Thursday, April 8, 2010

Squid on your Pizza Hut Pie? Lamb in your Big Mac?


(CNN) -- After thousands of years of civilization, finally India has Crunchwraps.
In March, a Taco Bell opened in Bangalore, the first Indian outpost of the chain.
About 2,500 people a day have been lining up to try burritos and quesadillas, helped out by employees hired to explain what, exactly, burritos and quesadillas are, according to reports.
But Indian customers aren't just ordering the Tex-Mex treats known in the U.S. Yum Foods, Taco Bell's parent company, came up with a bunch of special menu items designed for local palates: crunchy potato tacos and extra-spicy burritos filled with paneer, the rubbery, fresh Indian cheese.
This move is what people in the trade call product localization: customizing what you're selling to the people you're selling it to. It's a crucial strategy in the global fast-food business. American chains are bringing burgers and pizza and chimichangas to Asia, but they are also adapting to their new homes, coming up with hybrid foods that the folks back home don't hear about.
This is nothing new, of course. McDonald's, which has branches in more than 119 countries, has been customizing its menus for years.

Read The Rest of these zany Fast Food Creations the US is pooping on the world on CNN

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