Restaurant India News: Jumboking Names Nishant Dholakia Chief Business Development Officer

Jumboking has appointed Nishant Dholakia as Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO), a move aimed at strengthening its leadership structure as the company enters an accelerated national growth phase.

Dholakia brings more than three decades of experience in the hospitality and quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector. An alumnus of the Institute of Hotel Management Mumbai, he has previously worked with brands such as Pizza Hut, Chili's and Galaxy Cloud Kitchens, contributing to business development and expansion strategies.

In his new role at Jumboking, Dholakia will oversee business development and franchise expansion, with a focus on identifying new markets, strengthening existing territories and scaling the brand’s presence across India.

Dheeraj Gupta, Founder and MD, Jumboking, said, "When I met Nishant to discuss the future of Jumboking, he said that he had never seen anything like the JK university in the entire QSR market in India. I knew right there that we had a meeting of minds. Nishant is a seasoned professional who brings in a strong focus on operational efficiency and sustainable growth to our aggressive growth plan.”

Nishant Dholakia said," Jumboking has been steadily expanding its presence across India. We are ramping up to 15 states via a 100 percent franchise led growth strategy, while also deepening penetration in existing markets. This is an exciting opportunity for me to scale up India's largest vegetarian QSR brand. This Make In India story is close to my heart. "

The appointment signals a structured approach to scaling within the competitive vegetarian QSR segment. Jumboking’s growth model is anchored in a 100 percent franchise-led expansion plan, targeting presence in 15 states while consolidating operations in current markets. Franchise-led growth allows asset-light scaling while leveraging local entrepreneurship to drive faster market penetration.

The brand continues to focus on four key growth levers: its loyalty program, the JK University-led training initiative, partnerships with supply chain operators and the recruitment of senior industry professionals. This framework is designed to ensure operational consistency and brand standardisation as the company expands.

Founded with the objective of offering an accessible vegetarian burger format for Indian consumers, Jumboking is positioning itself to strengthen its national footprint while maintaining a value-driven approach. Industry observers note that leadership hires with deep QSR expansion experience are increasingly critical as regional chains transition into multi-state brands within India’s organised quick-service restaurant market.