Pizza Market in India

Pizza originated in Italy but has today become the go-to comfort food for most people. The fast-food industry around the world is selling pizza as comfort food to adjust to the hectic lifestyle of the people. India saw its first opening of pizza stores in the 1990s.

Domino’s Pizza became the first American pizza brand in India when it opened its first stores in 1996. Since then, the company has established its strong foothold in the Indian market and has become the leading pizza outlet in the country. The following article details the pizza market and Domino’s success in India.

Background

Following the globalisation attempts in the 1990s by the government of India, the country opened the doors for direct foreign investments. This development drew the foreign companies into the Indian markets, and the mid-90s and early 2000s saw an influx of foreign companies and their outlets in Indian cities.

The restaurant and hospitality sector was not untouched by these developments. Soon, many American and European fast-food industries started operations in India, including McDonald’s, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Coca-Cola, and K.F.C., to name a few.  Indians, too, accepted this newfound taste from the west, which conformed to their hectic lifestyle, and soon, most of these pizza companies became household names.

Pizza in India 

Originated in Italy, pizza has become a global food item and is loved by people of all ages; in India. However, Pizza entered India only in 1996 when the American pizza chain Domino’s Pizza opened its first store in India in New Delhi. Domino’s was soon followed by other Pizza chains like Pizza Corner and Pizza Hut. Pizza was an instant hit with Indians as it was a viable option for the working population. Domino’s was particularly successful in the Indian pizza market. In 2015, the company had a 54% market share in the pizza industry in India.

Competition for Market

As pizza gained popularity among Indians, the fast-food industry in India tried to capture the market. 1995 to 2000 saw the opening of various international and national pizza outlets in India. Domino’s Pizza Corner has become one of the most popular pizza outlets in India. 

• Pizza Corner is one of the first Indian pizza brands founded in 1996 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Following its inauguration, the company saw success in its early years.  
• The company was predominantly giving services in the nearby states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal.
• The company also had an international presence as it had outlets in Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, and Thailand.
• However, following the increasing popularity of Domino’s and other pizza outlets, the company couldn’t keep up with the competition. 
• In 2013, it merged with Papa John’s India.

Domino’s Pizza in India

Founded in 1960 in Michigan, the United States, Domino’s pizza was already a popular brand in the west before it entered the Indian market. Following the L.P.G. reforms by the government of India in 1991, Domino’s opened its first outlet in India, and since then has tasted great success in India. The following are important points for Domino’s venture in India.

• Domino’s India started operations in 1996 in New Delhi.
• In India, Jubilant FoodWorks is the franchise holder for Domino’s India.
• Until 2019, the company had more than 1300 outlets in India.
• It became the largest pizza brand in India, acquiring more than 50% market share.
• More than 30 million people have downloaded the official mobile application of Domino’s.
• In 2019, the company had more than 75% mobile order sales.

Factors of Domino’s Success in India

The following factors can be underlined to understand the success of Domino’s Pizza in the Indian fast-food industry markets.

• Dominos pizza popularised the time-specific home delivery concept in India. It was well suited to the hectic lifestyle of working-class Indians.
• Domino’s adopted Indian environments and made changes to its menu to suit all types of customers.
• Domino’s sold its products at reasonable prices, making them accessible to middle-class citizens.
• Intelligent and practical marketing campaigns helped Domino’s to get popular in India. 

Conclusion

Pizza first entered the Indian markets in 1996 with Domino’s Pizza, and many other pizza outlets followed it. The major pizza outlets in India are Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s Pizza. Increasing demand within the fast-food industry saw the success of Domino’s pizza in Indian markets.

In 2015, the company became the biggest pizza outlet in the country with more than 50% market share. Multiple factors were responsible for Domino’s unprecedented success in India, including marketing and delivery services. The above article details the important points about the pizza market in India and Domino’s Pizza’s success in India.