The Hindu Business Line : MGM Marrybrown plans to add 8-10 outlets

Chennai June 20 The master franchisee of the Malaysian restaurant brand Marrybrown for the southern region, MGM Entertainment Pvt Ltd, has launched an expansion programme.

MGM Marrybrown, which opened its first outlet in Chennai in 1999, now has a chain of 16 restaurants — 12 in Chennai, one each in Coimbatore, Salem, Kochi and Bangalore.

"We are planning to add eight to 10 restaurants during the year.

"Our first restaurant in Hyderabad is all set to open very soon and we are also in the process of identifying the location for one in Thiruvananthapuram and two more in Bangalore," Mr Vinod Manikkath, Vice-President, MGM Marrybrown, told Business Line.

Besides, the company is also in talks with mall developers for space.

According to him, the strength of the brand is "a good amount of local flavour". Though fried chicken and burgers are its mainstay, keeping in mind local tastes and the high percentage of vegetarians the chain also serves Indian cuisine including rice meal and channa meal (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian), "which are great hits at our restaurants", he said.

"The see-through kitchen and fun zone for kids are added attractions to our restaurants."

MGM is also looking at acquiring master franchise for the northern market.

Of its 16 outlets, the company owns 10 and the rest are sub-franchised.

Each outlet, put up at an investment of Rs 45-50 lakh, is doing business of Rs 15-20 lakh per month, said Mr Manikkath.

The company plans to own 50 per cent of the proposed new outlets.