Coffee Board of India will organise the National Barista Championship from January 16 to 18 in the city to identify technically skilled and best Baristas in the profession.
According to a release from the Coffee Board of India, the competition will focus on promoting professional excellence in coffee value chain, strengthen and encourage skill development and also promote the Café Culture in India. The event is being conducted also because there are many café chains coming up in the city and this is becoming another profession option for youngsters. The event will be hosted at Mantri Square, Sampige Road, Malleswaram.
The final round of the championship will be held on January 24, during the India International Coffee Festival 2014 at Hotel Lalit Ashok here. The event will be conducted as per the rules and regulations of World Barista Championship.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / Bangalore, DHNS – January 14th, 2014
The Coffee Board has been reconstituted after a two-month delay.
Many new faces figure in the revamp, which happens once in three years.
The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry through a Gazette Notification dated January 6 has announced the revamped board that will be in place till three years from January 6 to January 5, 2016.
According to the notification, N.K. Pradeep, Shri Nandi Estate, Chekanahally Belur Taluk, Hassan, Karnataka; Anil Kumar Bhandari, Suntikoppa, Kodagu, Karnataka; Immanuel T. Rampuram, Chatnahalli Estate, Siddapura South Kodagu, Karnataka will represent large growers.
Jabir Asghar, Bangalore, Karnataka; B.S. Jayaram, Bidarahalli Post, Mudigere Taluk, Chikmaglur, Karnataka; D.M. Vijay, Hangaravalli Post Aldur, Chikmagalur, Karnataka; A. Thara Aiyamma, Neela Estate, Balele, Kodagu, Karnataka; Vijay Jagirdar, Bangalore, Karnataka; Vasantha Lakshmi Narayana, Near Andhra Bank, Pitapuram Colony, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh; C.P. Varghese, Chittemalil, Malankara, Nenmeni, Sultan Bathery, Wayanad will be small growers’ representatives.
Representatives of coffee trade interests are D. M. Purnesh, Classic Coffee & Spices Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, Karnataka. Dr. S. M. Kaverappa, Haletaluk, Napoklu, Kodagu, Karnataka. Ramesh Rajah, M/s. Ramesh Exports Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka.
Representatives of curing establishment: A. N. Devraj, Avaathi Post, Chikmagalur, Karnataka. K. A. Ibrahim, Suntikoppa, Madikere Kodagu, Karnataka.
Representatives of labour interests: G. Bhaskar, Jeyammal Street, Ayyavvo colony, Aminjikarai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. N. M. Adyanthaya, President INTUC, Karnataka & Vice President National INTUC, Nagi Towers, Kadri Hills, Mangalore, Karnataka. Prof. K. P. Thomas, Kakkathottathil House, Kottayad Road, Sultanbethery, Wayanad, Kerala. R. Chandrasekharan, President INTUC, Kerla Branch, Ayikkumathu House, Sooranad North, Sooranad Kollam Kerala.
Representatives of coffee growing States other than principal coffee growing States: K. V. Satyanarayana, Additional Chief Secretary, the Secretary in-charge of the Agriculture Department, Government of Tripura. Rajesh Prasad, Commissioner Industries & Commerce, Assam.
Representatives of consumer’s interest Uma I. B. Shankar, Hosmane Extension, Chikmagalur, Karnataka. Iftekhan Khan, 28, New Ashonknagar, Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
Representatives of instant coffee manufacturers: C. Rajendra Prasad, Chairman & Managing Director, CCL Products (India), Ameerpet, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
Eminent Personality in the field of research /marketing/ management/ promotion of coffee: Peter Mathias, Kelagur Estate, Sunkasale Post, Mudigere Taluk, Chikmagalur, Karnataka.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by Anil Urs anil.u@thehindu.co.in / Bangalore – January 13th, 2014
Coffee lore may not be marked by more than about a hundred years after the bushy crop made the three districts of the erstwhile Princely State of Mysore its home. Not many may recollect the happening of the centenary of its arrival in the State, if at all the event was celebrated. Residents of the old residential areas of Mysore city may remember the middle-aged, Khaki-clad, bicycle-borne, vendor sporting pith hat in the style of a hunter, peddling coffee seeds under ‘his’ brands of a) Chikamagalur Coffee, b) Giri Coffee (meaning Bababudangiri) and c) Coorg Coffee, delivering the material at the doorsteps nearly 60 years ago. The much-awaited coffee seed peddler vanished unheralded with the passage of time, leaving his captive customers, connoisseurs of refined tastes of Mysore, high and dry.
