15th July 2010: Mumbai-based Zrii Hospitality which is licensed to use restaurant brands like Pot Pourri and Lemon Grass Café, plans to promote its brands through franchising. The Group is seeking potential partners for franchise mode of operations. Pot Pourri is a world cuisine café operational in Bandra and Navi Mumbai in Mumbai, whereas Lemon Grass Café serves cuisines from South-east Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, China, Burma, Vietnam and Korea), which has its outlet in Bandra and Malad in Mumbai.

 Nitin Tandon, Chef Owner and Food Stylist, Zrii Hospitality said, “As a brand management company, we would expand through franchising, company owned and management contracts. Franchising is a great way to expansion. Working with right partners one can delegate entrepreneurship and capital infusion too is easier for projects. Management contracts for the food and beverage (F&B) world is nascent and lack of technical expertise in F&B will always keep the door open for management contracts, coupled with strong growing brands.”

 Furthermore Tandon said, “We plan to open two restaurants by the end of this year and add four by the end of 2011. For the time being, we shall concentrate on markets in Mumbai and Pune. We would like to position our brand as a niche but personalised service restaurant. In the near future, we might tie up with other brands to market their products in order to offer a larger portfolio of brands for franchising.”

 The investment for an outlet of Pot Pourri or Lemon Grass Café is Rs 60 to Rs 75 lakh and average per cover is Rs 550 – Rs 600 (including alcohol) and Rs 350 – Rs 400 (excluding alcohol). The average number of covers of these restaurants is 65 to 100.

 There are few competitors in this space as far with respect to other franchise opportunities are concerned.