As many as 43 outlets of American fast food chain McDonald’s here operated without valid ‘health licences’ for nearly three months, its estranged India partner Vikram Bakshi alleged on Thursday.
Last month, McDonald’s shut down 43 of its 55 outlets due to failure to renew eating house licences.
Mr. Bakshi, an equal joint venture partner of McDonald’s India Pvt Ltd (MIPL) in the Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd. (CPRL) that is the licensee for north and east India regions of the fast food chain, said licences had expired on March 31. “From April 1 to June 27, we did not have any health licence,” he said.
Mr. Bakshi has been at loggerheads with McDonald’s since 2013, when he was removed as managing director of CPRL.
Not opening soon
When contacted, Barry Sum (Director Corporate Relations, Asia Foundational Markets, McDonald’s) said, “We want to focus on resolving the issues as soon as possible.”
The closed outlets, meanwhile, are unlikely to open any time soon as Mr. Bakshi has refused to sign the licensing documents. “In March, I clearly stated that because of food safety issues, I no longer intend to sign [to apply for renewal of] licences.”
Mr. Sum has blamed Mr. Bakshi for the situation. “The situation is the result of our former partner’s refusal to co-sign licence renewal applications,” he said.