An unforgettable phase of the history of coffee in Mysore city, however brief, was marked by the presence of a) coal-fired, manually operated coffee-roaster with a capacity to roast a couple of pounds (equivalent to one kilogram) of coffee seeds and b) hand-operated grinding device in most of the middle-class households in order to brew fresh coffee, particularly to appease the grandpa and grandma in the joint-families, now not known to the younger generation of our times. The two most-prized equipments have since gone to the junk-yard (gujari).
The coffee planters may be concerned with a) the timely showers, particularly the April showers coinciding with the blooming of flowers on the bushes, b) the afflictions bugging the bushes and lately, c) the onslaught of jumbos devouring the lush green plants in a jiffy, but the city-dwellers are hell-bent on having their cuppa. The labour class (if there be one such class still in society) as well as the truant white-collared gentry in government offices must gulp the addictive drink more frequently than the limits prescribed by the physician. They couldn’t care less if the brew was loaded with the objectionable chicory and with disregard to right proportions of plantation ‘A’ and Robusta as well as peaberry, not to talk of adulterants.
Bangalore is shortly hosting the fifth edition of the India International Coffee Festival in which more than 1,000 delegates are expected to take part in the five-day global event, apart from attracting more than 10,000 visitors. The festival may augur well for MNCs of the coffee world, but the kick got out of the now-defunct coffee roaster and coffee grinder cannot be matched by brands such as ‘Starbucks.’ Coffee is unarguably the only unifying agent that abhors discrimination in society.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Editorial / January 10th, 2014
The government will provide 50 per cent subsidy to farmers to put up solar fences on their farms, said Minister for Forests B. Ramanath Rai on Thursday, as an obstacle against entry of wild animals and to reduce man-animal conflict
During his visit to the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office here, the Minister told presspersons that the department had put up elephant-proof trenches and installed solar-powered fences around some stretches of the reserve forests and national parks. “This is part of the Karnataka Sustainable Forest Management and Bio-diversity Conservation Programme. However, if farmers want to get solar fences installed by private companies, we will grant them 50 per cent subsidy,” he said.
The Minister said his department was not against development. However, only such projects that will directly benefit people will be permitted. People who submit applications for land in deemed and reserve forests should keep in mind the various rules governing forests in the State.
The Minister said the process of resolving the confusion over the C and D categories of land (degraded forest land) had commenced. “According to the law, there is no provision to regularise encroachments on forest land after April 27, 1978. However, we have received over one lakh applications seeking regularisation of land. A Cabinet subcommittee has been formed to study the issue and take a decision,” he said.
Posts to be filled
He said 700 posts in the department would be filled shortly. “The department is also encouraging farmers to grow sandalwood. We are giving away saplings at Re. 1 and Rs. 2 each to farmers. These farmers will also get an incentive of Rs. 10, Rs. 15 and Rs. 20 for each sapling annually, in the first, second and third year respectively, to ensure its growth,” the Minister said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bangalore – January 03rd, 2014
Avani Saglani Davda, the CEO at Tata Starbucks Ltd since September 2012, has played a key role in the development of the joint venture between Tata group and Starbucks Corp, which runs the world’s largest coffee chain.
The company recently entered South India by opening a coffee outlet in Bangalore. In an interview with Business Line, Davda shares the joint venture’s plans for the India market. Edited excerpts:
Now that you have entered South India, how many stores are you planning in this region?
In addition to the flagship store at Koramangala (Bangalore), Tata Starbucks will open two more stores by the end of this year in Bengaluru. It is an important city entry that demonstrates our long-term commitment to expand across India and we will continue to work thoughtfully to build a strong foundation and open stores quickly.
