The Cheesecake Factory Bakery enters India, eyes ₹250 crore in 5 Years

Bengaluru-based The Gourmet Café (TGC) has introduced US-based The Cheesecake Factory Bakery to India, marking its entry into the premium dessert segment.

 

With an extensive cheesecake portfolio, Masthan Adam, founder and chief executive officer at TGC, told Business Standard in an interaction that TGC aims to tap the organised high-value market and generate about Rs 200–250 crore in revenue over five years from retail, B2B and Q-commerce operations.

 

Commenting on the India debut, Adam said he sees India as a high-potential dessert market, estimated at $30 billion. “India is a serious market for us. The fact that we have launched a globally first eggless cheesecake shows the level of commitment,” he added.

 

Adam also said the timing aligns with shifting consumer behaviour. Urban Indian consumers, particularly in metros, are increasingly brand-conscious, globally exposed, and willing to pay for premium, experience-led offerings.

 

“Bengaluru was a strategic first choice. It is an innovation and technology hub with high disposable incomes and early adopters of premium lifestyle brands,” Adam said. The flagship store has opened at Phoenix Mall of Asia, and the company plans to add three to six more outlets in the city this year before expanding nationally.

 

Moreover, the India entry follows a distribution-led licence model rather than a franchise structure. TGC will operate across B2C retail stores, B2B supply and quick commerce (Q-comm). The brand is expected to go live across multiple Q-comm platforms in Bengaluru within a few weeks, with further expansion into other cities thereafter.

 

The rollout will primarily adopt a QSR/kiosk format of 800 to 1,200 square feet, targeting malls, airports, high streets and delivery-focused catchments. Over the next three to five years, TGC plans to open around 55 outlets across India, with six to 10 premium stores in each metro and selective entry into Tier-II cities such as Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.

 

TGC also noted that a major localisation milestone is the development of an eggless cheesecake, marking the first such formulation for the brand. Adam described it as a structured R&D process rather than a simple recipe tweak, signalling long-term commitment to the Indian market. Slices are priced at an average of Rs 500, compared with Rs 380–480 at many premium bakeries.

 

On the investment front, TGC plans to invest close to $60 million (about Rs 550 crore) over the next five years in retail expansion, supply chain, brand building and digital integration. It expects to build a valuation of $75–100 million (Rs 620–830 crore) within five years.

 

For The Gourmet Café, the ambition extends beyond store count. “We want to be seen as the premium cheesecake destination in India, both online and offline, filling a gap that has existed in the organised dessert space,” Adam added.