Restaurant India News: Is Lite Bite Foods on Sale or Seeking Growth Capital?

Lite Bite Foods, one of India's leading food and beverage retail companies, has said it is open to raising growth capital for its next phase of expansion, while declining to comment on reports suggesting a potential stake sale.

Responding to media reports, Ranjit Paliath, CEO, Lite Bite Foods shared with Restaurant India, "We do not comment on market speculation. However, at Lite Bite Foods we have grown to become one of India's largest India and Asian casual dining businesses, and are open to seeking growth capital for the next round of our journey."

The statement comes after reports suggested that the promoters of Lite Bite Foods were exploring strategic options, including a possible sale of a majority stake. The company, however, did not confirm or deny the reports.

The development also follows the recent exit of Rohit Aggarwal, co-founder and director of Lite Bite Foods, who stepped down from the company last month after over two decades of leading the business alongside Chairman and Co-founder Amit Burman.

Founded in 2002, Lite Bite Foods has built a diverse portfolio of restaurant brands spanning Indian and Asian cuisines. Its portfolio includes Punjab Grill, YouMee, Asia Seven, Street Foods by Punjab Grill, Hahn's Kitchen, Tres and Zambar, among others. 

The company operates across major Indian cities, including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Kochi, Lucknow, Indore, Bhubaneswar and Ahmedabad, while also maintaining an international presence in Singapore, Washington DC, Abu Dhabi and Bangkok. It also operates multiple food and beverage outlets at airports across India.

The company has continued to strengthen its business in recent years. According to Tracxn, Lite Bite Foods reported revenue of Rs 735.8 crore in FY25, up 12 percent from Rs 659.8 crore in FY24.

The company's latest statement signals an openness to bringing in external capital to fuel expansion, even as it remains tight-lipped on speculation around any potential transaction. Any future investment could support Lite Bite Foods' growth plans as it continues to expand its portfolio and strengthen its presence in India's fast-growing organised foodservice market.