Subway Restaurants announced it has opened its first location in India, calling it “another important milestone in the international development of the world’s largest submarine sandwich chain.”

The restaurant is owned and operated by New Delhi native and resident, Gurpreet Gulri, who confesses to having enjoyed Subway sandwiches as a student while pursuing an advanced degree at the University of Michigan.

“I love the Subway food and concept,” he says. “It will fit perfectly well with the changing lifestyles of the Indian middle class. What you get at Subway is not just a good sandwich, but along with it, a great experience, good service, and a healthy food option.”

The Indian location targets young, health-conscious consumers who are looking for something new, Gulri says. Located in a busy outdoor retail complex in the Saket area of New Delhi, the restaurant is situated near a large movie theater complex that attracts many upwardly mobile consumers.

To allow for cultural and religious preferences, the standard Subway menu has been altered for Indian consumers. “There are no pork or beef products used in any of the sandwiches that we serve here,” says Gulri. “In India, the population is predominantly Hindu, who do not eat beef, and Muslim, who do not eat pork. We have substituted these ingredients with lamb, chicken, and
turkey.”

Another significant adjustment made by Subway for India is the addition of several vegetarian sub varieties, such as hummus and falafel, with a separate counter and area for their preparation.

Gulri says he’s confident Subway will be a great hit in India, and says there are goals of opening fifty-five outlets in Mumbai and the National Capitol Region of Delhi over the next seven years. “India has the potential of becoming the largest market for Subway outside of North America,” he says, “and this is an opportunity to promote a world-class brand and, at the same time, work with something I really enjoy.”