by alyssa mcdonaldikeas blueandyellow stores are instantly recognizable iconic monolithic and now as indias first store throws open its doors to the masses operating in more than 400 stores in some 50 countriesbut while every branch of the worlds largest furniture retailer has that most unmistakable whiff of flatpack conformity regional differences do exist not least where their famed swedish meatballs are concerned in many countries the ikea business model has been subtly tweaked to fit local preferences and customs opening hours are altered menu options are adjusted and very occasionally women are airbrushed out of catalogs advt heres how a multinational company built on the principles of mass production caters to national tastes incentivise local production but dont penalise imports says ikea ceoindia a longterm investment for us says ikea global ceo jesper brodin the restaurantthe cafeteria in ikeas new hyderabad store will have 1000 seats what it wont have is swedish meatballs out of respect for hindu beliefs the porkandbeef dish will be dropped from the menu in favor of chicken meatballs biryani samosas and vegetarian hotdogsits not the first time the retail giants bestknown meal has got mixed up in religion in 2013 traces of horsemeat were discovered in batches from a swedish supplier forcing ikea to release statements in malaysia and united arab emirates reassuring customers that the porkfree swedish meatballs in those countries were halal certified and not in fact produced in sweden most often menus are tweaked simply to appeal to regional tastes crayfish in japan fish and chips in the uk shawarma in dubai in a daring move that would pit popularity against convenience ikeas menu may yet become available without a diner having to go anywhere near a stick of furniture the company is reportedly considering opening standalone restaurants in the us although no decisions have been made according to a spokesperson incentivise local production but dont penalise imports says ikea ceoindia a longterm investment for us says ikea global ceo jesper brodin incentivise local production but dont penalise imports says ikea ceoindia a longterm investment for us says ikea global ceo jesper brodin the catalogunsurprisingly the product lines in the catalog vary somewhat from country to country the kitchenware section in india will feature spice boxes and idli rice cake makers according to the afp while its chinese cousin goes heavy on woks cleavers and steamers advt the catalog itself has been more controversial a womanfree catalog was produced last year for israels ultraorthodox community by the companys local franchisee featuring photographs of men and boys only ikea later apologized but the furor cant have come as a surprise in 2012 a saudi catalog appeared with some photos of women airbrushed out sparking a similar response the floor spacein denselypopulated hong kong where flats are typically small and streets are crowded ikea is a place to relax as well as shop the softfurnishing section is often crowded with locals taking an airconditioned break from the city lounging around on the