Deepak first met the late Chef Floyd Cardoz in 2002 at his restaurant, Tabla, in New York, during the U.S. launch of Sula Vineyards. Floyd had paired Sula’s wines with contemporary Indian dishes to perfection. Over the years, the two became friends, and some of Deepak’s most memorable meals were at Floyd’s BBQs in a friend’s backyard in Montclair, New Jersey.

In 2015, in Mumbai's Lower Parel, Floyd introduced me to two hospitality builders reimagining how India eats: Sameer Seth and Yash Bhanage. Together with Floyd, they had just opened The Bombay Canteen (TBC).

‍

What began with TBC has grown into a house of culturally rooted, beloved brands – O Pedro, Veronica's, Papa's (named to TIME's World's Greatest Places 2025), and Bombay Sweet Shop (BSS). Each brand marries craft with storytelling to create outsize consumer love.

We have known this team since day zero. We have hosted DSGCP founder events at their venues and watched them exemplify trust, taste, and execution. Sameer and Yash have long been part of the DSGCP Founders WhatsApp Group – unorthodox for us, but we believed in what they were building.

We are excited to partner with Hunger Inc., alongside Lighthouse Funds, to help scale BSS – the company’s most ambitious and scalable chapter yet.

Cultural storytellers with operational discipline

Sameer and Yash bring global training and local execution, Chef Hussain (Executive Chef) and Chef Girish (Chief Mithaiwala) translate that ethos into category-shaping products – from once-in-a-lifetime chef’s-counter experiences at Papa’s to modern mithai at BSS.

A decade of compound proof

Flagships like The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro continue to set the benchmark for Indian dining – consistently sold out, commanding premium pricing power, and earning top-tier acclaim. Newer formats such as Veronica’s and Bombay Sweet Shop (BSS) extend this ethos into more frequent, everyday, and gifting occasions.

Each concept is designed for a distinct moment: The Bombay Canteen for celebratory dinners, O Pedro for Goan-inspired evenings, Veronica’s for neighbourhood coffee and sandwiches, and Papa’s (an intimate 12-seater chef’s counter) for theatrical, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. BSS brings it all together through everyday indulgence and gifting.

This portfolio creates frequency, builds loyalty across occasions, and enables Hunger Inc. to engage consumers across a wide range of price points – from everyday treats to premium gifting experiences.

Why We are Betting Big on Modern Indian Indulgence Now

Mithai is modernising - at scale

Walk into any traditional mithai shop in India: fluorescent lights, glass counters, loose sweets sold by weight. The product is often excellent, but the experience hasn't evolved in decades. Meanwhile, India's consumers have. They are traveling more, earning more, and expecting more – not just from what they buy, but from what those purchases say about them.

Food has become self-expression. Gifting has become storytelling. India's mithai and gourmet gifting market is worth over INR 300 billion (USD 3.5 billion) and growing. The packaged sweets sub-category is expanding at double-digit CAGR, powered by predictable gifting peaks (Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, weddings, corporate milestones) and rising everyday indulgence.

Most incumbents win on distribution rather than design or storytelling, leaving a clear white space for a brand-first player to build both premium and loyalty. BSS sits squarely in this gap, marrying craft and branding to meet what today’s consumers truly seek.

From destination dining to a scalable engine

The most exciting part of the platform is Bombay Sweet Shop (BSS) – a product-led, design-forward mithai brand built for omnichannel scale (retail and corporate gifting). It’s the natural bridge between Hunger Inc.’s premium hospitality equity and CPG-like repeat behaviour.

Capital-efficient growth

The group has doubled revenue over two years while maintaining strong gross margins and brand-level profitability. This is very rare in India’s fragmented F&B and CPG market and a robust base for scale.

Brand-led playbooks travel

Global analogues show that scarcity + design + authority can scale when supported by centralized production, clear format architecture, and tight brand systems – playbooks Hunger Inc. already applies.

‍The Backstory: When Turkish Delight Meets Indian Mithai

The inspiration for BSS came from an unlikely place: the luxurious Turkish Delight boutiques at Istanbul's airport. Sameer and Yash saw how traditional sweets could be elevated through design, packaging, and presentation, and wondered why Indian mithai couldn't command the same premium positioning and emotional pull.

Five years later, BSS has five Mumbai storefronts and delivers across India. But what makes it special is not just the beautiful packaging or Instagram-worthy interiors, it is how they have reimagined mithai itself.

Chef Girish Nayak (Culinary Institute of America-trained, former Daniel and Bouchon Bakery) leads the creative vision. Traditional motichoor laddoos sit alongside chocolate barks inspired by Lucknow's sohan halwa. Malai pedas are reimagined with dulce de leche and peanut brittle. The "Indie Bar" – India’s first mithai chocolate bar, combines flaky patissa with coconut and pepper caramel.

Every creation honours tradition while feeling unmistakably modern. And that's exactly the balance Indian consumers are craving.

‍

Why We Love Hunger Inc in a Nutshell

A decade-long relationship built on conviction & trust

We have known the founders since the early days of The Bombay Canteen and seen firsthand their integrity, creativity, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Over the past decade, they have built not just restaurants, but an enduring culture of innovation and authenticity.

Behind the creativity is disciplined execution

Hunger Inc. has built vertically integrated supply chains, standardised kitchen operations, and maintained profitability while scaling. In India's fragmented consumer sector, this balance of craft and systems is uncommon.

The team has strong credentials but what matters is their track record. Over ten years, we have seen them refine concepts, navigate challenges, and build a culture that delivers consistently. Sameer and Yash together bring strategic vision, hospitality expertise, and operational depth. Chef Hussain drives culinary innovation, Chef Girish reimagines tradition thoughtfully. Together, they have built brands that work commercially without losing their soul.

What Success Looks Like

Beloved flagships, scaled indulgence

Keep the temples (TBC, O Pedro, Papa’s, Veronicas) sacred, scale the rituals (BSS) across metros and corporate India. BSS has the right to win and become one of India’s next-generation legacy brands.

A category-defining modern mithai brand

Own premium Indian gifting with products that are as delicious as they are giftable – beautifully packaged, shippable, and unmistakably Indian.

We’re honoured to back Sameer, Yash, Chef Hussain, and Chef Girish as they build one of India’s most loved insurgent brands.

‍

The best part? They’re just getting started.

‍