Expansion Announcement

Honeyman, the India‑born honey‑first food and beverage brand that operates more than 100 outlets and franchise locations across India, announced on 18 September 2026 that it has entered into a country franchise agreement with MV Dugar Group, one of Nepal’s established business houses. The agreement marks Honeyman’s first entry into an overseas market, with Nepal designated as the inaugural international territory.

Roll‑out Plan

The partnership will initially launch Honeyman’s ice‑cream parlour and café formats in Kathmandu. Subsequent phases will introduce bakery, tea and beverage concepts, followed by the packaged portfolio that includes honey, spreads, confectionery and other bee‑derived products. Kathmandu will serve as the anchor city, after which the brand will expand in a phased manner to other major urban centres throughout Nepal.

Financial Terms

The financial terms of the country franchise agreement have not been disclosed.

Market Opportunity

According to market figures cited in the release, Nepal’s ice‑cream market was valued at approximately USD 189 million in 2025 and is projected to grow to about USD 263 million by 2032. Honeyman cites changing consumer preferences—particularly a growing interest in premium products and alternatives to refined sugar—as a key driver for its honey‑first proposition.

Executive Commentary

Yuvraj Kapoor, Co‑Founder of Honeyman, stated: “We did not build this business simply to sell dessert. We built it to demonstrate that honey can replace refined sugar in products people love without compromising the experience—taste, texture or indulgence. Our family has worked with honey since 1984. Taking Honeyman to Nepal is therefore much more than opening another market; it is the beginning of taking our honey‑first philosophy to international consumers.”

Shubham Dugar, Executive Director of MV Dugar Group, added that Nepali consumers are increasingly reading labels and asking similar questions to Indian consumers, and that Honeyman offers a differentiated proposition built around honey rather than a conventional dessert concept.

Brand Background and Vision

Honeyman traces its origins to 1984 when Sardar Jagjit Singh founded a family beekeeping and honey‑processing enterprise. Over the decades the company expanded into consumer products and modern retail, developing a honey‑sweetened ice‑cream range that uses real honey as the sole sweetener. In India the brand now operates a multi‑format retail ecosystem that includes Honeyman Ice Cream, Honeyman Bakers, Chai+, Boba, the flagship World of Honeyman, and an FMCG portfolio covering honey, jams, gummies, sauces, kombucha, confectionery and Indian sweets.

The Nepal franchise is presented as the first step in Honeyman’s broader vision of building a “bee economy” – creating interconnected consumer businesses around honey, beekeeping and value‑added bee products across food, beverages, retail and other categories. Proximity to India, established trade links and overlapping consumer tastes are cited as strategic reasons for selecting Nepal as the initial international market.

Future Outlook

Following the development of its 100+ outlets and franchises in India, Honeyman is preparing for a broader phase of pan‑India and international growth. The agreement with MV Dugar Group therefore represents not only the first international franchise but also the launch of the brand’s bee‑economy model on a global stage.

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.