Sandwich chain Which Wich targeting India's seven regions for expansion

McDonald’s legendary McRib will make its triumphant return to McDonald’s USA menus this fall.

Customers can grab their favourite sandwich beginning Nov. 1 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide.

The McRib made its debut 40 years ago and quickly became a fan-favorite thanks to the unmistakable flavor of the seasoned boneless pork patty slathered in BBQ sauce and topped with slivered onions and tart dill pickles, all on a homestyle bun.

“In the 80s, the masterminds behind McDonald’s food innovation had a truly unique idea: an undeniably delicious sandwich that could be enjoyed during the colder seasons,” said Mike Bullington, Senior Archives Manager at McDonald’s. “Whether you’re a McRib loyalist or first timer, there is no denying that the McRib is one of the most iconic sandwiches of the last four decades and we have thousands of emails and tweets from fans to prove it,” he further shared.

The McRib started as a regional favorite following its 1981 debut in Kansas City, Kansas and launched into international fandom when it was paired with the promotion of a major motion picture, along with innovations like the McRib Jr. It has since become an international sensation that has appeared in Germany, New Zealand and France.

The internet boom and emergence of social media solidified the McRib’s icon status. The love of the saucy sandwich connected fans online, and tools like the ‘McRib Locator’ allowed even more people to join the frenzy.  The hype around its annual return even gave birth to the phrase ‘McRib Season.’

Nostalgia comes in many forms, but true desi nostalgia is an experience we always relate back with food, flavours and magic. Mumbai’s sandwich delivery brand Instawich’s opens its 3^rd outlet in Grant Road.

The Grand road outpost clearly has “The two things we always believe in are desi flavours & sandwiches. From a sizzling tadka to a chatpata chaat masala or a khatta achaar, we like our food to be like our lives, flavourful with a pinch of drama. The Instawich menu is just that – taking familiar, comforting flavours and adding the right twists of texture, taste and tidbits that give desi sandwiches an elevated, contemporary spin.

They are delivering in South Mumbai and Andheri East, Marol.

You can directly order from them or place order on Zomato, Swiggy.

So go on, indulge in that shudh desi romance with the iconic street-style bambaiyya sandwich that will always leave you ‘filling’ great at our new outpost at Grant Toad now.

Owned byAditya Shah and Risha Merchant Shah, the sandwich brand also has outlet in Lower Parel and Marol.

QSR chain Subway® has introduced a new version of its flagship ‘Sub of the Day’ (SOTD) value offer across its restaurants in India.

Guests at Subway® will now be able to enjoy the brand’s most popular and scrumptious sandwiches at discounted prices starting at just Rs 145.

Also Read: Restaurants Unlock 2020

To promote the SOTD offer, Subway® India has rolled out a promotional film across its social media accounts.

“We wanted to do something special for our loyal guests who we would love to see back in the restaurants. Sub of the day remains our most successful offering till date and hopefully with this exciting mix of new sandwiches, it would encourage guests to walk in to try them out,” shared Shuchi Monga, Head of Marketing, Subway®-South Asia.

The campaign film is a quirky animated take on the reactions people have when they find their favourite subs featured in the offer. The upbeat music makes the celebratory feeling more pronounced and the visual treatment given is akin to that of strip comic books. The campaign is now live and is running across all digital platforms.

Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sGfGK01D0I&feature=youtu.be

The new 2020 SOTD menu offers Veg Shammi and Tuna Subs every Monday and Thursday, Chatpata Chana and Chicken Slice, every Tuesday and Friday, Corn & Peas and Chicken Kofta, every Wednesday and Saturday Tandoori Tofu and Chicken Teriyaki, every Sunday.

May Interest: Subway reopens outlet at Bengaluru airport with ‘Fresh Forward’ design

During the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), Subway® India had also introduced ‘Buy two get one free’ limited time offer for guests on order, dine-in or takeaways, at participating restaurants.            

Blimpie is growing its global footprint with the expansion into the Southeast Asian region. Kahala Brands, the parent company of Blimpie, has tied up with Deelish Brands Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based restaurant management company, to launch the Blimpie brand in Singapore. 

Deelish Brands operates in the fast casual restaurant sector, focusing on brands that believe in using only the freshest ingredients and preparing cooked to order meals.

As part of the agreement, Blimpie will be working with Deelish Brands to launch and expand the brand in Singapore with plans to unveil 5 stores within the next five years.

