Why California Burrito has resisted over-Indianising its menu | CEO interview

California Burrito, the US-style Mexican quick service restaurant chain, plans to scale up to 300 outlets across India over the next four years, betting on a value-driven strategy rather than aggressive price discounting, its Chief Executive Officer Bert Mueller said.

Mueller, an American who moved to India after studying here, in 2010, said India offers both the scale and the consumer maturity required to build a long-term food brand. “India is the biggest country in the world in terms of opportunity. There’s a lot left to do here,” he said in an interview with The Federal.

Founded nearly a decade ago, California Burrito launched in India when Mexican cuisine was still a niche category. Mueller said the initial thesis was simple. Indian consumers already consume large quantities of rice and flatbreads, making products such as burritos, rice bowls and tacos a natural fit. Early traction at the company’s first store reinforced confidence, though large-scale expansion came much later.

Scaling lessons, growth challenges

“From a scaling perspective, it wasn’t until we reached about 30 stores, almost eight years in, that we felt this could go much bigger,” Mueller said. “The journey is never a straight line. Scaling has its own challenges and wrong decisions are inevitable.”

Unlike several global food chains that have heavily localised menus for India, California Burrito has taken a restrained approach to Indianisation. The company has expanded vegetarian options to suit local preferences but resisted altering core flavours or positioning.

Watch/Read: Chicken wings craze grips Gen Z and millennials, sparks shortage

“Our view is that Mexican food is best when it’s authentic,” Mueller said. “We’re trying to deliver a Mission-style burrito experience, the kind you’d get in San Francisco, with real Mexican flavours. Over-localising too early can become confusing.”

Margins, operations, execution focus

The company operates in India’s major cities but has stayed away from Mumbai so far, citing intense competition and the need for operational confidence before entering the market.

Mueller rejected the idea that India remains a purely price-sensitive market. “I don’t think people are price sensitive anymore. They’re value conscious,” he said. “Consumers are willing to spend more if they feel they’re getting exceptional value.”

According to Mueller, a successful California Burrito outlet typically sees more than 300 transactions a day, with healthy stores delivering bottom-line margins of around 10%. Margins above 20% would be considered excellent in the restaurant business.

Mueller also highlighted the complexity of running a food and retail business compared to technology companies, pointing to the high number of variables involved, from perishable inventory to human-intensive operations.

“You have to accept that perfection is very hard,” he said. “In food, the density of problems is much higher. One in a thousand orders going wrong is normal, whereas in manufacturing or tech, defects are far rarer.”

India first, no global expansion yet

While California Burrito carries a global-sounding brand name, Mueller said there are no immediate plans for international expansion. “India itself is a massive market,” he said.

Also Read: Legendary Mysore Mylari Dosa Hotel to open in Bengaluru

With rising consumer expectations and improving quality standards across India’s dining landscape, Mueller believes the opportunity lies in consistency and execution rather than experimentation. “The bar keeps going up,” he said. “And that’s a good thing.”