Food & Beverage Business Review (Aug-Sep 2014)

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Business Co-ordinator Pooja Anand Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 91-11-25854105 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Ph.: 022-28395833 Telefax: 022-28388947

Website: www.fbrmag.com E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net © 2014 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Age of Enlightenment Publications, Green Fields Colony, Faridabad, Haryana.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

The cocktails are gaining currency among the urban Indian consumers, in the alcoholic beverages segment. Not only many whisky drinkers in India are becoming cocktail connoisseurs, but their tastes of cocktails are also becoming more adventurous and creative than they were before. This has of course, opened a floodgate of creativity for the bartenders and mixologists. The classic cocktails are still having their popularity but at the same time many innovative new-age cocktail concoctions are crowding the bar across urban India.

Coming up with a unique base or mixing up two or more bases to arrive at amazingly heady beverages is also a happening trend in the Indian cocktail circuit. In the Cover Story, we have attempted to gauge the various cocktail trends which are happening in the alcoholic beverages segment of the Indian food & beverage industry, which may interest many food service professionals.

The appreciable growth in the disposable incomes of urban India since the last decade-and-a-half, the growing numbers of working couples and nuclear families with very little time to prepare food at homes, sustained exposure to globalised F&B trends, and the spearheading of retail revolution where food and grocery retail has been playing a significant role, have all contributed to the impressive growth of the Indian food processing industry.

Besides these factors which contribute to the potential of food processing sector in India the fact that an average Indian spends a significant proportion of his income on food is another of the main reasons behind the huge potential of food processing sector in the country.

Moreover, India’s dynamic agro-climatic conditions give the food processing industry of India a large and diverse raw material base, which can propel the industry’s growth to great heights if explored intelligently.

In fact, the growing demand for ready-to-eat food in the Indian society is directly proportional to the growth of the food processing industry. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to regard the food processing industry as a sunrise industry of India. The food processing sector can play a crucial role in the upcoming second green revolution in India.

Its impressive present is complemented by its promising potential.

The industry can garner impressive foreign investment and its export potential is also awesome. The bright present and potential of the food processing industry in the country is showcased through our Business Story.

An intelligent tie-up between two important food service players to launch a premium brand of sweets, which at the initial phase would be targeted in the Delhi-NCR market only; the factors needed to be considered for building a successful bakery enterprise; exploration of the sumptuous varieties of Maharashtrian cuisine are only some of the other relevant topics presented between the covers of this issue.

Editorial Policy: Editorial emphasis in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing institutional food & beverage business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’14

Contents

Cover Story

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Departments

The Cocktail Trends

Business

38 The Promising Scenario of Food Processing

Feature

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Biting into the Burger

Processed Food

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Event

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News

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Report

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Focus

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Ingredient

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Restaurant Review

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Chef Voice

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Profile

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Product Preview

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Signature With a Sweet Script

Agri

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It is Not a Nut

Bakery

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For Building a Bakery Enterprise

Theme Cuisine Cover Pix Courtesy: Ocean Glassware

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Sumptuous Varieties of Maharashtrian Cuisine

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Business Opportunity 71 Interview

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SIAL 2014

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IAL - The world’s largest food exhibition will take place in Paris, from 19 to 23 October 2014. In its 50th year, massive participation from more than 6,000 businesses from around the world, more than 150,000 expected visitors from distribution, catering and the agribusiness industry having an opportunity to discover more than 400,000 products, most certainly consolidates SIAL Paris as the world crossroads of the sector.

SIAL is a broad-based exhibition with a fully exhaustive food product offering. As a multi-specialist exhibition, it brings all the food channels together under one roof, in 20 clearly identified sectors. SIAL offers a comprehensive view of the food industry: from manufacturing process and ingredients right through to the finished product. By bringing together equipment & technologies with food products, SIAL becomes a unifying event for the food processing industries.

With its focus on Food Retail & Trade, Food Manufacturing and Food Service, SIAL offers comprehensive business and product sourcing platform for professionals in Food business across world.

