Franchising

Wendy's partnering with cloud kitchen vendor to open 400 locations in India

Photo: iStock.

December 1, 2020

The Wendy's Company is partnering with Rebel Foods and Sierra Nevada Restaurants to expand the QSR's presence in India over the next decade. As part of the expansion plans, Rebel Foods and Sierra Nevada Restaurants will develop and operate approximately 250 Wendy's cloud kitchens across India, and Sierra Nevada will develop 150 traditional Wendy's restaurants, a news release said.

Rebel Foods operates more than 300 cloud kitchens across India, UAE, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom. Sierra Nevada Restaurants launched Wendy's in India in 2015 and operates four traditional restaurants and five cloud kitchens in Delhi's National Capital Region. Wendy's and its franchisees operate more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide.

"We are delighted to welcome Rebel Foods into the Wendy's family and to expand our relationship with Sierra Nevada Restaurants," Abigail Pringle, president, International and Wendy's chief development officer said in the release. "This reflects Wendy's commitment to growing our international business in strategic high-growth potential markets through both traditional restaurant expansion and digital innovation with the meaningful addition of approximately 400 restaurants. We look forward to expanding our presence in India and continuing to grow the Wendy's footprint around the world."

"This is a game-changing partnership," Kallol Banerjee, Rebel Foods co-founder, said in the release. "Rebel Foods, Wendy's and Sierra Nevada all believe in quality, speed, and the convenience that comes from multiple channels. For generations, brands building a national presence relied solely on a brick-and-mortar strategy and made significant investments over decades. By partnering with the Rebel Foods network of existing kitchens in India, Wendy's will get immediate access to rapid scale across the country, at far lower levels of capital. We have always wanted to partner with a world-class burger brand, and this partnership with a globally beloved name is a fantastic addition to our portfolio."

Wendy's is based in Columbus, Ohio, where it was founded 51 years ago.