Little Caesars, a United States-based pizza chain, is planning to expand its business in India. The company is looking to open a dozen pizza stores in India in the coming years, says a Reuters report. The company is aiming to capitalize on the rising middle class and robust economic growth in India.
Little Caesars is launching its first pizza store in India in June. The company is launching its first store in the Delhi NCR region. “India is on a growth trajectory … We don’t want to miss this wave,” said Carlos Vidal, vice president of international development.
The big Indian market and challenges for Little Caesars
According to the International Monetary Fund, India’s economy is expected to grow at 6.5 percent in FY26, which makes it the fastest-growing country in the world. It is this growth of the Indian economy that is attracting foreign companies to invest in India. However, when it comes to selling pizza, the Indian market may have met with fierce competition and challenges in understanding the food and dietary preferences of Indian consumers.
Firstly, the big international pizza companies have already established their dominance in the market. Domino’s Pizza, which entered the Indian market in 1996, has over 2000 pizza outlets across 475 cities in India. In the same, Pizza Hut also entered the Indian market and has a significant presence as well.
Second, the number of smaller indian pizza companies and independent pizza shops is increasing in India. These companies and independent shops are capitalizing on the rising demand for Indian taste in Pizza. Local pizza chains like La Pino’z and Oven Story are increasing their presence in Indian cities.
Papa John’s, another big pizza chain operator in the US, entered the Indian market in 2016. However, the company exited India in 2017 after facing fierce competition and operational issues. The company is again planning to Indian market this year.
Little Caesars’ India strategy
According to the Reuters report, the company is changing its menu to cater to the taste of Indian consumers. The company is paying special attention to the large vegetarian population in the country. The company is, for the first time, making a flavoured crust as the majority of Indians often do not eat crust.
As for the future of Liile Caesars in India, the company is targeting to establish a hundred stores by 2030. Vidal says that the brand is “ thinking about hundreds and eventually thousands of stores over time”.