Moe Ibrahim, CEO of Deelish Brands, said, “For more than 50 years, Blimpie has been America's beloved neighborhood deli, and that's why it's known as America's Sub Shop. The brand has perfected the art of a bigger, better sandwich, using the freshest ingredients and doing it at an affordable price.”

“We believe that the Blimpie Way fits nicely with Deelish Brands' strategy of bringing the world’s most beloved and fastest growing restaurant brands to Southeast Asia. We are excited to bring Blimpie to the region as we are confident it will soon become Asia's sub shop as well,” Ibrahim added.

With this global expansion, Blimpie fills the need of Singapore consumers looking for fresh food options.

Eddy Jimenez, Senior Vice President of international operations and development, Kahala Brands, stated, “Continuing to build the brand's international expansion with highly esteemed companies such as Deelish Brands has been a pleasure for us at Blimpie. Their passion and commitment to developing such a great and successful F&B business in the market is very impressive, and we are thrilled to introduce America's Sub Shop and our hearty portions of fresh-sliced meats, fresh-baked breads and robust offerings to all consumers in the Singapore market.”

Subway has entered into a new culinary innovation partnership with Beyond Meat for testing exclusive plant-based protein options.

The sandwich chain will test the Beyond Meatball Marinara sub at 685 restaurants in Canada and the United States next month. The new sub will be available for a limited time.

Beyond and Subway worked together to create the Beyond Meatball, which is only available at Subway restaurants.

The customers of Subway in North America can develop over 1 billion plant-forward sandwich, flatbread, and Signature Wrap combinations. With the latest addition of the Beyond Meatball, the chain’s customers will now have 2 billion options.

Len Van Popering, Chief Brand and Innovation Officer, Subway, said, "Subway appeals to so many fans because we truly offer something for everyone. Our guests want to feel good about what they eat and they also want to indulge in new flavors. With our new plant-based Beyond Meatball Marinara sub, we are giving them the best of both worlds. And, we are particularly excited about debuting a co-developed product that can't be found anywhere else: the Beyond Meatball made just for Subway."

Ethan Brown, Founder & CEO, Beyond Meat, added, "We're excited to partner with Subway and are grateful that the menu team through to senior management has entrusted us as their innovation partner to deliver delicious plant-based proteins to their guests. We look forward to a long-term partnership with Subway as we together serve and delight existing and new fans of this iconic chain."

Subway will remodel its 10,500 US restaurants with a new exciting design and décor by the end of 2020.

Subway, along with its vendors, is providing franchisee operators with $10,000 grants to help spur remodels. These grants fund about 25% of the cost of the remodel.

The company has already remodeled 1,400 locations worldwide, with another 900 underway.

Don Fertman, Chief Development Officer for Subway, said, "Our Franchise Owners and their staffs work hard every day to deliver a great Subway experience for their guests. By participating in the remodel program, Franchise Owners are making a commitment to enhancing their guests experience, and showing their trust in the brand. Together, with all that is going on with our global transformation, we are taking this brand to an exciting new level."

Stephen Worley, Senior Director of Communications for the International Franchise Association (IFA), stated, "Franchising works best when franchise brands and franchise business owners succeed together. IFA commends Subway for their efforts to facilitate these renovations, which can benefit franchise owners, their employees, and their customers alike."

UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger has agreed to acquire EAT, the British sandwich and coffee shop chain, to transform its stores into vegetarian outlets. Through this acquisition, Pret A Manger seeks to cater to the fast-growing demand for plant-based foods.

The company looks to capitalize on the thriving vegan and vegetarian market through its Veggie Pret brand. It is planning to convert most of the EAT shops into Veggie Pret outlets, which will cater to health-conscious consumers who prefer plant-based meals over meat.

Clive Schlee, Chief Executive Officer of Pret A Manger, said, “The acquisition of the EAT estate is a wonderful opportunity to turbo-charge the development of Veggie Pret and put significant resources behind it.” 

Pret opened its first Veggie Pret as a pop-up shop in Soho in London in 2016. Pret has 400 stores in the UK, of which, four are branded as "Veggie Pret".

Pret A Manger has been experimenting with vegetarian and vegan options for products like brownies and macaroni and cheese, as well as offering dishes including a vegan Mediterranean mezze salad.

World’s largest sandwich restaurant chain Subway, has introduced a new version of its flagship Sub of the Day (SOTD) value offer for Indian consumers. The guests at Subway can now relish their favourite SOTD sandwiches at an attractive price twice a week.

