Salient points
- Little Caesars, the third largest chain of pizza in the world, plans to open its first shop in the region of the national capital of Delhi in India this month, aiming for a significant expansion in the country.
- With the Edia economy that is expected to grow at 6.5% for the tax year 2026, Little Caesars intends to establish up to 100 stores by the end of the decade, personalizing its menu to include vegetarian options for the local market.
- The Indian pizza market is highly competitive, with established players such as the Pizza and the Domino pizza hut, but Little Caesars is optimistic about its perspectives as it also seems to expand in other countries such as Malaysia and Brazil.
The US pizza chain Little Caesars planned to open dozen shops in India in the coming years with the aim of capitalizing on the country’s solid economic growth, a manager told Reuters.Little Caesars will open its first Indian shop in the Delhi NCR region this month.
“India has a growth trajectory … we do not want to lose this wave,” said Carlos Vidal, vice president of international development at the small private Caesar.
The economy of India is expected to grow at 6.5% for the tax year 2026, maintaining its position as a large greater economy faster growth, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Founded in 1959, Little Caesars is the third largest pizza chain in the world, with a presence in over 29 countries.The Indian pizza market is strongly competitive, with established players such as Pizza Pizza Hut of Domino and Yum Brands, together with local chains such as Pino’z and numerous independent shops.
India has shown a demanding market for other main pizza chains. Pope John’s, for example, came out in 2017 due to strong competition and operational challenges, even if he now plans to return to the market in 2025.
A tiny 100 small Caesars stores in India for a decade is a realistic goal, Vidal said, adding that the brand is “thinking about hundreds and in the end thousands of shops over time”.
Little Caesars is personalizing its menu with vegetarian pizzas to satisfy the significantly large vegetarian population of the country. It also introduces flavored crusts, a first for brand crusts, like simple, are often left not treated by Indian consumers.
In addition to India, Little Caesars also plans to focus on Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Brazil in the coming years in order to open more new shops outside the United States.
