After KFC & Pizza Hut, here comes Taco Bell

The $24 billion US-based Yum! Restaurants International, owners of KFC and Pizza Hut brands, is now planning to launch Taco Bell chain of restaurants in India.

"We are evaluating to bring Taco Bell brand to India. It may take about 18 months from now to rollout the brand," Ajay Bansal, director (business development) of Yum! Restaurant (Indian subcontinent), said today.

Yum! will open restaurants in Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Agra and Mumbai, he added.

Yum Restaurants owns five brands - All American Food, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver and Taco Bell.

Taco Bell, a Mexican fast food chain, is the third largest brand for Yum! International. It currently manages 6,500 Taco Bell restaurants across the globe.

"We have a turnover of about Rs 270 crore from existing KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants," Bansal said.

"There are 130 Pizza Hut and 20 KFC restaurants in India. We plan to add 60-70 KFC restaurants via company and franchisee route  by 2008," Bansal said.