Sets a bold vision to scale to 200 outlets across India within three years
As it marks five years of operations, Wakao Foods, India’s pioneering jackfruit-based food brand, announced a strategic shift from packaged foods to a full-fledged quick-service restaurant (QSR) model with the launch of its first outlet in Panaji, Goa.
Before entering the QSR market, Wakao Foods strengthened its presence through a robust B2B and HoReCa network, working with over 15 partners across 15 cities in India. These partnerships enabled the brand to refine its products, build operational expertise, test scalability, and understand consumption patterns at volume that directly shaped the QSR blueprint.
Sairaj Dhond, Founder & CEO, Wakao Foods, said, “Wakao was built on a simple belief that sustainable, delicious food should be accessible to everyone. Our journey in packaged foods and HoReCa gave us deep consumer insights and operational discipline. The QSR model is the natural next step. With robust market interest, we are confident of building a 200-outlet network within three years. This pivot marks not just a new format, but a new future for Wakao, one that is scalable and built for India’s next wave of food innovation.”
The company-owned QSR format debuts with a menu of 15 curated items, created with the support of experienced food consultants to ensure standardisation and ease of replication across planned outlets. Pricing ranges from INR 60 to INR 200, keeping the offering accessible and high-value. Some highlights from the menu include Ghee roast Wrap, Butter Jack Wrap, New York Hotdog, Jack’d Cheese Burger, Wakao Sundae and the Jack Irani Samosa. A core USP of the Wakao QSR model is its ‘saltless kitchen’ concept, a fully controlled backend where all ingredients, pre-mixes, processes, design templates, and operational protocols are centralised. This enables every company-operated outlet to maintain uniformity in taste, quality, and hygiene while ensuring high operational efficiency.With the launch of its first company-owned QSR outlet, Wakao Foods is entering a transformative phase, one that brings together its product innovation, operational expertise, and strong B2B foundation. As the brand expands its footprint across India, it aims to redefine accessible, sustainable eating through a tightly controlled and standardised QSR experience. The move signals not just a business evolution, but Wakao Foods’ long-term commitment to building a new category of flavour-forward, plant-powered quick service for the modern Indian consumer.Founded in Goa in 2020, Wakao Foods is India’s first Brand that makes products from the Jackfruit, a super food. This Goa-based sustainable food brand offers handpicked natural products with a vision of benefiting the planet. The company stands for creating a better tomorrow, one where humanity thrives, with products that are curated from ethically grown and sourced produce that is then hygienically processed and packaged. All Wakao products have no preservatives with a shelf life of 1 year and require no refrigeration.
