Shweta Salunkhe, The Woman Behind a Growing Global Business and Cafe Empire

New Delhi: As India celebrates International Women’s Day, the rise of women entrepreneurs across various industries has come into focus more than ever. From technology to healthcare, hospitality to retail, women are building companies, creating new ideas and shaping the country’s rapidly evolving business landscape. Amongst these emerging leaders is Shweta Salunkhe, an entrepreneur whose work in the hospitality sector reflects how modern businesses can successfully combine quality, experience and community building.

Over the years, Shweta Salunkhe has built a reputation for creating brands that go beyond food — brands that revolve around experience, community and meaningful connections. Her approach reflects an important shift in the hospitality industry where cafés and restaurants are no longer just dining spaces but vibrant social environments where people work, collaborate and celebrate life’s moments together.

A Journey Driven by Purpose

Shweta Salunkhe represents a new generation of Indian women leaders who are confident, forward-looking and committed to building meaningful enterprises. Known among peers as someone who is never afraid, always strong and always on her toes, she believes that successful businesses must constantly evolve while staying rooted in discipline and long-term thinking.

Rather than focusing purely on profits, she believes businesses should create opportunities, build communities and encourage collaboration. Her leadership style blends creativity with structured planning — a balance that allows innovation while maintaining operational discipline in the competitive hospitality industry.

Her contributions to entrepreneurship have earned national recognition. She was honoured with the prestigious Bharat Vibhushan Puraskar in 2024 in New Delhi, and has also received the Rashtriya Abhiman Puraskar, along with several recognitions from Governors, national institutions and leadership platforms.

Her work and entrepreneurial journey have been featured in prominent media publications including Forbes, Bloomberg and CNBC, reflecting her growing presence in India’s evolving business ecosystem.

Building a Modern Cafe Brand

One of the most visible aspects of her work is her role as Managing Director of Coffee and More, a hospitality brand under Glocal Foodworks Pvt. Ltd.

The brand was launched in 2022 with the vision of creating more than just a café. The idea was to build a lifestyle destination where people could relax, work, celebrate and hold meetings while enjoying high-quality food and coffee.

Today, Coffee and More operates outlets across Pune and Mahabaleshwar, gradually becoming a popular destination for professionals, entrepreneurs, families and young creators.

The café follows an all-day dining concept, designed to fit into different parts of a customer’s day. Guests visit for breakfast meetings, casual lunches, coffee conversations or evening gatherings with friends and family.

Freshness remains central to the brand’s philosophy. The café follows a fresh food concept supported by an in-house bakery, where breads, desserts and bakery items are prepared regularly. Pizza dough undergoes nearly 24 hours of fermentation to enhance flavour and texture, while desserts are prepared without preservatives to maintain their natural taste.

Coffee and More has also evolved into a celebration-friendly space, where customers host birthdays, small parties, corporate meetings and social events. To strengthen customer engagement, the brand introduced the Coffee and More Premium Card, offering members exclusive dining experiences and benefits.

The brand’s identity is represented by its cheerful mascot “Zenzi”, symbolizing the welcoming and vibrant spirit of the café.

Introducing the “Work From Cafe” Culture

One of the distinctive ideas introduced by Shweta Salunkhe is the “Work From Café” concept.

As remote work and freelancing became more common, she saw an opportunity to transform cafés into productive work environments. Coffee and More outlets offer high-speed internet, comfortable seating and plug-in workstations, enabling professionals to conduct meetings, interviews or work sessions in a relaxed setting.

This concept has become popular among young professionals, entrepreneurs and freelancers who prefer flexible workspaces outside traditional offices.

The cafés also function as community hubs, regularly hosting networking events, creative workshops and social gatherings.

Entrepreneurs often meet here for informal business discussions. Artists and creators organize workshops and cultural sessions, while women entrepreneur meetups and community celebrations are frequently held in these spaces.

Through these initiatives, Shweta Salunkhe has transformed the café into a collaborative environment where people share ideas, build relationships and develop opportunities.

Expanding a Global Gastronomic Ecosystem

Coffee and More is part of a broader hospitality ecosystem that Shweta Salunkhe has helped build.

The portfolio includes brands such as Bun & Barrel, WokThry, DoughNook, Grillissimo, Nami Sushi and Vita Pizza Company, each representing a distinct cuisine and dining concept within a structured hospitality framework.

Several of these concepts draw inspiration from international culinary traditions. Bun & Barrel is positioned for expansion in the United States, WokThry draws inspiration from Asian cuisine with roots in Korea, DoughNook is expanding across the United States and Canada, Grillissimo reflects European grill traditions with presence in Paris and parts of Europe, Nami Sushi is inspired by authentic Japanese cuisine, and Vita Pizza Company takes influence from the rich pizza traditions of Italy and Paris.

Her approach focuses on creating distinct identities for each brand so customers can easily recognize what makes each concept unique.

Leadership Beyond Hospitality

Beyond hospitality entrepreneurship, Shweta Salunkhe is actively involved in the global investment ecosystem.

She serves as Managing Director of Blackhat Syndicus India, part of the global investment platform Blackhat Syndicus, which focuses on venture development, strategic investments and international collaborations across industries. The organization maintains its digital presence through www.bhsyndicus.com.

The platform has been involved in several global initiatives, including a $300 million strategic deal involving Blackhat Syndicus and the Nakama ID Indo-Asia Growth Fund, aimed at supporting international expansion and cross-border investment opportunities.

Industry observers estimate that the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem associated with Sachin and Shweta Salunkhe is approaching a combined valuation of approximately USD 700 million, reflecting the rapid growth of their ventures across hospitality and investment sectors.

Alongside these ventures, Shweta Salunkhe has also begun exploring opportunities in the international fashion and lifestyle industry, supporting expansion into global clothing and fashion-oriented ventures.

As part of its long-term growth strategy, the hospitality ecosystem associated with Glocal Foodworks and its allied ventures is preparing for a future Initial Public Offering (IPO), which could support further expansion of café networks, cloud kitchen brands and global hospitality concepts.

A Leader Beyond Business

Beyond business, Shweta Salunkhe is respected for the values she brings to leadership. She believes success must be built on discipline, integrity and long-term thinking.

She is also a mother, mentor and entrepreneur, balancing family life with the responsibilities of building businesses. She often emphasizes that leadership begins at home and that managing both family and professional commitments requires dedication and planning.

Reflecting on the many roles women play in society, she often describes the journey of women entrepreneurs through multiple identities:

“A daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman, a friend and a daughter-in-law — every role adds strength to the journey of a woman entrepreneur.”

Together with her husband Sachin Salunkhe, she continues to expand their global business vision while nurturing their daughter Swara Salunkhe, whom she often describes as one of the biggest inspirations in her life.