Ravi Jaipuria joins race for Yum! stores in west, south.

Billionaire bottler Ravi Jaipuria may consider bidding for the food retailing business of the Dubai-based Dodsal Group.

Dodsal, which has the franchise for Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell stores in west and south India, has appointed investment bankers to look for potential buyers for the business. Jaipuria's Devyani International holds the three Yum! Brands franchises in north and east India.

Jaipuria, one of PepsiCo's top-three franchise bottlers in the world, told Business Standard, 'It would make sense for us to consider the business since we have the rights in the north and the east. But we need clarity from the parent (Yum! Brands) on whether franchises are available in the first place in the two regions. Yum! Brands has been setting up stores on their own. We will certainly want to know whether they wish to appoint franchisees for the two regions or set up company-owned outlets.'

BS