Case Name :      Taco Bell: A Mexican-Inspired Restaurant in India

Authors :           Lubna Nafees, Akshay Kumar, Ashok Bajpai, Anoop Chand, Maryne Ann James, Bonney Luke,        Thomas, Jayakrishnan B Nair, Kunal Hazari, Garima Konda

Source :             Ivey Publishing

Case ID :            W14536

Discipline :        Marketing

Case Length :    16 pages

Solution Sample availability : YES

Plagiarism : NO (100% Original work)

With four outlets of Taco Bell opened in Bangalore, India by December 2013, the managing director of Yum! Restaurants India, the parent company, felt eager to expand. The company took pride in providing the best Mexican-inspired fast food at a low price in a friendly atmosphere. Its target market was young people with global aspirations and/or experiences who were aware of the brand and willing to try something new. India appeared to be a large and fitting market for this quick service restaurant: a population of more than a billion people, the majority of whom were under 35, growing income levels and increasing tastes for international cuisines. Yet, despite a record-breaking launch in 2010, its retail foot traffic was declining. The addition of vegetarian items to the menu had limited success in luring customers to repeat visits. Were the price changes on the new menu reasonable and consistent with the brand promise Taco Bell had made during its launch? What could be done to sustain the company’s survival in India?