New Delhi: US-based fast food brands operator Yum! Restaurants is stepping up expansion of its Mexican chain Taco Bell in India with plans to open 25 outlets by 2016. After a gap of one year, the chain had opened two outlets of Taco Bell in Mumbai last month to take the total number of eateries to seven, including four in Bangalore.
"We are expanding our footprint. We will open 20-25 Taco Bell outlets by end of 2016. We will enter new cities," Unnat Varma, General Manager — Taco Bell & Pizza Hut, India said. The company, which launched Taco Bell in India with the first restaurant in Bangalore in 2010, had earlier said it plans to open up to 100 outlets by 2015.
Explaining the reasons for the slow pace of expansion, he said: "With Taco Bell, we are setting up a new food category of Mexican food. In the initial stage, we tested the water to check consumer acceptance of our food and getting the business model sorted."
Going ahead, Verma said: "After two years we will expand rapidly by opening 25-40 outlets every year." The new outlets can be company owned or franchised, he added. Taco Bell has over 6,000 outlets in 16 countries. Yum! Restaurants also own and operate Pizza Hut and KFC brands in India.
