The Indian cold chain sector, which is currently grappling with such issues concerning the quality of food products and food safety maintenance has realized the necessity of faster development, and could grow at the rate of 10 percent to 15 percent per annum in the next five to 10 years, according to Arvind Surange, chief consultant and proprietor, ACR Project Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

Food-cost inflation is inevitable year to year, but it doesn't necessarily have to eat into the profit margins of full-service restaurant operators. The key is to understand all the components that affect food costs and the available options for controlling them through strategic purchasing programs.

Even the world's biggest brands can struggle to succeed in India. Coca-Cola chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent urges global companies to accept the market as it is, not as they wish it to be.

Striving to become an integral part of the customer's routine, there's no room for unreliability or variation - predictability rests at the heart of the value proposition for quick-serve restaurants (QSR) across the board. Consequently, customers have historically tolerated preservative-infused, glorified hockey pucks disguised as burgers with a side of greasy fries and a sugar-laden soda drink and called it a day's dinner.