Reliance Industries eyeing fast-food business - report

A waiter carries a plate of upma at a restaurant in Mumbai May 5, 2011.

REUTERS - Energy major Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), India's most valued company that also runs supermarkets, plans to enter the fast-food business next year, the Economic Times reported on Monday.

The company, controlled by Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, is exploring a model on the lines of international chains McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) and Dominos Pizza (DPZ.N), with a standardised menu and delivery service, the newspaper said.

Ambani has appointed Rishi Negi, chief operating officer of multiplex operator Fame India (FAME.NS), to develop the quick service restaurant concept within 3-4 months, it said, citing two unnamed company executives.

"The company is looking at anything suitable for Indian palate, be it Chinese, Italian or Indian cuisine," it quoted one executive as saying.

Reliance has shortlisted Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore as the tentative locations to launch the business, it said.

Its subsidiary Reliance Retail operates around 1,146 multi-brand outlets across the country through chains such as Reliance Fresh, Reliance Super and Reliance Mart, it said.

The newspaper said a Reliance spokesman declined to comment and Reuters could not immediately reach company officials.

(Reporting by Kaustubh Kulkarni and Nandita Bose in MUMBAI; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)