Dunkin Donuts Opens First Location In Drive To Enter India

Following on its highly sucessful rollout of the Dominos Pizza brand in that country, India's Jubilant FoodWorks has opened a Dunkin' Donuts in New Delhi, the first store in what the company expects to be a hundred-location chain within five years. The operation is a joint venture of Jubilant and Dunkin' Brands International in the United States.

We think Indian consumers will love Dunkin' Donuts' high-quality food and beverages, our friendly restaurant environment, excellent customer service and the great value we offer, Giorgio Minardi, president of Dunkin' Brands International, said in a statement.

Dunkin' Donuts in India will vary considerably in its menu from its Western counterpart. To cater to Indian consumers, the new locations will focus as much on offering a selection of sandwiches as they do on the namesake pastry. Mango and lychee figure prominently as donut filling and frosting options, as well as flavors for the chain restaurant's signature coolata cold drinks.

According to the Wall Street Journal, launching the India operations has cost Jubilant FoodWorks about $1.8 million and there are plans to sink $2.3 million more into stores and infrastructure this year.

Jubilant co-Chairman and founder Hari S. Bhartiya told Indian financial daily Financial Express that the venture into doughnut restaurants is part of a strategy to introduce one brand of chain restaurants into the country at a time.