Burger Singh to open 40 outlets in Gujarat

Burger Singh, a brand of fusion burgers has signed a master franchise deal in Gujarat through which it will open 40 outlets in the next two years in various cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot. 

The 40 outlets will be a mix of dine-in and take away outlets along with some strategically placed cloud kitchens. The Master Franchise will seek suitable sub-franchisees in the area, stated an official release on Friday.

“Gujarat has a vibrant food market with huge potential… There is also a massive market for vegetarian food. We are already known for our wide range of vegetarian burgers, and we are introducing some very special vegetarian products, especially for Gujarat,” said Rahul Seth, Chief of Staff, Burger Singh. The company already has 50 outlets in the country.

The Master Franchise in Gujarat has been taken up by Balaji FoodWorks, a company established by entrepreneurs Harshil Soni and Yash Patel.

 

Radisson Hotels to introduce Spanish cuisine in India

Radisson Hotel Group has signed an exclusive master franchise agreement (MFA) with Tapas Club, a Singapore-based food and drink (F&D) brand, to roll out a series of stylish Spanish restaurants across its extensive portfolio of hotels in India. 

Under the new deal, Radisson Hotel Group will have exclusive use of the Tapas Club name in India, allowing it to introduce premium Spanish cuisine to its guests, who are always on the lookout for new experiences. These lively restaurants will also attract local residents and non-resident guests to dine at Radisson Hotel Group’s hotels. 

“Tapas Club is an excellent strategic fit for our business in India, where F&D trends point to the rising popularity of innovative cuisine. We are excited to introduce a new era of dynamic Spanish dining, tailored to Indian palates, to our hotels across the country. We aim to become flagbearers of Spanish cuisine in India,” Katerina Giannouka, president, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group, said.

The company plans to open more than 10 restaurants in the next four years and will deploy top chefs trained in Spanish cuisine across its Indian hotels and resorts.

Tapas Club was conceived to bring contemporary Spanish cuisine to the Asian market. Already present in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, its restaurants specialize in authentic dishes that embrace the vibrant colors and flavors of the Iberian Peninsula. This makes it the perfect addition to the Indian F&D market, where diners – especially millennials – are increasingly seeking fresh and unique culinary adventures. According to a study by Deloitte, millennials now account for 34% of India’s population and spend almost a third of their disposable income on entertainment and eating out. 

“We are delighted to bring Tapas Club to India and look forward to adding value to our esteemed guests and partners. F&D is an important area for our business in India and we are exploring strategic tie-ups with other leading, high-quality culinary brands to further uplift our presence in this sphere,” Zubin Saxena, MD and VP, operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said.

Rakesh Sethi, Radisson Hotel Group’s corporate executive chef in India, will work alongside the Tapas Club team to create extraordinary dishes that blend Indian flavours with Iberian flair. The menu will comprise of specialty dishes such as paella, Spanish omelette, croquettes, contemporary tapas and delectable desserts. All dishes will reflect Indian palates, with plenty of vegetarian options.

“It is our privilege to partner with Radisson Hotel Group in India, where the brand has operated for over 20 years and earned a huge brand equity. We are working with experts like chef Sethi, to delve deep into India's rich culinary culture and develop new dishes that will delight foodies all over the country,” Jose Alonso, executive chef, Tapas Club, said.

Radisson Hotel Group now operates 94 hotels in India and this strategic partnership with Tapas Club is the latest in a series of moves to enhance the group's F&D offerings in India, the company added.

Subway opens its 600th outlet in India

Sandwich chain Subway opened its 600th outlet in India at Bharuch, Gujarat, pointing to a growing preference for restaurants serving fresh and customizable on-the-go menu, according to a release.

Subway, which calls itself the world's largest sandwich restaurant chain, operates over 44,000 restaurants in 112 countries.

"Credit goes to all our franchisees who play a major role as the brand's growth drivers in the country. We aim to accelerate our development plans by expanding in both metro and non-metro locations," Ranjit Talwar, Country Head, Subway Systems India, was quoted as saying.

Subway, a family-owned enterprise set up 50 years ago, operates on a franchise model, and there are no company-owned outlets.

Franchisees are provided with "customised operational manuals, training programme, and backend support, including for marketing, advertising and business mentorship by the brand", the release said.

The National Restaurant Association of India's latest "Food Services" report expects the restaurant industry in India to contribute about 2.1 per cent to the GDP by 2021.

