Burger King reaches the 100 store mark in India

In the era of globalization, the food sector, like with many others, depends significantly on cold storage facilities and other temperature-controlled spots to preserve the freshness and durability of their products. But the amount of factors—storage prices, inconsistent consumption of energy, quickly changing industrial laws, controlling temperature swings in storage capacities—is overwhelming. For hotels and restaurants, tech-based cold storage is revolutionary. We can drastically lower food deterioration by keeping exact temperatures and continuously checking inventory. These systems offer priceless information that helps reduce waste, avoid overstocking, and optimize ordering—all of which save costs and promote sustainability.

Specific restrictions are set on temperature, humidity, and air movement to stop bacteria from growing and extend the shelf life, safety, and quality of products that are kept. Additionally, inventory management systems like FIFO are used by these facilities to keep an eye on the proper rotation of commodities.

How it has become a Game Changer

Tech-based cold storage is a total game-changer for the food and beverage industry. “It's like having a superhero in the kitchen, helping us keep our ingredients fresh and fighting food waste. We're using smart tech to track everything from the moment it walks in the door to when it hits the plate. It's not just about saving money; it's about respecting the food we work with and making sure nothing goes to waste,” said Anthony Nazareth, General Manager, Yazu, Indus hospitality who commented that a future where tech-powered cold storage is standard in every kitchen, helping us all do our part for the planet.

It’s Not a Luxury, it’s a Necessity 

Cold storage helps in maintaining the freshness of the ingredients and to store them. In the vibrant and dynamic food scene of Mumbai, where fresh ingredients are paramount, tech-based cold storage is no longer a luxury but a necessity. “We understand that the heart of any great restaurant lies in the quality of its ingredients. Our tech-driven cold storage solutions ensure that every component, from the freshest produce to the finest cuts of meat, is preserved at its peak. By meticulously monitoring temperature, humidity, and inventory, we've transformed food wastage from a challenge into an opportunity. The future of dining in Mumbai is undeniably tied to technology,” added Noel D’Souza, General Manager, Gaylord Restaurant & Bakeshop who said we envision a world where cold storage becomes even more sophisticated, predicting demand, optimizing energy consumption, and minimizing environmental impact. Gaylord is committed to staying at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring that our city continues to savor the best that the culinary world has to offer.

As per Neelabh Sahay, Director of Operations, Novotel, Mumbai, “We employ a multi-pronged approach to address food waste at Novotel Juhu. Our inventory management systems are at the heart of our strategy, allowing us to meticulously track stock levels and expiration dates. Strict adherence to FIFO (First In, First Out) principles ensures that older items are utilized before newer ones. Moreover, our team is trained in proper food handling, storage, and waste reduction techniques.” He also pointed that they continuously monitor and analyze their waste to identify areas for improvement.

Any food waste in the hospitality sector has serious negative effects on society (food insecurity), the environment (climate change and biodiversity loss), and the economy (losses on the expenses of food purchased and prepared but not consumed).

McDonald’s collectibles are as iconic as they come. From toys to vintage posters, plates, merch, games and trading cards, these keepsakes are more than just collector’s items. Now, for a limited time, McDonald’s is introducing the global Collector's Edition with new collectible cups that inspire fans to relive those special moments and create nostalgic joy for a new generation.

Available in more than 30 countries, the Collector’s Edition cups, in embossed glass or tritan plastic, put a fresh spin on classic McDonald’s keepsakes from the brand, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Universal, Sanrio or TY Beanie Babies. 

Each cup spotlights iconic collectibles from different eras that our fans cherish, like the Grimace Mug in 1976, Pet Lovin’ Barbie in 1999, Shrek from ‘Shrek the Third’ in 2007 and more. Inspired by a variety of iconic characters and collabs, now is your chance to grab these reimagined designs among many others – this time, emblazoned on McDonald’s brand-new collectible cups.

“There’s an undeniable thrill when you snag that one elusive McDonald’s collectible or the final piece to complete your collection. We’re bringing back some of our most-loved keepsakes with a twist, giving fans a memory that they can hold in their hands,” said Morgan Flatley, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of New Business Ventures at McDonald's.

Domino’s, India’s largest quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain, has announced the opening of its 2000th store in the country. 

The brand celebrated this occasion by opening seven new stores in its seven operating regions nationwide. 

Domino’s Pizza India opened its first store in New Delhi in 1996, and today serves over 200mn pizzas annually through 2,000 stores spread across 421cities.

“We are humbled to achieve the milestone of 2000 stores in India making us the first QSR in India to cross this mark. We expect to add 180 stores of Domino’s in the current financial year,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, CEO & MD of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

While the first 500 stores in the country took over 16 years, the last 500 have come only in 29 months reaffirming the brand’s commitment to accelerated expansion in India. 

Domino’s is often the first international chain to enter new cities like Sasaram, Sultanpur, Madikeri, Girdih and Baramati. The company continues to creatively expand its store presence across multi-tier cities in the form of High-street stores, mall stores, highways, colleges and airport terminals, covering a varied set of occasions in the life of customers. 

Domino’s has opened one new store every two-days post Covid – offering its customers great taste and value through dine-in and under 30-mins delivery. World-wide Domino’s operates more than 20,000 stores.

Art D'Elia, Executive Vice President-International at Domino's Pizza, Inc., stated, "On behalf of Domino's International, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire Domino’s India team for this incredible milestone of 2000 stores. India is the largest market outside of the U.S. in the global Domino's network. The growth story of Domino’s India is truly a benchmark for all of us. This achievement stands as a testament to the various strategic choices the team has made over three decades to deliver the best pizza experience to our valued customers. "

Celebrating the 2000-store milestone, Domino’s India has also won a prestigious award from the Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Pizza Box Number.’ 

To celebrate and thank all pizza lovers, Domino’s has announced upto ₹2000 discount, among other offers. This is valid from June 11 to June 13, 2024. 
 

McDonald’s South and West operator Westlife FoodWorld has appointed Hrushit Shah as its chief financial officer (CFO), with effect from May 9, 2024, it shared in a regulatory filing today.

Shah will take over the role from Saurabh Bhudolia who is transitioning out of the company to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.

“On behalf of Westlife, I express our gratitude to our departing CFO, Saurabh Bhudolia, whose dedication and financial expertise have greatly contributed to our company's growth. His efforts have been crucial in strengthening our financial resilience and strategy. As we move forward, we are grateful for the strong foundation Saurabh has helped build,” said Saurabh Kalra, MD, Westlife Foodworld.

In his new role, Shah who comes with over 18 years of experience, will work closely with the leadership team to devise financial strategies and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of financial management to ensure the company’s financial success.

Before joining Westlife, Shah was VP of finance at Pidilite Industries and has also worked with organizations such as the Landmark Group, Godrej Consumer Products, and Marico.

QSR chain Carl’s Jr is bringing the cult-favorite menu item EI Diablo, featuring two charbroiled all-beef patties, two strips of bacon, crispy Jalapeño POPPERS® Bites, melty pepperjack cheese and fiery habanero ranch sauce on a seeded bun, will rejoin an updated menu as a permanent addition.

El Diablo is an iconic representation of the Carl's Jr. brand, packed with outrageous ingredients and audacious personality. 

