Series A raise builds supports US launch exclusively at Whole Foods Market, the two-Michelin-starred London restaurant brings a new era of premium Indian cuisine to American kitchens
Gymkhana Fine Foods, the premium Indian food brand born from London’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Gymkhana, announces its national U.S. launch, debuting exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide and online. The launch coincides with the close of an £6.3 million Series A funding round led by CAVU Consumer Partners, building on its partnership with the brand since its 2024 seed round, and arriving just months after the debut of its first U.S. Gymkhana restaurant in Las Vegas.
Co-founded by Gulrez Arora and JKS Restaurants, the team behind Gymkhana, one of London’s most celebrated restaurants, Gymkhana Fine Foods brings high-quality Indian cooking into the home through a range of simmer sauces and marinades rooted in the restaurant’s signature dishes. Developed in the Gymkhana restaurant kitchen, the collection uses the same ingredients, time-honored techniques and uncompromising approach that have defined the restaurant’s global reputation.
“Gymkhana restaurant has proved that Indian cuisine belongs at the highest level of global dining,” said Gulrez Singh Arora, CEO and Co-Founder of Gymkhana Fine Foods. “Now we’re bringing that magic into every kitchen. This isn’t just a product launch, it’s the beginning of Indian food’s premium moment in America, and Whole Foods is exactly where that story should start.”
The U.S. launch of Gymkhana Fine Foods features a curated lineup of Gymkhana’s best-selling cooking sauces and marinades, including Butter Masala, Goan Coconut Curry, Korma, Tikka Masala and Madras Simmer Sauces, alongside Classic Tandoori BBQ, Green Tikka and Roasted Garlic & Chili Marinades. Each product is designed to deliver a restaurant-quality meal at home in under 30 minutes with the simple addition of a single protein or vegetable.
“Gymkhana Fine Foods is a natural extension of the mission we set out with thirteen years ago when we opened Gymkhana in London. Each sauce, marinade and chutney has been created to deliver the same bold, authentic flavours found in our restaurants” says Karam Sethi, Co-Founder and Culinary and Creative Director of JKS Restaurants. “As we expand into the U.S., from our first restaurant in Las Vegas in 2025 to the launch of Gymkhana Fine Foods across the country, our aim remains the same: to offer Indian cuisine in its purest form, whether you’re cooking in your own kitchen or dining with us.”
Gymkhana Fine Foods first launched in the UK in 2023, where it quickly established itself as a breakout brand within the category, driven by a strategic partnership with Whole Foods Market UK and key national retailers. Even at an early stage, the brand is driving outsized impact within the Indian category, reigniting growth and outperforming both branded and private label competitors. According to Nielsen data, Gymkhana Fine Foods is the primary growth driver across total ambient sauce brands in the UK over the past 26 weeks, ahead of Heinz, Mutti and other major players. As of today, Gymkhana Fine Foods is now stocked in over 1,000 doors across Whole Foods Market UK, Waitrose, and other leading retailers.
- Takeaway is in structural decline: UK takeaway purchases are down 5% year-on-year and 25% since 2021, signalling a sustained behavioural shift rather than a short-term squeeze. (ONS/DEFRA Family Food Survey FYE 2024)
- Consumers are reallocating spend to the home: UK households now spend ~75% of their food budget on eating at home, up from around two-thirds five years ago. (ONS/NimbleFins, 2025)
- The ‘decision gap’ is real: 70% of people don’t know what they want for dinner at 4pm, highlighting demand for brands that simplify and premiumise the evening meal.
- Premium at-home dining is surging: Searches for luxury food on Waitrose.com have spiked, including steak fillet (+842%), lobster tail (+155%) and caviar (+87%), pointing to a clear “restaurant-quality at home” mindset. (Waitrose Food & Drink Report 2025)
- In the UK, Gymkhana Fine Foods is already the primary growth driver across ambient cooking sauces, ahead of Heinz and Mutti, with ~70% incremental sales in accounts where listed for a full year
The U.S. debut positions the brand at the forefront of Indian cuisine’s evolution in America. While Indian food is one of the fastest-growing global cuisines, with more than $5 billion in at-home consumption across the U.S. and UK, the American retail landscape has historically lacked a premium, restaurant-credentialed offering.
“The best brands solve problems, and for too long, the at-home Indian category hasn’t reflected the depth and quality of the cuisine itself,” said Jared Jacobs, Managing Partner at CAVU Consumer Partners. “Gymkhana changes that, bringing restaurant-caliber Indian flavor into the modern home. We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership and support their ambition to build an iconic global Indian food brand.”
As part of the round, CAVU’s Rohan Oza and Jared Jacobs will continue to serve on Gymkhana Fine Foods’ Board of Directors.
“Gymkhana Fine Foods is a category-creating global brand — the first premium global Indian brand bringing a convenient, curated, Michelin-starred culinary experience into the home,” said Rohan Oza, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at CAVU Consumer Partners. “Today’s consumer is looking for great-tasting, flavour-forward, protein-rich options that elevate the at-home dining experience, and Gymkhana Fine Foods is the perfect brand for that.”
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