Inspiration, Meetings and Business: these are the hallmarks of the SIAL event. Inspiration because by plunging into this intercultural frenzy and participating in conferences, visitors have a unique opportunity to “feed on” the latest trends and global innovations. Meetings because all of the world players will be at this fair in order to exchange and lay the foundations for an international network.

Business - because SIAL is above all an export platform, offering producers and buyers the chance to meet as per their needs.

According to Chantal de Lamotte, SIAL GROUP Deputy Commercial Director, “with 96% of the 6,000 exhibitors confirmed their attendance in mid-July is another indication of excellent state of affairs,

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19 - 23 October 2014, The Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord, Villepinte, France the exhibition area is expanding, given that for the first time this year, SIAL PARIS will be occupying all of the halls at the Exhibition Parc in Paris Nord Villepinte. But this fiftieth anniversary will also provide the opportunity to revisit the fair’s long history. An extraordinary lever for developing the French agribusiness industry, which continues to be a powerful industry, creating jobs, SIAL has, from the outset, always had a leading role in major European issues. Its creation, in 1964, coincides with the birth of the common agricultural market. Today, SIAL’s catchment area goes far beyond the borders of France and Europe, with a presence on almost every continent: in North America, in South America, in The Middle East and in Asia. It is, therefore, this knowledge of international markets, local specificities and the development of consumption patterns, which, I think, constitute one of the key factors to SIAL’s success.”

“Today, one of the key international issues is to know where the product comes from, how to safeguard traceability and to prevent food crises. This is one of the reasons why we were keen to give raw produce a greater role in our 2014 event, particularly fruit and vegetables which will feature in a large number of the scheduled activities”, she further added.

“Equipment, Technology and Services” sector, which used to be a separate fair, is now an integral part of SIAL. This is a real opening, in terms of B to B business contacts and opportunities, making it possible to better link equipment and technological developments closely related to the agribusiness market. SIAL, therefore, covers the whole sector: from the process to the finished product.

Now more than ever SIAL PARIS represents an extraordinary business and product sourcing opportunity. In 5 days, thousands of discoveries are going to be presented to visitors.

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WORLD TOUR by SIAL 2014 Makes the Rounds of the World of the Food Trade SIAL Paris marks 50 years of being on top of the trends of tomorrow. Trends in consumption and retail, the ‘World Tour by SIAL’ is the new must-see event from 19 to 23 October in Paris-Nord Villepinte. In partnership with 28 professional magazines* from around the world, World Tour takes a look at what is happening in the food trade in 28 countries. The drive, the price war, the valorization of market areas, smartshopping, hard discount, at the end of its era? Globalisation of trade, the Amazon Fresh phenomenon. A preview interpretation and analysis of the 7 major retail trends which are shaping the food trade today!

In its strategy to conquer the world, Amazon could not turn a blind eye to the food trade. To date the American group is carrying out three trials in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Amazon sets itself apart by combining seemingly unlikely offers (before delivering to the customer): groceries and industrial fresh produce on the one hand, but also locally produced or specialised produce from restaurants, top of the range artisans or wine merchants.

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The drive: an e-commerce version of food

The first drive was held in 2004 in France at Marcq-en-Baroeul, close to Lille. Nowadays the concept is developing quickly, there are almost 3,000 drives in France which generated in the region of 5 billion euros in turnover in 2014.

For consumers the interest is two-fold: the prices are the same as those instore and you no longer have to physically go to the shops to do your shopping. Other countries have seen this trend and the drives are starting to happen here too.

In the United States, Walmart launched an experiment at the beginning of the year with 11 sites in Denver, which has since caught on in 30 shops. In France, the brand Leclerc is the leader of this market with 500 sites and 1.5 billion euros in turnover in 2013.

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The valorisation of market areas

With the increasing importance of drives and e-commerce, brands are beginning to re-assess the in-store shopping experience.

Their aim is to, once again, encourage consumers to visit shops. The market area (fruit & vegetables, bakery, butcher’s etc.) is the route most often chosen.

