Harajuku Tokyo Café, an Indian food and beverage startup operating Japanese-themed cafés and bakery outlets, has raised $3 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by ZeroW. The round also included existing investors Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Samved VC, along with new investors such as Blume Founders Fund, Brijesh Parekh Family Office and Epigamia co-founder Rahul Jain. The company plans to use the capital to expand its outlet network, strengthen its operational infrastructure and reach more consumers across India.
Founded in 2021 by Gaurav Kanwar, Harajuku operates two formats: Harajuku Tokyo Café, a casual dining concept inspired by Japanese food and culture, and Harajuku Bakehouse, a quick-service bakery business. The company plans to open 10 outlets over the next two quarters across Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, while entering Bengaluru and Chandigarh. It also aims to make central kitchens in Mumbai and Bengaluru operational by December 2026 to support its next phase of expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Funding raised: Harajuku Tokyo Café secured $3 million, approximately ₹28 crore, in a pre-Series A round led by ZeroW.
- Investor participation: Existing investors Indian Angel Network and Samved VC participated, alongside new investors.
- Expansion plans: The company intends to open 10 outlets over the next two quarters and enter Bengaluru and Chandigarh.
- Two business formats: Harajuku Tokyo Café focuses on dining, while Harajuku Bakehouse sells Japanese-inspired breads, desserts and snacks.
- Revenue target: Founder Gaurav Kanwar said the company is targeting ₹100 crore in revenue for the current financial year.
- Operational investment: Central kitchens in Mumbai and Bengaluru are planned to support production, consistency and expansion.
Harajuku Tokyo Café Raises $3 Million in Pre-Series A Funding
The $3 million funding round marks another step in Harajuku’s efforts to build a larger presence in India’s food services market. ZeroW led the round, while existing investors IAN and Samved VC continued their backing. New participants included Blume Founders Fund, Brijesh Parekh Family Office and Rahul Jain, co-founder of dairy-based food brand Epigamia, among others.
The latest investment follows a seed funding round of ₹19 crore, or approximately $2 million, in August 2025. According to the company, its outlet count and overall revenue have both doubled since that round.
The fresh capital is intended to support outlet expansion, strengthen teams and improve the operational systems required to manage a growing food business. Opening more locations involves costs beyond leasing restaurant space, including kitchen equipment, staff recruitment, supply-chain management, inventory and quality control.
For Harajuku, the challenge will be to grow its footprint while maintaining the customer experience associated with its Japanese-inspired concept.
What Is Harajuku Tokyo Café?
Founded in 2021 by Gaurav Kanwar, Harajuku operates under two complementary food and beverage formats.
Harajuku Tokyo Café is the company’s casual dining concept. Its Japanese-inspired atmosphere and menu are designed to attract consumers looking for an experience beyond conventional cafés and restaurants.
Harajuku Bakehouse operates as a quick-service bakery offering Japanese-style breads, desserts and savoury snacks. The format gives the company a way to reach consumers who may want bakery products without visiting a full-service dining outlet.
The two formats allow Harajuku to pursue different occasions and price points. A customer might visit the café for a meal or social outing, while purchasing bakery products through a quick-commerce platform for everyday consumption.
According to company-reported figures cited by Inc42, Harajuku Bakehouse contributes more than 30% of the business’s total revenue. The company also reports selling over 1,000 loaves of bread per week through Blinkit in Delhi-NCR.
These figures suggest the bakery business has become a meaningful part of Harajuku’s operations rather than serving only as an extension of the café brand.
Harajuku Plans to Open 10 New Outlets
The company plans to open 10 outlets over the next two quarters, with expansion focused on Delhi-NCR and Mumbai and entry into Bengaluru and Chandigarh.
The plan will increase the company’s geographic reach and test whether its existing operating model can be replicated across additional urban markets.
| Expansion priority | Planned development | Strategic purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi-NCR | Open additional outlets | Deepen presence in an existing market |
| Mumbai | Add outlets and strengthen operations | Build on an established customer base |
| Bengaluru | Enter the market | Reach consumers in a major metropolitan city |
| Chandigarh | Enter the market | Extend the brand into another urban market |
| Central kitchens | Operationalize facilities in Mumbai and Bengaluru by December 2026 | Support production, supply and consistency |
Central kitchens are an important part of this strategy. Preparing selected products centrally can help a growing food chain standardize recipes, manage ingredient costs and reduce the operational burden on individual outlets.
The facilities are also intended to support Harajuku Bakehouse and packaged food production for western and southern India. Their effectiveness will depend on logistics, production capacity, product shelf life and the company’s ability to maintain freshness across locations.
Harajuku Bakehouse Emerges as a Growth Driver
Harajuku’s bakery format offers a different growth opportunity from its dine-in business.