Its return to the menu permanently represents the brand's commitment to flavor and coincides with the debut of a new menu architecture that streamlines visuals for ease of ordering and allows guests to customize burgers according to the experience they're craving.

"We are focusing squarely on our big, bold and irresistibly craveable signature burgers. With this menu, we're democratizing flavor. No longer will our guests be confined to combo numbers or limited time offers – they'll be able to customize the flavors and experiences at different price points," said Jack Volpi, senior brand manager and menu transformation project lead.

The new menu represents the brand's emphasis on customizable, irresistible flavor. With this redesign, Carl's Jr. guests can experience their favorite burgers with more choices – such as premium options for popular burgers, like Famous Star® and Western Bacon Cheeseburger®, now available with an Angus patty.

Together with its franchisees, Carl's Jr. operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 24 countries worldwide.

Papa Johns International Inc has announced that Rob Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer, will be departing Papa Johns to assume another CEO position. 

The board has appointed Ravi Thanawala, Papa Johns current Chief Financial Officer, as Interim CEO effective today. 

To ensure a smooth transition, Lynch will provide continued support in an advisory role until April 30, 2024. The Board is conducting a comprehensive search process to identify a successor for the CEO role.

“Since joining Papa Johns nearly five years ago, Lynch has guided the company through a business and culture transformation. I am joined by the board, our team members and our franchisees in sharing our deepest thanks for his service and contributions in rebuilding the strength of the brand as CEO. We wish Rob all the best,” said Chairman of the Board, Christopher Coleman. 

Thanawala joined Papa Johns in 2023 as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Papa Johns, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Nike North America, Nike Inc.’s largest division, generating approximately $20 billion in revenue on an annual basis. 

During his seven years at Nike, Inc., Thanawala also served as the Global VP and CFO of the Converse brand, executing Nike’s global omnichannel direct-to-consumer strategy and successfully turning around the $3.5 billion dollar Converse brand. In addition, he was the Global VP of Retail Excellence, overseeing the brand’s performance across its business channels of franchises, licenses, direct to consumer and wholesale. Prior to Nike Inc., Thanawala spent eight years at ANN INC. in finance and operations roles.

“I’m honored to step in as Interim CEO during this transition period and thank the Papa Johns Board of Directors for its confidence in me. We have a talented Executive Leadership Team, a strong group of franchisees and dedicated team members behind this iconic brand who will continue to deliver on our Back to Better 2.0 strategy and international transformation initiatives, creating long-term value for all of our stakeholders,” shared Thanawala.
 

The apex food safety standards regulator of the country, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the administration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has verified the cheese used by McDonald’s India as ‘100% Real Cheese’. The verification confirms the brand’s assertion that it uses 100% Real Cheese and that it does not use any cheese analogues or substitutes in any of its products. 

The confirmation from the FSSAI explicitly states that “Articles in question contain Cheese or cheese product as a part of composition and does not contain analogue in dairy context in any form”. This clean chit is a testament to McDonald’s India’s commitment to upholding stringent food quality standards across all its restaurants, at all times.

“The clean chit we have received from FSSAI, the India’s apex food safety standards regulator, affirms that our products contain 100% Real cheese, sourced from globally renowned suppliers. The recent tests conducted by NABL-accredited labs also validate this and the fact that our products do not contain any cheese analogues or substitutes. Since the inception of our operations in 1996, we have maintained a steadfast commitment to the highest levels of food quality. We assure our customers and stakeholders that all our products are crafted with genuine, quality ingredients without any compromises whatsoever,” shared Saurabh Kalra, MD, McDonald's India (W&S) said.

Along with this, McDonald’s India (W&S) received the results of the tests conducted by NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited lab yesterday, also confirming the use of 100% Real Cheese across its products. 

Pursuant to the clean chit, McDonald’s India (W&S) has retained the term "cheese" in the names of its products containing cheese and remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency and consumer trust.

The Wendy's Company has appointed Matt Spessard as Chief Information Officer.

He will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Kirk Tanner and serve on the Wendy's Senior Leadership Team. Spessard will succeed Kevin Vasconi who has served as Chief Information Officer since October 2020.

Spessard has served as Senior Vice President, Global Chief Technology Officer for The Wendy's Company since August 2022. In this role, he was accountable for establishing the Wendy's System global technology vision and leading technological innovation and development to drive continued growth, competitive brand advantage and top-line revenue for the Company and franchisees.

As Chief Information Officer, Spessard will assume responsibility for all aspects of Wendy's global technology efforts, including Restaurant Technology, Data Management and Analytics, Enterprise Technology, Software Architecture and Engineering, and Information Security.

"Driving the growth of the digital business and harnessing technology in restaurants to improve the customer and crew experience are important pieces of our plan to accelerate sales and profitable growth across the global System," said President and CEO Kirk Tanner. "Matt's extensive experience in overseeing global technology initiatives at Wendy's positions him as the ideal leader to build growth on our already successful foundation."

Spessard joined Wendy's in May 2020 as Vice President, Restaurant Technology and assumed the expanded role of Vice President, Digital and Restaurant Technology in September 2020. Prior to that, he spent six years with Inspire Brands. He served in several roles of increasing accountability, including Vice President of Technology at SONIC. He also previously held various operations and technology leadership roles at YUM! Brands, Church's Chicken and Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Stores.

McDonald’s India West and South – owned and operated by Westlife Foodworld Ltd - has launched its new offering, McSaver Meals, priced starting at just Rs. 99 for customers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh and Rs. 149 for customers in other parts of West and South India. 

More than just a great deal, McSaver Meals redefines the concept of ‘value’ by bringing alive the ‘feel-good’ moments the brand enables, thus making the unparalleled taste and quality of its iconic meals more accessible to our customers.

“At McDonald's India (W&S), our focus has always been on creating unforgettable memories and deliver feel-good moments to our customers. With our new ad campaign, we wanted to showcase the irresistible value of McSaver Meals and the moments of joy and connections that our valued customers can experience while enjoying these affordable meals.. Through initiatives like McSaver Meals, we reaffirm that McDonald's is the best value-for-money QSR destinations for anyone, at any time of the day,” shared Arvind R.P., Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s India (W&S).

McSaver Meals offer a wide range of choices, ensuring there's something for everyone's taste. Customers can enjoy regular meals of McVeggie, McChicken, McAloo Tikki, and Chicken Kebab Burgers, all bundled together at an affordable price. This presents a wonderful opportunity for individuals and families to relish the delightful flavours of McDonald's without straining their budgets.

Bengaluru-based IDC Kitchen (Idli, Dosa, Coffee), a chain of vegetarian South Indian self-service restaurants has successfully secured INR 1.5 Crore debt from Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures-backed financing platform, Velocity.

The funds raised will be used towards marketing initiatives and other inventory-related expenses, enhancing IDC's outreach and sustaining its commitment to delivering an authentic South Indian culinary experience. 

This strategic collaboration with Velocity reinforces IDC's leadership in the Indian Quick service restaurant (QSR) landscape.

"As we embark on the next phase of our journey, IDC Kitchen signifies more than just a culinary service; it's a transformative culinary journey. With the support of Velocity and the unwavering love of our patrons, we are thrilled to bring the essence of South India to doorsteps across the nation," shared Abhishek Baldota, Director of IDC - Idli Dosa Coffee.

