62-year-old Vikram Bakshi, managing director of Connaught Place Restaurants Limited (CPRL), first brought the Big Mac to India as a franchisee in 1996 — and McDonald’s has been trying to push him out ever since.
India’s growing middle class makes it an especially lucrative market for multinationals like Mickey D’s — and back in ‘08, they tried to buy Bakshi out for a measly $5m, but lil’ Vikky refused, citing evidence that his share was actually worth $331m.
So McD’s fired him
In 2013, the chain tried to oust him from CPRL, alleging mismanagement of finances, and that he had leased out his property to a rival company.
But Notorious Vikram B. wasn’t going down that easy: he sued to be reinstated (claiming “oppression and mismanagement), have his stake revalued — and to maintain control of 169 branches without interference from corporate.
In other words, Vickmaster Flex has gone rogue, and there’s not much Ronald, Hamburglar, or anyone else can do about it.
Except cut off his ketchup supply
McDonald’s has been pressuring Baby Got Bakshi’s suppliers to stop shipping to CPRL, and in August, his ketchup supplier, Cremica Food, stopped sending product without warning, and his tomato supplier has done the same.
Last year, an Indian court finally agreed to advance McDonald’s case, and Vikky Minaj is due to appear on October 25th. In the meantime, he’ll be slangin’ burgers sans condiments.
