NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Limited, one of India’s top business conglomerates, made its official entry into the food and beverage industry with its Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) announcing a strategic partnership with global fresh food and organic coffee chain, Pret A Manger, to launch and build the brand in India.
“With this newly established long-term franchise partnership, RBL is planning to open several food chains across the nation starting with major cities and travel hubs,” the company said.
“Our partnership with Pret is rooted in the strong growth potential of both Pret as a brand and also of the food and beverage industry in India. RBL closely follows the pulse of Indian consumers and there is an increased consciousness of what we eat. Coupled with the high recall the brand enjoys in the country, it’s undoubtedly a recipe for success.” said Darshan Mehta, MD, Reliance Brands Limited.
Pret a Manger, a French phrase for ‘ready to eat’, was first opened in London in 1986. The small enterprise was on a mission to provide quality handmade food. Pret a Manger started as a small shop and has now expanded to 550 shops globally across 9 markets including the UK, US, Europe, and Asia over a span of 35 years.
RBL is India’s one of the major premium retailers and has over 14 years of exclusive and established global brands.
According to an official statement, RBL’s first step into the food business will bring the beloved Pret eating experience, to one of the largest retail marketplaces, with its deep cache of information on consumers’ developing purchasing patterns and an ambitious development strategy.
Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger said, “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.”