Established in 2012, IDC Kitchen currently has 11 locations in Bengaluru, 2 in Mumbai and 1 in Raichur and INR 30 Crore in revenue per annum, extending the diverse flavours of South India to enthusiasts nationwide.

“At Velocity, we are thrilled to contribute to the growth and success of IDC through our recent funding of INR 1.5 Crore. This partnership opens up new avenues in the dynamic landscape of restaurants and QSR chains, and we believe that IDC's commitment to authenticity and innovation aligns seamlessly with our vision. I am confident that this infusion of funds will not only fuel IDC's brand growth but also set new benchmarks in the restaurant and QSR industry. We look forward to witnessing the continued success of IDC as it persistently redefines the culinary experience for patrons across India,” added Atul Khichariya, COO & Co-Founder of Velocity.

India’s fastest-growing cloud kitchen brand Curefoods has acquired the franchise rights to run and operate US-based pizza chain Sbarro in south India.

It also owns brands like EatFit, CakeZone, and Great Indian Khichdi.

“Pizza, as a category, enjoys immense popularity in India and having a New York-style pizza offering is a great addition overall to our portfolio at Curefoods. By working with an international brand such as Sbarro, we aim to leverage our expertise in scale and technology to amplify its presence further. This partnership will not only strengthen our presence in the pizza category but also help us serve a globally recognised and loved legacy pizza brand to the country,” shared Gokul Kandhi, Chief Business Officer at Curefoods.

Sbarro is a globally renowned pizza brand that specialises in New York-style pizzas and is currently present in 630 locations across 28 countries.

Sbarro India’s master franchise rights are operated by Upper Crust Foods Pvt. Ltd. The Sbarro brand first entered India in 2012 in an attempt to familiarise people with the pizza-by-the-slice concept.

As part of Curefoods, going forward Sbarro will see greater expansion in South India.

Curefoods plans to open around 50 Sbarro outlets in the next 3 years starting with Karnataka.

The expansion will consist of a mix of walk-in outlets and cloud kitchens to ensure maximum customer reach.

As a result of this partnership, the first Curefoods-owned Sbarro outlet is set to open in Bengaluru within the next quarter.

Sbarro has carved its niche in India over the past few years by delivering high-quality, fresh pizzas baked in the authentic New York style. The addition will complement Curefoods’ multi-brand multi-kitchen model, helping them expand their customer base in the pizza category and further grow their production capacity.

Curefoods also recently announced its merger with Mumbai-based Maverix. The merger made Curefoods India’s second-largest cloud kitchen with the largest manufacturing capability in the fresh food space.

Charcoal Eats, a full-stack quick service restaurant (QSR) start-up, has recently announced two exciting additions to its menu - Pav Wows and Rice Bowls.

The company has paired the famous Mumbai pav with smoky veg and non-veg starters. The result is a delightful range of Pav Wows - Aloo Tikki, Dahi Ke Kebab, Hara Bhara Kebab, Veg Galouti, Chicken Seekh Kebab and Chicken Galouti. Starting at INR 39, Pav Wows offer a wholesome all-day option, at very affordable prices.

For office goers, Charcoal Eats has introduced Rice Bowls, a warm comforting meal of delicious curries made in desi ghee, paired with fragrant ghee and lavang rice. The options range from the evergreen, almost universal favourites, Rajma, Amritsari Chole and Dal Makhani, to the rich, tempting Paneer Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. Starting Rs. 229, these Rice Bowls offer a quick, convenient meal-for-one for those on the go. Rice Bowls are currently available at all Charcoal Eats outlets in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with the other cities being added very soon.

Talking about the latest addition to the menu, Anurag Mehrotra, Co-founder and CEO of Charcoal Eats says, "Listening to our customers over a period of time, we decided to add rice bowls and curries to our ever-growing menu. We have brought interesting variants in both the categories to satiate the taste buds of all foodies."

"The humble pav has an appeal that cuts through geographies and age groups. Our chefs have paired popular street food that has seen acceptance across the age groups when combined with our smoky treats, we are certain that it would resonate with Indian taste palate. It is a compact and whole meal appropriate for lunchtime in convenient packaging," he further adds.

The company constantly looks to introduce interesting Indian cuisine choices, for every age group, in its tastefully curated menu. Charcoal Eats started with six biryani variants and today serves over 50 different options, ranging from their signature biryanis to the comforting rice bowls, from smoky starters to mouthwatering curries, and for their younger audiences, addictively loaded French fries, pav wows, soul-satisfying rolls, sinful desserts and non-alcoholic beverages for instant freshness.

Currently, Charcoal Eats is present across 13 Indian cities including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram, Chennai, Nashik, Indore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Jamshedpur with 43 outlets.

Charcoal Eats prepares its food in best-in-class, modern, hygienic kitchens; uses high-quality ingredients, and strictly avoids any artificial flavours, colours or MSG. A direct impact of these measures can be seen in the company's high repeat rate.

As part of its expansion plans in India, Malaysian restaurant chain Momo King has launched its first Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) in Gurgaon.

In a bid to offer franchise and partnership globally, the restaurant is planning to start 120 stores around the globe in the next three years. Currently, Momo King is present in six major markets which include US, Europe, Philippines', Australia, Bangladesh and Malaysia. 

Momo King is also eyeing strategic expansions in Kuala Lumpur.

Shyam Thakur, Founder and CEO, Momo King, said, "We are excited about our first restaurant in Gurgaon, as we plan to grow in leaps and bounds pan- India. We have witnessed an important supply gap in the market as we see a momos stall in every street corner, without having an authentic taste. We believe consumers should get access to great food choices and experience the authentic taste of momos at a reasonable price point." 

Varun Chaudhary, Executive Director, CG Corp Global, stated, "We have grown up eating momos and It gives me immense pleasure to inaugurate the event as the brand brings the authentic taste and variety of Nepali momos to India. The brand will reach new heights globally as I completely believe in the differentiated experience they will bring along for consumers across the world." 

Charcoal Eats is planning to enter international markets starting with the Middle East and Europe.

Currently, Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) startup is present in about 30 locations across 11 cities in India. It eyes expansion in the Middle East through Bahrain with about 8-10 outlets and then expand to other countries in the area. Apart from the Middle East, the firm is looking to foray into the United Kingdom with 4-5 outlets by March 2019.

Anurag Mehrotra, Co-founder & CEO, Charcoal Eats, said, "Going forward, we will maintain a dual focus for India expansion - opening more outlets in metros (Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata); and expanding into tier II cities, which we see as the future growth engines for the food space. Charcoal Eats intends to be at 75 outlets in India and 6 overseas by March 2019."

Charcoal Eats will collaborate with franchise partners for this international expansion.

Tim Hortons, one of North America’s largest quick-service restaurant chains, announced that it has entered into an exclusive master franchise joint venture agreement with Cartesian Capital Group to develop and open more than 1,500 Tim Hortons restaurants throughout China over the next ten years.

 “We have two main priorities at Tim Hortons: building and strengthening our brand in Canada; and expanding our iconic Canadian brand to the rest of the world,” said Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo.