New presentation techniques and new human skills are favoured and the products are carefully selected. In Toronto, the brand Longos, a local, independent chain, over-values the in-store market area.

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Price war: the competition between brands is intensifying

The level of competition in the large world retail markets is currently at its highest under the twin effect of the stagnation of consumption and the constant opening of new commercial spaces. The consequence: in order to attract increasingly “price-sensitive” customers, brands are competing strongly against each other; i.e. price comparisons.

In France, all of the brands currently have their methods.

In England, Tesco, for example, promises its customers an automatic refund of the price difference. While in the United States and Canada, price comparison in shops is also becoming common currency.

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“Smartshopping”

The smartphone has become an indispensable item for consumers. It can search for the information (including offers), receive it, interact with the brand and even substitute the selfcheckout terminals. As part of World Tour, Carrefour and Walmart are going to try out new experiments relating to this, with on-site photography.

Using his mobile phone and NFC technology, the client can receive the full description of the in-store product.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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What is the World Tour?

A unique idea to the world

Hard-discount: at the end of its era?

The competitive situation of the hard discount varies depending on the country. In France, for example, the hard-discount has been declining for 4 years.

And so, in the spring Spain’s Dia network was put up for sale. Lidl has changed its design to the point where the hard-discount, in the historical sense, is nothing but a distant memory: National brands in the product range, bread baked on-site, theatrical staging of the perfume displays, wine cellars, etc.

In Germany, pioneering country of the hard-discount, in the wake of Lidl, Aldi is following the hard-discount activity in an increasingly ‘soft’ manner. Shops are more appealing, with a greater selection, brands... By contrast, in some countries, the harddiscount is still trying to make a breakthrough, especially in England and in Ireland.

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The globalisation of trade

Retail is more global than ever. All of the major brands are operating on several continents.

Walmart, Tesco, Carrefour, Auchan and Casino are present in America, Europe and Asia. Next target: Africa.

Walmart has understood and is already a key player in South Africa, ready to boost the continent. One of the most globalised retailers: Auchan. The group makes 60% of its turnover outside its home market, France.

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Amazon Fresh: the new giant of the food trade?

In its strategy to conquer the world, Amazon could not turn a blind eye to the food trade. To date the American group is carrying out three trials in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Amazon sets itself apart by combining seemingly unlikely offers (before delivering to the customer): groceries and industrial fresh produce on the one hand, but also locally produced or specialised produce from restaurants, top of the range artisans or wine merchants.

Aug-Sept ’14

In its new 2014 edition, SIAL presents WORLD TOUR: a window to the world of the food trade. 28 journalists from around the world*, co-ordinated by teams from SIAL, share their views and analyses of the markets in 28 global countries!

Their aim: to reveal and explain the major retail and consumption trends which are shaping the different world markets. From Australia to Canada, from Brazil to Russia, the United States, India and even China...

World Tour is a window to the world of retail and consumption trends on a global level!

World Tour brings this together on an exhibition area of over 500m2, with in-store photographs and even outlooks available to visitors in the supporting document in order to ensure a better understanding of these findings.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

