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.)

Dunkin’ Donuts makes its debut in Ahmedabad

Dunkin' Donuts, a global chain of doughnuts, baked goods and coffee, has made its entry into the largest city of Gujarat by launching its first restaurant in Ahmedabad.

Speaking on the launch, Ajay Kaul, CEO, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, said, “After making an amazing connection with young adult consumers in key cities of the country like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, we are extremely excited to enter the seventh largest metropolitan area in India and the largest  city in the state of Gujarat, Ahmedabad. We have opened our 44th restaurant in India and have plans to expand, through the year, across North, West and South India. With the evolution of the new-age consumer, who find the concept of a QSR very infantile, we feel very confident that Dunkin’ Donuts will connect with them very strongly with its unique positioning in the Indian food service industry.”

Adding to this, Dev Amritesh, President and COO, Dunkin’ Donuts India, said, “After the immense appreciation and the great response we have received from Dunkin’ lovers in a lot of key markets in the country, we have now decided to expand further into more exciting markets of west India. The opening of our newest restaurant in Ahmedabad strengthens our footprint in the western part of the sub-continent. We are confident that with the differentiated, all day part food and beverage menu that we offer, consumers in Ahmedabad will love Dunkin’ Donuts.”

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited (JFL/Company) is part of Jubilant Bhartia Group and one of India’s largest foodservice companies, has exclusive rights for developing and operating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants for India and has launched 44 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants across 16 cities in India.