At Ta'am Souk to tickle Kerala palate with global brands

Mumbai-based Vital Links and Services, which has already introduced the Planet Yumm food court in Kerala, has lined up plans to bring in new food brands to the state.

Talking to Business Standard, Navin Shyam, Director, Vital Links and Services, said, “We have launched a new company christened At Ta’am Souk, which means food bazaar in Arabic. At Ta’am Souk will soon be a major presence in Kerala and will have a host of food courts across the state under it.”

Each At Ta’am Souk food court will be set up at a cost of around Rs 5 crore. While one will come up this year, the company plans to open two food courts in 2009. “The number will be added every year,” he said. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi will have at least four food courts in a short period.

The company has zeroed in on Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode for its first round of expansion.

The food court at Technopark here is part of a franchisee agreement with Planet Yumm. However, the future initiatives by At Ta’am Souk would be independent ventures.

Vital Links and Services had entered into a franchisee agreement of Rs 20 lakh-plus a monthly fee based on revenues with Planet Yumm for the food court at Technopark. Brands such as Prahlad Kakar’s Papa Panjo, Domino's Pizza, Chicking, Kebab House, Mother's Kitchen, Wang’s Express, Zero Degree and Passion Fruit have set up their outlets under the Planet Yumm International umbrella at the food court in Technopark.

“The At Ta’am Souk food courts will soon come up at the Infopark campus in Kochi and at other city centres,” Shyam said.