• Sergio Otero (Actualidad En Supermarcados, Argentina) • Lorna Gloria (Retail World Magazine, Australia) • Stefan Pirker (Cash, Austria) • Christophe Sancy (Gondola, Belgium) • Marlucy Lukianocenko (Superhiper, Brazil) • George Condon (Canadian Grocer, Canada) • Yang Shu (China Food Newspaper, China) • Petr Hribal (Zbozi&Prodej, Czech Republic) • Florence Bray (LSA, France) • Linda Schuppan (Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel, Germany) • Margarita Michelakou (Trofima Kai Pota, Greece) • Zsuzsanna Hermann (Trade Magazin, Hungary) • Rajneesh Sharma (Food & Beverage, India) • Stefenn Wyne-Jones (Checkout, Ireland) • Arik Yanai (Kupa Roshemet, Israel) • Leonardo Rastelli (Largo Consumo, Italy) • Tetsuya Motohasi (Shokuhin Shogyo, Japan) • Herman Te Pas (Food Magazine, Netherlands) • Tania Walters-Mitchel (Supermarket News, New Zealand) • Einar Ingvoldstad (Dagligvarehandelen, Norway) • Barbara Mikusinska-Ozdobinska (Handel, Poland) • Filipe Gil (Distribuicao Hoje, Portugal) • Inga Lobzhanidze (Moye Delo Magazin, Russia) • Gillian Hyslop (Food Review, South Africa) • Jaime De Haro Requena (Distribucion Actualidad, Spain) • Ayse Dincer (Dunya Gida, Turkey) • Vince Bamford (The Grocer, United Kingdom) • Elisabeth Hatt (Grocery Headquarters, United States of 7 America)

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E V E N T S’ C A L E N D E R

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Restaurant & Bar 2-4 September2014 Hongkong Convention & Exhibition Centre Hongkong www.restaurantandbarhk.com

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Foodworld India (FWI)

India F&B Pro + Hospitality Expo 2014 12-14 September 2014 Expo Centre, Panaji, Goa www.trinityworld.biz Light India 18-21 September 2014 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.light-india.in Annapoorna World of Foods India - 2014 24-26 September 2014 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com Fi and Hi India 2014 29 September - 1 October 2014 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregoan East, Mumbai www.foodingredientsglobal.com/india/home SIAL Paris 19-23 October 2014 Paris Nord Ville Pinte, Paris www.sial.fr International Foodtech India 2014 14-16 November 2014 Hall 1, Bombay Exhibitioon Centre, NSE, Mumbai www.foodtecindia.com Equip Hotel Paris 16-20 November 2014 Porte De Versailles, France www.equiphotel.com

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

FHRAI 49th Convention 12-14 September 2014 Jaipur Marriott Hotel, Jaipur www.fhrai.com

Sigep 2015 17-21 January 2015 Remini Fiera, Italy www.en.sigep.it

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With the objective of bringing the global food business community together and collaborate, FICCI has been organizing Foodworld India (FWI) since 2005. FWI - the global convention for food business and industry is organized concurrently with Annapoorna World of Food India exhibition every year in Mumbai. Since its inception, this conference has been receiving encouraging support from stakeholders including all major food sectors corporate, government officials, visionaries, international experts and researchers. Eminent speakers from across the globe have shared their knowledge and expertise during this conference.

This year FWI will happen on September 24-25, 2014 at ‘The Leela’, Mumbai. The theme of FWI is ‘Growth Imperative for Food Processing Industry - The Way Forward!’ On the occasion FICCI & AT Kearney shall release knowledge report on ”Indian Food Processing Industry: Keeping Pace with Evolving Consumer Needs”. The study will put light on how the consumer behavior and their needs are changing and hence identify implications for the overall industry and the government.

The event is being supported by Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. The conference will be inaugurated & addressed by Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hon’ble Minister for Food Processing Industry.

Food & Hotel Thailand 2014 10-13 September 2014 Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) Bangkok, Thailand www.foodhotelthailand.com

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With its parallel event International Food Service India, India’s unique food Service show for catering and retail technology, Annapoorna – World of Food gives both visitors and exhibitors the synergies of being part of a trade fair duo. The annual growth rate of 2530% of the Indian fast food sector for instance indicates that the food service technology becomes more and more important. Foreign and domestic fast food chains are preparing for massive expansion across the country.

Asiafruit Logistica 3-5 September 2014 AsiaWorld-Expo, Hongkong www.asiafruitlogistica.com

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International FoodService India

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over India will be invited to showcase their skills.

