Roti Aur Boti planning to expand via FOFO model

After Maharashtra's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a crackdown, McDonald's has reassured its customers that it strictly utilizes "authentic, premium-grade cheese" in its offerings.

The FDA alleged deceptive practices by McDonald's regarding the utilization of cheese substitutes in its products.

Consequently, it suspended the license of a McDonald's branch in Ahmednagar, citing findings from its investigation which indicated the use of cheese analogs or proprietary food instead of authentic cheese by the fast-food giant.

"We received complaints and feedback from customers suggesting that McDonald's and other food chains should accurately list the ingredients of their food items on menu cards and display boards," stated Abhimanyu Kale, the Commissioner of the agency. Source, NDTV Profit.

"In our investigation, we discovered that they were employing cheese analogs or proprietary food substitutes rather than authentic cheese. Subsequently, following our observations, the outlets were shut down by inspectors," Mr. Kale further explained.

Following a month-long investigation conducted last year, the agency discovered that McDonald's was incorporating less expensive cheese substitutes such as vegetable oil in burgers and nuggets.

It alleged that the fast-food chain utilized cheese alternatives in numerous items without appropriate labeling, leading customers to believe they were consuming genuine cheese.

Consequently, the FDA suspended the license of the Ahmednagar outlet and insisted that it disclose the accurate ingredients on its menus and display boards in accordance with the norms set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

As a result of these findings, the fast-food chain decided to eliminate the term "cheese" from several of its products.

Westlife Foodworld Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hardcastle Restaurants Private Limited and the operator of McDonald's outlets in West and South India, also issued a statement addressing the report.

Westlife stated, "We exclusively utilize authentic, premium-grade cheese in all products containing cheese."

The operator of McDonald's further expressed, "We are actively communicating with the appropriate authorities regarding this matter and await their definitive clarification."

The statement emphasized, "We have consistently maintained strict adherence to rigorous food standards and comply fully with all relevant food regulations.

Our dedication to transparency in disclosing our ingredients and our unwavering commitment to delivering delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remain steadfast."

This incident has led the FDA to contemplate investigating other fast-food chains for comparable actions.

Mr. Kale stated in a release that the FDA will persist in inspecting food establishments to guarantee adherence to regulatory standards for the benefit of customers. He mentioned that if needed, state authorities will liaise with the FSSAI for potential nationwide measures.

McDonald's India – North and East has continuously shown its dedication to promoting sustainability within the green economy.

The company has taken various actions such as adopting renewable energy, using eco-friendly packaging, and responsibly sourcing materials to support the environment.

In alignment with this commitment, McDonald's India – North and East has formed a collaboration with NueGo, a leading electric bus service under GreenCell Mobility's umbrella.

“We are deeply committed to and invested in sustainable earth intention. We are excited about our collaboration with NueGo in jointly contributing to a carbon-neutral economy.” said, Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, Managing Director, McDonald's India – North and East.

This partnership arises from a mutual goal of embracing sustainability and advocating for eco-friendly transportation choices.

With a focus on meeting the preferences of modern, environmentally aware travellers, the collaboration intends to provide effortless and convenient dining choices for those who opt for NueGo's sustainable travel alternatives.

Travelers selecting the NueGo bus service from New Delhi's Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) to well-known locations like Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Agra, or Jaipur, will have the option to request McDonald's meals while they wait for their departure.

An exclusive lounge will be provided for this purpose. The collaboration's reach will gradually grow to encompass more routes, and a pre-booking option for meals will also be introduced to elevate the convenience for travelers.

“We at GreenCell Mobility, are thrilled to join hands with the renowned global entity McDonald’s India – North and East, to pilot a new-age food delivery approach tailored for NueGo’s environmentally aware travelers. This unique collaboration will reinforce our commitment to sustainable mobility and our dedication to delivering inventive customer experiences.” said, Mr. Devendra Chawla, CEO and MD, – GreenCell Mobility.

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship, McDonald’s India – North and East has embraced inventive approaches to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the environmental repercussions of waste, and safeguard natural reserves.

The company utilizes FSC-certified paper-based packaging, sourced from recycled materials or well-managed forests, as a sustainable replacement for plastic packaging.

Remarkably, the brand's French Fries are manufactured in a zero-water discharge facility situated in India, leading to a substantial reduction in water usage.

The brand's dedication encompasses conscientious sourcing of ingredients, backing supply chains that have a positive impact on nature and the farmers involved.