The South is primarily a coffee drinking market. Can we expect any specific flavour for both food and beverages here?
We are committed to delivering a locally relevant Starbucks experience to our customers; one that reflects the Starbucks brand as well as India’s rich culinary heritage. Our store here in Bangalore will introduce a strong mix of international favourites as well as specially designed food offerings to reflect local flavours. Additionally, our store offers a broad beverage portfolio to include a wide range of Starbucks signature espresso-based beverages and Starbucks VIA Ready Brew.
We will introduce the India Estates blend to consumers in Bengaluru. This blend is Tata Starbucks’ special country-specific coffee, developed thoughtfully with Tata Coffee for the Indian market and reflects the high quality Arabica coffee available in India. Created to celebrate our first anniversary in the country in October 2013, this coffee captures the essence and rich heritage of the Indian coffee history. Additionally, with our entry in the Indian market, we launched the Indian Espresso Roast which is sourced locally through the coffee sourcing and roasting agreement between Starbucks and Tata Coffee.
What will be the price range of the food and coffee at the India stores?
We strive to price our products competitively based upon the assessment of how we can provide high-quality products and an uncompromised experience.
We understand how important it is to our customers that they receive a high quality experience at an appropriate value, and we believe that our approach to value holistically balances the experience we provide customers with our need to effectively run our business.
You had a target of 50 stores in 2012. Are you revising this number?
Since our foray into the Indian market in October 2012, we have launched 30 stores across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Pune.
We are overwhelmed by the way in which our customers have embraced us. With a little over one year of being in operation in the country, I can assure you that our business in India continues to exceed our expectations.
We work to balance the need to run the business effectively while ensuring that we deliver the highest-quality Starbucks experience to our customers.
It’s not only about running several stores across the geography, but to nurture each store to provide the experience and deliver the brand promise to customers – every day.
What kind of investment you have planned for 2014 in India? When do you plan to break even?
We are committed to India for the long-term and the JV will invest long term in the development of our partners (employees), coffee growing communities and the neighbourhoods we serve. Our business in India continues to exceed our expectations and we remain focused on a long-term, disciplined growth in this dynamic market to establish a strong presence here, delivering an elevated coffeehouse experience to our customers in India.
What has been the experience so far? Are you revising your footprints here?
Our journey over the last year has been very gratifying and the venture has attracted acclaim from Indian consumers. This journey has only just begun and we will continue to work to exceed the expectations of our customers.
We are confident in our ability to build and grow the Starbucks brand in India, and continue to remain excited about the opportunities India presents for our business.
anil.u@thehindu.co.in
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by Anil Urs and K. Giriprakash anil.u@thehindu.co.in / November 27th, 2013
Get ready to battle for the best espresso at the National Barista Championship to be conducted by Coffee Board in January 2014. K Basavaraj, head of quality control division and the convener of the championship said, “Till last year, the championship used to be conducted by the Speciality Coffee Association of India (SCAI). The Coffee Board has now taken over from this year because we have the expertise, and the championship can be organised better.”
The championship is organised to identify people with the best barista skills. “We invite individuals who are working at various cafe chains to participate in this competition. Even house wives or people who know the art can participate. These people can get an entry into the competition if they know the espresso method of brewing,” explained Basavaraj.
According to him, today there are many youngsters who are taking interest in the job of a brewmaster and many have become professionals in coffee making. “This competition will, in a way, give them recognition. They can also be placed in top cafes. Many previous barista champions are now working in Dubai and such other places. The 2014 championship will be conducted as per the rules and regulations of World Barista Championship 2013. This competition coincides with the India International Coffee Festival, which will probably be held on January 21st and 22nd 2014. A couple of international jury members will select the finalist. This will also give the winner a good international platform,” he said and further added, “We have a another competition named Latte Hot Championship where the best design on the coffee will win the prize.”
Whether this national level championship will lead the participants to World Barista Championship? “We are yet to discuss about it, which will be done after this championship,” he said.
