Drunken Monkey has announced the appointment of Sandeep Malik as Chief Executive Officer and Director, marking a decisive leadership shift as the smoothie-led QSR café brand prepares for its next phase of expansion in India and overseas.
A leadership move aligned with scale and ambition
The appointment comes at a time when Drunken Monkey is moving from early expansion into a more structured growth phase. With over 43 franchise-operated outlets already in operation and a recent entry into Abu Dhabi, the brand has outlined ambitious plans to scale to 100 stores across India and add five outlets in the UAE.
As competition intensifies in the QSR and café segment, the brand’s focus is shifting toward operational consistency, stronger franchise economics, and long-term sustainability. Malik’s entry reflects this strategic realignment.
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Bringing a retail-first mindset to food and beverage
Sandeep Malik brings more than 25 years of leadership experience from the fashion and lifestyle retail sector. His background spans P&L ownership, brand launches, omnichannel retail operations, and large-scale execution across India and international markets.
Over the course of his career, he has held senior roles at organisations including Bestseller India, Raymond, Reebok, and Sharaf Retail. This experience has shaped his approach to scaling consumer-facing businesses while maintaining operational discipline, cost control, and brand consistency.
Strengthening the operating backbone
At Drunken Monkey, Malik’s mandate centres on building a disciplined and scalable QSR organisation. His priorities include tightening the franchise framework, improving unit-level profitability, and ensuring a consistent customer experience across locations.
The brand’s flagship café in Bengaluru continues to serve as a reference point for operating standards and brand expression. As the network grows across cities and geographies, this centralised approach is expected to play a critical role in maintaining quality and uniformity.
Preparing for domestic and international growth
With plans to expand further in India and deepen its presence in the UAE, Drunken Monkey is entering a phase where execution, standardisation, and supply chain efficiency will be as important as brand visibility. Malik’s experience in managing complex retail networks is expected to support this transition, particularly as the brand navigates new markets and consumer segments.
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A broader shift in QSR leadership thinking
Malik’s move from fashion and lifestyle retail into food and beverage reflects a wider trend across the QSR sector, where brands are increasingly tapping retail veterans to manage scale, margins, and operational complexity. For Drunken Monkey, the appointment signals a clear intent to evolve from a fast-growing concept into a structurally robust, expansion-ready organisation.
With Sandeep Malik at the helm, the brand is positioning itself to balance growth with discipline as it charts its next chapter in the competitive smoothie café landscape.
