ND1028113

Title: India Embraces Fast Food

Description: QSRs are finding great success in the country, as more global chains add traditional Indian ingredients and spices to their menu items.

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NEW DELHI, India ? From Western quick-service restaurants like McDonald?s and Pizza Hut to homegrown chains like Karim?s and Sagar Ratna, Indians have discovered the joys of fast food, Global Post reports. The country?s fast-food market has topped $13 billion and more growth is predicted.

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?QSRs are quite successful in India,? said Arun Chanda with Mint Hospitality Consultancy. ?Over the last five years, a lot of Indian companies have started getting into the franchising model and expanding into different cities.?

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Global chains have added traditional Indian ingredients and spices to menus in an effort to appeal to more people. Even upscale restaurateurs are looking into QSR concepts, said Chanda.

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Indian?s young popular ? 60 percent are under age 30 ? drives the expansion effort. The fast-food market is advancing by 25 percent to 30 percent annually, leading McDonald?s, Yum Brands and Domino?s, among other global brands, to open locations in secondary locations. For example, McDonald?s has plans to have twice its current India store numbers by 2014, while Yum Brands will add 1,000 locations ? including 500 KFC outlets ? by 2015.

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Other American brands, such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King and Cinnabon, are also opening stores at a rapid clip in India. The chains have been more sensitive to Indian culture and refrain from serving many beef dishes, instead focusing on vegetarian or chicken menu items.

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?We've now been in India for over 15 years, and we've actually seen the change right before our eyes,? said Amit Jatia, vice chairman of McDonald?s India. "The market is changing very significantly. People are eating out far more often than before, and I think the availability of international QSR brands has brought about that change.?

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Content Subject: International

Formatted Article Date: October 28, 2011

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