McDonald's plans 3 more outlets in Hyd

To open its first on Friday

The world's leading food service retailer McDonald's would be adding one more outlet to its network of 91 restaurants across the country with the opening of its first restaurant in Andhra Pradesh here on Friday.

By December 2006, the company is planning to have 110 restaurants in India, including three more outlets proposed in Hyderabad.

At present, McDonald's is serving over 65 million customers in India, accounting for the consumption of an equal number of pieces of buns per annum. Worldwide, McDonald's serves 47 million customers each day through its 30,000 restaurants spread over 119 countries.

McDonald's India is a joint venture company managed by Indians. Its restaurants are owned and managed by Amit Jatia's Hardcastle Restaurants Private Limited (HRPL) in western India and by Vikram Bakshi's Connaught Plaza Restaurants Private Limited in northern India.

McDonald's has a 50 per cent stake in each of the joint venture outfit.

According to Jatia, McDonald's India has established an extensive supply chain to meet its quality requirements.

"Our work on supply chain started six years prior to the opening of McDonald's first restaurant in the country. So far, the company had invested Rs 300 crore in the supply chain," he said.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, he said McDonald's sources its food products from local companies. The company has also developed special menu with vegetarian selections to suit Indian tastes and preferences with separate enclosures for vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking.

The company plans to more than double its number of restaurants across the country in a span of next three years.