As an illustration, the brand acquires coffee through sustainable means, backed by Rainforest Alliance certification.

This approach empowers coffee farmers to improve productivity while adhering to sustainable methods.

Furthermore, McDonald's India – North and East's involvement in procuring local lettuce has benefited over 250 small and less privileged farmers nationwide, fostering the adoption of sound agricultural practices.

The brand's dedication to sustainability is apparent in its utilization of palm oil, which is entirely obtained through sustainable production methods and supply chains that adhere to deforestation-free standards.

These supply chains hold certifications from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) credits and Mass Balance certification.

To reinforce their commitment to environmental responsibility, the brand transforms used cooking oil into biodiesel, offering a lower carbon emission option compared to traditional fuels.

McDonald's India – North and East and NueGo are joined by a common goal of sustainability and leading the way in environmentally conscious travel.

With a resolute aim to set innovative standards within the industry, this collaboration strives to bring about positive transformations for both travelers and the planet.

By harmonizing their values of customer contentment and ecological responsibility, these two entities aspire to forge a partnership that propels their shared objectives in a mutually advantageous manner.

Wow! Momo has secured $23 million in a Series B funding round led by Private Equity (PE) giant Tiger Global. This marks Tiger Global’s first investment in a QSR brand in India.

With this investment, Wow! Momo is now valued at Rs 860 crore, one of the highest among QSR chains in the country.

Wow! Momo owns and operates Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brands, Wow! Momo and Wow! China, in India. Currently, the QSR chain has 282 outlets of Wow! Momo and 11 outlets of Wow! China across 15 cities.

Sagar Daryani, CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! China/Wow! Momo, said, “From running a handful of kiosks in Kolkata to becoming a brand operating in over 15 cities, our ‘Make-in-India’ journey has come a long way. We are super excited and thankful in welcoming Tiger Global on board and looking forward to leverage upon their global connects, experience and knowhow.”

“This partnership is indeed a big step forward in our endeavour to become an Indian origin QSR chain with an aim to go global in times to come. We will smartly use the capital infused to further scale our operations backed with disruptive research and development to reach out to a larger consumer base within the country,” he added.

Wow! Momo Foods is eyeing to make Rs 190 crore in revenue in FY20. At present, the company is clocking a monthly run rate of more than Rs 15 crore and launching over 10 new Wow! Momo outlets every month.

Scott Shleifer, Partner and Head, private equity, Tiger Global Management, stated, “I am extremely confident that with our expertise backed by a strong leadership team at the helm, Wow! Momo is all set to become the face of Indian QSR on a global diaspora.”

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KFC India has launched an exclusive range of KFC Merch. Truly inspired by fried chicken and your love for it, the Merch is designed in collaboration with The Souled Store.

The new range will be available on the quick service restaurant (QSR) chain’s app, website and The Souled Store website.

Moksh Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer of KFC India, said, “If you are ‘crispy’ and you know it, why shy away from flaunting it? Here’s your chance to unabashedly wear your heart, or rather KFC love, on your sleeve. It is designed for those who think chicken, dream chicken. Donning the KFC Merch is the perfect way to bring out the chicken-lover in you.”

The Merch range comes in various categories, from T-shirts to badges, pins, mobile covers and stickers, this is as fresh, crispy and juicy as it gets. KFC will keep widening this range over the next few months.

PitaPit, Canadian quick service restaurant chain, is all set to foray into the South Indian market with its first restaurant in a new mall in Hyderabad. It is entering South via Hyderabad-based Muvi Concept Restaurants, its master franchisee for South and West India.

Founded in 1995, PitaPit has more than 650 restaurants across 13 countries. It provides customised, healthy and nutritious Pita Sandwiches and offers a healthy alternative to high carb, high fat, fast food.

The quick service restaurant chain is already present in North India with 11 restaurants being operated in partnership with Mentor Hospitality, its master franchisee for North and East India.

Recently, PitaPit has launched a restaurant at the Delhi Airport and RMZ Eco world, a Tech Park in Bengaluru.

Virat Mohan, CEO of PitaPit India, said, "PitaPit has been well accepted and enjoyed by the North Indian market, especially the urban workforce. We expect the same positive feedback from the South Indian market as we intend to target the urban professionals especially the tech workforce and the health-conscious families looking for healthy and fun to eat alternatives."

Rashi Agarwal, Managing Director, Muvi, stated, "We are looking at opening 50 restaurants over the next 3 years across 10 major cities in South and West India with focus on Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, followed by Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Cochin."

