KFC keen on 2nd Kolkata store

Convinced by the potential of the food market in Kolkata, KFC, one of the leading food chains in the world, is looking for a second outlet in Kolkata.

Kolkata will be the second city after Bangalore to have more than one KFC outlet.

Metros like Mumbai and Chennai do not have KFC outlets yet.

KFC opened its first outlet in Kolkata on Wednesday, eight years after it opened shop in India.

KFC was looking for alliances with local vendors for supply of food materials.

At present, much of its raw materials came from south India-based Venky's.

The marketing director of KFC, Sharanita Keswani, said at the launch of KFC in Kolkata that the chain would open another outlet in Kolkata within a year.

"The KFC real estate team is now looking at different properties for the second outlet. It will be in either central or south Kolkata," she said.

Keswani said KFC would rope in a local vendor in Kolkata as it was planning to expand operation in the city.

"Venky's is one of our major suppliers but chicken is a perishable commodity, so discussions for development of a local vendor is on," she added.

According to her, KFC would shed its low profile and would roll out stores in major cities to achieve an all India footprint.

KFC had eight outlets at present, including the one in Kolkata.

It would add seven more outlets, taking the number to 15 in 2005-06.

KFC would open outlets in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other promising markets like Pune and Ludhiana.

To supplement the expansion, KFC would step up its promotional campaign.

It would spend around Rs 40-50 lakh (Rs 4-5 million) per outlet in the current financial year, she said.

Describing the Indian operation as one of the most promising, she said that the footfalls per outlet per day in India was one of the highest in Asia.

"The average footfalls here is around 2,500, which is much higher than that of Singapore or Malayasia. Only the footfalls in China can be compared with this," she pointed out.