Macedo added, “China’s population and vibrant economy represent an excellent growth opportunity for Tim Hortons in the coming years. We have already seen Canada’s Chinese community embrace Tim Hortons and we now have the opportunity to bring the best of our Canadian brand to China with established partners who have expertise in the industry and the country.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Restaurant Brands International to bring Tim Hortons to China,” said Peter Yu, Managing Partner of Cartesian.

Yu added, “Tim Hortons has a long, rich history of providing guests with quality food and premium coffee. We plan to expand that tradition to China, drawing on 20 years of experience building businesses in China and around the world.”

Dramz, a luxury dining restaurant, and whiskey bar announced its launch in a happening party on the eve of May 26th, Saturday. The event witnessed the presence of some of the top fashion and food influencers like Akansha Redhu, Natascha Shah, Editor of TLF Magazine, Mukul Bhatia, Photographer and Fashion Influencer.

Committed to serving some of the best European, Asian and Oriental cuisines, Dramz is a unique place that has four different outlets each with a one-of-a-kind menu with a different ambiance and mood.

Open 7 days a week, popular dishes include starters of Carribean Jerk Chicken, Italian baked meatballs and main courses feature Roasted creamy chicken, Machhi Tikka, Oven Baked White button mushroom among other delicacies.

Dramz is the dream project of Aishwarya Suri who imagined it to be an amalgamation of history, culture, and food. It is designed in an old English/Scottish cottage home style, offering the dual experience of a traditional and contemporary vibe for food and whiskey lovers.

“I am so excited that the dream of opening a place that’s so culturally and aesthetically unique has finally come true. I took up the challenge of launching this place as it had the potential to deliver a world class experience be it on food, ambiance or the spectacular view of the iconic Qutub. Our new menu has some of the best food from all around the world, and we are now offering Anglo-Indian, Oriental, European and Asian cuisines. The food is already a favourite among the people who have tried it.”

She added, “The idea behind Dramz is to offer something unique to everyone who visits our restaurant, this is also clearly visible in our four different outlets all of which provide an entirely different experience.”

The Mumbai-based Quick service restaurant chain, Charcoal Eats has bagged Rs 5 crore ($742,000) from a clutch of angel investors in its pre-Series A round of funding, a company statement said.

The QSR chain will increase its footprint across new geographies as well as consolidate its presence in existing markets by using generated funding. A part of the money will also be used towards brand building activities, the statement added.

The participating investors in this round include Rajesh Ramanathan, head of global growth at Mondelez; Sanjay Bhandarkar, senior advisor at Rothschild India; Amit Gupta, partner at New Quest Capital Partners; and Vishesh Shrivastav, director at Temasek, among others.

“The new investment reiterates our commitment towards building a sustainable and scalable Indian QSR offering consistent quality across the country,” said Anurag Mehrotra, chief executive of Charcoal Eats.

Prior to this round, the firm, which is run by CharcoalEats Foodtech Pvt Ltd, raised Rs 7 crore from several angel investors.

Mehrotra along with three others Krishnakant Thakur, Gautam Singh and Mohammed Bhol launched the firm in September 2015.

Charcoal Eats claims to be offering all-day food options during snack and meal times at various price points. Customers can dine-in, take-away or order for delivery, as per their convenience. The offerings include a wide array of biryanis, rolls, puff pizzas, beverages, and desserts.

The firm currently operates 22 outlets across six cities Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, and Nashik. It aims to set up more than 60 similar units across 10 cities by the end of this year.

Charcoal Eats is also available on all leading food platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Foodpanda, Dine Out, etc. Corporate executives will soon be able to pay for their Charcoal Eats orders with their Sodexo and Ticket Restaurant cards.

An entity owned by one of the promoters of Barbeque Nation is in advanced talks to acquire Bengaluru-born Italian casual dining restaurant and wine bar Toscano in a rare M&A deal on the gastronomy street, people directly aware of the matter said.

Samar Retail, part of Sara Futura Group, controlled by Barbeque Nation managing director Kayum Dhanani, wants to build a national network for Toscano, founded by two chefs Jean Michel Jasserand and Goutham Balasubramanian more than a decade ago.

The deal-making is independent of Barbeque Nation, the country’s largest grilled buffet restaurant chain. Sara Futura of Dhanani operates several other businesses including footwear brand Ruosh and an exporter for brands such as Clark’s, Bugatti and Kenneth Cole.

The two Toscano founders would stay on to build a chain of 30-40 stores in the next three years. Toscano operates five-six restaurants and wine bars in the country’s technology capital. When contacted, Samar Retail and Jean Michel of Toscano declined to comment.

The financial details of the impending transaction could not be ascertained. Toscano, owned by Red Apple Kitchen Consultancy, reported nearly Rs 33-crore revenue in FY17.

The country’s $50-billion eating out market is poised for faster growth, riding on the rising spends of the country’s young population and changing lifestyles. Italian cuisine had a 4.5% share, while pizza on its own had 6% share of this market, according to India Food Services Report 2016, jointly published by the National Restaurant Association of India and consulting firm Technopak.

Samar Retail already operates a pizzeria and cheese business under Onesta brand. Toscano will be run as a standalone company after the deal and is unlikely to compete with Onesta, which is a value food chain catering to different customers, sources said.

The domestic food services industry has not been a happy deal-making space despite its huge macro potential. Several global investors have burnt money in the sector, while consolidation deals have often tripped on details. Private equity investor L Catteron’s investment into Riyaz Amlani-led Impressario Entertainment & Hospitality, owners of Smoke House Deli and Social, was one of the notable deals recently.

Food and beverage franchise management firm, Yellow Tie Hospitality Management LLP has acquired a controlling stake in three quick-service restaurant brands Umraan, Wok This Way and Health Juice Centre, the company statement said.

The acquisitions by the company are in line with its restaurant incubator programme.

“We have a capex of Rs 25 crore for a scalable restaurant incubator, under which we will be acquiring brands. We are looking for brands from smaller cities like Siliguri or Vijayawada, which have distinct brand indicators but can be scaled up,” said Karan Tanna, the founder and chief executive officer of Yellow Tie Hospitality.

For the acquisition of above the three QSR brands, the company has kept Rs 15-17 crore, he added.

Tanna said Umraan and Wok This Way has two outlets each and Health Juice Centre has six outlets.

Yellow Tie Hospitality plans to open 55 outlets 25 for Health Juice and 15 each for Umraan and Wok This Way – across the three brands by the end of 2018.

The promoters still own a minority stake in these QSR brands and continue to run them.

“I am extremely happy to collaborate with Yellow Tie Hospitality as they understand the vision that I have for Umraan which is to take Indian regional food across the world.we are the first movers in Indian regional Food QSR and with this association we can penetrate market faster,” says Umraan Owner, Rahul Malik.

The company is also planning to take Umraan to the Middle East and Wok This Way to Southeast Asian markets by next year.

“Partnering with Yellow Tie Hospitality has been the perfect step to tap the ever-growing healthy food consumers. Health Juice Centre has become an iconic juice brand over the last 2 decades. With the support of Yellow Tie and our quality product we want to expand the brand across the map of India and foster a market for healthy drinks,” says Health Juice Centre owner Vilas Dongre.

Founded in 2015, Yellow Tie Hospitality has three in-house restaurant brands – Dhadoom, Twist of Tadka and BB Jaan.

