Carl’s Jr to enter India by April 2015

Carl’s Jr, California-based, is looking at opening their first restaurant in New Delhi by the end of the first quarter of 2015. CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent company of Carl’s Jr, recently signed a development agreement with Cybiz BrightStar Restaurants, owned by CybizCorp, to develop 100 restaurants in the initial phase. Elaborating on the same, Samir Chopra, group chairman and founder, Cybiz Corp, stated, “Carl’s Jr will be targeting the development of Tier II and III cities after it’s initial launch in the Delhi and NCR area and other Tier I cities.” He also mentioned that they are looking at expanding through a company owned company operated (COCO) model only, however, at a later stage they may venture into FOCO (Franchise Owned Company Operated).

To create a niche for themselves in the India market, Chopra believes that Carl’s Jr is not a mass appeal brand. “The brand is a premium quick service restaurant which offers partial services to customers, and is recognised for its premium products, centred on wide variety of fresh and delicious charbroiled burgers that lead the industry in taste, quality and innovation,” he stated. Based on their research, Carl Jr has also developed a vegetarian menu to be launched here, apart from their signature dishes. Talking about marketing and promotional strategies, Chopra added, “Our target audience is the young and hungry which defines more than 50 per cent population of India and this audience is engaged on different social media platforms, and hence initially we are keen on the new age social media strategies but definitely in the later run we will be following a parallel approach used successfully by Carl’s Jr globally.” burger chain

Global Demand for Ah!thentic Taste Creates Opportunities for Marco's Pizza

America's hunger for Ah!thentic Italian pizza flavor has made Marco's Pizza the fastest-growing pizza franchise in the United States. Now Marco's is rapidly expanding internationally to meet growing demand in other countries.

"Our international expansion is taking off, with deals pending in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia. We're really beefing up our infrastructure and support systems to keep stride with all the growth," said Cameron Cummins, Marco's vice president of franchise development.

Marco's ambitious international expansion plans are creating opportunities for franchisees. In India alone, Marco's Pizza multi-unit franchise owner and area developer DJ Patel is pursuing plans to open 400 locations in the country of 1.25 billion people.

Marco's Pizza and international markets are a perfect match, and the number of franchises is expected to grow quickly, just as it has in the United States, where Marco's is approaching its target of having 1,000 stores by the end of 2016. The pace of growth in the U.S. is exceeding projections by 40%, putting the company on track to achieve its goal of becoming the country's fourth-largest pizza chain.

Saudi Arabia, one of the world's wealthiest countries, has a population of 28.7 million people. Africa has a population of 1.1 billion, and across Asia there is a population of 4.4 billion people. Around the world, middle-class populations are growing, and their newly earned disposable income is creating opportunities for U.S. restaurant chains.

These new consumers have a taste for foods beyond their native fare and are especially attracted to American quick-service restaurants, according to industry analyst Technomic Inc.

Upward mobility is occurring in the middle classes "from Indonesia to Turkey to South Africa to Mexico," Technomic said in a report on international markets.

Marco's international franchisees are part of a huge trend. Within five years, the global franchise industry will be worth $5 trillion, said Beth Solomon, president of strategic initiatives and industry relations for the International Franchise Association.

American quick-service franchises have a real advantage in many countries where consumers are eager to embrace American brands and customs. American brands are highly respected in many countries and represent safe, superior and healthy food, she says.

"These quick-service American brands give people in these countries a chance to taste it, feel it, see it, walk into the store," she said. "They can experience American culture in a very direct way." 

JW Marriott to open new hotels in India & Greater China

Marriott International’s world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, plans to open three properties in Greater China and one hotel in India by summer 2015 bringing the brand’s Asia-Pacific portfolio to 28 hotels and resorts with 11 in China and seven in India. By 2020, the global brand portfolio is expected to encompass 105 properties worldwide, 45 of which will be located in the Asia-Pacific region.

The four latest additions will include:  JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, China, JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen Bao'an, China, JW Marriott Hotel Macau, China and JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, India. 

“The addition of these four hotels only continues to strengthen JW Marriott’s already strong presence in Asia. We are embarking on an exciting time for the brand and region, and have plans to expand into new markets including Chengdu, Xian, Guangzhou and Dalian in China, Kolkata in India, Jakarta in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand,” said Simon Cooper, President and MD, Marriott International Asia Pacific.

Mitzi Gaskins, VP and Global Brand Manager, JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts said: “Asia is one of the fastest growing and most important regions for JW Marriott.  Since opening the JW Marriott Hong Kong in 1989, we have been committed to build striking hotels that promise beautiful design and a memorable guest experience. Currently 60 percent of our portfolio is located outside the U.S. and we are proud to say that by 2020, 45 of our anticipated 105 properties will be in Asia.”