To participate
Go to www.indiacoffee.org for the application form. If interested, submit your entries before January 3, 2014 to participate in the qualifying round which is to be held on January 16, 17 and 18. Registration cost: `500.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by A Sharadhaa / Bangalore – December 10th, 2013
Born into a family, that owns coffee plantations in Coorg, city boy Vikram Dasappa, had a natural affinity to Coorg coffee and felt that it is one of the oldest and the best coffees in India. Eligible bachelor boy who chose to become a restaurateur, instead of running the family coffee business, shares, “Our family has been in the business since past three generations and we have the oldest and best kept coffee estates in Coorg. On my various travels around the world, I explored a lot of night clubs, lounge bars and pubs and always wanted to own one of my own. But owing to Bengaluru’s early nightlife deadline, opening a night club didn’t seem like a very clever proposition. Food has been growing steadily in the city and that’s why I decided to bring an International food chain here.”
Recognising the city as a social melting pot, a brand like Nando’s seemed to pique the foodies interest. “I was always very passionate about the hospitality industry. I also love travelling and have been to many cities around the world with a group of friends and family. This year we went to explore Europe and went to Croatia, Greece, Italy, Hungary, London and Montenegro. It was also my mom Gayathri’s 60th birthday, so 25 of us from my family went onboard the Royal Caribbean cruise. We also took out time and tried some rock climbing in Montenegro. Last year we went to Bangkok, Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore with friends. On one of my trips to Budapest, I went cycling across the country, which is the best way to explore new places. Highlight of my trips is trying out new cuisines, especially Italian and meeting new people,” says Vikram, who runs two Nando’s restaurants in the city, adding, “The first time I tried the Peri-peri chicken at Nando’s in London, I was hooked onto it and one of my cousins mentioned about the franchise. I have taken the franchise licence for Karnataka state.”
Recalling a recent trip to London, Vikram adds, “I love Nobu for its interesting Japanese cuisine. Whenever I like a dish, I always try and have a word with the chefs to get an idea on whatever goes into making it. I’m always exploring more options of world cuisine, with plans to bringing in more international chains to India. I also love Prosecco and have also tried a lot of exotic range of cognacs from Venezuela. Another of my favourites is Frangelico. I take my golf breaks whenever I can. We had gone to take part in the golf tournament at the 107 year old Belur golf club. I have also taken golf holidays in Colombo and South Africa.”
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Offbeat / DC / by Namita Gupta / November 28th, 2013
Innovation has been the watchword for coffee brand Barista Lavazza, and this is highlighted in Amore, an art-themed menu for India. The menu pairs food and coffee, and the selections are presented using pop art. The company regularly does thematic menu launches. Last year it tied up with fashion designer Rina Dhaka to launch Milano Collezioni, a fashion-inspired menu. The art work for Amore was done by Arrested by Art, a Delhi-based art boutique. And, Barista Lavazza is not the only coffee outlet that is introducing new concepts and innovation to woo Indian customers, particularly the youth.
Tata Starbucks recently launched the India Estates blend, an addition to its Indian Espresso Roast blend. Sourced and roasted in India, this blend is part of the company’s strategy to deliver locally relevant experiences to its customers. The company recently introduced Pumpkin Spice Latte, a Starbucks classic. And, to complete the experience, it is offering a wide range of merchandise, including a mug designed specifically for India. Internationally, Starbucks’s country and city mug series is quite popular.
Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) introduced Friends of Frappe, a new menu comprising beverage and bite-sized snacks focused on the Indian market. The special menu offers Bestie Combos, which pairs a snack and beverage like Amore does.
With coffee culture becoming popular in the country, the number of cafes has been growing fast. At least 200 outlets have been opening every year, for the past five years. The market is estimated to be worth Rs.1,000 crore, and growing at around 15-20 per cent annually. It is said that India can take another 2,000 cafes in the near future.
