Hardcastle Restaurants to invest up to Rs 1,000cr to revamp

Hardcastle Restaurants, the master franchisee of fast food chain McDonald's in west and south India, plans to invest Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,000 crore over the next three years to introduce healthier food options and digitise its stores.

The city-based company in a bid to attract millenials and double its customer base to 500 million, has been introducing low-calorie, low-fat alternatives in its menu, along with introducing local flavours.

"Our customers are increasingly adopting healthier lifestyles and trust the brands that behave responsibly and transparently, especially when it comes to food options," Amit Jatia, vice-chairman of Westlife Development, the parent company of Hardcastle Restaurants, said here today.

"All modifications in the 'Good Food Story', have been a result of over three years of persistent re-engineering of our products, to offer wholesome balanced food choices to customers at a greater value," he added.

The company currently runs 270 restaurants in the western and southern markets, and is looking to double the number in the next few years, according to Jatia.

"We are investing Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the next three years to revamp our offerings," he said.

It is also looking to double its customer base to about 500 million in the next five years, and making menu changes to cater to their needs, he added.

Some of these innovations include 20 per cent lower sodium in its foods, 40 per cent lower oil content in mayonnaise, resulting in 25 per cent lower fat content and 11 per cent lower calories in its food.

It has also introduced 100 per cent artificial preservative-free patties, and fortified it with natural fibre, whole-grain wraps, and 96 per cent fat-free soft serve.

Hardcastle Restaurants has also revamped the store formats, and introduced digital interventions, said Jatia.

The company has seen an upswing in its revenues, with 10 consecutive quarters of positive same store sales growth, according to him.