McDonald's signs deal with IOC to expand reach
New Delhi   18-Mar-2011

McDonald's India on Thursday said it has joined hands with the IndianOil (IOC) to increase its presence in petrol stations in the western and the southern regions and aims to more than double its sales from these areas by 2014.

Under the agreement, IOC will provide space to McDonald's for opening `Drive Thru' restaurants in western and southern India, said McDonald's India vice-chairman Amit Jatia.

IOC has over 8,000 fuel outlets in south and west India, and this agreement will support McDonald's expansion plans, Jatia said.

"We plan to open 30-50 Drive Thru outlets in five years in tier II destinations in south and west India at an investment of Rs 175 crore," Jatia said, adding that the company is already scouting for locations.

By 2014, the company plans to up its headcount by another 10,000 in the south and west where, by then, it aims to have a chain-network of 216, he said.