बर्गर किंग इंडिया के लगभग 80% शेयर की मालिक एवरस्टोन कैपिटल क्विक सर्विस रेस्टोरेंट  चैन का अपना अल्प हिस्सा बेचेगी। पांच वर्ष पूर्व भारत में बर्गर किंग इंडिया की फ्रैंचाइज़ी शुरू करने वाली स्वदेशी पीई फर्म प्रस्तुत चैन का मूल्यांकन $300-$350 मिलियन करते हुए अपने शेयर बेच सकती है।

बिक्री प्रक्रिया अगले कुछ हफ़्तों में शुरू होना अनुमानित है और उसकी व्यवस्था सलाहकार फर्म ईवाय देखेगी। सौदे के बाद एवरस्टोन नियंत्रक हिस्सेदार बनी रहेगी।

बर्गर किंग्स रेस्टोरेंट्स का भारत और इंडोनेशिया में स्वामित्व और संचालन करने वाली एफ एंड बी एशिया वेंचर्स का नियंत्रण एवरस्टोन कैपिटल करती है। 2013 में एवरस्टोन ने अमेरिकन फ़ास्ट-फ़ूड चैन बर्गर किंग वर्ल्डवाइड से भागीदारी करते हुए इन दो देशों के लिए फ्रैंचाइज़ी शुरू किए थे।

बर्गर किंग इंडिया का पहला आउटलेट नवम्बर 2014 में शुरू किया गया था। मौजूदा हालात में उसके भारत की 30 से अधिक शहरों में लगभग 140 आउटलेट्स हैं। कंपनी 2019 की पहली तिमाही के अंत तक अपने स्टोर्स की संख्या 200 तक लक्ष्य रखती है।

अगर ये सौदा होता है तो, ये एवरस्टोन का फ़ूड एंड बेवरेजेज  पोर्टफोलियो में से पिछले वर्ष का दूसरा आंशिक निकास होगा। इससे पहले कंपनी ने जिग्ग्स कालरा और ज़ोरावर कालरा के स्वामित्व वाले मैसिव रेस्टोरेंट्स के शेयर बेचे थे।

Everstone Capital, which holds about 88% stake in Burger King India, will sell a minority stake in the quick service restaurant (QSR) chain. The homegrown PE firm, which had set up the franchise for Burger King in India five years ago, may sell 20% stake, valuing the chain at $300-$350 million.

The sale process is expected to be launched in a few weeks and is managed by advisory firm EY. After the transaction, Everstone will remain the controlling stakeholder.

Everstone Capital controls F&B Asia Ventures, which owns and operates Burger King’s restaurants in India and Indonesia. In 2013, Everstone partnered with US fast-food chain Burger King Worldwide to set up the franchise for the two countries.

The first outlet of Burger King India was opened in November 2014. As of now, it has around 140 outlets in more than 30 cities in India. The company further plans to grow its store count to 200 by end of FY19.

If the deal materialises, it will be Everstone’s second part exit from the food and beverages (F&B) portfolio in the past year. Earlier, the company sold a stake in Massive Restaurants, owned by Jiggs Kalra and son Zorawar Kalra, to PE firm Gaja Capital.

Northern India’s leading QSR, Kebab Xpress has announced a partnership deal with India’s leading call management & cloud telephony platforms MyOperator to give it users’ seamless experience of ordering food.

Kebab Xpress aims to enhance customers to increase the sustainability of orders placed on calls and management tracking solution.

“MyOperator helps us survive an increasing call volume within all our outlets. Their call tracking & call automation tech has made real-time follow-ups extremely easy, which used to be a prime challenge for us. The order retention rate we are witnessing is higher than our expectations,” shares Jagjit Singh, COO Kebab Xpress.

“It is an era of the food tech industry. MyOperator is built over cutting edge technology and is delighted to serve Kebab Xpress. We believe in simplifying processes and increasing efficiency. That’s what we are doing with Kebab Xpress,” while speaking on the announcement Ankit Jain, CEO, MyOperator.

Kebab Xpress opted for MyOperator virtual number along with an IVR for all the outlets and witnessed 50% hike in on-call order retention. The call automation service helped Kebab Xpress resulted in 90% dip in their churn rate.

With this product execution, Kebab Xpress which had suffered from management tracking solution has enabled itself to connect with the missed call customers as well within two-three minutes.

Kebab Xpress has 13 outlets in New Delhi & NCR and is witnessing expansion at a constant rate.