Hard Rock Cafe shut down 10 of its outlets across India on Monday after terminating its franchise agreements with JSM Corporation Pvt Ltd and related entities. The 10 outlets were located in Bengaluru (three including one at Bengaluru International Airport), Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Hyderabad Hitech City, Kolkata, New Delhi and Pune.
"Hard Rock International has formally terminated its agreements with JSM Corporation Pvt Ltd. and related entities covering the right to operate all Hard Rock Cafes and Rock Shops within India,” said the Florida headquartered Hard Rock International (HRI) in a statement. The closure is likely to impact hundreds of employees working at the locations.
The Hard Rock Hotel in Goa, however, is unaffected by the split and will continue operating as normal as it is operated by a separate entity and has no connection to JSM Corporation.
HRI is one of the most globally recognised hospitality and restrobar names, with venues in over 75 countries spanning 315 locations that include owned/licensed properties.
Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett established the first Hard Rock Cafe in London in 1971 and since then the brand opened cafes, casinos and hotels all across the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion, music-related merchandise and live performance.
JSM Corporation, on the other hand, was established in 2005 with a vision to be the most reputed international restaurant group in the world, as per its website. JSM Corporation claims that it has built a strong brand presence in major cities across India including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai and Chandigarh.
A reputed stakeholder in JSM Corporation is leading property developer Embassy Group. The company also holds the master franchisee of US based California Pizza Kitchen and has in-house restaurant brands such as Shiro and Asilo.