The UK coffee and food-to-go brand is continuing its international expansion with plans for up to 100 stores in India by 2028 as part of an agreement with new franchise partner Reliance Brands Limited
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Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger, with Darshan Mehta, Managing Director, Reliance Brands | Photo credit: Pret A Manger
Pret A Manger has announced a franchise agreement with Reliance Brands Limited to launch in India, with 10 stores planned in the first year of the partnership.
Pret said that it will initially target major Indian cities and travel hubs but did not identify specific locations. As per the franchise agreement, up to 100 Pret A Manger stores will open in India over the next five years.
“Two decades ago, we opened Pret’s first shop in Asia and it’s been an inspiration for all of us to bring our freshly made food and 100% organic coffee to new cities across the continent. RBL are a great partner to help us do just that, bringing their years of expertise in the market to help our brand succeed in India. We’re looking forward to working with them on what is our most ambitious global franchise partnership to date,” said Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger.
UK-based Pret has an ambitious target to double the size of its business within five years, with the announcement of its India launch following recent franchise agreements to open stores in the UAE, Canada, Ireland and Spain and Portugal.
Pret also currently operates outlets in the UK, US, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Singapore and Germany, managing a total of 550 stores.
Mumbai-based Reliance Brands Limited is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd and began operations in 2007 targeting brands across the fashion and lifestyle industries. In 2019, the company marked its first international foray by acquiring the British toy retailer Hamleys.
“Indians, like their global counterparts, are seeking fresh and organic ingredient-led dining experiences which has been synonymous with Pret’s core offering. Couple that with the high recall the brand enjoys in the country, it’s undoubtedly a recipe for success,” said Darshan Mehta, Managing Director, Reliance Brands Limited.