Get ready for a spicy new flavor in India’s fast food world! Haldiram Group, India's largest ethnic food company, wants to open western-style quick service restaurants (QSR). People close to the deal say Haldiram is talking with Inspire Brands, a big US restaurant group, to bring its famous sandwich chain Jimmy John's to India as an exclusive franchise. You may know Inspire Brands already runs some global stars in India — Dunkin' (coffee and donuts) and Baskin-Robbins (ice cream and cakes) — through local franchise partners. But now, Haldiram’s founder family, the Agarwals, wants to jump right in. "The founder family of Haldiram's, the Agarwals, want to compete with global brands such as Subway and Tim Hortons, as well as tap into the growing, aspirational younger consumer segments which take high affinity to western cafe-style formats," said a source familiar with the talks. Haldiram's big food snacks business is called Haldiram Snacks Food Pvt Ltd, but the QSR chain would be run under their restaurant wing. Today, Haldiram runs over 150 restaurant outlets across India, earning almost ₹2,000 crore—a tasty empire already! Jimmy John's started in 1983 and is famous for fresh sandwiches and wraps. It has more than 2,600 outlets worldwide—in the US, Canada, South Korea, and the UAE. It is the biggest owned delivery sandwich brand in the US, with sales hitting $2.6 billion. Michael Haley, Inspire’s international head, said recently, "For 40 years, Jimmy John's has taken a straightforward approach to making quality sandwiches and it's now time to share them with the world. We're confident this brand is primed for extensive international growth." Inspire Brands isn’t just about sandwiches. Their big family includes Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic and others. Founded in 2018, Inspire now runs 33,000 restaurants in four countries and had sales of $32.6 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, Haldiram’s family is also making bold moves. In April, Kamal Agrawal, a family member, invested ₹150 crore in Wow! Momo, another eating hotspot. Haldiram also merged its Delhi and Nagpur FMCG units earlier this year to form Haldiram Snacks Food Pvt Ltd, preparing for a possible public listing soon. This merger came after global investors like Temasek, Alpha Wave Global, and International Holding Company got stakes in Haldiram. Temasek bought 10% at a $10 billion valuation! Looking at all this, the National Restaurant Association of India says the country's food service market will jump to ₹7.76 lakh crore by 2028 from ₹5.69 lakh crore in 2024. Younger people dining out more and food delivery apps are major reasons behind this tasty boom. So, is Haldiram ready to spice up India’s western fast food scene? If the Jimmy John's deal clicks, Indian taste lovers could soon enjoy fresh sandwiches that have rocked America—directly from the house of Haldiram!