Source: “Burger King tests India waters, starts with 12 outlets”
Burger King (BK), the hamburgerfast food chain, popularly known and famous for its Whopper, is entering foreign Indian water with 12 new stores, first one opening in Delhi today! Tapping into a completely new and large customer market seems like a perfect opportunity, but how good of an idea is this really? What are they giving up for this predominantly vegetarian market?
Source: “Burger King brings a new kind of Whopper to India”
Brand Image: BK is known for their hamburger; customers seek the beef, which will be missing here to accommodate the religious bindings of the population. Cow being a holy animal for both Hindus, and Muslims, BK has had to alter their menu to take this ingredient out. However, beef is what BK serves, many people go to Burger King for the sole purpose of eating their beef. McDonalds, Subway and similar brands have had to make this change too, but their image was never centered on a certain ingredient based product. Burger King’s image is related to its beef products, so this change could negatively influence its image.
MacDonald’s location in Southern India
Competition: there is a lot to consider in the completion region. The fast food market in India is as large as the population. There are numerous, both local and international, companies competing in the market. And BK is entering a bit late. For example, McDonalds has been around for years now, and the place and impression they have created in the minds of consumers is immense. As we discussed in class, McDonalds came way before BK and has established a great image for itself. It is going to be a huge challenge for BK to set themselves apart and shift the consumers’ preferences away from the established competitors to themselves.
And these are only some of the issue that could make it difficult for Burger King to be successful in India. Yes the market is large and untapped by this brand, but there is a lot to tackle and lose for BK in this expansion plan. In my eyes, perhaps this expansion wasn’t the best idea. Burger King is simply a bit too late 
to tap into this opportunity; companies like MacDonald’s have long beat BK to reach India, and have already succeed. But my eyes will remain glued to BK’s future, let’s hope the Veg Whopper will make a big of a splash as the McAloo Tikki Burger did.
Works Cited
“Burger King Tests India Waters, Starts with 12 Outlets.” The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., 08 Nov. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2014.
“Burger King Brings a New Kind of Whopper to India.” Fox News. FOX News Network, LLC., 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2014.