Global investment firm Hunch Ventures has acquired complete ownership of Jamie Oliver Restaurants in India, buying out London-based International Market Management (IMM). IMM, which previously held a 51 percent stake, confirmed its exit after nearly a decade in the Indian hospitality market. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Hunch Ventures first entered the partnership in 2015 when IMM launched Jamie’s Pizzeria, Jamie’s Italian and Jamie’s Kitchen outlets in India. With the latest transaction, Hunch now owns all 14 restaurants under the brand across the country.
Karanpal Singh, founder of Hunch Ventures, said the acquisition will allow the company to consolidate its hospitality presence and scale operations beyond major metros. “Hospitality has always been an asset class for us. We will now expand Jamie’s into tier-2 and tier-3 cities through both company-owned outlets and franchise partners, while also developing new food-led concepts,” Singh told ET.
The group has earmarked ₹200 crore over the next three years for the expansion, with additional investments expected from franchisees. Singh added that synergies will be built across Hunch’s wider portfolio, which spans agritech, commercial real estate, co-working platform The Circle Work, luxury club chain Quorum, air mobility venture FlyBlade, healthcare services, and premium concierge offerings.
The move comes as India’s food services industry recovers from five consecutive quarters of weak demand. Analysts say easing inflation, higher disposable incomes, and growing appetite for western comfort food are boosting investor confidence in the sector.
For IMM, this marks its second exit from India’s dining space. The firm sold its Wendy’s India rights to cloud kitchen operator Rebel Foods in 2023. Founder Jasper Reid said IMM’s UK shareholders were seeking a clean exit from the Jamie Oliver business, which paved the way for Hunch’s complete takeover.
