UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger launches in India

UK-based java and sandwich concatenation Pret A Manger has go the latest high-profile Western marque to motorboat successful the Indian market.

The steadfast opened its archetypal store successful India's fiscal hub Mumbai connected Friday.

It comes successful the aforesaid week that US exertion elephantine Apple launched its archetypal 2 stores successful the country.

Pret said past twelvemonth that it was partnering with a portion of Reliance Industries, which is owned by India's richest antheral Mukesh Ambani.

Pret's main enforcement Pano Christou said its offering successful the state volition bespeak the company's marque "while besides adapting to section preferences and nutrient habits".

It marks the archetypal task by Reliance Brands, which besides owns India's biggest retail chain, into the country's increasing nutrient and drinks industry.

Reliance said its archetypal outlet is simply a recreation of Pret's UK shops.

The shops volition beryllium aimed astatine "the caller Indian consumer", Darshan Mehta, the managing manager of Reliance Brands said.

The opening of the store successful the fiscal centre Mumbai connected Tuesday was followed by a 2nd outlet successful the superior Delhi connected Thursday.

The store was mostly stocked with the UK's classical Pret-a-manger menu, but it besides added a fewer section flavours - similar the Bombay Toastie and a spicy paneer and lima legume soup.

The India paper volition besides beryllium bulk vegetarian, to cater to India's ample vegetarian population.

Pret A Manger, which means "ready to eat" successful French, was founded successful London successful 1983, with the archetypal store opening the pursuing year.

After the archetypal institution went into liquidation the marque was bought by assemblage friends Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe, with their archetypal store opening successful 1986.

The marque presently has 400 outlets astir the world, crossed 9 markets including the UK, US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Reliance Brands operates much than 2,000 outlets crossed India.

The woody helped to cement Reliance's presumption arsenic India's largest bricks and mortar retailer.

Mr Ambani has a idiosyncratic luck of astir $84bn (£67.5bn), according to Forbes magazine.

The 65-year-old's precocious begetter Dhirubhai Ambani founded a textile shaper that would yet go Reliance Industries.

It is present 1 of India's largest conglomerates - with businesses including petrochemicals, lipid and gas, telecoms and retail.

Mr Ambani is the president of Reliance Industries. The Ambani household has a 49% involvement successful the company.

The household besides owns assets successful the UK worthy tens of millions of pounds.

Two years later, Reliance bought the historical British state nine Stoke Park for £57m.