Sbarro To Expand Presence In South India With 35 New Restaurants

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sbarro (www.sbarro.com) announced today that it has expanded its partnership agreement with White Planet Restaurants (WPR), led by Sriram Rajagopal and Gopal Rajagopalan, to significantly deepen the company's presence in South India. WPR, which currently operates five Sbarro eateries in India, was named the brand's South Indian master franchisee with plans to open 35 new eateries throughout the region. The first location under the new agreement opened in Chennai in May 2013, joining four existing Bangalore locations; three additional eateries are slated to open in South India before year's end for a total of eight operational restaurants throughout South India by the close of 2013.

"White Planet Restaurants has been a valuable partner in helping us to successfully launch Sbarro to the India marketplace," said Randy Jones, Chief Operating Officer of Global Franchise, Sbarro. "There is no better team to partner with as we further grow our footprint in India. We look forward to continuing to work with WPR to enable more people to enjoy Sbarro's fresh Italian fare."

Over the past year, Sbarro has significantly expanded its international presence forging franchise agreements across the globe including Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, UAE, and the Philippines. The company currently operates more than 1,000 eateries across 40 countries with more than 400 of those restaurants located outside the United States.

"The Sbarro team has provided tremendous support throughout our partnership, which has been critical to helping us open, operate and ultimately introduce a great  dining experience to the people of India," said Sriram Rajagopal, Managing Director and CEO of White Planet Restaurants. "We are excited about the brand and as master franchisee, we look forward to continued success in deepening our market penetration and expanding the Sbarro brand across South India."

White Planet Restaurants joined Sbarro in 2010 and currently operates eateries in the following locations throughout India:  Mantri Square (Bangalore), Phoenix Market City (Bangalore), RMZ Infinity (Bangalore), Brigade Orion Mall (Bangalore), and Forum Vijaya Mall (Chennai).

About Sbarro
Since it first opened its doors as an Italian Salumeria in 1956, Sbarro has been a leader in driving the growth of the Italian restaurant category.  Today, Sbarro team members bring a taste of the true Italian spirit to guests every day at its more than 1,000 eateries across 40 countries.  An award-winning franchise organization, Sbarro features a menu of popular Italian food including pizza, pasta dishes and other hot and cold Italian entrees, salads, drinks and desserts.  Sbarro is headquartered in Melville, NY. For more information, visit www.sbarro.com.

SOURCE Sbarro