Viral tea seller Arshad Khan, who captured the internet with his striking looks back in 2016, took center stage on the latest episode of Shark Tank Pakistan with an ambitious pitch for his café brand.
Joined by his business partner, Kazim Hasan, Arshad presented his journey from a roadside tea seller to café owner, asking the sharks for 1 crore Pakistani rupees (about Rs 30 lakh) in exchange for 5% equity in their brand, Café Chai Wala.
Arshad shared his backstory, recalling the overnight fame that followed his viral photo. “In 2016, my picture went viral. For a couple of months, I had no idea what was happening with me. Then, I started modeling and acting. I had never left Islamabad before that,” he told the panel. Inspired by encouragement to open his own café, he took the leap, turning his fame into a business venture.
Kazim explained that Café Chai Wala opened its first rooftop café in Islamabad in 2020, just as the pandemic struck. Despite initial setbacks, the café quickly bounced back, and now operates two locations in Pakistan and three in England. “We operate on a franchise model,” Kazim said, adding that they charge a modest franchise fee of 35,000 Pakistani rupees (Rs 10,600) with a 5% royalty on revenue. For international locations, such as in the UK, franchise fees range from 150,000 to 200,000 pounds, with each location generating around 1,000 pounds (roughly Rs 1 lakh) in monthly revenue.
Shark Junaid Iqbal was impressed by the brand’s reach but ultimately bowed out, citing his limited experience in hospitality. Another shark, Faisal Aftab, acknowledged Arshad’s appeal but also exited. Investor Rabeel Warraich, however, made an offer, agreeing to the requested 1 crore investment but asking for 24% equity due to the brand’s low revenue and the operational support it would need to scale.
From his roadside tea stall to a growing global franchise, Arshad Khan’s Café Chai Wala journey is one of viral fame, strategic partnerships, and high hopes for expansion—a story still unfolding on Pakistan’s business stage.