“Wok This Way is India’s first healthy only vegetarian wok concept and we have received tremendous response in our first 2 stores. With Yellow Tie we are confident of putting Franchise systems in place and grow nationally and look at International markets by 2019,” says Anand Bhatia owner Wok This Way.

The firm also has exclusive licensing agreements for international brands such as Genuine Broaster Chicken from the US, Just Falafel from Dubai and Wrapchic from England.The company provides support to franchisee partners in the form of setting up shop, sourcing kitchen equipment and initial hand-holding.

With Inputs From: Shah Mohsin

In a new strategy to address the global change, McDonald’s has announced to partner with franchisees and suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 36% by 2030 from a 2015. th fast food giant also Strategises to reduce 31% emissions across its supply chain by 2030 from 2015 levels. This combined target has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

By 2030, McDonald’s expects to prevent 150 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere which is equivalent of taking 32 million passenger cars off the road for an entire year or planting 3.8 billion trees and growing them for 10 years. The target will enable McDonald’s to grow as a business without growing its emissions.

“To create a better future for our planet, we must all get involved. McDonald’s is doing its part by setting this ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address the challenge of global climate change,” said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s President and CEO, who announced the plan in a video released by the company.

“To meet this goal, we will source our food responsibly, promote renewable energy and use it efficiently, and reduce waste and increase recycling,” he added.

McDonald’s will use its supply chain, offices and restaurants to be more innovative and efficient through improvements such as LED lighting, energy efficient kitchen equipment, sustainable packaging, restaurant recycling, and by elevating and supporting sustainable agriculture practices.

The fast food major will also prioritize action on the largest segments of its carbon footprint: beef production, restaurant energy usage and sourcing, packaging and waste. These segments combined, account for approximately 64% of McDonald’s global emissions.

Building on the momentum of existing programs on forests, agriculture and energy efficiency, McDonald’s and its partners will continue to identify practical solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and bring them to scale. In its commitment to transparency, McDonald’s will expand its measurement systems, and annually communicate about progress, challenges and milestones.

“Environmental progress doesn’t just happen, it takes bold leadership from all of us,” said Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense Fund.

He stated, “As one of the best known brands on the planet, McDonald’s is well positioned to lead, and its ambitious new climate target will inspire innovation, collaboration, and most importantly critical greenhouse gas reductions across the company’s global operations and supply chain.”  

McDonald’s work to care for the planet and communities spans nearly three decades, including the establishment of a groundbreaking partnership with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on packaging and waste reduction. More recently, in 2014, McDonald’s released an Energy and Climate Position Statement, establishing the company’s view on taking effective, collaborative action to tackle climate change. Additionally, in 2015, McDonald’s developed a Commitment on Forests that addresses supply chain impacts on deforestation. This strengthened the foundation of the company’s climate strategy as deforestation accounts for an estimated 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“McDonald's footprint touches all parts of the world. Their announcement matters because it commits one of the world’s biggest companies to deliver, with the full breadth of their food chain system, significant emissions reductions based on science. It also coincides with their decision to join the We Are Still In coalition with thousands of other companies across the US,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the United States.

He further added, “While private-sector actions can’t entirely solve the climate crisis facing our planet, significant announcements like these, and coalitions like these working on climate together, create momentum and movement toward the scale of solutions that we ultimately need.”

The launch of this science based target is the latest step in McDonald’s journey to drive meaningful change and use its Scale for Good.

“McDonald’s is delivering a strong statement by becoming the first restaurant company to set a science-based greenhouse gas emissions target. McDonald’s leaders understand that you don’t have to grow emissions to grow as a company,” said Andrew Steer, President & CEO, World Resources Institute (WRI), one of the Science Based Targets initiative partners.

 “By working with suppliers to design and scale more sustainable farming practices and reducing waste, McDonald’s will chart a path that is better for its franchise, customers and the environment. WRI urges McDonald’s to look for additional opportunities to align their business model and value chain with the realities of a resource-constrained world. We stand ready to support the company in pursuing strategies that lead to healthier consumers and a more sustainable planet,” added Andrew.

The fast-food giant  McDonald's has announced a fresh makeover to serve Quarter Pounders with fresh beef rather than frozen patties at about a quarter of its U.S. restaurants. According to the company the strategical change works to appeal customers desiring fresher foods.

By May, 14,000 U.S. restaurants will undergo this cuisine variation. The change at McDonald's is the latest as it seeks to shed its junk food image.

McDonalds said workers will cook up the fresh beef on a grill when the burger is ordered with its pre-prepared frozen patties.

Chris Kempczinski, who oversees McDonald's Corp.'s restaurants in the U.S. "The result is a hotter, juicier, great tasting burger." Its pricier "Signature Crafted" burgers, stuffed with guacamole or bacon, will also be made with fresh beef since they use the same sized patty as the Quarter Pounder. The Big Mac and its other burgers, however, will still be made with frozen beef.

A Wendy's Co. representative gave a frosty response said that Fresh beef has always been used by rival Wendy's, which aired a Super Bowl commercial last month criticizing the "flash frozen" beef at McDonald's. It's awesome" that McDonald's "is recommitting to using frozen beef on the majority of its hamburgers."

McDonald's, however, has signaled that it may use fresh beef in more burgers. Earlier this year, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company confirmed that it was testing a fresh beef burger that used a patty that was slightly smaller than the one in the Quarter Pounder, but larger than the one its hamburgers and cheeseburgers.

David Henkes, a senior principal at Technomic, a food industry market research firm said, "Fresh in the mind of the consumer really has a better-for-you connotation. It certainly has a perception that it's better than frozen."

The company tested the fresh beef Quarter Pounder for about two years in Dallas and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Eight more cities are serving it now, including some restaurants in Atlanta, Miami and Salt Lake City. It'll come to Denver, Houston and other cities over the next month before the nationwide rollout.

McDonald's said the switch is a major change for the company and the rollout takes time because cooks have to handle fresh beef and prepare patties only when ordered.

Fewer diners ate at the YUM Brands' Pizza Hut Restaurants resulting in a smaller than expected rise is the master franchisee's quarterly sales.

Experts had expected a decline of about 1.5 per cent in its sales, which actually happened to be just 1 per cent.

KFC and Taco Bell continued to show strong same-restaurant growth around the world, rising 3 percent and 7 percent, respectively, both beating the analysts' expectations drastically. 

Net income from continuing operations fell to $206 million, or 58 cents per share, in the second quarter, from $266 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier, hurt in part by higher expenses related to sprucing up its Pizza Hut stores.

Excluding items, the company earned 68 cents per share. Net sales fell 4 percent to $1.45 billion.

Puranmal Foods India Pvt. Ltd, the 90yr old brand having presence in fine dining restaurants and QSR has announced their catering vertical "Petite Bites" at Design One 2017 Show on 15th March 2017.

Deepa Surekha, Managing Director, Puranmal Foods India Pvt. Ltd, said, "Since everything will be in bite sized portions, you can actually have a Marathon Tasting Session. From Cone Chaat to Corn Oat Bhel to Ras Malai Mousse, this revolutionary range of little something’s holds true to the saying Variety is the spice of life. The idea is to promote the concept of small servings, extensive variety and get real taste of India."

