Reliance Industries’ retail subsidiary, Reliance Retail, is eyeing bringing the UK-based premium coffee chain Pret-A-Manger to India, according to The Economic Times. 

The partnership, if it happens, will align with Pret-A-Manger’s expansion plan announced last year to expand into five new markets by the end of next year.

The Economic Times reported that discussions between Reliance and Pret-A-Manger are ongoing.

The chain will join the heated competition in India’s cafe market, dominated Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks, which operates more than 500 and 250 stores respectively across the country. 

Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons earlier this year signed an agreement with a joint venture to open its first store in India later this year as part of its plan to roll out 300 locations across India over the next decade. 

“This will be Reliance Retail’s second attempt to strike a deal with a large cafe-restaurant business,” the source told the media outlet. “They want to rapidly escalate their presence across multiple consumer-facing sectors, amid a quick revival of hospitality and travel sectors.”

Opening its first shop in 1986, Pret-A-Manger currently operates 550 locations across the UK, the US, France, Hong Kong and Dubai. Last month, the company announced plans to enter Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with 20 stores set to open within the next decade.