Chennai-based South Indian food brand Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) has entered a strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems, which will acquire a majority stake in the company in a deal valued at $180 million. Bodhi Tree Systems, co-founded by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, will help A2B accelerate growth in India and overseas across both its restaurant and packaged food segments. Shankar will chair the company’s newly constituted board.
The collaboration will focus on strengthening organisational capabilities, leadership and talent, while speeding up digital transformation. It also includes upgrading kitchens and manufacturing infrastructure to international standards and widening the portfolio of healthier, more nutritious food options.
Founded nearly five decades ago by brothers K.T. Srinivasa Raja and K.T. Venkatesan, A2B has grown from a traditional sweet shop into an established name in South India. It currently runs 160 outlets across India and over 30 international locations, employs more than 15,000 people, and has a strong presence in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Its offerings span sweets, savouries, restaurant menus and packaged foods.
Murdoch and Shankar said the investment was driven by A2B’s consumer trust, consistent quality and expanding global footprint, adding that the brand can take authentic Indian cuisine to wider audiences and evolve into a professionally managed enterprise with public market ambitions. The A2B founders welcomed the move as a milestone. For Bodhi Tree Systems, it is the third major investment after ALLEN Career Institute and JioStar.
