American fast food chain Burger King has announced that it has crossed the 100-store mark in India, making it one of the fastest-growing Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains in the country.
The expansion could hint at the eatery looking to fill the void left behind by fellow MNC and competitor McDonald's, which is shutting down 169 outlets in northern and eastern India after a falling-out with its Indian partner Connaught Plaza Restaurants (CPRL).
The employees that McDonald's will lay off can be a cause for concern for the Narendra Modi government, which has failed to produce the promised number of jobs. However, those very people can be recruited by Burger King because of the retail experience they have.
Burger King expands
Burger King, which set up its first stores in India in November 2014, has within three years expanded its footprint in the country to more than 100 outlets.
"The 100th store has come up in Jalandhar. In fact, we have 103 Burger King restaurants in India now. So far no QSR brand has expanded so fast in India like us," said Rajeev Varman, chief executive officer at Burger King India.
And the chain is not stopping here. "We will be adding 30-50 restaurants a year and we will stay on that plan till we cover the markets across India," added Varman.
According to the Hindu, the company will open new outlets in cities where it has already established its brand -- Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kochi and Jaipur.
The American burger major also said that going forward it will take the franchise route to expand its network.
Filling the McD void?
Burger King's announcement came at a time when rival McDonald's in India is having a tough time in continuing its business: It plans to shut down more than 100 outlets in the northern and eastern regions in India following a dispute with its local partner.
McDonald's has alleged that its local partner CPRL, led by Vikram Bakshi, had breached the terms of their franchise agreements. The decision could also leave thousands of workers unemployed.
The bullish expansion by Burger King could suggest that the brand is looking to fill the gap created by the shuttering of McDonald's outlets. If the trend continues, it could soon overtake McDonald's in reaching people.
With its expansion, Burger King will generate more jobs, which can be taken up by people laid off by McDonald's.
