The Hindu Business Line : There's more to chew!

Many international food brands are charting their entry into the Indian food service industry. While the UK brand Dixy Chicken and pizza outlet Papa John's made their foray recently, Cinnabon and Barnie's will open their first store this year; a host of other brands, including Una Mas, SumoSalad and Panda Express, are scouting for local partners.

Jag Kapoor, partner in Una Mas Inc, says the company is 16-40-year-olds with a "sophisticated palate."

Kapoor describes this target group as young and educated who have been exposed to foreign lifestyles and those with discretionary income to spend. Where else but in India will you find such a huge market, he asks.

Dixy Chicken will open its first outlet in Chennai this month and has 100 stores planned across the country. Papa John's has a 100-store development deal for northern India. It has already opened its first store in Delhi. The UK coffee brand Gloria Jean's plans to open the first of its planned 300 outlets by September.

Does this mean the café majors would be left behind in the race? "Definitely not," says Partha Datta Gupta, CEO of Barista. "Our plans to open 100 outlets this year and expand our presence in the West Asian markets are fuelled by the tremendous demand we see for our brand as a third place between home and work."

Barista coffee shop in Bangalore

Barista has expanded its food basket to offer more substantial meals and created its Barista Crème sub-brand. "We see the potential in being a brand that offers wholesome experience and hence we have been stepping up focus on the quick bites category and luncheon menu including pastas and salads," he says.

And its not just Barista. UK's Costa Coffee and home-grown Café Coffee Day too are gearing up to face competition. Costa is looking to open 300 outlets in India in the next three to four years. The café chain is betting on its paninis and sandwiches to woo the Indian consumer. localising its offerings, it will introduce a luncheon meal priced Rs 100-150.

Surely, with the fast paced growth in the domestic QSR market, there are options galore for the Indian consumer!

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