Coffee, ice-cream and hospitality brands bullish on Calcutta
Swiss delights on Puja eat – out menu
Switzerland –based Global Franchise Architects <GFA>, a company that ‘builds, operates and franchises’ speciality food brands, will foray into eastern India before Puja.
With Gama Hospitality PVT Ltd as master franchisee for the region, Calcutta will have two brands from GFA’s 10 label strong food stable by September end. Coffee World – a premium specialty coffee house and The Cream and Fudge Factory, a customised ice-cream outlet, will open doors at Bally High <opposite Ice Skating Rink>. They will share space at the 2,200 sq ft outlets.
Three more kiosks of The Cream and Fudge Factory will open in ‘two-three months’ at Forum, South City Mall and New Empire <outside KFC>.
‘The east is a rapidly growing market with plenty of untapped potential. We are confident that we will create a suitable market in food-loving Calcutta,’ feels Gaurav Agarwala, the director of Gama.
Pizza Corner, enjoying a lion’s share in 40 out of 62 GFA stores in India, and The Donut Baker outlets <which will open at Spencer’s and Big Bazaar> are the next two brands to follow suit.
‘Outlets at City Centre, Alipore and Sector V are on the anvil, too. We will pump in Rs 52 crore for our 35 store plan in eastern India in the next 18 to 24 months,’ said Joseph Cherian, the CEO of GFA India.
GFA has its presence through 205 stores in 10 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa.
Like most pizza outlets, local flavours will be packed in at Pizza Corner, expected to open shop by the year-end.
‘Local adaptation of food is likely in pizzas, which will have Indian flavours. The challenge is to succeed in markets with strong tastes. We started in India with our first Pizza Corner in Chennai and now have a presence in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and in kerala,’ said Fred Mouawad, the chairman & CEO of GFA Global Corp.
‘The stores will operate on revenue sharing or fixed model formats,’ he added.
Prices at The Cream and Fudge Factory and Coffee World, popular for its gourmet waffles and frappes, start at Rs 50.
