BIG MAC ALL SET TO STORM KOLKATA

[Guest guest]

http://www.anandabazar.com/piclg.htm

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051221/asp/calcutta/story_5624249.asp

 

[image: Email This

Page]<http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051221/asp/calcutta/story_5624249.asp#>

[image:

Print This

Page]<http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051221/asp/calcutta/story_5624249.asp#>

Big

Mac comes a-calling

ZEESHAN JAWED

<javascript:MM_openBrWindow('../../images/21zzmcdonaldbig.jpg','ThumbNail','resi\

zable=yes,scrollbars=yes,width=500,height=400')>

 

KFC is a craze and Subway is sold out, so the table is now set for Big Mac

to bite into the Calcutta food mart.

 

A recce team representing McDonald's was in town this weekend. And the group

of consultants, business development and operations managers meant business.

 

For four days they scouted properties, held talks with aspiring franchisees

and gauged the business climate and spending power of Calcutta. And what

they saw " impressed them very much " , said trade sources.

 

While officials remained mum on the matter, terming the visit as a " routine

tour " of various proposed destinations, those who interacted with the team

were buoyant about the fast food chain's Calcutta connection.

 

" McDonald's has big plans for Calcutta, with anything between 12 to 15

outlets on the radar. This would include standalone restaurants,

'drive-thrus' and kiosks. They were impressed with the way business has

shaped up here, " said an entrepreneur who met McDonalds' representatives.

 

The giant burger-and-fries chain with 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries is

said to be eyeing the Park Street-Camac Street zone for its flagship store,

with " somewhere close to St Xavier's College " being a buzzword.

 

" The development in and around Park Street and Camac Street interested the

team. They also want a presence in all the existing and upcoming malls in

the city to take advantage of the high footfalls and growing spending

power, " added the entrepreneur.

 

The team told local retail and restaurant players that Calcutta " has emerged

as a high potential business destination " for the chain and that " the

internal process for setting up business in Calcutta had been going on for

some time now " .

 

A Big Mac launch in town should happen sooner rather than later as the city

can now sustain " multiple outlets " to make a Calcutta move feasible. This

was reinforced after the recce team touched base with Forum, KFC in City

Centre, South City and upcoming malls around town.

 

" Earlier, McDonald's had rough plans to come to Calcutta in 2007. But now

there is a sense of urgency and as soon as their logistics are in place they

should start selling the Chicken Maharaj Mac here, " said an entrepreneur in

talks for a Big Mac franchisee.

 

The first outlet in India was opened at Vasant Vihar in New Delhi, in 1996.

Currently, McDonald's has 76 restaurants across north and west India.