Reliance Brands to foray into food & beverage retail with UK chain Pret A Manger

Reliance Brands Limited (RBL), a subsidiary of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, on Thursday announced that it will launch and build British fresh food and organic coffee chain, Pret A Manger in India. According to a statement, RBL will open the food chain across the country starting with major cities and travel hubs.

Pret A Manger, French for ‘ready to eat' was first opened in London in 1986. It was a shop with a mission to create handmade food, freshly prepared each day. Presently the brand has 550 shops globally across 9 markets including the UK, US, Europe, and Asia, offering organic coffee, sandwiches, salads and wraps.

Darshan Mehta, MD, Reliance Brands Limited said, "Our partnership with Pret is rooted in the strong growth potential of both Pret as a brand as 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. Indians, like their global counterparts, are seeking Fresh and Organic ingredient-led dining experiences which has been synonymous with Pret’s core offering.”

Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger 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 are 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."

Considered as one of the largest retail platforms, RBL has grown global brands in the country for over 14 years. "RBL’s first foray into the food industry will bring the much-loved Pret dining experience, to one of the biggest retail markets," the company said in a statement.