Pink cherry blossoms, check. Massive horse at entrance, check. Katana grill and dragon murals, check. Golden arches, abundant. Red, black and gold all over with dim lighting, absolutely. Yes, US headquartered PF Chang’s, with its signature ‘American Asian’ offerings, is firmly on its way to expansion in India, opening a second outlet in NCR’s Gurgaon recently. The first PF Chang’s opened in Mumbai, and now the roll-out plan for India has gathered steam. Two more outlets are under fit-outs in Delhi – South Delhi and Noida Mall of India. Next on the schedule is Bandra, again in Mumbai. By September, the brand is looking at five operational PF Chang’s in the country, and by close of this financial year i.e. March 2025, at six or seven outlets across the country.
Not just are all the hallmarks in place, the menu at this outlet is an expanded one with more than 100 items on the menu, including some exclusives. “We did research, tried to understand the Indian customer, we realised that in India, we needed to be closer to the people, their tastes, their preferences, flavour palate, give a little bit of familiarity so that there is ease,” says Ramit Bharti Mittal, executive chairman & director, Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd (GIPL), the master franchise in India for the brand.
“So, instead of the 75 items that the brand has on the menu internationally, we had 105 items when we launched in India,” points out Mittal. “Coming to Delhi, we have the ability to launch 12 exclusives for Cyberhub, which then percolate as we grow. When we travel to Bangalore, some of those exclusives will travel. A lot of depth, love and a vigilant eye has been put on this menu. We increased our vegetarian selection a lot for India in general, the US does not have many vegetarian items on the menu.” Interestingly, the group makes it a point to stress that its food is MSG-free. Diversions from the international menu include multiple India only options, especially in the vegetarian options, including dumplings, entrees and sushi delicacies. Yes, there is even a Jain menu!
American Asian in India
The brand’s presence in India has been a decade in the making. “Coming into India was a long 10-year slam,” points out Taylor Viersen, director, operations, PF Chang’s. “We met many different groups to find the right partner till GIPL. There was a lot of due diligence, and the process with GIPL took about 18 months.”
Mittal is confident that Indians will quickly take to the brand. “PF Chang’s demands a little bit of social currency with India. If you look at Dubai, about 35 per cent of their population is Indian, and there is a close relationship between Dubai and especially north India, we have seen that the crossover actually allows the brand to give India a bit of social currency from its international goodwill. What it does for PF Chang’s is that introduces the American Asian in India.”
“We are trying to learn each place as we go and do the research so that we know that the differences are in the market,” adds Viersen. “For example, we created the Ring of Fire sauce for this market. Our core items – we don’t want to touch them. Then there are innovations, such as vegetarian sushi. It gives us an opportunity to do things we haven’t done before. It opens our eyes to things we can do elsewhere. This market has Dynamite Shrimp, Dynamite Paneer andDynamite Chicken. So, there has been a lot of play with adding proteins into the existing flavour palate while inventing new innovations. What we look at outside the US is that the brand stays in this elevated category while still staying affordable for the consumer. Affordability combined with top notch food and service is what we are trying to do in our international market.”
While no investment figures are forthcoming, the brand is making sure the look and feel, if not the entire menu, has the international look of the brand. Designed by Zebra Projects, the interior of this P.F. Chang’s showcases the unique design elements synonymous with the brand worldwide.
Future growth
“We are excited to grow our partnership with GIPL as we venture into the vibrant city of Gurgaon,” says Rafik Farouk, senior director, global brands, PF Chang’s. “Our specially curated offerings for the Indian market showcase innovation and meticulous attention to detail, staying authentic to our brand heritage. We are eager to see the prosperity that awaits our partnership as we embark on our expansion journey with our partner in India.” Agrees Ajay Singhal, COO, GIPL, and adds: “This strategic approach reflects our commitment to reaching diverse markets and providing exceptional dining experiences tailored to each locale’s unique preferences and cultural nuances.” Whether going almost hyper local in India will pay off for PF Chang’s in India is being tested. Initial indications are positive, beam all partners.
Taking American Asian global
PF Chang’s, founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, is an Asian culinary brand. It started with offering Chinese cuisine, though now the menu spans eastern Asia, and includes dishes from Japan, Korea, Thailand and beyond. The brand saw a change in ownership in 2019, while Eduardo Luz, a new CEO & president, joined this past November. “He is laser-focussed on getting us back to top of mind for the guest,” says Viersen. “We are a great celebration place; we also want to be an everyday lunch place. Our goal in the US is to see how we can get the guests back one more time a year. We are expanding, Guyana, Greece next, along with expanding retail with Conagra. We are opening outlets at airports. We have 215 outlets in the US and 97 internationally in 20 countries.”
Beyond the wok
PF Chang’s is best known for highlighting the ancient tradition of wok cooking, a method dating back 2,000 years, which employs a 700-degree flame to preserve the essence and flavour of each ingredient. When the flavour gets locked into a protein, the way our people are taught this technique, it doesn’t exist in India, explains Viersen. “The short cooking time allows it to lock in the flavours. We use Cantonese style wok cooking. When they cook with the wok, it looks like they are dancing. As you cook on a wok, each part of the slope has a different temperature. As you are pausing it, allowing it to seer, and when it comes up in the air, that gives it a little second to breathe, and then it’s going back to the heat. It’s a really intricate style that takes a lot of talent. This tradition reflects the brand’s commitment to upholding the “Always served with honour” food philosophy, evident in signature dishes such as the Original Dynamite Shrimp, Chang’s Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Kimchi Fried Rice and Mongolian Tenderloin.