CocoCart & Cafe opens at Mumbai Airport’s Terminal 2 Arrivals this November, marking a deliberate shift from chocolate retailer to full-fledged lifestyle destination. The flagship outlet represents the brand’s evolution into a space where global confectionery curation meets a comprehensive café experience – one that acknowledges the traveler’s need for both comfort and quality. Operating around the clock in alignment with airport schedules, the concept is built on the understanding that arrival moments matter, and that indulgence shouldn’t feel like a compromise just because you’re passing through a terminal.
Mumbai’s role as India’s gateway city made the arrivals terminal a natural choice for this expansion. Karan Ahuja, Co-Founder, CocoCart & Cafe, Arjun Ahuja, and their team recognised an opportunity to meet travelers at a specific emotional point – post-flight, often exhausted, always craving something grounding. The space serves both ends of the traveler spectrum: those grabbing coffee on the go and those with time to settle into a proper meal.
The design follows CocoCart’s “whimsical wanderer” narrative, drawing from vintage travel motifs with scalloped detailing, striped panels, and a colour palette anchored in Apricot Swirl and Molten Fudge tones. Fully indoor and climate-controlled, the space offers warmth and calm while maintaining views of the terminal’s energy. A dedicated quiet zone with charging stations transforms part of the café into a functional coworking area, giving business travelers a place for post-flight meetings or uninterrupted laptop work. The atmosphere manages to feel nostalgic without being dated, refined without crossing into sterile – a difficult tone to strike in airport retail.
The menu is built around comfort and craft, spanning breakfast classics like the Rosti, Kejriwal, and Paneer Akuri, hearty mains including ramen and a pasta-your-way, and handcrafted focaccia sandwiches that carry through to late-night service. Karan Ahuja’s culinary direction, executed by an in-house development team and chefs trained in global techniques, prioritises substance alongside the brand’s signature sweets. Every dish is designed to ground travelers after a long flight while maintaining CocoCart’s commitment to quality ingredients and artisanal preparation – making indulgence feel natural rather than excessive.
The beverage and dessert programme draws direct inspiration from the international chocolate brands CocoCart has spent years curating. Signature drinks like the Rhine Valley Dark Hot Chocolate and Lindt Mocha sit alongside desserts such as The Dubai Pistachio Kunafa Cake and the World’s Best Godiva Cookie. This integration creates continuity between what guests taste at the table and what they encounter at the customised gifting counter, where travelers can curate chocolate hampers from Neuhaus, Venchi, Godiva, Whittaker’s, Feastables, Ferrero, and Lindt. The retail experience isn’t separate from the café – it’s woven into the same narrative of global confectionery craftsmanship meeting thoughtful hospitality.
“I’ve always believed that when you respect the ingredient, you respect the consumer. Everything we do from import to cold chain to café service – is rooted in that simple principle. India deserves chocolate that is honest, beautifully crafted, and presented with intention, and CocoCart & Cafe exists to make that standard accessible to everyone,” said Avantika Ahuja, Founder, CocoCart & Cafe.
A soft launch preview for select media, influencers, and loyal patrons featured curated tasting menus, interactive gifting experiences, and immersive installations that captured the brand’s “Come for the chocolate. Stay for the wonder.” spirit. Seasonal menu rotations have begun introducing limited-edition desserts and collaborations with the chocolate brands in-house, keeping the concept dynamic. As Karan Ahuja, Co-Founder, CocoCart & Cafe, frames it, the outlet is “where that magic greets you at arrival” – a space designed to transform routine transit into something memorable, whether through a carefully brewed coffee, a thoughtfully wrapped gift, or a meal that finally feels like a proper welcome home.
