Le Royal Méridien Chennai hosted its annual Mix & Mingle 2025 Cake Mixing Ceremony, marking the official beginning of the festive season. The event brought together Chief Guests, HNIs, influencers, corporate partners, and guests for an evening filled with warmth, celebration, and the spirit of Christmas.

The Cake Mixing Ceremony is a centuries-old tradition that began in England, symbolising joy, unity, abundance, and the start of Christmas preparations. Today, luxury hotels across India and abroad continue this ritual as the grand opening to the festive season.

This year, the ceremony was graced by distinguished Chief Guests:

·         Dr. Arathi Arun – International powerlifting athlete and Asian & Commonwealth Gold Medalist

·         Mr. V. M. Muralidharan – Renowned educationist and business leader

·         Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, IAS – Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu

Guests came together to mix premium dry fruits, nuts, spices, and flavours that will form the base of the hotel’s signature Christmas cakes and festive treats served through December.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kaustubh Sur, General Manager, Le Royal Méridien Chennai, shared:

“The Cake Mixing Ceremony marks the start of our festive journey. It brings our guests, partners, and our entire team together as one community. The mix we prepared today sets the tone for the celebrations ahead and becomes part of the flavours we serve throughout Christmas.”

The event concluded with a curated Grand High Tea, festive interactions, and memorable moments shared among the guests. Le Royal Méridien Chennai looks forward to a joyful festive season filled with celebrations, warmth, and exceptional hospitality.

Burger Singh has expanded its footprint once again with a new outlet at IIT Kanpur, strengthening its presence in youth-heavy, high-traffic locations. The homegrown burger chain continues to grow across spaces where students, commuters, and young professionals dominate the crowd, making this launch a natural fit for the brand’s strategy.

The outlet at IIT Kanpur is in line with Burger Singh’s move towards high-engagement formats such as universities, hospitals, metro stations, and airports. These spaces allow the brand to launch faster, stay accessible, and build a strong everyday presence for consumers.

Kabir Jeet Singh, Founder & CEO of Burger Singh, said, "We've built Burger Singh on the idea that entrepreneurship in India shouldn't be limited by capital. Our low-capex model allows first-time business owners to run profitable QSR outlets in high-demand zones like campuses and transit spaces. IIT Kanpur represents that spirit perfectly, young energy, ambition, and the drive to build something of their own."

The brand now operates 180+ outlets across 80+ cities, growing steadily through its co-investment franchise model. Compact formats under this model start at around ₹24–30 lakh, depending on the space, helping local entrepreneurs open outlets with quicker breakeven timelines, operational support, and consistent store-level performance.

Bhargav PV, Chief of Staff at Burger Singh, added, "Our kiosk and compact formats are built to minimise location risk. They work across high-footfall zones, from campuses to metro stations, without the heavy overheads of traditional QSR spaces. The model gives us flexibility to test, scale, or relocate quickly, while maintaining strong unit-level profitability. That's been key to our rapid, sustainable expansion."

With its focus on efficient growth and deeper reach across new cities, Burger Singh continues to strengthen its position as a proudly homegrown QSR brand built on affordability, flexibility, and strong business fundamentals.

About Burger Singh
Burger Singh is the only Made-in-India brand competing with global burger chains and has grown rapidly since opening its first outlet in Gurugram in 2014. Today, the chain has 180+ outlets across 80+ cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Shillong, Jaipur, Dehradun, Jammu, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Amritsar, and more. It is also the first Indian burger brand to expand internationally, with three outlets and one food truck in London. With strong acceptance in both tier 1 and tier 2–3 cities, and a recent pre-series B funding round valuing the company at INR 430 crores, Burger Singh continues its upward growth story.

Indian sweets giant Haldiram Group is reportedly in advanced talks with US-based Inspire Brands to bring the American sandwich chain Jimmy John’s to India. The move marks a significant step for Haldiram’s as it looks to enter the Western-style quick service restaurant (QSR) space, appealing to younger, urban consumers with global flavours.

According to reports, the talks are at an advanced stage, and the franchise deal could be finalised soon. The partnership would represent one of Haldiram’s boldest strategic shifts, expanding its reach beyond its traditional Indian offerings. Analysts suggest the move could reshape both Haldiram’s business trajectory and the competitive landscape of India’s ₹7.76 lakh crore food services market.

Founded in 1983, Jimmy John’s is a popular American sandwich and wrap chain known for its fast delivery and customisable menu. The brand operates over 2,600 restaurants across the US, Canada, South Korea, and the UAE. Its parent company, Inspire Brands, manages over 33,000 restaurants globally and has expressed strong interest in expanding Jimmy John’s international footprint.

For Haldiram’s, this move aligns with its growing ambitions in the hospitality sector. A member of the Agarwal family told Economic Times that the group aims to compete with international brands like Subway and Tim Hortons while connecting with aspirational young Indians who prefer Western café formats.

If finalised, the QSR venture will operate under Haldiram’s restaurant division, which already manages over 150 outlets nationwide and generates around ₹2,000 crore in annual revenue. This would be separate from its FMCG business, which reported ₹12,800 crore in revenue and ₹1,400 crore in net profit for FY24.

The development follows a series of strategic moves by Haldiram’s. In April 2025, the company merged its Delhi and Nagpur FMCG arms and attracted major investors, including Temasek and Alpha Wave Global. Earlier this year, Kamal Agrawal, a family member, led a ₹150 crore investment in Wow! Momo, hinting at Haldiram’s growing appetite for the QSR segment.

Industry experts note that India’s QSR market is entering a new phase, driven by rising disposable incomes and growing demand from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. As western chains such as Subway, Tim Hortons, and McDonald’s expand aggressively, Haldiram’s move could create a unique fusion of Indian trust and international appeal.

By combining its strong domestic legacy with Jimmy John’s global brand power, Haldiram’s may well bridge the gap between India’s traditional food culture and its fast-modernising dining habits, offering a new recipe for the next generation’s appetite.