Sanjiv Pandey, Marketing Manager, Subway South Asia said, “Sub of the Day is a very popular and well-liked value offer. Choice of a veg and a non-veg sandwich adds to the appeal. What’s more, a special treat awaits our guests every Sunday till April-end with a limited time offer on two premium subs, namely, Chicken Peri-Peri and Spicy Mixed Beans.”

The whole communication program revolves around the idea that people love to repeat their favourite things frequently. And that extends across all facets of their lives.

The promotion is being supported with a multimedia marketing campaign consisting of above-the-line TVC, Digital and Social media, Print, Radio, Mobile, Out of Home Billboards.

Pandey said, “As an increasing number of Indians are opting to eat-out, providing them great eating options remains as crucial as offering them great value for money. The wide-ranging Subway menu ensures that guests have plenty of options to choose from, both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian categories.” He added Fifty percent of our menu caters to vegetarian-only guests. The same has been kept in mind while designing the construct of the new Sub of the Day product mix.

SUBWAY remains a favourite with guests seeking customisable fresh, healthy food. The brand currently operates through 625-plus restaurants in more than 70 Indian cities.

Bueno, the premium Sandwich and bakery destination has launched 5 more outlets in Gurugram and Dwarka. This recent growth helps Bueno to take a leadership position in the Sandwiches space in India. With the recent funding, Bueno is going aggressive with its mega expansion spree both in the self-owned and franchisee space.

Bueno with a mission to expand its base across Asia plans to open 100 new outlets in the next 1 year and is in talks with major VC firms to raise the next round between $15-20 Million.

“Sandwiches are an amazing market to tap as despite being a versatile meal, they are the least explored segment in the food space and we at Bueno are committed to take this story across the globe,” shares Rohan Arora, Founder & CEO, Bueno.

The modern concept of a sandwich using slices of bread can be traced to the 18th century. However, globally there hasn’t been any brand that has focused on Sandwiches as a wholesome food unlike Pizzas and Burgers. Bueno wants to capture the same space and take leadership stance in growing this space. The initiative could be the 1st Indian Food Brands mega story for the west enabling the Make In India Initiative of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. 

Sandwich chain, Subway plans to open a further 500 outlets in the UK and Ireland over the next three years, expected to create about 5000 jobs.

Subway, which sells a wide range of freshly made submarine sandwiches, as well as salads, said that it was targeting 3000 stores by 2020, up from 2500 currently.

According to the company, "The expansion plans are in response to consumer demand."

Subway is owned by U.S.-based Doctor's Associates Inc, but its stores are all owned and operated by a network of franchisees.

Subway shut 359 restaurants in the United States last year amid stiff competition in a highly fragmented fast-food industry.

Subway India has unveiled two new submarine sandwiches (subs) named Veg Seekh sub and Chicken Kofta sub in an affordable price range. 

Inspired by the popular Mughlai cuisine, the new shaahi subs, promise a royally flavorful experience to Subway customers' palates. The exquisite subs are available across all Subway restaurants in the country for a limited period only.

The Veg Seekh sub comes filled with the goodness of fresh veggies and vegetarian Kebabs specially prepared from Bengal gram and soya granules sprinkled with authentic Indian spices. The Chicken Kofta sub features a tasty filling of Chicken Koftas or meatballs made from coarsely ground chicken mixed with exotic Indian herbs, spices and cooked to perfection. “The shaahi subs would help reinforce our guests' brand affinity and consideration giving them yet another tempting reason to visit SUBWAY. We are also promoting these subs through a 360 degree marketing campaign,” said Sanjiv Pandey, Marketing Manager, Subway Systems India Pvt. Ltd.

Ranjit Talwar, Country Head Subway Systems India Pvt. Ltd. commented, “Subway’s focus on customization enables it to innovate and create new products mostly inspired from well-loved local Indian flavours.”

The much loved sandwich chain is known for its delectable subs and salads prepared right in front of the customer using an assortment of veggies and breads that are baked fresh in each Subway restaurant, everyday. Subway came to India in 2001 and currently has 580 restaurants in more than 70 Indian cities.

Subway India has signed an exclusive beverage and snack deal with PepsiCo India.

With this, consumers at all Subway restaurants across the country can now enjoy a range of iconic, popular brands from PepsiCo India’s portfolio.

"We are very excited about this transition. It's a perfect marriage between India's most prominent sandwich chain and PepsiCo India, one of the largest MNC food and beverage businesses in the country." said Karen Eidsvik, Regional Director, Subway Restaurants Asia. “SUBWAY India and PepsiCo India will partner on exciting new innovations and powerful brand activations to further enhance the SUBWAY customer experience."

