Pollo Tropical has announced that it has entered into its first franchise development agreement outside the Western Hemisphere – a 10-unit deal to bring the chain to northern India. This marks the brand's 11th international franchised market, extending its presence beyond the Latin America and Caribbean trade regions.
Delhi-based Paramount Cuisines Pvt. Ltd. committed to open a minimum of 10 Pollo Tropical locations in the National Capital Region, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh between 2013 and 2016. Paramount Cuisines is a subsidiary of Paramount Group, a private ISO 9001:2008-certified company with roots in precision instruments manufacturing. Manjit Singh Saini, Paramount's CEO, represented the company at a recent signing ceremony at the Pollo Tropical headquarters in Miami.
Pollo Tropical's expansion to India is the culmination of a year-long effort that began with its participation in the U.S. Department of Commerce-sponsored Franchise Trade Mission to India.
"It became apparent very quickly that this was a great fit," said Marc Mushkin, senior vice president of International Development for Pollo Tropical. "Our fresh, marinated grilled chicken is a natural for India, and will enhance our already-strong vegetarian options to expand our appeal. The brand already has years of experience with Indian preferences in its Trinidad franchise, where South Asian immigrants comprise more than 30 percent of the population."
Pollo Tropical plans to award franchises in other regions of India, coinciding with the entry of numerous international restaurant brands throughout the country. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, India's middle class will grow "10-fold by 2025." Experts predict Delhi's capital region will be the world's largest metropolis by that date.
"We traveled all over the world searching for a grilled chicken restaurant chain that would be embraced by our country. As soon as we tasted the flavor of Pollo Tropical, we knew our search was over," said Paramount CEO Manjit Singh Saini. "We now have a passion for this brand that we will proudly serve to the people of India."
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