• Initiative aims to unite restaurateurs and hospitality stakeholders across Karnataka under one platform

Mangaluru, June 4th, 2026: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the apex body representing the Indian Restaurant Industry, officially launched the NRAI Mangaluru & Western Karnataka Chapter on 4th June at The Avatar Hotel & Convention, Mangaluru. The formation of this new chapter marks a significant milestone in strengthening the region’s food service ecosystem, boosting hospitality-led growth, and positioning Coastal Karnataka as an emerging culinary and tourism destination.

Karnataka’s food services and hospitality sector continues to witness strong growth, driven by increasing tourism, urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and evolving consumer preferences. Mangaluru and the larger Western Karnataka region have emerged as important hospitality hubs with a rapidly growing presence of restaurants, cafés, bars, cloud kitchens, and tourism-linked establishments. According to tourism data, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi together attracted over 11 crore domestic tourists in recent years, with Coastal Karnataka accounting for nearly 10–15% of Karnataka’s total tourist footfall.

Speaking on the occasion, Prashanth Rao Aroor, Chapter Head, NRAI Mangaluru & Western Karnataka said, “Mangaluru and Western Karnataka today represent one of the most promising emerging hospitality markets in the country. With the launch of this chapter, we aim to bring together restaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens, and hospitality businesses under one unified platform. This chapter will help strengthen industry collaboration, support entrepreneurs, address operational challenges, and further promote the region’s unique culinary identity at a larger national level.”

Anurag Katriar, Past President & Trustee of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) & Founder and Managing Director of Indigo Hospitality Pvt Ltd said, “Domestic tourism has fast emerged as the primary fuel for tourism growth in India and as a natural corollary to that, regional culinary markets are increasingly becoming the engines for faster growth of India’s restaurant industry too. The launch of the Mangaluru and Western Karnataka is a very significant milestone for NRAI because the region possess a strong combination of culinary heritage, tourism potential and the inherent entrepreneurial energy of the people here, especially within the food service sector. I am certain that this chapter will help create a stronger industry voice in the region while enabling knowledge sharing, innovation, and sustainable growth opportunities for hospitality businesses beyond the local geography.”

Pranav Rungta, NRAI Vice President added, “Karnataka has always been one of India’s most progressive hospitality markets, and Mangaluru’s culinary culture is truly distinctive. From its rich seafood traditions to its rapidly evolving dining ecosystem, the region has immense growth potential. With the launch of the Mangaluru & Western Karnataka Chapter, NRAI further strengthens its commitment towards enabling regional restaurant ecosystems, supporting local entrepreneurs, and driving collaborative industry growth.”

On the occasion, Shri UT Khader – Hon. Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and MLA of Mangaluru as well as Shri Vedavyas Kamath – MLA of Mangaluru South, who attended the event as the Chief Guests, highlighted the growing role of the restaurant and hospitality industry in driving tourism, employment generation, and economic development across Karnataka. The Chief Guests also emphasised the importance of industry collaboration and policy support in strengthening the region’s hospitality ecosystem and enabling sustainable growth for local businesses.

The chapter will be steered by a dedicated core committee comprising Chapter Head: Prashanth Rao  Aroor, Founder, The Avatar Hotel & Convention; Co Chapter Head: Dane Dsouza, Partner, The Village Restaurant; Secretary: Ashwin Rai, Partner, Spindrift Brewpub & Thyme Restaurant; Joint Secretary: Vadi Shenoy, Proprietor, Tandoor Restaurant; Joint Secretary: Shivprasad S. Tallur, Propreitor, Hakuna Matata & Thamboolam, Udupi; Treasurer: Sudhakar Poonja, Founder, Curry Wok & Asian Patio.

About NRAI:

Founded in 1982, NRAI is the voice of over 5,00,000 restaurants across the country, representing an industry with an annual turnover of INR 5.69 lakh crores. The Mangaluru & Western Karnataka Chapter aims to bring together restaurants, QSRs, bars, cloud kitchens, and caterers under one powerful platform to address industry challenges, drive profitable growth, and put Coastal Karnataka’s unique culinary identity on the national map.

National Restaurant Association of India is the voice of the Indian Restaurant Industry. Founded in 1982, it represents the interests of 500000+ Restaurants, an industry valued at INR 5.69 lakh crores. Being the leading association of the Indian Restaurant Industry, NRAI aspires to promote and strengthen the Indian Food Service Sector. The Association in its 43^rd year has a pan India presence and is governed by a committee of members and led by a President and Office Bearers. The committee consists of over 30 Restaurant CEOs / Owners representing various national and international brands from the F&B sector. The association works closely with a network of State and City Chapters across the country.

Website: https://nrai.org/