New Franchise Agreement to launch Time Out India

Time Out

27/05/2025 10:24

RNS Number : 2365K

Time Out Group plc

27 May 2025

 

 

27 May 2025

 

Time Out Group plc

("Time Out", the "Company" or the "Group")

New Franchise Agreement to launch Time Out India

 

Time Out Group plc (AIM: TMO), the global media and hospitality business, announced today that it has entered into a franchise agreement with Quint Digital Limited (QDL), India's leading media-tech company, to launch Time Out India.

As part of the franchise agreement, QDL will later this year launch digital Time Out India channels including timeout.com/india alongside social media as well as video - all featuring curated content by local experts about the best things to do, see and eat across India's top cities and travel destinations for both locals and travellers.

Over the past decades, Time Out Media has expanded its global footprint - alongside owned & operated cities such as London, Lisbon, New York and others - through franchisees, examples of which are the Middle East, Japan and South Africa. Now for the first time the franchise agreement with QDL will also include a three-year exclusive option for the franchisee to explore future opportunities in India to invest in, open and operate Time Out Markets on behalf of and in alignment with the Group's global Time Out Market concept.

The Company currently uses two operating models for Markets:

●     Management Agreements: under which it receives a share of revenues and profits (subject to a guaranteed consultancy fee) but does not contribute to the capital cost of the site

●     Owned & Operated Markets, with Time Out receiving 100% of site profits

In contrast, this new franchise agreement - combining both Media and potential Market opportunities - will drive revenues via ongoing franchise fees and in addition for Markets exclusivity and site pre-development fees without capital expenditure for the Group.

This agreement offers the opportunity to further expand the brand and build a vibrant, city-focused ecosystem in India - through digital content and physical Markets - for consumers and a wide range of advertisers for which the team will create bespoke multi-channel campaigns spanning both digital content channels and, once Markets in India have become operational, digital screens within the Markets themselves.

Chris Ohlund, CEO of Time Out Group plc, said: "We are pleased to partner with Quint Digital - a leader in digital content, digital publishing technology, and AI-driven social media analytics - to launch Time Out in India across key cities and beyond. This is the first time that a franchise partner in one country will not only operate Time Out Media but will also explore Time Out Market opportunities. This partnership comes at a time when we increasingly operate Media and Market - an unmatched digital and real-life model - as one brand to cement Time Out as a unique proposition, both for consumers and commercial partners to connect with this valuable audience. We look forward to celebrating the best of India along with its vibrant cities with our curated content and experiences."

Ritu Kapur, Managing Director and CEO, QDL added: "Urban India, especially its younger, always-curious crowd, is craving something fresh, bold, and out of the box when it comes to lifestyle and food. With Time Out, we're excited to bring a game-changing experience to the country.

"This partnership blends QDL's pulse on India's digital-first youth - and also visitors to our country - with Time Out's global knack for spotlighting the best in culture, food, and city life. Together, we'll inspire discovery, spotlight the best of our cities, and offer brands powerful new ways to engage with a discerning, experience-hungry audience."

For further information, please contact:
Time Out Group plc
Tel: +44 (0) 207 813 3000
Chris Ohlund, CEO
Matt Pritchard, CFO
Steven Tredget, Investor Relations Director
Panmure Liberum (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Tel: +44 (0) 203 100 2222
Andrew Godber / Edward Thomas / Ailsa MacMaster / Joshua Borlant
FTI Consulting LLP
Tel: +44 (0) 203 727 1000
Edward Bridges


 

 

Notes to editors

 

About Time Out Group

Time Out Group is a global brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city. Time Out launched in London in 1968 to help people discover the best of the city - today it is the only global brand dedicated to city life. Expert journalists curate and create content about the best things to Do, See and Eat across over 350 cities in over 50 countries and across a unique multi-platform model spanning both digital and physical channels. Time Out Market is the world's first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing a city's best chefs, restaurateurs and unique cultural experiences together under one roof. The portfolio includes open Markets in eleven cities such as Lisbon, New York and Dubai, several new locations with expected opening dates in 2025 and beyond, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in advanced discussions. Time Out Group PLC, listed on AIM, is headquartered in London (UK).

 

The existing Market portfolio and expected opening schedule based on calendar year is as follows:

Open Markets
Markets under development
Owned & Operated
Management Agreements
Owned & Operated
Management Agreements
● Lisbon
● New York, Brooklyn
● Boston
● Chicago
● Porto
● Barcelona
● Montreal
● Dubai
● Cape Town
● Bahrain
● Osaka
2025
● New York, Union Square
2025-2027
● Budapest
● Vancouver
● Abu Dhabi

 

 

About Quint Digital Limited

Quint Digital Limited (QDL) is India's leading digital and media-tech, AI-focused company. QDL creates innovative ideas in the digital space with cutting-edge technology and engaging formats to propel meaningful change. Its conglomerate offers various solutions ranging from news to tech innovations, recently strengthened by the acquisition of ListenFirst Media, a premium social media and digital analytics platform headquartered in New York, which enhances QDL's capabilities in AI-driven audience insights and engagement strategies. Its flagship platform, The Quint, launched in 2015, delivers trusted, innovative journalism, while Quintype's AI-powered editorial platform enables seamless content creation for over 300 publishers worldwide. QDL's suite of brands also includes The News Minute, known for independent journalism from Southern India; Youth Ki Awaaz, a citizen media platform that amplifies the voices of India's youth; and Kisan India, dedicated to comprehensive coverage of Indian agriculture. Quint Digital Limited is listed on the BSE Limited. Find out more on quintdigital.in.

 

 

 

 

 

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