Yum Brands promotes India head Niren Chaudhary
Chaudhary is now president of global operations at KFC, owned by Yum Brands
Yum Brands Inc., owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurant brands, has promoted India head Niren Chaudhary as president of KFC’s global operations, giving him additional charge of the fast-food chain’s business in Thailand, Asia FBU (franchise business unit), Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The appointment, which came earlier this month, will have Chaudhary report to company veteran Micky Pant, who is also the chief executive officer of KFC. Chaudhary will continue to be based out of the company’s Gurgaon office. His promotion enhances the visibility of Indian talent at the top rung of the $13 billion American fast-food chain.
Chaudhary, who has 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, including over a decade at Yum Brands, took over as president of its Indian arm in 2011. Under his watch, KFC became a prominent quick-service brand in India. Chaudhary also played an instrumental role in launching Mexican fast-food chain Taco Bell in the country.
In 2013, Yum Brands promised to pump $100 million into India. It currently has more than 800 restaurants and plans to add 100 more this year in partnership with its franchises. Yum has close to 41,000 restaurants in 125 countries.
Yum’s sales in India have softened in recent quarters on weak consumer demand and stiff competition from Jubilant Foodworks Ltd, which runs the world’s largest pizza chain, Dominos, in the country. Same-store sales fell 11% year-on-year at Yum’s India restaurants in the first quarter of 2015, according to a 22 April report by brokerage firm Edelweiss Securities. The quick-service restaurant space in India is yet to see any material improvement, the report said.
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