Subway India restaurants are very enthusiastic and all prepared to welcome this change. One key element of the new partnership will give customers even more options when they visit their local restaurant.

With Subway wide range of sandwich variety available, customers can start pairing their favourite sandwich with carbonated or non-carbonated drinks. This new agreement further builds on the long-standing relationship between Subway India and PepsiCo's Frito-Lays products.

“We remain committed to driving growth of the food service industry through the power of our advantaged food and beverage portfolio and innovative partnerships with ecosystem partners. Our association with Subway has only grown over the years and we believe this enhanced partnership will help us jointly deliver differentiated value and experience for our consumers. We look forward to working with Subway in building scale, visibility and greater consumer engagement opportunities for our food and beverage brands.” said Sudipto Mozumdar, Senior Director, E-commerce & Customer Development, PepsiCo India.

Subway has announced that Joseph Tripodi will take over as its Chief Marketing Officer following the departure of Tony Pace. The latter had left the sandwich brand earlier to start a marketing firm.

"I'm thrilled to join Subway at this exciting time in the brand's history. As consumers tastes evolve, I want to build on Subway's legacy of innovation to ensure we are always leading in our marketing, product offerings and consumer engagement strategies," Tripodi said in a statement.

Earlier, he was chief marketer for Coca-Cola between 2007 and 2015.

Tripodi's hiring happened after the dismissal of Subway’s longtime spokesman Jared Fogle, who was sentenced to serve 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child sex charges. Meanwhile, Subway has also rehired former advertising executive Chris Carroll and contracted a new creative agency to help rehabilitate Subway's public image.  

When and how did you planned to bring Mr. Sub to India?

I came across this brand around a year and half back, and then I talk to MTY group which owns the franchisee of the brand, who were looking to expand globally at that point. And as Indian consumers can relate to the name Sub with the brand and the product it offers. I thought of bringing it to India.

What is your expansion plan for the brand into the Indian market?

We are looking at close to 25 stores by March in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. All stores will be company owned model expanding to around 250 stores in next two and half years.

You opened your fist outlet at SDA market. Why IIT as location?

I want to try giving my product with the target customers who are students and IIT is a hub. And hence that market catches the crowd. I want to generalise and then take this product forward.

What is the average footfall received and where can we see the other outlet coming up?

At SDA market around 350-400 people walk every day. We recently opened our second outlet at West Patel Nagar.

What are your target locations for next phase of expansion?

We are looking at locations like CP, Defence Colony and GK-1, Vasant Kunj, Gurgaon, Model Town, Rk Puram, Kamala Nagar, Gurgaon- Sector 29 amongst others.

Tell us something about Mr. Sub and its offerings?

Mr. Sub has a concept of making one’s own sub. We are close to 12-15 Veg and Non Veg sub. Customers can also convert any sub into wraps.

What competition do you see from Subway as they are also running in the same segment?

There is huge competition in the market today, but I believe in my product. However, Subway is one of the largest consumer brands today in the world and in India they are predominant. They have made the Indian consumer understand what sub is.  Meanwhile, I want to offer the right sub to the customers which they are actually looking for.

How much is western flavours there in your menu?

We do have western flavours in our menu but majorly it is customised for the Indian market. We have 100 per cent local suppliers. We have top meat supplier, vegetarian supplier and bread is also done in house only.

Who are your target customers?

Our target customer is generally between 14-30 years.

Mr. Sub, the Canadian submarine sandwich chain has opened its first outlet at SDA market in India.

The group has entered India with Arnav Saluja-led Beverly Food & Beverages as the master franchisee.

"I was not from the food industry, so as a consumer I always saw something missing in the market in terms of ingredient, freshness and quality. Mr. Sub stands for a consistent product, quality vendors and ingredients," shared Saluja.

The sandwich chain which will give competition to Subway in India is planning to invest over Rs 15 crore in its outlet and supply chains in India in the next one year.

The group is also looking at opening about 250 restaurants in next four to five years entering into cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune.

By the end of March 2016, it plans to open 30-45 outlets in the Delhi-NCR region alone.

Starting with a menu range of Rs 135, Mr. Sub is serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian sandwiches in India.

RI Bureau

A Subway restaurant operating out of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB) has emerged as the chain’s highest selling outlet in terms of number of units sold, amongst all Subway restaurants situated in non-traditional locations, across the globe. “It’s been truly gratifying to see the response to Subway. Local residents and visitors to the airport appreciate that our submarine sandwiches provide a filling and tasty meal.” He added, “We serve a wide range of vegetarian options and Indian flavours, as well as the classic international sandwiches that appeal to both domestic and international travellers,” shared Griffith David, the franchise owner of this outlet.  Subway which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month is the world’s largest sandwich restaurant chain with over 44,188 restaurants in 110 countries.

