GBC plans for new food courts,multiplexes in Kerala
Shenoy Karun TNN
Kochi: Mumbai-based Global Business Conexxtions Pvt Ltd (GBC) will invest Rs 100 crore in Kerala to set up six food courts and five multiplexes in major towns of the state.The company,which is operating under the brand Carnival,is also foraying into exports,electric scooter manufacturing,event management and movies.
Under the Carnival Court brand,we have opened a food court at Athani,near the Cochin International Airport,and six more are coming up.We are opening food courts in major IT parks in Kerala - Infopark at Kochi,Technopark at Thiruvananthapuram and Cyber Park at Kozhikode.The Infopark food court will open in January and we are focusing on crowd like IT professionals,because our food courts have an international styling, said P V Sunil,director and CEO of the group.
The company,founded by Angamaly-born entrepreneur Shrikant Bhasi,is also developing three more highway food courts in Thrissur.Two other locations are yet to be finalised.Further,five more multiplexes are coming up at Thiruvananthapuram,Kollam,Kochi,Palakkad and Thrissur,under the brand Carnival Cinema.Our target is to open 20 screens in 2013, Sunil said.Under the banner AOPL Entertainments Pvt Ltd,GBC has produced three films - Violin,Second Show and Matinee so far.We are producing four movies a year and are also into film distribution business, he noted.
On December 31,we are organising Jalsa 2013,a New Year event,at the convention centre in the Cochin International Airport, Sunil said.The group also plans for an annual event Kerala Carnival to be held in Kochi.
GBC has also diversified into the manufacturing of electric scooters and is developing a manufacturing plant with the help of US-based Parallel Group,driven by Inkels standard design modules.Initially,the company will launch electric scooters of Rs 25,000 Rs 35,000 price range in February.Production of hybrid scooters,which run on petrol and electricity,has been planned in the next stage of expansion.
GBC,which uses internal accruals,debt and equity to fund these projects,is expected to create 400 to 500 jobs in the state.The company is planning more activities in the Malabar region,especially in Kannur and Kasaragod districts,during the next phase of expansion.
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