Deepa Surekha said, "'Petite Bites' is a fusion menu be it Mexican chaat like Zuccini Boat, or Italian influenced Pesto Ragda Pattice, the dishes on the menu may have international ingredients, but Essence of Indian chaat will never go and Indian tastes will find it familiar. Our efficient R & D team has come up with umpteen number signature dishes in the bite- sized fusion menu like Mini Burgers, Martini Palak Chaat, Iceberg Channa Chaat, etc."

Surekha shared, "Puranmal India has four restaurants in Mumbai at Juhu, Ghatkopar, Chandivali & Khopoli. Soon, they will be launching their new QSR restaurant at Fort (Mumbai) in the 1st week of April which also has a dine-in capacity for 30 people. With the concept of QSR firmly in place the restaurant will be serving chaat, mithai and the Puranmal Fusion Thali to enthrall the south Mumbaites with its authentic North Indian taste."

McDonald's Corporation Board of Directors has today announced that Enrique Hernandez, Jr. has been elected non-executive Chairman of the company's Board of Directors following the company's Annual Shareholders' Meeting held today.

Hernandez, 60, has served on the Board as an independent Director since 1996 and most recently chaired the audit committee.

He succeeds Andrew J. McKenna, who retired after 25 years of service as a director and served the last 12 years as chairman of the board. Hernandez is CEO and President of Inter-Con Security Systems, Inc. in Pasadena, Calif.

"Rick has been a tremendous asset to the Board. He provides strong counsel, has a deep knowledge and passion for the Brand and shares our desire to continue delivering long-term value for our shareholders and the McDonald's system," said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's President and CEO.

"I am delighted to have someone of Rick's talent and experience, who has served this board so well, now guide it forward," said McKenna.

Hernandez began his career as a litigation attorney with Brobeck, Phleger, & Harrison in Los Angeles and in 1984 joined Inter-Con Security Systems, Inc. becoming CEO and President in 1986.

Hernandez serves as a Director for Chevron Corporation, Wells Fargo & Company, and Nordstrom, Inc., where last week he concluded ten years of service as chairman. He is also a member of the board of trustees for the University of Notre Dame, and a member of the Harvard College Visiting and Harvard University Resources Committees and The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation.

Hernandez earned a bachelor's degree in government and economics from Harvard University and received his law degree from Harvard Law School.

McDonald's, one of the largest QSR restaurants globally is planning to open 1,500 new restaurants in China, South Korea and Hong Kong to drive a global turnaround.

The quick service chain is also planning to give local managers and more decision-making power to respond to Asian customers, reported AP.

McDonald's is overhauling its business under CEO Steve Easterbrook after acknowledging it failed to keep up with changing tastes. The total number of diners visiting its restaurants fell last year.

Easterbrook said in a statement that Asia represents an opportunity to blend our global quality standards with local insights. He said the new outlets will allow the company to accelerate our growth'' and transform its business.

McDonald's has been rebounding after a prolonged slump, helped in part by the October launch of All Day Breakfast. Still, low-priced offerings are key for the world's largest restaurant chain with consumers focused on value.

The next version still carries the name McPick, though the items are now two for $5 rather than two for $2. Four Golden Arches items are in the program: Big Mac, a 10-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

The $5 price makes McDonald's more expensive than smaller burger rivals that have used $4 value combinations in recent months. Wendy's set the tone in October with a 4 for $4 meal including a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, small fries, and a small drink. Burger King followed with a 5 for $4 meal that includes a bacon cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, small fries, small drink and a cookie.

McDonald's has had limited-time discounts on the four items before, but they have never all been offered together on one value menu, the chain said Wednesday. The Big Mac was introduced to the chain's national menu in 1968, when it carried a price of 45 cents.

"We wanted to thank our guests for providing their feedback as we continue to build a better McDonald's," Jessica Foust, a chef and McDonald's director of culinary innovation, said in a statement.

The 2 for $2 menu that began in early January let patrons choose from the McChicken and McDouble sandwiches, mozzarella sticks and small fries.

A McDonald's spokeswoman said the 2 for $5 platform will be available nationally for a limited time, without specifying the end date. "The McPick menu definitely has long term potential as we continue to look for ways to give our customers both great tasting food and value," spokeswoman Lisa McComb said. 

The Delhi High Court last week accepted the argument of McDonalds Family Restaurant that establishments could round off bills to the nearest rupee.

It is in accordance with statutory circulars, notifications and guidelines, reported Business Standard.

In a 2007 circular, Reserve Bank of India had directed nationalised banks that all transactions, including payment of interests should be rounded off to the nearest rupee.

The high court noted this while disposing of the appeal of McDonalds against the ruling of the National Consumer Commission.

A consumer bought fast food which cost Rs 52.50. But the establishment rounded it off to Rs 53. This was challenged in the consumer forum.

It ordered the restaurant to return Rs 0.50, along with Rs 3,000 for mental agony and Rs 1,500 as cost of litigation. The consumer commission dismissed the appeal of the firm as it was a trivial amount.

UK based Coffee Chain; Costa Coffee has launched its bestselling international coffee, the Flat White in India.

The Flat White originally made famous by its runaway success in Australia and New Zealand is a three-shot Espresso and flat no-froth milk which takes coffee drinking to a new high.

“Costa is India’s first international coffee brand and India is one of the most exciting markets for Costa Coffee. We have learnt that the Indian customer is always willing to try new offerings and with the popularity of the Flat White soaring elsewhere at Costa stores globally we think it's the right time to give our patrons a taste of this wonderful new coffee,” Virag Joshi, CEO & President, Devyani International Ltd

Costa Flat White takes skill to make and, when well-made, is an exceptionally satisfying coffee drink. It uses more espresso coffee than a cappuccino or latte. It also uses very creamily-steamed milk, which is a knack in itself. 

Costa is the only coffee chain that uses aCortissimo, a shorter coffee extraction method, to build the Flat White. This is then blended with milk that has been heated using a special technique, resulting in a smooth, velvety texture, with each drink hand finished with a distinctive 'florette' pattern.

Speaking on the launch of Flat White, Ashish Chanana, COO, Costa Coffee India said’ we are proud to be offering India’s coffee lovers another totally new blend. Besides offering an unbeatable coffee experience, we are constantly looking at making our cafes the preferred hang out space through food and beverage innovations. I am confident that our new bestselling international coffee will delight our customers and leave them spoilt for choice.’

Jubilant FoodWorks, franchisee for Domino's Pizza and Dunkin Donuts in India has reported 9.3% fall in net profit at Rs 31.74 crore for the December quarter.

Despite all this fallout, the QSR chain says that it will continue to invest incrementally despite a challenging business environment.

"Although we have faced challenges in recent months, we will continue with investments,” said Ajay Kaul, CEO, Domino’s in a statement.

According to the company, the decline is attributed to higher expenses and employee benefits.

Same store sales in the quarter grew just 2% indicating continued softness in consumption of western style foods while net sales during the period under review went up 14.4% at Rs 633.76 crore.

In the third quarter, the food retailer set up 40 new Domino's Pizza and four Dunkin' Donuts stores.

Subway India has signed an exclusive beverage and snack deal with PepsiCo India.