Santhosh Unni, CEO, Costa Coffee India, said coffee shops “have become the favoured hang-out zone for the youth and the preferred meeting place for a wide profile of people”. “It highlights not just a shift in taste, but a cultural shift as well, where young, affluent Indians are more interested in global trends than ever before,” he said. “The increase in disposable income and shifting lifestyle preferences are the key drivers of the growth being witnessed in the Indian coffee market.”
Traditionally, India is tea-drinking, with the coffee to tea ratio being 1:7. India consumes only 80gm of coffee per capita, as against six kilo per capita in Italy. The current boom in India is coming from two distinct trends—middle-class consumption and out-of-home consumption.
“Consumer acceptance is actually driving the growth in consumption, as well as the café culture,” said Nilanjan Bhattacharya, COO (India and SAARC), Barista Lavazza. “Globalisation, expanding base of the middle class, rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyle patterns, coupled with exposure to international trends through films, advertising, youth community sites and personal blogs are all factors which are driving this trend and the shift in consumption patterns.”
Tata Starbucks sees a huge opportunity in sourcing and roasting local premium Arabica coffees for international consumption. Tata Coffee ensures that the coffee supplied to Tata Starbucks is 100 per cent locally sourced and roasted. Tata Starbucks is a joint venture of Starbucks Corporation and Tata Global Beverages.
All the major players in the Indian cafe market are trying to maximise the customer’s experience in the cafe. CCD has around 30 outlets uniquely designed to hook the youth. The company is active on social media, using the platform to gather feedback from customers. It also holds coffee-tasting sessions for customers.
Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks, said the “Starbucks Experience” is built on three basics: “our products, our places and our people”. “Our offerings, in-store experience, and store design reflect the community gathering place that Starbucks is known for,” she said. “Customers come for coffee, stay for the inviting warmth and return for the very human connection.”
K. Ramakrishnan, president (marketing), CCD, said the company had coffee plantation trails at its resort—The Serai in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. Tata Coffee, too, is popularising coffee plantation trails at some of its exquisite estate bungalows in Karnataka.
Costa Coffee launched Costa Laughaccino, a stand-up comedy series by leading artists from India and the US. They also organised Costa Rhythm and Brew, where the likes of Leslie Lewis, Rabbi Shergill, Indus Creed and Indian Idols performed at Costa cafes.
Barista Lavazza reached out to the customer with its Click-a-Coffee photography contest. The best 100 photographs chosen by ace photographer Pradeep Dasgupta will be brought out as a coffee table book. The company also has Friendship Jam, an event for music lovers and amateur bands. The company has been hosting Penguin book launches. The first book to be released was Shobhaa De’s Sethji. Barista Lavazza also brought out a new coffee, named after the book’s title character, for the launch. During the launch De tweeted: “Sethji coffee—go for it guys. It’s seriously yummmmm. Even the book reads better after a mug or two of the brew….”
Visibility, too, is top on the list for the cafe chains. “We have established our outlets at different locations such as places of tourist interest and hill stations to catch the attention of the customers,” said Ramakrishnan. “CCD has outlets all over, from religious places such as Vaishno Devi, Haridwar and Rishikesh to places near Metro stations in Delhi. We also have outlets in Austria and the Czech Republic.”
And, the coffee boom is good news not just for the well-heeled. Costa Coffee’s special HR initiative provides employment to the physically challenged, including the hearing-impaired. The company invests in special training for these employees. Store managers, shift managers and many in the senior management are schooled in sign language to ensure better coordination with the special employees. Currently, 15 per cent of Costa Coffee employees are special, and the company plans to raise it to 25 per cent by the end of next year.
EXPANSION PLANS
Cafe Coffee Day: First cafe at Brigade Road, Bangalore, in 1996. More than 1,500 cafes today. Target: 2,000 cafes by 2015.
Tata Starbucks: Born in October 2012. Has 25 cafes across Mumbai, Delhi and Pune. Probable next stop: Bangalore. Also looking at Tier-II cities.
Costa Coffee: Came to India in 2005. 100th store opened at Carter Road, Mumbai. Target: 300 cafes by 2015. Recent cafes: Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Agra and Jaipur. Coming soon: Hyderabad. Looking closely at Tier-II & Tier-III cities.
