The Hindu Business Line : Pulse Foods to spend Rs 20 crore in expansion

Pulse Foods India Pvt Ltd, a chain of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) promoted by the Poddar Heritage Group, is in expansion mode both in the domestic and overseas market with plans to set up 75 food courts and restaurants in India, including the launch of its first franchisee in London this year. "We plan to invest Rs 20 crore in the next three years to expand the network of Pulse Food restaurants and kiosks, which includes setting up of 20 outlets by the end of this fiscal," said Mr Neeraj Jain, CEO, Pulse Foods India Pvt Ltd.

Hygienic Food

"We are also targeting 250 touch points, including the food courts, in the next 7-8 years," he said. Currently, Pulse has 13 restaurants in India, besides three food courts. "There is a vacuum in the industry for good Indian food at affordable prices, which we aim to fill by providing good quality, hygienic Indian food in a comfortable ambience to the Indian middle class," said Mr Jain. To comply with increasingly strict health standards, the company has installed reverse osmosis plant at each of its facilities to ensure availability of clean water, he added.

The restaurant chain, specialising in Indian fast food and North Indian fare, opened its first stand-alone `Pulse' Dine-in restaurant in Delhi at a Metro Station on Wednesday. Mr Jain said that the company was focussing on metros and mini-metros for expansion in the country. He said that the company is also in talks with the Airports Authority of India for opening outlets at Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Overseas Expansion

On the overseas expansion, Mr Jain said the company is in the process of setting up its first franchisee in London. "It will be launched in September this year with an investment of 2,00,000 pounds," he said, though he refused to give details of the plan. The company is also planning to open outlets in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Muscat.

Mr Jain also said that he was looking at increasing the turnover of Pulse Foods to Rs 12 crore from Rs 2 crore in the last fiscal.