Kerala: U.S. Multinationals' Next Big Business Hotspot

Bangalore: Keralites who always showed craze towards buying gold is now making statement for the success of American multinational chain of restaurants. Fast-food majors like McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut are making big money in Kochi, the most cosmopolitan city in the whole of Kerala, reports S Sanandakumar & Ratna Bhushan from Economic Times.

Burger-and-fries chain McDonald's, Yum-promoted KFC and pizza giant Pizza Hut have open their branch outlets in one of the most biggest and busiest mall in Kochi, the LuLu Mall.

LuLu Mall was opened 4 months back and has an average footfall of at least 55,000 a day. It is considered to be one of the biggest malls in the whole country in terms of gross leasable area, built on 17 acres and have more than 300 stores which include food courts, family entertainment zones, a multiplex, an ice skating rink and a 12-lane bowling alley.

Sandeep Kataria, general manager of Pizza Hut and chief marketing officer at Yum! India says, "The almost instant popularity of such foods is perhaps to do with high literacy rates, affluence and travel and tourism".

Hardcastle Restaurants which is responsible for operating 161 McDonald's outlets in southern and western parts of India, vice president Amit Jatia said, "We are both humbled and overwhelmed by the response". (Whereas McDonalds at the northern and eastern part of India is managed by Connaught Plaza Restaurants).

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