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Annapoorna World of food India 2014 will have host the parallel events: New Trends in the food and Beverage Market A high level conference focusing on the latest trends and developments in the F & B market. Eminent speakers from across the globe are expected to share their knowledge and experience Live Cooking A series of live cooking session will be organized during the exhibition days. Highly reputed chefs from all

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Not just a Trade Fair

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The 9 edition of Annapoorna – World of Food India will be held from 24th -26th September 2014 at Hall no. 5 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India. The event is an extraordinary B2B platform for the Indian food & beverage market , organized by Koelnmesse YA Trade Fair Pvt. Ltd. and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Annapoorna – World of Food India has successfully benchmarked itself as “the most important international trade fair for food and beverage trade” in India and its neighboring countries.

High quality trade visitors from India and abroad attend the show every year.

Annapoorna World of Food India is a unique platform for Food & Beverage Trade, witnessed by who’s who of the industry. The show offers latest in Food, Beverage and allied suppliers from around the world. Last year the show received 6334 trade visitors comprising of leading food and beverage retailers and importers from India and the neighboring countries, important government officials and international trade delegations. The exhibits were presented by 177 companies from 16 countries including the country pavilions from: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Korea and USA. With this success, Annapoorna World of Food India has once again proved its importance for the food and beverage trade in the Indian subcontinent.

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September 24-26, 2014, Hall No. 5 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

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Annapoorna World of Food

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EVENT

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EVENT

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In a clear sign of Asia’s growing importance as a market for the global fresh fruit and vegetable business, most exhibiting nations invested in upgrading or expanding their stands at this year’s show. Some 19 different countries had national pavilions, while Costa Rica, Poland and Saudi Arabia all exhibited for the first time at Asia Fruit Logistica.

The week of fresh produce activities in Hong Kong kicked off with Asiafruit Congress, the region’s premier conference and networking event.

Taking place on 2 September, the day before Asia Fruit Logistica, the full-day conference attracted more than 400 industry decision makers from 33 different countries. Headlining the conference this year was a highpowered panel discussion on the role of brands in Asia’s fresh produce business.

The Asiafruit Congress concluded with the presentation of the Asia Fruit Awards, which were created by Asiafruit Magazine and Asia Fruit Logistica to celebrate excellence in Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business.

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stand space grew by 25 per cent.

Asia once again accounted for the largest percentage of exhibitors on a regional basis, with 12 different Asian countries making up 34 per cent of the exhibitor numbers. Europe retained its share of exhibitor numbers at 25 per cent, while Latin America increased its presence to 15 per cent. Oceania (11 per cent), Africa (8 per cent) and North America (7 per cent) completed the global picture.

China remained the single largest country in terms of exhibitor numbers, with 94 companies exhibiting, while Italy held onto second place with 39 companies. Australia surged into third place with 34 exhibitors, marking a 54 per cent increase on last year, and Egypt also ramped up its presence, moving up into fourth place with 31 exhibitors (up 47 per cent). The US retained its position in the top five with 30 exhibitors.

Latin American exporting nations Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico, along with Spain, all registered increases in exhibitor numbers of more than 60 per cent, while other big movers included New Zealand (+100 per cent), Japan (+75 per cent), Turkey (+50 per cent), The Netherlands (+40 per cent) and India (+40 per cent).

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ore than 8,100 trade visitors from 64 different countries attended Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress at Hong Kong’s Asia World-Expo Center during September 3 - 5, 2014. The record visitor numbers marked a 24 per cent growth on last year’s attendance at Asia’s leading fresh fruit and vegetable trade show, but again it was the quality of the visitors that defined the success of the event.

Senior buyers and executives from leading food retailers were out in force at Asia Fruit Logistica. One of them was Sumit Saran, head of international foods for Indian retail giant Future Group. “It’s not just the quality of the people you meet at Asia Fruit Logistica that makes this show so special, it’s the quality of the time you get in those meetings,” said Saran. “It enables you to really do business and plan programmes.”

