Here’s How McDonald’s Plans to CAPITALIZE on This Growing Market

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) will be opening up two vegetarian restaurants in India next year. The company has seen success localizing its international brand in China, Mexico, Israel, and France, and the largely vegetarian-heavy India seems to be next on the list.”

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McDonald’s only has 271 stores in India, and these restaurants already feature a 50 percent vegetarian menu. Despite doing its best to appeal to the local culture and religious customs (80 percent Hindu, 13.4 percent Muslim), McDonald’s has been the target of Indian protests in the past. An Indian nationalist group has said that McDonald’s is “associated with cow slaughter” and has attempted to “humiliate Hindus.”

Still, the company sees India as a growth opportunity. The two flagship restaurants will open up near the Golden Temple and Vaishno Devi. If the locations are successful, McDonald’s could see rapid growth among India’s growing middle class and 240-480 million vegetarians.

Dunkin’ Brands (NASDAQ:DNKN), Yum Brands (NYSE:YUM) (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut), Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), and Krispy Kreme (NYSE:KKD) are also looking at India as a growth opportunity.

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