ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chaiwala sensation, Arshad Khan, has recently inaugurated Café Chaiwala at 229 Ilford Lane in East London, bringing his famous tea experience to a diverse community, especially Pakistanis, Indians, and Bangladeshis.
The café’s billboard prominently displays the brand name as “Café Chaiwala Arshad Khan,” ensuring customers are unmistakably aware that they are entering the globally renowned café made famous by Arshad Chaiwala, the street tea vendor turned international celebrity from Islamabad.
London has become the exclusive destination for the renowned Chaiwala brand, courtesy of three investor brothers: Bahadar Durrani, Nadir Durrani, and Akbar Durrani. With a bold vision, they aim to open and franchise multiple “Café Chaiwala Arshad Khan” locations across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
Arshad Khan’s journey to the UK with his brand is a remarkable rags-to-riches tale. Just seven years ago, he was a penniless teenager selling Chai at a roadside stall (Dhabba) in Islamabad, with little hope for a better life. It would have been unimaginable for him at the time to become a global social media sensation, a fashion icon, and a successful brand and franchise owner, establishing his presence in a prestigious location like London.
Back in October 2016, when the chai seller was just 16 years old, photographer Javeria Ali captured a casual picture of him while he was serving Chai to a customer. Little did they know that when she posted it on her Instagram with the caption “Hot Tea,” it would catapult Arshad Khan to instant stardom. His striking looks, captivating blue eyes, and a mesmerizing intensity on his face turned him into an overnight sensation.
He found out that he had become a sensation when children, men and women started swamping the Dhabba where he worked to make pictures with him and soon he was all over social media, on the magazine covers and television crews started airing his story. After going viral, Arshad Khan, who is originally from a conservative Pashtun family living in Mardan, was nicknamed “Chaiwala” and that’s where the brand name comes.
In an interview, Akbar Durrani told APP that he plans to open up 50+ franchises in the United Kingdom. “Cafe´ Chaiwala Arshad Khan has gone international and London being capital of the world is the beginning. We are planning to make this an international brand. We opened the first outlet in London after a lot of market research and business planning.”
Cafe´ Chaiwala in London boasts traditional and cultural Pakistani elements, from truck art and a hand decorated Vespa, desi paintings on the wall and the interior that is modern and Dhabba at the same time.
Arshad Khan plans to visit London soon to meet his fans and to brew karak Chai for them. The Chaiwala said: “My visit is being planned and I would love to brew tea for my loving fans. I have received thousands of requests for London visit. Our first international Chai shop is now open on Ilford Lane and the response is massive already. With Durrani brothers, we
decided to start from Ilford Lane due to the fact that it’s home to a large number of Pakistanis and Indians who love Chai. I will be in London soon in person.”
While Akbar Durrani travels internationally to focus on family’s vast array of businesses, its Nadir Durrani who is practically running the Ilford Lane Chaiwala. He said the Cafe´ Chaiwala is set in a proper design and style to promote Pakistani culture and to give the real feel and look of what Chai cafes should look like. He said: “We have demonstrated on the cafe´’s front that this is the only authentic Chaiwala in Britain. Lots of people have been coming in and asking about Chaiwala Arshad Khan and whether this is the same person who had shot to fame while pouring Chai in an Islamabad market. We are selling in the UK everything that Chaiwala in Pakistan sells: traditional desi street food, several kinds of Pakistani teas including Karak Chai, Gurr Chai, Honey Malai Chai, Badami Chai, Kashmiri Chai, Doodh Patti, fresh in-house Chicken Tikka Paratha, fresh Malai Boti Paratha, fresh Afghani Paratha, special breakfast menu with fresh in house made Lahori Channay Paratha, Desi Omelette, Sujji Halwa, Papri Chaat, Samosa Chaat, Beef Paratha Roll and Malai Boti.
Nadir Durrani said that since they opened their doors for business, people from across London and outside have been coming to the Cafe´ Chaiwala to make pictures and videos.
Akbar Durrani said that they had agreed contract for international rights with Arshad Khan Chaiwala in 2021 but there has been a delay in finding a right place to suit the image and potential of the brand.
He said: “We have been into the food business for over 20 years and have enough expertise in scoping a business and having it at the right place. There is no place in London better than Ilford Lane, to start with, and that has already become a unique point for us as it’s in the centre of an Asian area. Literally, thousands of people will get to see the brand. We are
planning to open nearly a dozen cafes across London and work has already begun in this respect.”
After Arshad Khan became a hit, he initially did some modelling and soon he decided to capitalise on his fame, realising that fame is short-lived and his interest would be secured if he became an entrepreneur. He opened his first cafe´ in … and then ….
For Arshad Khan, it’s been a remarkable journey of success based on hard work, determination and dreams coming true in a fair style. He was around 12 years old when he started working at a tea stall to support himself and his family of 17 siblings. His family was so poor that he spent only a few days at school and had no resources or time to get proper education. When his picture went viral, Arshad Khan didn’t have a phone or internet to see the sensation his attractive looks had caused globally.
Akbar Durrani said that the rise of Arshad Khan from a tea vendor to fashion model to an entrepreneur showed the power of social media. He said: “Social media has transformative power and it yields wonderful results when used positively. The arrival of Arshad Khan in the UK through Chaiwala is a testimony to that fact and the journey has just begun.”