Franchise News Desk
Indian MarketFunding / Acquisition

Popo Global Raises ₹532 Crore From Artal Asia, Eyes National Expansion of The Pizza Bakery

Bengaluru-based Popo Global, parent of The Pizza Bakery, Paris Panini and Smash Guys, has secured ₹532 crore from Artal Asia in its first external funding round to fuel expansion across India.

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By - FE Bureau

Franchise News Desk

11 September 2026Brand in focus: Popo GlobalF&B · Hospitality
POPO Global raises ₹532 crore from Artal Asia to drive the national expansion of The Pizza Bakery in India.Co-founder brothers, Popo Ventures, Nikhil Gupta (L) and AB Gupta (R).
POPO Global raises ₹532 crore from Artal Asia to drive the national expansion of The Pizza Bakery in India.Co-founder brothers, Popo Ventures, Nikhil Gupta (L) and AB Gupta (R).

Bengaluru-based restaurant company Popo Global, which operates The Pizza Bakery, Paris Panini and Smash Guys, has raised ₹532 crore from Artal Asia, an affiliate of global investment firm Invus, marking its first external funding round.

The investment gives Artal Asia a significant minority stake and sets the stage for aggressive expansion beyond the company's home market. Popo Global has grown from a single Bengaluru outlet in 2017 into a multi-brand platform with around 40 outlets and reported FY25 revenue of approximately ₹175 crore.

Key Details

ItemDetail
CompanyPopo Global (The Pizza Bakery, Paris Panini, Smash Guys)
InvestorArtal Asia (Invus affiliate)
Round size₹532 crore
Outlets~40
FY25 revenue~₹175 crore

Unlike many Indian restaurant chains that rely on franchising, Popo has scaled through a company-owned-and-operated model. The fresh capital is expected to accelerate that strategy across more Indian cities.

Founders Nikhil Gupta and Abhijit Gupta launched The Pizza Bakery in 2017, later adding sandwich brand Paris Panini and burger concept Smash Guys to the portfolio.

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fundingPopo GlobalThe Pizza BakeryQSR India