Reliance Brands forays into food & beverage retail with global food chain Pret A Manger

With this long-term master franchise partnership, RBL will open the food chain across the country starting with major cities and travel hubs.

Pret A Manger, French for ‘ready to eat', first opened in London in 1986.

It was a shop with a mission to create handmade food, freshly prepared each day.

Over 35 years later, the brand currently has 550 shops globally across nine markets including the UK, US, Europe, and Asia, offering organic coffee, sandwiches, salads and wraps freshly made each day.

“Our partnership with Pret is rooted in the strong growth potential of both Pret as a brand and also of the food & beverage industry in India. RBL closely follows the pulse of Indian consumers and there is an increased consciousness of what we eat – rapidly making Food the new Fashion," RBL MD Darshan Mehta said in a statement.

Indians, like their global counterparts, are seeking fresh and organic ingredient-led dining experiences which have been synonymous with Pret’s core offering.

"Coupled with the high recall the brand enjoys in the country, it’s undoubtedly a recipe for success,” he said.

As India’s largest luxury to the premium retailer, RBL has over 14 years nurtured and grown global brands in the country, RBL said in a statement.

"With its rich cache of insights on customers’ evolving spending habits and an ambitious expansion plan, RBL’s first foray into the food industry will bring the much-loved Pret dining experience to one of the biggest retail markets," it added.

Pret A Manger CEO Pano Christou said: “Two decades ago, we opened Pret’s first shop in Asia and it’s been an inspiration for all of us to bring our freshly made food and 100% organic coffee to new cities across the continent.

"RBL is a great partner to help us do just that, bringing their years of expertise in the market to help our brand succeed in India. We’re looking forward to working with them on what is our most ambitious global franchise partnership to date.”