With this, consumers at all Subway restaurants across the country can now enjoy a range of iconic, popular brands from PepsiCo India’s portfolio.

"We are very excited about this transition. It's a perfect marriage between India's most prominent sandwich chain and PepsiCo India, one of the largest MNC food and beverage businesses in the country." said Karen Eidsvik, Regional Director, Subway Restaurants Asia. “SUBWAY India and PepsiCo India will partner on exciting new innovations and powerful brand activations to further enhance the SUBWAY customer experience."

Subway India restaurants are very enthusiastic and all prepared to welcome this change. One key element of the new partnership will give customers even more options when they visit their local restaurant.

With Subway wide range of sandwich variety available, customers can start pairing their favourite sandwich with carbonated or non-carbonated drinks. This new agreement further builds on the long-standing relationship between Subway India and PepsiCo's Frito-Lays products.

“We remain committed to driving growth of the food service industry through the power of our advantaged food and beverage portfolio and innovative partnerships with ecosystem partners. Our association with Subway has only grown over the years and we believe this enhanced partnership will help us jointly deliver differentiated value and experience for our consumers. We look forward to working with Subway in building scale, visibility and greater consumer engagement opportunities for our food and beverage brands.” said Sudipto Mozumdar, Senior Director, E-commerce & Customer Development, PepsiCo India.

A local court in UP has slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on global QSR KFC after ice cream and palm oil samples collected from one of its outlets in the city was found to be of sub-standard quality.

The court of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) City imposed the fine after the laboratory report of ice cream and palm oil samples were found to be of sub-standard.

The reports found both the items to be of sub- standard and below the stipulated quality control norms, officials said. A team of FDA officials, led by district food safety officer, had conducted surprise checks at a local KFC outlet in February last year.

The team collected samples of a particular brand of ice cream sold by the multinational brand, along with palm oil used for cooking.

Both the samples were sent for laboratory testing at state food laboratory. The report of the laboratory was received a few months ago. After receiving the report, the FDA filed a case under Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 in the court of ADM, City.

In their plea, KFC contended that they are not liable for the quality of the products as which were not manufactured in their unit and were instead bought from other firms.

"The onus of maintaining the quality of the above two items was solely on the company manufacturing them. KFC should not be held responsible for it," the KFC counsel argued in the court. However, after hearing both the sides, ADM, City, Alok Kumar imposed a fine of Rs 2.50 lakh on KFC for each of the product.

The court observed, "As per the existing provisions of law, the company on whose premises the sub-standard product is seized is held responsible for the quality of the said food item. Since the products were seized from the KFC outlet, it has to pay the fine of Rs 5 lakh for their poor quality."

McDonald's Corp smashed analyst expectations for quarterly same-restaurant sales as the launch of all-day breakfasts proved a hit with diners in the United States and demand continued to recover in China, reported Reuters.

The performance adds fuel to McDonald's revival, after the chain had seen its US sales fall for two years up to the third quarter of 2015 following a series of missteps under former chief executive Don Thompson, who left the world's biggest restaurant chain last year.

"Once upon a time, under previous leadership, it seemed like McDonald's became a less nimble company where it took a really long time to roll out new products and innovations," said Morningstar analyst RJ Hottovy.

New Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook implemented a turnaround plan last year that involved making the menu simpler, improving service times and raising worker wages.

McDonald's also launched all-day breakfasts in October in the United States, a move aimed at countering increasing competition from chains such as Wendy's Co, Starbucks Corp and Burger King.

"All-day breakfast positions us to regain market share we had given up in recent years," Easterbrook said on a post-earnings conference call, adding it would take at least six more months of positive sales to cement a more sustained turnaround.

Sales at US outlets open at least 13 months rose 5.7 per cent in the quarter ended December 31 - the best quarterly growth in nearly four years and far ahead of forecasts of 2.7 per cent. Shares rose 3 per cent to a record of $121.90 on Monday.

In China, where McDonald's and rival Yum Brands Inc are still recovering from a July 2014 food safety scandal, same-store sales rose 4 per cent, the second straight quarter of growth after four quarters of falling sales.

Though, the growth was slower than the 26.8 per cent jump in the July-September quarter, when sales ticked up sharply against a steep drop in the same period in 2014 immediately following the food scare at key supplier OSI Group.

"It's back to par rather than getting ahead too much, but it's good for them to see stable sales," said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based principal at China Market Research Group.

He added it would be tough for the firm to re-ignite the kind of rapid growth it enjoyed before 2012, as Chinese diners now had far greater choice and often looked for more healthy options.

Globally, McDonald's same-restaurant sales rose 5 per cent, above the 3.2 per cent expected by analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix. Fourth-quarter net income rose 9.9 per cent to $1.21 billion, or $1.31 per share, on revenue of $6.34 billion, handily beating analysts' estimates.

According to Coffee Board, coffee production is expected to increase by 25,000 tonnes during this financial year to reach 3, 80,600 tonnes; of which 1 lakh tonnes will be Robusta and the rest will be Arabica variety.

"This is a good year for coffee production, which is expected to be 3, 80,600 tonnes. Of this, Robusta will be 1 lakh tonnes and rest will be under Arabica," said Coffee Board of India Chairman Leena Nair, who was here for the 5-day India International Coffee Festival.

She said the Coffee Board will work towards strengthening high-value export markets like the European Union, the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Scandinavian countries, reported PTI.

The domestic consumption is also growing by five to six per cent annually since 2000, mostly due to the coming up of a large number of coffee bars and cafes, she added.

"Coffee is a versatile beverage. Internationally, coffee has transcended beyond levels in the last few years. India for the last decade has recorded a robust consumption rate of 5-6 per cent, it is yet to catch up with the refined consumption habits of the sophisticated coffee markets," she added.

It is heartening to note that about 35 per cent of the Indian Coffee Exports in the year 2014-15 is due to value-added products, she pointed.

This can open up many investment opportunities in the sector, she said, adding that the 12th Plan has a comprehensive avenue, through which subsidies can also be availed for export of high-value green coffee too far off destinations and value-added coffee as India brand.

Starbucks Corp, the world's largest coffee chain, said it aims to open 500 stores in China this year, shrugging off a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy that has hit global retailers, reported Reuters.

Starbucks executives have said they have not seen a systemic slowdown in China, even as the country's cooling economy has been blamed for soft results by the likes of KFC and Pizza Hut parent Yum Brands.

The company said in a statement it aims to create 10,000 jobs in China every year through 2019 as it continues to expand in its largest market outside the United States.

McDonald, the fast-food giant will unveil new packaging initially roll out in the US this month before expanding worldwide to over 36,000 restaurants throughout 2016.

The company’s said the new look is simple, fresh and consistent with a modern and progressive burger company. Added to this is the more visible branding on the packs, with bigger typefaces taking up more space on the bags and cups.

It's the first time the company is touching the well recognized white and red packaging in about three years, though the Happy Meal did get a new mascot in 2014.

Along with the new design, McDonald’s is focusing more on its environmental impact. By 2020, the company hopes to use exclusively recycling or certified materials for its packaging.

“McDonald’s is a fun and modern brand and this was a progressive way to turn our packaging into art and support a community where fashion is an expression,” Matt Biespiel, senior director of global marketing, said. Not everyone is on board with Biespiel’s vision.