Barista Lavazza: First store at Basant Lok, New Delhi, in February 2000. Aiming at Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Recent cafes: Patiala, Surat, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Nagpur.
source: http://www.week.manoramaonline.com / The Week / Home> Business / by Abhinav Singh / Monday – November 25th, 2013
Leading bourse National Stock Exchange (NSE) today gave its approval to merger of Alliance Coffee with its listed parent firm Tata Coffee saying the amalgamation does not violate provisions of securities law.
Tata Coffee in September had announced that its board has approved the merger of Alliance Coffee with itself, consequent to which the draft scheme of amalgamation was filed with stock exchanges for necessary approval.
In a communication to Tata Coffee, NSE said it is granting its ‘no-objection approval’ to the proposed scheme and this observation letter will be valid for six months starting today, within which period the company would have to file the scheme with the High Court for further clearance.
Another bourse, BSE granted its no-objection to the scheme on November 21.
NSE also said that Sebi’s observations on the scheme requires Tata Coffee to display ‘fairness opinion’ submitted by it on the website of listed firm.
“We have perused ‘draft scheme of arrangement’ and related documents submitted by Tata Coffee including the confirmation of the company secretary that the scheme so submitted does not in any way violate, over-ride or circumscribe the provisions of securities laws or stock exchange requirements,” NSE said.
“Accordingly, we do hereby convey our ‘no-objection’ with limited reference to those matters having a bearing on listing /delisting/ continuous listing requirements within the provisions of the Listing Agreement, so as to enable the company to file the scheme with the High Court,” it added.
According to norms, companies seeking to execute merger or de-merger strategies need to obtain ‘no-objection certificate’ from stock exchanges.
source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Markets> Commodities> Exchanges / by PTI / November 25th, 2013
The Coffee Board will take up growing coffee, on a pilot basis, in Darjeeling, where it has found some areas to be good for coffee cultivation.
The Board will grow coffee in an area of 500 hectares, and is in discussions with the West Bengal government for this.
“Darjeeling is a very suitable area for coffee,” Board Chairman Jawaid Akhtar told BUSINESS TODAY. The Board’s survey last year has also found a few pockets of Himachal Pradesh suitable for growing coffee.
The areas under coffee cultivation were expanding with about 3500-4000 hectares coming under coffee in Andhra Pradesh every year. “We have also identified some new places in the traditional areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu for expanding coffee,” Akhtar said.
The Board, meanwhile, is building capacity in the Indian coffee industry to ensure the coffee beans exported into the European market met the highest standards for the espresso coffee.
“Most of our coffee goes to Italy, where more than 90 per cent of people drink Espresso. Hence, we are educating the coffee community on the finer aspects from harvesting to processing so that our beans are of the highest standards and buyers overseas are satisfied,” Akhtar said.
In the global markets, he said, the Board was positioning Indian coffee a high quality coffee grown in sustainable environment. The coffee grown in Western Ghats was of superior quality as the beans from this region have a distinct aroma and taste. He appealed to coffee growers in this region not to shift from Arabica to Robusta to overcome short-term hardships.
“India grows both Arabica and Robusta, and our Robusta gets 40 per cent premium over the average international price for Robusta. If we grow only Robusta, this premium will be hurt.”
The planters, Akhtar said, were growing coffee under tough conditions, and he appealed to them to follow the best practices as recommended by the Coffee Board. Instead of looking at only coffee for income, they should also grow fruits and spices, and maximise the estate income.
The post blossom forecast for 2013-14 had estimated coffee production to be at 3.47 lakh tonnes. However, the production in the ensuing harvest season is likely to drop by about 10 per cent due to drought in March-April followed by heavy rains from May to August.
The Coffee Board, meanwhile, is also pushing for increase in domestic consumption which is about one lakh tonnes now.
(*The headline of an earlier version of this story was changed to better reflect the copy.)
source: http://www.businesstoday.intoday.com / Business Today / Home> Sectors> Agriculture> Story / by K.R. Balasubramanyam / Bangalore – November 23rd, 2013
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