Dunkin' Donuts said Wednesday it aimed to open 100 stores in India over the next five years as it goes head-to-head with rival Starbucks, due to open in the emerging market giant later this year. US-based Dunkin' Donuts, which set up its first Indian outlet earlier in May, is among a growing number of Western fast-food chains heading to Asia's third-largest economy to cater to a young, increasingly affluent urban market.
Along with its usual range of products, Dunkin' Donuts, one of the world's top baked goods and coffee chains, has created offerings adapted for the Indian palate such as spicy sandwiches, mirroring efforts in China to woo customers. Getting products to "suit the market is very important to our success", chief executive Nigel Travis told AFP on the sidelines of another Dunkin' Donut store opening, its third this month. Dunkin' Donuts, whose customers are ranked as the most loyal in the highly competitive US market - ahead of Starbucks - by research firm Brand Keys, entered neighbouring China in 2008.