India’s Sandwich Market Size, Growth Trends & Branded QSR Opportunities

In India’s ~ Inr 5,500 crores Sandwich market, branded outlets hold a share of 37%

In India’s evolving QSR industry, sandwiches hold their own unique position. It is often viewed as a fresh, grab & go and relatively healthy (it generally has lower calories compared to other fast foods such as burgers, pizzas, fries or even Indian snacks such as Samosa or Chaat) option. Interestingly, while it has been used mainly as a breakfast and snacking options in the past, sandwiches are also used for main meals and meal replacement these days.

Traditionally popular sandwiches in India included Bombay style masala sandwich, grilled sandwich and club sandwich, which later on saw the entry of sub sandwiches, popularized with growth on international brands such as Subway. It is noteworthy that Subway is the biggest sandwich brand in India with a footprint of 1000+ outlets, out of a total branded market, pegged at ~1350.

Meanwhile the market is now gradually becoming diverse, multifaceted and nuanced with emergence of other niche yet fast-growing categories such as Mediterranean-style pita pockets, pressed Paninis and Japanese style Sando sandwiches.

India’s Branded Sandwich Market: Size, growth and trends

The aggregate size of India’s sandwich market is Inr 5.500 crores, growing at a CAGR of 5%. A large portion of the market is either unorganized or are run by specialized standalone stores/ cafes. The market share of branded chains is still less and pegged at around 37%, with a total size of around Inr 2,053 crores.

Subway is the biggest player in the India’s sandwich industry, followed by other relatively smaller home-grown brands such as What a Sandwich, Shakti Sandwich, Subs 91, Sandwich Junction, etc.

These brands primary specialize in either affordable or aspirational yet accessible category targeting the age group of 18-39 comprising both working class as well as student population.

International brands such as Pret a Manger and Pita Pit (Canadian) have forayed in the market, demonstrating an appetite for premium sandwiches as well.

Indian sandwiches traditionally used fillings such as potato masala, keema, paneer cheese, corn & spinach, salads, veggies, eggs, bhurji, etc.

These days however, forward looking brands are bringing a lot of innovation and experimentation with variants such as indo-continental fusions, protein rich veg options including avocado, mushroom, soya, tofu, Mediterranean options such as hummus & chick peas, etc.

Niche concepts like Italian/ French hard-pressed Paninis are gaining some popularity with chains such as Paris Panini, Panino etc. growing fast.

Subway Pioneering the Market

Subway is one of the pioneers of the Indian branded sandwich chains managing 76% of the overall market size of Inr 2053 crores. Subway’s success in the Indian market is rooted in multiple factors, which ranges from its successful positioning as an aspirational yet assessible brand, offering a feel of guilt free indulgence and developing an expansive distribution network covering 160+ cities.

Currently Subway operates across 1000+ outlets prioritizing not just malls and high streets but also neighbourhood communities & local shopping arcades. Likewise, Subway is also strategically building new outlets in airports, office towers, university campuses and highway petrol pumps.

Its GTM strategy has been pinned on affordable options such as sub cravings to expand its market share by penetrating into price conscious market segments. The sub cravings is sized at 4 inches (compared to usual sizes of 6-12 inches) and are priced between Inr 80-150 making it a popular and affordable choice for quick snacking.

While Subway is the dominant player in the sandwiches and subs market in India, there is still ample white spaces for other brands to enter and thrive. Other home-grown brands such as What a Sandwich has grown to 50+ outlets since its inception in 2013. Its growth has been centred around offering larger size of subs at a lesser price. To realize this, it has adopted a cloud kitchen format and built a delivery only brand.

How The India Watch can Help

The India Watch is a market research and insights advisory with strong understanding of India’s growing QSR and F&B industry including the grab and go segments of sandwiches, burgers, rolls, etc.

We can assist new business ventures, existing businesses and investors with curated insights, market feasibility/ viability studies, consumer research, etc. Our range of services includes but are not limited to:

Market research and consumer behaviour research services
Feasibility studies for new café/ cloud kitchen/ restaurant launch.
GTM strategy for new business ventures
Tailor made insights on market sizing, competition, channels, consumer segments, KPIs, etc.
Financial and business model comprising Revenue, capex & opex evaluation, ROI, EBITA, break-even, unit economics, etc.
Consumer behaviour research to map segments, buying cycles, pain points, etc.
Pitch decks, strategy decks, investor memorandum, investor factsheets, etc.
Custom industry reports and white papers

For further information, feel free to connect with us at info@theindiawatch.com

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