On the eve of Bengal Global Business Summit, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding for an investment of Rs 100 crore with YUM Restaurants to set up more outlets of KFC and Pizza Hut across the state.
The MOU was signed between state horticulture and food processing department and Indian franchisee of YUM Restaurants India Pvt Ltd, M/s. Devyani International Limited at Nabanna today.
Headquatered in Louisville, Kentucy, YUM Brands Inc owns the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains of restaurants.
As per the MOU, four to five KFC and two to three Pizza Hut outlets would be set up at various locations across the state for the next five years.
Some of the locations that have been identified till now include Kolkata, Durgapur, Asansol and Siliguri. Presently, there are 26 KFC and 20 Pizza Hut outlets in the state.
The total investment by the group would be Rs 100 crore and a total employment of 1400, of which 800 would be directly employed.
The aggrement also ensures procuring desired stocks of chicken and other processed meat products from Arambag Hatcheries and processing plants in Haringhata as well as vegetables of desired quality from the farmers for the outlets.
“This is the first MOU of this year’s BGBS. We had requested the group to procure all vegetables directly from our farmers through Farmers’ Producers Organisations (FPO) so that it helps in increasing the farmers’ income, which has already increased by two and a half times in the past six years.
“A group of 1,000 farmers form an FPO and there are a total of 100 FPOs in the state,” said Mr Pradip Majumdar, state agriculture adviser.
The department would help the units to obtain necessary permissions and licenses for operation.
Mr Rajat Luthra, CEO of KFC, said that the raw materials that are procured from Arambag Hatcheries would be supplied to outlets located in north and north-east India.
YUM Brands has 44,000 restaurants in 135 countries.