KFC aims to have 500 outlets by year end

American quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand KFC plans to become the largest QSR chain in the country and expects to have over 500 outlets by end-2015.

The company has just launched its “Flaming Crunch Chicken,” which has been spiced using the ‘BhutJolokia’ chilli grown in Assam.

Talking about expansion, Dhruv Kaul, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC India, said: “We have aggressive plans. It’s our ambition to become the number one QSR chain in the country by next year. We target having over 500 outlets by 2015.”

Kaul said despite softer consumer sentiment, the company is continuing to open new stores, not only in cities where it is already present but also in new cities. KFC India has over 300 restaurants across 81 cities, which are a mix of franchisee and company-run outlets.

“Last year was challenging for the industry, but we are confident about 2015. We hope to see an uptick in the economic environment and are well-positioned to leverage it,” added Kaul.

Vegetarian menu

Last year, the company expanded its vegetarian menu and it has kick-started this year by introducing a spicier version of its chicken offering. Kaul said: “We have seen a new trend emerging, where our consumers prefer a more intense, spicy experience in their food, After scouting for chillies from around the world, we narrowed down on “BhutJolokia” from Assam. We will continue to focus on introducing products that are rooted in consumer insights.”

This year, the company will also focus on growing its online ordering facility as an incremental channel for sales. “Last year, we scaled up home delivery significantly across our outlets. Also, without any big push, we have seen growth in online ordering. Stores that offer home delivery are seeing over a quarter of orders coming through the online channel. This year, we will give a big thrust to grow the online ordering,” Kaul added.