Playboy will enter the Indian hospitality market in alliance with PB Lifestyle Ltd in the first quarter of 2013. The new venture will launch the country’s first Playboy beach cafe in Goa with future plans for eight clubs, 65 cafes and 49 bars over ten years in India. PB Lifestyle, an Indian firm with rights to the Playboy brand will use the 'Playboy' brand and its iconic rabbit-head logo on clubs, bars and cafes.
It will launch the first upscale cafe with 22,000 square feet of space on North Goa's Candolim beach.
Speaking to Hospitality Biz, Sanjay Gupta, CEO, PB Lifestyle, said, “We will soon announce the official launch dates of the very first Playboy beach café in Goa. PB Lifestyle has also earmarked an investment of USD 38 million (Rs two billion) over five years. The group has plans for F&B and hospitality formats in markets which include Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkota, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Pune.”
Gupta added, “We are bringing the brand 'Playboy' to India through a licensing agreement. Currently, our focus is on the Goa property, this will be followed by one in Hyderabad. We have plans for hotels as well, but there are in the Phase-II of our expansion plans in India.”
Speaking on Playboy’s entry into India, Matthew Nordby, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Playboy Enterprises, said, “Playboy’s global appeal as a design-driven and upscale lifestyle brand is a great fit with India’s rising middle class and large Gen Y audience. We have given tremendous consideration to the local tastes and customs of India and our Playboy club concept will introduce a glamorous, upscale and aspirational indulgence to Indian consumers.