For Scott Rothbort, chief market strategist for the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University and a money manager who has dealt with investing in the brand, the packaging redesign seems like “a colossal waste of money.” “Packaging is important when you put products on a shelf. McDonald’s does not put products on a shelf,” Rothbort tells Newsweek.

He further says, “A good deal of the products are eaten in the restaurant or in a car, or taken home. Changing the actual packaging has negligible impact, if any, and certainly isn’t worth the money. They need to invest in their menu. I don’t think the packaging is going to benefit them.”

While the packaging might be contentious, everyone seems to be eating up McDonald’s recent all-day breakfast idea, regardless of what it comes wrapped in.

Yum! Brands, Inc. announced that David C. Novak, 63, Executive Chairman, plans to retire in May 2016 following the Company’s annual shareholder meeting and step down from the Company’s Board at that time. The Board plans to appoint a Non-Executive Chairman from among its Directors to succeed Mr. Novak and will announce that appointment at the Company's annual shareholder meeting.

Mr. Novak was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Yum! in 1999 and has served as Chairman of Yum! Brands since 2000. He transitioned to Executive Chairman on January 1, 2015, when he was succeeded as CEO by Greg Creed.

“I feel deeply privileged to have served over the years as Yum! Brands Chairman and CEO,” said Mr. Novak.

He further said, “As we target the separation of our China business by the end of 2016 and transition to two powerful, independent companies, it is a perfect time for me to complete my retirement. The two new companies will be led by strong, highly capable leaders, Greg Creed at YUM and Micky Pant at YUM China. I am completely confident both of them will take their businesses to the next level and I look forward to cheering them on and supporting them after my retirement. I truly believe these two companies present enormous growth potential in the years to come. Therefore, I plan to remain a shareholder of both companies and couldn't be more enthusiastic about these investments.”

“David Novak is a visionary leader who built Yum! Brands into a global powerhouse and one of the world’s largest restaurant companies. He is renowned for creating a recognition culture that rewards for performance, and for coaching and mentoring thousands of executives on leadership skills. During his tenure, the Company expanded its vast footprint in new emerging markets, became the category leader in China, delivered a high return on invested capital and saw its market capitalization grow from $4.6 billion to approximately $31 billion. Shareholders have been well-rewarded over this time thanks to David’s outstanding leadership," said Greg Creed, Chief Executive Officer, Yum! Brands, Inc. "On behalf of the Board, all of our employees and franchisees, I sincerely thank David for his many significant contributions to the Company, and for being such an incredible mentor, coach and friend. Thanks to his leadership and transition planning, we are extremely well-positioned as we work toward completing the separation of the China business and continue to create significant value for shareholders,” Creed added.

The stock of Tata Global Beverages (TGB) jumped 4.2 per cent on December 17. The gain was impressive given that the stock is down by over four per cent for the year. The trigger it announced a change of guard at one of its most promising ventures, Tata Starbucks, prompting a relief rally on the Street, reported ET.

In the past, new CEOs have positively impacted the stocks of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies. HUL, Britannia and Marico have witnessed gains on bourses after these companies appointed new leaders. A change in the top management of the Starbucks venture stems hope for a faster turnaround of the business.

The three year old joint venture, still loss-making, has opened 78 outlets in India. It was the last major trigger that pushed TGB stock up 77 per cent in 2012. The stock has since been a laggard on the Street, a reflection of the company's performance off the Street.

The global economic slowdown has impacted tea consumption resulting in the company's major business of black tea not doing well. The past two years have been particularly challenging for TGB characterised by single-digit revenue growth and operating margins of 7-8 per cent.

Its latest acquisition of MAP brand in Australia has allowed it to enter into the fast-growing single serve segment. Through coffee pods, the company is looking at making inroads into the developed markets of the US and Canada. While a rapid growth momentum may still be couple of years away, the company could just be at an inflection point in its growth trajectory.

TGB stock is trading at a trailing price-earnings multiple of 36 and is 28 per cent below its record high of Rs 181.7, hit in November 2012. Its market cap is slightly higher than its trailing four quarters revenues of Rs 7,987 crore.

Snapdeal, online marketplace announced first of its partnership with Pizza Hut to launch two new pizza offerings on its online platform. The new pizzas are available at Pizza Hut outlets starting today and will be exclusively available till December 30 at discounted prices only for registered Snapdeal users, after which they will go on open sale.

The partnership will allow Snapdeal customers to pre-order the new Cheese Maxx pizzas online by paying a flat amount of Rs 100 which will be adjusted against the final order placed at the Pizza Hut outlet. The pre-order offering is available for Snapdeal customers for 28th and 30th December includes discounts up to 50 per cent.

"We are excited to partner with Pizza Hut for the launch of their newest offerings. This is the first time, we are bringing this kind of assortment on our platform and we hope that our customers will enjoy this very special offer for the holiday season”, said Karan Khara, Vice President, Snapdeal.

On the other hand, UnnatVarma, General Manager, Pizza Hut said, “Cheese Maxx is an extremely indulgent pizza with three different types of flavourful cheeses – a real treat for cheese lovers. As an exclusive launch preview, we are very excited about offering this special limited time offer to all Snapdeal customers.”  

Louisville-based Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) which has launched all-new KFC Chizza. The most extraordinary thing ever to happen to KFC's signature hot and crispy chicken fillet is the all New Chizza with crispy toppings, yummy molten cheese, signature pizza sauce but no crust only a piece of real chicken as the base. Flavoured with condiments like oregano and chilli flakes, the Chizza is a chicken lover's dream come true.

Rahul Shinde, General Manager, KFC India said, "At KFC, it has been our constant endeavour to offer customers something new, exciting and craveable; the Chizza is all that and much more. We are definitely excited to launch this product in the Indian market and cannot wait to see the excitement of our customers”.

He further says, “The idea was to come up with something innovative, while sticking to our core of fried chicken. And Chizza offers chicken lovers the taste of our signature Hot and Crispy chicken in the most innovative format ever. We truly hope that our customers love this brand new innovation from KFC."

Burger King restaurants introduce the Flame Grilled Chicken Burger for a limited time. As chicken burgers grow in popularity, Burger King Restaurants now offer guests their own unique take on the trend.

The Burger King brand has been flame-grilling great tasting burgers since its first restaurant opened in 1954 and now brings over 60 years of grilling expertise to the chicken burger with this new launch.

The Flame Grilled Chicken Burger features a juicy flame-grilled chicken burger patty topped with ripe tomatoes, fresh lettuce, creamy mayonnaise, ketchup, crunchy pickles and sliced white onions on a soft toasted brioche style bun.

"We’ve never seen more interest in chicken burgers than we do today, so we’re excited to now offer them to guests everywhere," said Eric Hirschhorn, Chief Marketing Officer, North America, for the Burger King brand. "Our guests tell us they love the taste of our burgers because we fire grill them over an open flame, so now we’re taking what we do best and applying it to a burger made of chicken.”

The Flame Grilled Chicken Burger will be available for a suggested price of $3.79 also as part of the two for $5 menu alongside the Big King Sandwich, Extra Long Cheeseburger, Original Chicken Sandwich and Big Fish Sandwich in participating restaurants.