Yum Brands expects profit of $100 mn from India by 2015

Yum Brands Inc, the owner of Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell restaurant chains, aims to earn a profit of $100 million in India by 2015.

"Yum India, by far, we see over the next 10 years, being another great opportunity for us," Yum's senior vice president for investor relations, Tim Jerzyk, told reporters at Nantucket, Massachusetts.

He said in his presentation that Yum India expects $100 million in profits by 2015.

The company had previously said it hopes to break even by 2011 and be profitable thereafter. It had said last year that it has invested $100 million in restaurant development in India and plans to invest up to $120 million more in the next five years.

Yum has over 70 KFCs and 160 Pizza Hut units in India. It recently opened its first Taco Bell outlet in March. The company expects to have a total 1,000 units by 2015. "The early signs for Taco Bell are good. We are very optimistic and excited about the potential for Taco Bell," he added.
    
Jerzyk said India's trillion dollar economy, its $64 billion eating-out market and a young population provides tremendous opportunity for Yum to expand its footprint in the country, where it faces competition from McDonald's and Dominos Pizza.
    
"Yum is poised to capitalise on these opportunities and build a youthful, aspirational brand to appeal to the young population in India," he said.
    
Yum is looking to further strengthen its position in India and China, as it expects 60 per cent of its earnings to come from emerging markets by 2015.
    
In 2006, 30 per cent of Yum's profits came from developing markets and the rest from developed markets. This ratio is slated to change and this year the company expects half of its profit to be generated in emerging markets, Jerzyk said.