Australian fast-food chain Country Chicken is looking at establishing a central processing plant (blending unit) in Chennai to ensure standardisation of food taste and quality. The unit, over a period of time, will be transformed into a global food processing hub, catering to close to 450 units around the world. The fast-food chain is in the process of identifying land and expected to make the unit operational in a year.
Peter Austin, CEO and chairman, Country Chicken, told FE that currently the company has been doing the processing of food out of Australian units, which is expensive. ?We are planning to set up a unit in Chennai which will be for Indian and Sri Lankan restaurants initially and we will make this unit a global food processing hub. The company has just signed an agreement to set up shops in Sri Lanka, which will be operational in a couple of weeks,? Austin said.
Speaking on the sidelines of opening of its first restaurant in Chennai, Austin said that the group wanted to have a major presence pan India. It plans to open 300 outlets in another four years. For south, it has appointed MMC Group (Tantush Foods) as master franchisee. ?As part of our expansion plan we are looking for a franchisee for north India,? he said. The restaurant group intends to train human resources for upcoming blending units and outlets.
Additional Country Chicken restaurants are expected to open in the market throughout 2013 and beyond. Jolly Banerji, managing director, MMC Group (Tantush Foods), said that it will open five outlets in south depending on the the enquires from potential sub-franchisees.
The quick-service restaurants segment, which are popular as fast-food restaurants, currently has a size of $1.9 billion (around R8,900 crore) in India with around 4,000 outlets from various companies at present, and is growing at 41% annually.
Austin said, ?I believe this is a great opportunity for quick-service food sector to grow rapidly. Our entry into south India represents our company?s commitment to diversifying our global restaurant range.? Country Chicken is positioned in the market place as a premium quality product, priced to be affordable and delivers a mix of products like burgers and subs, wraps and sandwiches as well as fish products, broad pizza menu and also an eclectic mix of vegetarian items to cater to the varied palates of food lovers.
Country Chicken already has a tie-up with leading brands with pan India presence and all their outlets are Halal certified.
The prices would be fixed at par with the current pricing scenario in the organised fast food restaurant chains.
Country Chicken, established in Australia in 1994, currently has more than 450 outlets in various parts of the world, including New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, United Emirates, Russia and Fiji.