Key points:
- Arshad Khan’s Café Chaiwala opened its first permanent shop in the United Kingdom, located in Sutton, South London.
- The outlet brings the brand’s signature chai and Pakistani street‑food menu to British customers, targeting both the South Asian diaspora and local tea lovers.
- The launch follows rapid expansion of the franchise across Pakistan and highlights a growing trend of South Asian culinary concepts going global.
- The new shop is expected to create local jobs and reinforce trade ties between the UK and Pakistani small‑business sectors.
Pakistani tea‑seller Arshad Khan, who became an internet sensation after a 2024 video of his roadside chai stall went viral, has turned that moment of fame into a full‑scale franchise. After establishing more than 150 Café Chaiwala locations throughout Pakistan, Khan announced plans to test international markets last year. The Sutton café, occupying a modest street‑front unit on Cheam Road, marks the first permanent foothold of the brand on British soil.
The menu mirrors the street‑side experience that made Khan famous: freshly brewed masala chai served in traditional steel tumblers, alongside snack staples such as pakoras, samosas, and “bun kebabs” prepared with locally sourced ingredients. While the core offering caters to the sizable Pakistani and broader South Asian community in South London, the outlet is also positioned as a cultural ambassador, inviting curious Britons to sample authentic flavors that are rarely found outside ethnic enclaves.
Khan’s overseas push arrives at a time when Pakistani entrepreneurs are increasingly eyeing export‑oriented growth. The Sutton shop not only creates employment opportunities for local staff but also opens a new revenue stream for Pakistani suppliers of tea, spices and frozen snacks. Analysts suggest that successful replication of the model could encourage further franchising in other UK cities, strengthening economic linkages and showcasing Pakistan’s vibrant street‑food heritage on the world stage.