New Delhi, May 21 -- K Hospitality Corp, which operates restaurant chains such as Copper Chimney and Wagamama, has launched a consumer retail fund called Kliff Ventures with a corpus of Rs 200 crore (about $21 million).

The newly established venture fund will focus on backing companies in the food and beverages, retail, and consumer services segments, the company said in a press note. These are also K Hospitality Corp's areas of expertise.

The fund will target early and growth-stage companies with "strong consumer resonance" and "proven unit economics", taking a focused portfolio approach and leveraging the K Hospitality ecosystem to support scale. It will combine capital with operational expertise, the company said.

"India has built some exceptional consumer retail brands, and we believe the opportunity ahead is even larger. Through Kliff Ventures, we want to work closely with ambitious founders and help them scale with not just capital, but real operating experience, strategic support and long-term partnerships," said Karan Kapur, executive director at K Hospitality and Kliff Ventures.

Founded in 1972, K Hospitality is one of India's largest privately held food service companies, operating across formats including fast-food chains, restaurants, bars, cafes, food courts, banqueting, outdoor catering, corporate food services and airport lounges.

Its brands include the flagship North Indian restaurant chain Copper Chimney, premium Indian dining brand Bombay Brasserie, pub and casual dining chain The Irish House, Hakkasan and Nando's - for which it is the JV partner in India, as well as airport F&B and lounge operator Travel Food Services, among others.

According to its website, the group has over 500 outlets in more than 30 cities across the country. Over the years, it has grown by operating restaurants, acquiring restaurant businesses, taking franchise rights for international brands, incubating homegrown concepts, and investing in scalable food-service ventures.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from VC Circle.