Other major retailers represented among the visitors included Aeon (Japan and Malaysia), Carrefour (China), Central Food Retail (Thailand), CR Vanguard (China), Cold Storage (Singapore), Dairy Farm/Wellcome (Hong Kong), GCH Retail (Malaysia), Lotte Mart (South Korea), Metro Group (China), NTUC Fairprice (Singapore), ParknShop (Hong Kong), Ranch Market (Indonesia), RT Mart (China), Spinneys (Dubai), Tesco Group Food (China & Thailand), The Food Hall (Indonesia), Walmart (China and India) and Yonghui Superstores (China).

Visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica found an exhibition that had grown by almost a third. Some 478 companies from 38 different countries exhibited at the trade fair, an increase of 28 per cent on last year’s edition, while bookings for

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Asia’s Fresh Produce Hub Enjoys Growth Surge

For further information: www.asiafruitlogistica.com

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NEWS SCAN

Striving for Best of Convenience and Health Best Foods has recently launched well designed mono carton packs of 500 gm and I kg for brown rice, which are easy to carry and store. This attractive mono carton pack is ideal for people who do not wish to buy rice in bulk or large quantities, which can be a convenient choice for many consumers.

Priced at Rs. 150 onwards for a kilogram, Best brown basmati rice is available in over 100 retail outlets in Delhi-NCR & other key cities across the country and also in Best Foods’ health and wellness outlets at strategic points in Delhi and NCR. Here it deserves a mention that Best Foods is a highly penetrated brand, having presence in more than 2000 modern retail format (MRF) outlets spread across India, in more than 200 cities. Besides that the company’s products have presence in 36 exclusive stand-alone stores across Delhi/NCR. Best Foods is an integrated player of rice, health and wellness products and recently ventured into the ready to eat meals and ready to cook foods segment.

Speaking at the launch Dr. Aayushman Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Best Foods Ltd., said “Today’s customers look for convenience and to cater to their needs, we at Best Foods are launching mono carton packs for brown rice which are convenient to carry and use.”

High in manganese and anti-oxidants, brown rice is widely recognised as a healthy choice, especially for its high fiber and weight loss benefits. Best Foods Limited, an important basmati rice exporter in India, offers fine basmati brown rice of sourced straight from the foothills of Himalayas. “Doctors, nutritionists and dieticians are increasingly recommending brown rice as an excellent source of all-round nutrition and we at Best Foods too want to promote the consumption of this healthy whole grain,” pointed out Gupta. ○

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Lavazza Spa Sells Barista Coffee to Carnation Hospitality Italy’s Lavazza Spa has sold its struggling coffee café chain Barista Coffee to New Delhi-based Carnation Hospitality for Rs.100 crore. Here it deserves a mention that Carnation is a unit of Haryana-based packaging company named Rollatainers, which has entered the food business segment in early 2014 by acquiring two restaurant chains. It is also introducing Jamie’s Italian Restaurants to the country through a franchise arrangement.

Lavazza Spa has recently announced that this decision is in accordance with its global business guidelines to not directly operate coffee outlets.

However, according to the CEO of Lavazza, Antonio Baravalle, the company would continue providing Lavazza coffee to Barista.

Baravalle also said that Lavazza would continue to develop its presence in India through away from home business and through the investments in the Sri City plant near Chennai. The plant near Chennai is till now the only production facility of Lavazza outside Italy.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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NEWS SCAN

Natural to Enter the National Capital Natural ice-cream from Mumbai is entering the Delhi market this Diwali.

Established in 1984, in Mumbai, Natural ice cream has been an important player in making artisan ice creams using only fruits, dry fruits, chocolates, milk and sugar. The icecreams of Natural do not contain preservatives and stabilsers.

In fact, the love of Delhites for Natural ice cream is well-known. During the wedding season, more than 2500 scoops of Natural ice-cream, on an average, are flown to the capital on a daily basis. Presently, Natural sells

approximately 1.4 lakh scoops on a daily basis, across six states of the country. Today there are 116 stores of Natural ice cream, while in 2012 the store count of the chain was only 50.

