Leading food service retailer McDonald’s India plans to open about 250 new restaurants at an investment of Rs 750 crore in the next three to five years across India and increase procurement of potatoes from Gujarat from the existing 30,000 metric tonnes (MT) to 50,000 MT as a key ingredient for outlets across the country.

Opening a new McDonald restaurant costs nearly Rs 3 crore, a senior official said. By 2014, the company’s total investment in India so far would be around Rs 1,500 crore.

“Through our partner Mc Cain, a Canadian company that supplies us potatoes for French fries and other products, we have provided latest technologies and new seeds to potato growers in Deesa (North Gujarat) and Kheda (Central Gujarat), mainly contract farmers,” Mr Amit Jatia, Vice-Chairman, McDonald’s India (West and South), told Business Line here on Tuesday.

McCain Foods Pvt Ltd, based in Gujarat, is a leading supplier to McDonald’s in India. Together, they have encouraged farmers in Deesa and Kheda to cultivate the Sheopody variety of potatoes, and train them in acquiring latest agro-technologies for increasing yield of the highest quality.

At present, the Big Mac has nearly 250 outlets in India, including 11 in Gujarat. By 2014, it plans to double the number, with Gujarat’s 40 new outlets.

Celebrating 10{+t}{+h} year of its entry in Gujarat, he said, McDonald’s has seen a growth of 25 per cent in the State and its first 24x7 restaurant in India was also opened at Vapi in South Gujarat.

Currently the company employs nearly 12,000 people, mostly students.

In Gujarat, the number would be increased from the existing 600 to 3,000 by 2014, he said.

McDonald’s is the world’s leading food service retailer with more than 33,000 locations serving around 67.8 million customers in 119 countries each day. India is the first country where it does not offer any beef or pork items. McDonald’s has also re-engineered its operations to address the special requirements of vegetarians, he added.

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