Innovation and food

In an endeavour to evolve the food and beverage industry in India, Lite Bite Foods with HMSHost will together bid to acquire the rights, to launch and operate International and domestic food and beverage outlets at retail destinations like airport, train stations and highways across India. HMSHost is the world’s largest provider of food and beverage (F&B) services.The joint venture will operate under the name Lite Bite Foods HMSHost and will be based out of Gurgaon.

With HMSHost’s presence across the dynamic F&B markets in the world, it will bring tremendous opportunities for Lite Bite Foods to enter new markets.

The joint venture will operate under the name Lite Bite Foods HMSHost and will be based in Gurgaon. While HMS will own 51 <g data-gr-id="54">per cent</g> of the joint venture, Lite Bite Foods will own the remaining 49 <g data-gr-id="55">per cent</g>. The association combines the global resources and expertise of HMSHost and Lite Bite Foods. The partnership will capitalize on the strong reputation HMSHost has developed as a leading provider of food and beverage services for travellers. Lite Bite Foods will use its expertise in operating outlets at Delhi and Mumbai airports and its robust presence across the country. 

Elaborating upon the plans, Lite Bite Foods chairman Amit Burman said: “Lite Bite Foods has in its fold a number of strong food retail brands like Baker’s Street, Punjab Grill and <g data-gr-id="63">Fresc</g> Co, and Autogrill, is among the oldest and the leading F&B service provider for travellers across the globe. The new company has the combined value of Autogrill’s International expertise and experience and Lite Bite Foods’ extensive local market and cuisine knowledge and <g data-gr-id="57">network</g> of established outlets. This agreement represents each organization’s strong commitment to <g data-gr-id="56">provide</g> the best F&B retail experience to our consumers across all travel channels. Together, we will bring an exciting new force to the country’s travel food retail industry and revolutionise this emerging channel.”

Adding further comments, Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods said, “Lite Bite Foods HMSHost proposes to acquire the rights to operate outlets at the airports in India and neighboring countries, at these locations, we plan to increase the brand presence of all our brands at strategic locations.” 

Sharad Sachdeva, CEO, Lite Bite Foods said, “With millions of passengers travelling annually, the transit hubs like airports and railway station have become a strategic location for our brand’s presence. We are very excited about this joint venture and this association will definitely help extend our brand in neighboring countries as well.” 

“This partnership is an important step forward in the strategy of expansion in emerging markets, especially in Asia, which the group has been adopting in recent years,” said HMSHost International CEO Walter Seib. “We are confident that the know-how developed by Autogrill on an International level and Lite Bite Foods’ knowledge of the Indian market will enable the two companies to successfully expand in all the travel channels in the country,” he added.