American fast-food chain Burger King, which crossed the 100-restaurant mark in India this month, is looking to add 30-35 additional outlets in the country this year.

The company said while it had been profitable at the restaurant-level since it set foot in India in 2014, this year it had also achieved profitability at the company-level.

Rajeev Varman, CEO, Burger King India, said: “India is one of the fastest-growing markets for Burger King.

“We are extremely positive and bullish about the potential of the Indian QSR (quick service restaurant) industry for the next three-five years. We should probably end this year with 130-135 restaurants.”

The company, one of the late entrants to the Indian QSR space, is present in 28 cities right now.

Talking about future growth plans, Varman said Burger King will continue to focus on opening 35-45 outlets a year and sustain this pace of growth.

Brand penetration

“If you look at the 28 cities we are currently present in, there is still a lot of work to do and grow the brand’s penetration.

“IAt the same time, our planning process is on and we will take a call on adding new cities by September-end,” he said.

Earlier this year, the company launched its first television commercial in India.

Mass-media campaign

“We will continue to invest in integrated digital and mass-media campaigns to reinforce our brand connect with consumers. We will also continue to focus on upgrading our restaurant experience and introducing new innovations to our menu,” said Varman.

Burger King India has also been focusing on growing its home-delivery business.

“Over the last one-and-a-half years, we have grown the home-delivery business by double digits and it has now become a significant portion of our business,” Varman said.

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