Inbisco India Comes with JoyMee Inbisco India Pvt. Ltd., which happens to be a subsidiary of Inbisco — an Indonesian food products company—has entered the fast growing Indian instant noodles market with the launch of JyoMee instant noodles. Presently, the instant noodles market size in India is estimated to be Rs.3000 crore. This instant noodle is made from wheat flour. The company has chalked out a strategy to make its noodles attractive to not just the kids but also to youngsters for whom instant noodles was part of the growing up.

JoyMee noodles come with crunchy onion toppings known as yummion. It will initially be sold in the southern India through company’s existing distribution network. This distribution network is already engaged in selling the company’s other confectionery products like its candy named KOPIKO, its chocolate paste named choki choki and its chocolate wafers named beng-beng, among others. JoyMee noodles is expected to have a pan-India presence by the next year. Inbisco India plans to introduce more flavours and variants in the noodles segment, in the ensuing months.

After this product is rolled out nationally, the company will come up with other food products. It is also making plans to foray into the premium biscuits segment during this year’s festive season. The company has already invested Rs.200 crore for its manufacturing plants in Hyderabad, and at Sanand in Gujarat. The factory in Gujarat is expected to start production soon. ○

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The National Selection for World Chocolate Masters The India’s national selection of the World Chocolate Masters, the premium international competition solely dedicated to the art of chocolates, will take place at the Chocolate Academy & World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, India. On the 24th & 25th of September 2014, chocolate talents from all over India will compete to be awarded the coveted title of ‘National Chocolate Master’, before having the chance to represent their country at the 2015 grand international final.

The organisers of this event, the leading gourmet chocolate brand Cacao Barry® with the support of Callebaut® and Carma®, are seeking potential contestants who would like the opportunity to challenge themselves against the best chocolate professionals in the world. ‘Inspiration from Nature’ is the new theme for both national selections and international final that is set to inspire the participants.

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Cutty Sark to Reach India Kyndal Group, which is an alcobev company of India in the premium spirits segment and Edrington, Scotland’s premier producer and distributor of global spirits brands, has announced a 50:50 joint venture, which is named Edrington Kyndal India Pvt. Ltd., with the objective to bottle, market and distribute Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky in the Indian market.

For the first in the brand’s history, Cutty Sark will be bottled outside of Scotland. Here it deserves a mention that Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky was launched in 1923 and was acquired by Edrington in 2010. Presently, Cutty Sark is available in over 50 markets across the globe.

Glen Gribbon, Director of Blends for Edrington, David Pattison, Edrington’s Area Director for India, and Siddharth Banerji - Managing Director, Kyndal Group were in Delhi at The Taj Mahal Hotel to announce the partnership. The partnership will establish a fully integrated supply chain for Cutty Sark in the Indian market.

Speaking at the launch, Siddharth Banerji, Managing Director, Kyndal Group said, “It is an exciting time for us and our brand portfolio. We are delighted to be associated with a brand like Cutty Sark, which has a great history and story behind it. Our joint venture with Edrington will bring this outstanding premium brand to the Indian shores.”

Glen Gribbon, Director of Blends for Edrington said, “The market for Scotch whisky is growing internationally. We believe that Edrington’s expertise in premium spirits, combined with Kyndal’s strong distribution, creates a great opportunity to make Cutty Sark more accessible to premium consumers in the dynamic and growing Indian market.”

“Cutty Sark is a blend of the best grain whisky and finest malts in the world such as The Macallan and Highland Park. This blend will be imported in bulk from Scotland and Kyndal will use its best-in-class bottling facility at Gemini Distilleries in Goa to bottle, pack and market Cutty Sark. This will ensure that the Indian consumers get access to the original Cutty Sark in an exciting new pack,” Banerji added.

The whisky will be available across retail outlets in the key markets of Goa, Delhi, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Puducherry, Orissa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, from October onwards. It will be available in SKUs of 180ml, 375ml, 750ml and 1litre. ○

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Sip Fresh Beer at Brewer Street Brewer Street, a microbrewery cum fine dining restaurant, emerged as part of Gurgaon’s highly cosmopolitan F&B landscape on 1st August 2014.