Subway, which opened its first outlet in India in 2001, currently has a presence in 70 Indian cities.

(This story has not been edited by our staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Nando’s to open more restaurants in India

South African restaurant chain Nando’s is planning to open 12 more restaurants in India at an investment of around $12 million (about Rs.75 crore), taking the tally to 20 by the end of 2017.

“We plan to add 12 more Nando’s restaurants across India by 2017-end and will be investing around $12 million for the expansion. This does not include the land cost as the properties will be on a long-term lease,” Nando’s India Chief Executive Officer, Sumeet Yadav  said.

The new restaurants will be in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai Mumbai and Pune, he added.

The company presently has eight restaurants with three in Delhi, two each in Punjab and Chennai and one in Bengaluru, he said, adding investments for the expansion would be funded by the parent company.

Commenting on the business model adopted for India, Yadav said: “All the new restaurants will be company owned as Nando’s believes in the long-term potential of India.”

Except for the three restaurants in Delhi that are owned through a joint venture with Janpath restaurants, the remaining outlets are company owned, he added.

The company was started in 1987 by two friends Fernando Duarte and Robbie Brozin with a restaurant in Johannesburg in South Africa. The chain currently has over 1,200 restaurants in 25 countries across five continents.

Delhi Darbar opens first outlet in Eastern India

Leading restaurant chain Delhi Darbar has marked its presence in the state with the opening of an outlet in Bhubaneswar on franchise model.

This is the 46th outlet of the restaurant chain in the world and the first one in eastern India. Abroad, the multi-cuisine eatery has outlets in Dubai, Kabul and Russia and in the country, it has presence in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Udaipur, Raipur etc.

"The outlet in Bhubaneswar is spread over 2,300 sq ft. It will comprise of dining hall and a lounge. The rates of the items served will be competitive," said Akashdeep Mohanty, the promoter of the restaurant.

Delhi Darbar is famous for authentic indo-fusion Indian, Tandoor and Chinese food.

Customers can enjoy the taste of indo fusion cuisine mixed up with the Odia cuisines, he added. More than 70 items of Tandoor, 50 Indian cuisines and about 55 Chinese items will be served at the new restaurant. 

Nation’s Fastest Growing Pizza Franchise to Break Ground in India

Marco’s Pizza, the fastest-growing pizza franchise in the United States, recently announced its first franchise deal in India with plans to open 400 stores over the next 10 years.

Leading the expansion in India are DJ Patel and Monaliza Patel who have a combined 33 plus years of experience working in the pizza and franchise sectors. 

“We are thrilled to launch operations in an untapped market such as India with two phenomenal Marco’s Pizza area representatives native to the area,” said Bryon Stephens, President and COO of Marco’s Pizza. “We look forward to the expansion goals DJ and Monaliza have put in place in India, based on their sound market research, with their first store opening before the close of the year.”

Marco’s Pizza’s recipe for growth has been a culmination of a robust authentic product, a strong community image, and a mission to delight customers. As the only national franchise chain founded by a native Italian, Marco’s Pizza has carved out a niche in the industry as experts in authentic Italian pizza. With 500 locations strong and more than 1,500 new franchise deals signed in 2013, the company is on track to quadruple its store count in the coming 5-7 years.

Canadian chain Pita Pit to open 50 stores in India

Canadian quick service restaurant chain Pita Pit will open over 50 outlets in India over next five years to expand footprint in the northern and eastern regions to being with.

"We are looking at opening 50 plus Pita Pit outlets in the country in the five next years," Pita Pit India Chairman Pramod Dhawan told PTI.
The company, which entered Indian market in November, operates three outlets in the Delhi NCR region through its master franchisee Mentor Hospitality for North & East region.
Dhawan said expansion will be through a mix of company- owned and franchised stores.
"We are looking at sub-franchisees to expand operations here. We are yet to finalise on sub-franchisees yet," he added.
For store expansion, Pita Pit will open more outlets in Delhi NCR, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
Pita Pit is yet to finalise a franchisee for West and South regions.
Founded in 1995, Pita Pit has 500 stores in countries like New Zealand, Panama, France, South Korea, Trinidad & Tobago, Brazil, UK, Australia, France and India. It is a privately held company and does not share financials.

When asked if Mentor Hospitality will look at the possibility of signing up with the Pita Pit to open stores in West and South region, Pita Pit Director Anun Dhawan said: "Once we complete expansion in the North and East region we may look at that as well. It will be interesting to look west as well but not in the immediate future."