are the primary driver. The others are outdoor Catering (ODC), franchise Fees, home Delivery / Cloud Kitchen, malaka Pioneers Club Membership and cherish Farm Retail.
Who are Malaka Spice's main competitors?
SodaBottleOpenerWala is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality, Olive Bar & Kitchen, Barbeque Nation Hospitality, Speciality Restaurants (parent of Mainland China, Indigo Deli) and Lite Bite Foods (parent of The Fatty Bao, Punjab Grill). Direct peers are The Fatty Bao, Mainland China (Speciality Restaurants) and Yum Yum Cha. Pagdandi (Bookstore & Café) is listed as an others.
Does Malaka Spice have an API?
No public API is recorded for Malaka Spice.
What industry is Malaka Spice in?
Malaka Spice's product category is Casual and Fine Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAF, Asian QSR (Chinese/Thai/Japanese/Korean), with a secondary code of THAJAGAK, Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals). Its NAICS code is 72232 and its SIC code is 5810.