VLCC diet food outlet in Kolkata soon

Kolkata is all set to get its first diet-restaurant as the Rs 300 crore wellness major VLCC group plans to set up its 'Alive' chain of diet-restaurants in the city this financial year.

The restaurants serve healthy, diet food that are prepared keeping the diabetic patients in mind and come with calorie count.

Speaking to Business Standard, Yogesh Sethi, CEO, VLCC, said, "The USP of our restaurants is 'all taste, no guilt' where although we score on taste, all recipes are low on fat and carbohydrates."

These restaurants are operated under two formats "� the standalone restaurant format and second format that are set up inside office buildings to cater to people who belong there.

VLCC plans to set up close to 20 outlets of both formats in the next 2 years of which Kolkata would have its first by this year. On an average, these span close to 2,000 sq ft per outlet and require an investment of approximately Rs 50 lakhs per outlet.

"For the office format in Kolkata we would be keen on locations like Sector V which is a hub of several corporate houses. For the restaurant format we would look for space in locations that are very high on footfalls such as Park Street or even shopping malls," Sethi said.

At present there are two Alive outlets in Gurgaon that were set up in August last year.

The company plans to achieve a turnover of Rs 1000 crore by 2010 and expects its eatery business to contribute close to 7 per cent in the next 3 years.