Chaiiwala names James Kang as CEO to lead Canada expansion
The brand aims to expand to 100 locations by 2030.
Chaiiwala has named James Kang as its CEO for Canada, effective immediately.
In his new role, Kang will oversee the brand’s expansion in Canada, working with local franchisees to grow the network to 100 locations by 2030 and increase brand recognition.
The company currently has eight cafés under construction, four new franchise agreements for 2026, and additional franchise prospects in development.
Kang will report to Chaiiwala’s global CEO, Muhummed Ibrahim, and collaborate with the Canada Country Manager, Nazibur Rahman, and the Master Franchisee, Ajmal Gundhra.
He will also work alongside Stella Yu, who joins from Trifecta Brands and Kinka Family to lead marketing in Canada.
Kang brings over 30 years of experience in hospitality, franchising, and commercial real estate across North America.
He founded Bestview Growth & Strategy, advising organisations on franchise expansion and market entry in Canada, and has previously led large-scale rollouts of foodservice franchises in Canada and the US, including a 50-unit agreement in the New York Tri-State area.
Earlier, Kang spent over seven years as Head and Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, directing market entries, brand strategy, and joint ventures in countries including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and China, and managing development pipelines for hundreds of units.
Chaiiwala has over 130 stores worldwide, including 25 in Canada.