Traditional restaurants depend heavily on customer visits, seating capacity and local footfall. Bakery products, by contrast, can be sold through physical outlets, delivery services and quick-commerce platforms, potentially expanding the addressable customer base.
The company reports that Harajuku Bakehouse accounts for more than 30% of its revenue and sells over 1,000 loaves of bread weekly through Blinkit in Delhi-NCR.
These figures point to an opportunity to scale beyond café locations. Central kitchens could help supply bakery outlets and support packaged products in additional metropolitan markets.
However, growth through quick commerce also comes with challenges. Businesses must account for platform commissions, packaging, delivery economics, product returns and the risk of unsold inventory. Increasing sales volume does not automatically translate into higher profits.
Harajuku will need to demonstrate that its bakery products can maintain attractive margins as distribution expands.
Revenue Target: ₹100 Crore in the Current Financial Year
Founder and CEO Gaurav Kanwar has said Harajuku is targeting ₹100 crore in revenue for the current financial year.
The target signals the company’s ambition to move from a growing niche dining brand toward a larger multi-city food business. Its expansion plans, bakery sales and investment in centralized operations are intended to support that objective.
The company also reports processing more than 1,000 orders per day across dine-in and delivery channels. Mumbai, where the brand began operations in July 2025, contributes around 25% of revenue, according to company figures reported by Restaurant India.
These metrics offer an indication of the business’s current operating momentum, but they should be treated as company-reported figures rather than independently audited financial results.
The key question is whether Harajuku can maintain revenue growth while controlling the costs associated with new outlets, staffing, ingredients and logistics.
India’s Growing Market for Cafés and Organized Food Services
Harajuku’s expansion comes as Indian consumers increasingly encounter specialized cafés, international cuisines, bakery brands and quick-service restaurant formats.
The Swiggy-Kearney How India Eats 2025 report projects that India’s food services market could grow from $78 billion in 2025 to $120 billion–$125 billion by 2030. The organized segment is expected to expand at roughly twice the pace of the unorganized market, according to figures cited by Inc42.
That market outlook provides a favorable backdrop for organized restaurant and bakery businesses. Standardized menus, recognizable branding and consistent service can help chains expand across cities more systematically than independent outlets.
Nevertheless, the market opportunity does not guarantee success for every brand. Competition for prime locations, rising operating expenses and changing consumer preferences can put pressure on margins.
Harajuku will need to differentiate its Japanese-inspired offerings while ensuring that customers return for food quality, service and value—not only the novelty of the dining environment.
The Bigger Picture
Harajuku Tokyo Café’s latest funding round highlights investor interest in food businesses that combine a distinctive consumer-facing concept with repeatable operations. Its two-format strategy allows the company to serve dine-in customers while building a bakery business that can reach consumers through retail and quick-commerce channels.
The next phase will test whether the startup can translate funding into sustainable growth. New outlets and central kitchens may improve geographic reach and consistency, but success will depend on outlet-level economics, repeat purchases, inventory management and the ability to maintain quality across cities.
FAQs
1. How much funding has Harajuku Tokyo Café raised?
Harajuku Tokyo Café raised $3 million, approximately ₹28 crore, in a pre-Series A funding round led by ZeroW.
2. Who invested in Harajuku Tokyo Café?
The round included ZeroW, existing investors Indian Angel Network and Samved VC, and new participants including Blume Founders Fund, Brijesh Parekh Family Office and Epigamia co-founder Rahul Jain.
3. What does Harajuku Tokyo Café plan to do with the money?
The company plans to expand its outlet network, open 10 outlets over the next two quarters, enter Bengaluru and Chandigarh, and strengthen its operating infrastructure through central kitchens in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
4. What is Harajuku Bakehouse?
Harajuku Bakehouse is the company’s quick-service bakery format, offering Japanese-inspired breads, desserts and savoury snacks. The company reports that the business contributes more than 30% of its total revenue.
5. What is Harajuku Tokyo Café’s revenue target?
Founder Gaurav Kanwar has said the company is targeting ₹100 crore in revenue for the current financial year. This is a stated target, not a confirmed financial result.
Looking Ahead
Harajuku Tokyo Café’s immediate priorities are to execute its outlet expansion, establish its central kitchens and extend its bakery business into more metropolitan markets. The planned openings in Bengaluru and Chandigarh will also test how well the brand can transfer its existing model to new customer bases.
The longer-term opportunity will depend on profitable expansion rather than outlet count alone. If Harajuku can maintain food quality, build repeat demand and manage costs as it scales, the latest funding could help establish it as a broader Japanese-inspired food and beverage brand in India. Its progress toward the ₹100 crore revenue target will be an important indicator of whether that strategy is working.
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