Rebel Foods runs a network of cloud kitchens and digital brands. The company, which became a unicorn club member in 2021, is using franchising to grow its main brand, Oven Story Pizza, in the offline market. This is a calculated strategy to compete with international pizza companies in the nation and increase market share in the rapidly expanding pizza market.
Ankit Jindal, Rebel Foods’ Business Head, stated “This year, we will prioritize franchising as a significant initiative.” We are accelerating the offline growth of the brand to achieve our goal of making Oven Story Pizza one of the market leaders in the category. In the next two to three years, we want to open 250–300 locations. In our opinion, that serves as a solid bar for competing with international chains. Among its well-known products are Firangi Bake, Mandarin Oak, Behrouz Biryani, and Faasos.
He went on to say that the franchising model is a good match for the brand at this point and will help the business connect with other like-minded independent business owners.
“Opening these outlets in the tier-2 and tier-3 markets will be our main goal. We think these markets have a ton of untapped potential. Consumer expenditure on eating out and food ordering is increasing in these markets due to rising levels of awareness and disposable income. In the food industry, there is a trend toward national brands as well. Additionally, they are experimenting with fresh products. Additionally, we think that our franchise partners will be able to make money in these locations given the cost of real estate,” Jindal continued. The company plans to create 40–50 physical locations for the brand by 2024.
The business has high hopes for the pizza market. Jindal noted that the category has grown over time in tier 2, 3, and 4 regions and that the advent of several local-level brands has increased the number of consumers within the sector.
“We have witnessed healthy year-over-year growth across our 75 locations, including Tier-1 and Tier-2 markets in India and the UAE,” Jindal stated about the growth trends for FY24. EatSure, the Food-Court app, has also played a significant role in this expansion by satisfying customer demands for multiple restaurant alternatives in a single order.
In India, Rebel Foods is also Wendy’s master franchisee. Wendy’s is an American fast-food chain. We are also expanding Wendy’s offline presence. We already operate three to four restaurants in the Delhi-NCR, and we plan to open a few more soon,” Jindal added.