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The Franchise Business

Master Franchises: How Global Brands Enter India

How global brands like Domino's, KFC and Burger King enter India through master franchisees such as Jubilant FoodWorks and Devyani International, and why.

Many global brands enter India through master franchise agreements.

What it is

A master franchisee gets rights to operate and sometimes sub-franchise a brand across a whole country or region.

Examples

  • Jubilant FoodWorks: runs Domino’s Pizza in India since 1996, becoming one of Domino’s largest international operators.
  • Devyani International: operates KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee outlets.
  • Restaurant Brands Asia: operates Burger King in India.
  • Westlife Foodworld: McDonald’s in west and south India.

Why brands use master franchisees

  • Local expertise: understanding Indian tastes, like adding paneer pizzas.
  • Capital and real estate knowledge.
  • Regulatory navigation.

Domino’s India offers items like the Peppy Paneer pizza; McDonald’s India removed beef and pork and added the McAloo Tikki.

Scale

Jubilant has built well over 2,000 Domino’s outlets in India, making India one of Domino’s biggest markets.

The paneer pizza

Domino's India's master franchisee develops a paneer pizza for Indian tastes, a product the US company never offered at home.

Thinking global brands run their Indian outlets directly

Many operate through Indian master franchisees.

Key takeaways
  • Master franchisees run global brands across a country.
  • Jubilant runs Domino's in India since 1996.
  • Local partners bring expertise and capital.
  • Menu localisation is key to success.
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