America’s FATBURGER To Enter India

FATBURGER, the all-American burger chain, is set all to have its presence in India by last week of August.  The first location in India will be Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. FATBURGER is foraying into India via a Master franchise deal with Vazz Foods Pvt. Ltd.  With over 155 locations around the globe, the gourmet burger franchise continues to bring its quality cuisine to fans worldwide. 

Due to the Indian cultural and taste preferences, FATBURGER has adjusted the menu by incorporating chicken and lamb burgers into its menu as well as placing a significant emphasis on vegetarian options. Several new menu items also use the traditional flavours and spices of India to give the FATBURGER brand an exotic twist, like the Amritsari Onion Rings. Another new addition is The Fat Greek, which uses a unique innovative approach to the classic burger with a juicy, tender lamb patty smothered in homemade tzatziki sauce.

An all-American, Hollywood favourite, FATBURGER is a fast casual restaurant that serves big, juicy, tasty burgers, crafted specifically to each customer’s liking. With a legacy more than 62 years, FATBURGER’s extraordinary quality and taste inspire fierce loyalty amongst its fan base.

Andy Wiederhorn, CEO, FATBURGER says: “Though FATBURGER is famous for its freshly made burgers, we have so much to offer our global fans in terms of variety and flexibility in our vegetarian and non-vegetarian flavour options.”

Mussarat Kang, Head Operations, Vazz Foods Pvt. Ltd says: “We had a lot of fun exploring new menu concepts for our first location, and we anticipate great success in sharing the FATBURGER standard of quality coupled with freshly made- to-order burgers with residents in the market. The Gurgaon location will also be complete with table service and a full bar.”

International brands to get a taste of India this year

The $13-billion Indian QSR (quick service restaurant) market, which is growing at 25-30 per cent annually, will see a lot more buzz with the entry of three international brands this year — Fatburger, Lord of the Fries and La Tasca.

Fatburger, a US-based premium burger chain that operates in 27 countries, will open in Cyber City, Delhi NCR, this month. Vazz Foods Pvt Ltd, the master franchisee for Fatburger in North India, will deliver the signature Fatburger experience with a variety of burgers customised to match the Indian palate.

“Vazz Foods has hired the best chefs to completely overhaul the original beef burger menu and customise it to match Indian tastes; much like McDonald’s, KFC and Domino’s did to popularise their food in India. The gourmet chicken, veggie and lamb burgers at Fatburger will be priced at 30-40 per cent more than McDonald’s burgers. 

Vazz Foods is planning to open five 1,500 sq ft Fatburger restaurants at an estimated cost of ₹1.5 crore each by December.

Lord of the Fries (LOTF), an Australian family-owned vegetarian QSR chain, has set its sights on the predominantly vegetarian Indian market. It will open its first restaurants outside Australia, sized between 600 and 1,000 sq ft in Delhi NCR this October. SGK International, promoted by Rajiv Vohra, has won the pan-India market franchise rights for opening 50 restaurants over 10 years.

While the first three-four restaurants will open in Delhi NCR at an estimated cost of ₹40 lakh a restaurant, SGK plans to open in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. The fries which are freshly cut, not frozen, using less fat and fried with high quality oil can be paired with a variety of sauces in vegetarian options.

Interestingly, the motto of the chain is “Our burgers are made with love – not animals”.

“LOTF is the first QSR chain in the country that offers fries as its core menu along with other vegetarian options such as hotdogs and burgers with mock-chicken/mutton patties made up of soy protein.

The consumer move from occasion-led dining to casual dining over the last few years has inspired the entry of several international brands such as Nando’s and Chili’s into India. The latest to join the fray is Spanish Tapas bar chain La Tasca, which has 45-50 restaurants in the US and the UK.

With rising disposable incomes, global exposure and the need to eat out more often, the under-penetrated India market could do with many more convenience, casual and fine dining options, according to experts.