It also has restaurants operating in non-traditional locations which include hospitals, malls, airports, highways etc. Commenting on the same, Manpreet Gulri, Country Head, Subway Systems India Private Limited, said, “Non-traditional locations offer great flexibility in terms of hours of operation and can give good return-on-investment. Club this with a keen entrepreneur and a dedicated staff and you have what Griffith has accomplished here. Non-traditional locations have been a large contributor to Subway’s positive growth in India.” This milestone also highlights a growing number of customers who consciously choose to eat fresh, even when in transit. Given the number of people visiting airports, these often become unofficial rendezvous points for families and friends, who might like to eat while they await their flights or meet their relations.

“Subway provides visitors including passengers and flight crews a great meal option which is easily portable too. As an entrepreneur, I believe that Subway’s promising business model, the regular training and back-end support provided to its franchisees and its globally appealing menu make it a great brand to be associated with,” added David.

Opened in 2008 the restaurant has separate counters -- two each, catering to vegetarian and non-vegetarian consumer preferences. This is in line with Subway’s global policy to respect cultural preferences and sensitivities of respective markets.

Subway India currently operates 531 restaurants in over 70 cities and has a customer universe that includes all age-groups. The sandwich chain has a strong presence in all the major Indian metros and plans to expand its footprint through an aggressive growth strategy.  

SUBWAY®, one of the world’s largest Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brand will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. In India, the brand is commemorating the event as Customer Appreciation Day.

SUBWAY® restaurants across India has hosted a Buy One Get One offer on Thursday, August 27, 2015, where customers ordering any six inch submarine sandwich (sub), a salad or a Coke will get another free.

Speaking on the occasion Manpreet Gulri, Country Head Subway Systems India Private Limited said, “This is a special occasion and we wanted to make it more special by celebrating it with our customers whose love for SUBWAY inspires us every day. SUBWAY is committed to continue delighting its customers with good food and good service. We are excited for the future and will keep working towards improving SUBWAY’s reach and offerings.”

Currently operating in 110 countries with 44,188 restaurants, SUBWAY® has come a long way since its inception in Connecticut, USA on August 28, 1965. The first SUBWAY® restaurant was opened by the then 17-year old Fred DeLuca, President and Co-founder SUBWAY®. Starting off with a $1000 loan from his family friend Dr Peter Buck, SUBWAY® has grown into a multi-billion dollar global brand under Mr DeLuca’s leadership.

India remains an important market for SUBWAY® and contributes significantly to the brand’s global sales. “Home to a young population with rapidly evolving consumption patterns and willingness to experiment global cuisines, India is a preferred destination for international QSR brands. SUBWAY looks forward to continue delighting its Indian consumers with the best food and restaurant experience,” said Mr Sanjiv Pandey, Marketing Manager, Subway Systems India Private Limited.

The Indian QSR space has been growing steadily. A CRISIL research of February 2015 expects the segment to retain this momentum growing at 26 per cent CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) to become a Rs 117 billion industry over the next three years.

SUBWAY®’s franchise model of business has been a key contributor to its rapid growth in India. SUBWAY® has 531 restaurants spread across 70 Indian cities and plans to expand its footprint in India through an aggressive growth strategy.

Subway, the global sandwich chain, has cut ties with his spokesperson Jared Fogle after FBI raids his home in Indiana over child pornography, reported Quartz.

It follows the arrest of Russell Taylor, the former director of Fogle’s Jared Foundation, on child pornography charges earlier this year. Taylor attempted suicide on May 6 while being held in jail, and was placed on life support.

According to TV news channel WTHR, Fogle was not placed under arrest, and his wife and children left the house after the raid began. According to his Twitter profile, Fogle is “on a mission to eliminate childhood obesity.”

Fogle has worked with the sandwich with almost 15 years working as the official spokesman for the global company.

“Subway generated the perception that it’s a healthy place to eat through Jared, and it stuck,” restaurant researcher Malcolm Knapp told USA Today. “That’s a very powerful tool. You don’t hear people saying that they can eat healthy at McDonald’s.”

According to a statement issued by Subway, “We are shocked about the news and believe it is related to a prior investigation of a former Jared Foundation employee. We are very concerned and will be monitoring the situation closely. We don’t have any more details at this point.”