MELVILLE, N.Y. — Sbarro announced a joint venture with India-based RTC to open 100 restaurants in India.
According to a news release, the two companies will develop and operate India's first Sbarro restaurants in New Delhi by 2007, with 10 units opening every year for the next 10 years. The majority of the restaurants will be located within shopping malls in major metropolitan areas such as New Delhi and Mumbai.
Earlier this year, Sbarro announced agreements to open more than 75 units in regions across the globe, including Mexico, Egypt, Romania, Central America and The Bahamas.
"Our joint venture with RTC will result in Sbarro's largest international expansion to date and allows us to introduce our authentic Italian food to yet another culture," said Peter Beaudrault, president and chief executive of Sbarro. "With 250 malls in development, India presents a huge opportunity for Sbarro and we look forward to working with RTC to establish our brand in the Indian marketplace."
Sbarro will be the first restaurant in India to offer pizza by the slice and a full Italian menu. Menu items will be tailored to the religious and ethnic preferences of Indians and will exclude beef products and meat-based pasta sauces. Additionally, Sbarro chefs will create a variety of new vegetarian dishes to appeal to the largely vegetarian population.
"Sbarro's adaptable menu, authentic food and strong franchisee support have allowed the brand to succeed across a variety of cultures," said Gaurav Jain, director of RTC. "We are extremely optimistic of Sbarro's potential and expect the brand to have a huge presence in India's developing consumer market, especially malls, high-traffic locations and mass transit facilities."
