American entrepreneur Bert Mueller has built California Burrito into a Rs 338 crore Mexican quick-service restaurant chain in India, expanding the business from a single Bengaluru outlet in 2012 to 128 restaurants across five cities.
Mueller, founder and CEO of California Burrito, first visited India as part of a college programme. The experience later inspired him to build a business around Mexican food adapted to Indian tastes.
The venture was launched by Mueller along with Gaelan Draper and Dharam Khalsa and was initially funded through their personal savings. Both co-founders later exited the business, leaving Mueller as the sole owner-operator.
California Burrito now has outlets across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurugram and Chennai. The company reported revenue of Rs 338 crore in FY25 as it expanded its presence in India’s quick-service restaurant market.
The chain offers burritos, tacos, rice bowls, nachos and other Mexican dishes, while placing a strong focus on vegetarian options. Paneer has emerged as one of its popular ingredients and is used across several items on the menu.
Mueller has also highlighted similarities between Indian and Mexican cuisine, particularly the use of rice, beans and corn. The company has internally referred to tortillas as “corn chapatis” to make the food more familiar to Indian consumers.
While California Burrito initially experimented with India-inspired fusion flavours, it later shifted its focus towards authentic Mexican cuisine.
The company works with farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to cultivate ingredients such as tomatillos, jalapeños and Hass avocados, helping it maintain authenticity while controlling costs.
California Burrito is now preparing for its next phase of expansion and plans to add around 90-95 outlets over the next two years.
The company’s growth from one Bengaluru restaurant to 128 outlets has made it one of India’s largest homegrown Mexican quick-service restaurant chains.
