Gourmet Investments Hospitality Group, which runs PizzaExpress and Chili's in India, plans to double its restaurant count over the next three years and to launch the Olive Garden brand in the country on Monday, the company's CEO said.
Global brands, from Estee Lauder to Hyatt Hotels, are investing in India in the hope the country's more affluent consumers will continue to spend over the long term even though inflation is rising globally and limiting ordinary people's spending power.
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Olive Garden, founded in 1982 and known for its unlimited breadsticks and salad, is an Italian chain with nearly 1,000 restaurants across 12 countries. It is a part of U.S. group Darden Restaurants, which has a portfolio of over 2,100 restaurants across brands including LongHorn Steakhouse and Chuy's.
"(Gourmet Investments has a) vision of scaling to nearly 100 to 125 stores across formats and categories over the next three years (from around 55)," CEO Rohan Pewekar told Reuters.
As part of expansion plans, Pewekar expects Olive Garden's India restaurant count to exceed 10 in three years' time and then to expand more rapidly with a focus on large cities.
Gourmet Investments, which did not disclose financial figures, plans to retain Olive Garden's global menu while adding more vegetarian options, a strategy Western chains often adopt to cater to India's large vegetarian population.
U.S. restaurants, from McDonald's to Domino's Pizza, offer select burgers and pizzas at less than $1 in India, where it is tough to compete with local options.
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Pewekar said Olive Garden would be a "premium casual dining" option without sharing details.