The launch was marked by live performance by renowned singers and songwriters, Hari and Sukhmani. The fine dining outlet can provide fresh beer to its guests, from its brewery. Brewer Street has a wide variety of beers for the guests to indulge in, after a hard day at work. This is complemented by global cuisine whose highlights are the mouth-watering snacks. Brewer Street also offers sumptuous Sunday Brunch at affordable rates. Brewer Street launched a gender-friendly promotion named Diva’s Night in the end August, where the ladies can get free drinks from 5 to 11.30 pm.

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NEWS SCAN

Fever-Tree Plants Roots in India Fever-Tree, the globally renowned and premium natural mixers brand from the UK, has forayed into the Indian market in the recent past. Having a global presence, Fever-Tree now has a range of 14 natural mixers in its ambit. Launched in 2005, Fever-Tree Tonic is blended with natural cane sugar, soft spring water and is perfectly balanced to compliment the growing number of premium spirits available on the market. This is the first venture of the company in the subcontinent.

India is the 50th market for the brand FeverTree.

Prodeb Introduces State-of-theArt Microbrewery Equipments in India Prodeb Brewery India, a unit of Chennai-based Shivsu Canadian Clear International Limited in collaboration with a Belgium-based company, has launched the next generation microbrewery solutions, which are backed by an impressive service network.

These microbreweries are most suited for the manufacture of craft and artisanal beers for brew pubs and stand-alone microbreweries; wherever local excise laws permit.

Speaking on the occasion, Sathish Kumar, President, Prodeb Brewery India, said “The market for craft beers is at a nascent stage in India. While we offer state-of-the-art equipment built on Belgian technology to prospective brew pubs and microbrewery entrepreneurs, we would also ○

“We are delighted to bring premium quality, full flavoured Indian Tonic Water back to the birthplace of the gin and tonic.

In 1820, the Malaria-plagued British Army in India inadvertently created the cocktail by mixing their regular dose of quinine with sugar, water and local fruits and of course their daily ration of gin. We have been championing the gin and tonic boom across Europe over the past years and will now, almost two hundred years later, return an all-natural premium tonic water back to its spiritual home,” said Tim Warrillow, one of the Founders of this globally renowned brand.

“India is now one of the five largest gin markets in the world and will provide us with a long-term platform for growth.

Traditionally a whisky market, white spirits have grown in the region during the recent years and we hope to capitalise on the popularity of western drinking habits in bars, restaurants and hotels in India,” proffered Charles Rolls, another Founder of Fever-Tree.

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offer training to brew beer with beer recipes from Belgium, along with training and consultation to establish brew pubs and micro- breweries in India.”

“With over four decades of providing the best custom made process industries solutions, we guarantee the client high efficiency and consistent quality in the beer produced from our equipment,” he added.

Here it deserves a mention that Prodeb has wide range of models for the microbrewery segment, as well as for mid-size and large scale breweries.

Prodeb Brewery India has been exporting brewery equipment and has manufacturing facility in India to produce advanced brewery equipment; combining the knowledge of traditional beer making with cuttingedge technology. ○

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Burger King has Ambitious Expansion Plans in India The Miami-based fast-food giant Burger King will enter India and is expected to open its first few outlets in the country by the end of this year.

Initially, Burger King’s presence in India would be in Delhi and Mumbai.

Burger King endeavours to make China and India its biggest markets in the AsiaPacific region. Last year, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for only 5 percent of Burger King’s revenues. But at the same time, the Asia-Pacific market has great potential for Burger King’s business.

Burger King has a joint venture with a Singapore-based private equity and real estate group named Everstone Group to open a few hundred stores in the country, during the next ten years. Burger King will come up with a segregated vegetarian menu in India.

Here it deserves a mention that Burger King did enter into a joint venture in 2012 with the objective to open 1000 restaurants in China, by as early as 2015.

Recently the chain entered Pakistan and Brunei markets.

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NEWS SCAN

International QSR Chains Set to Invade India’s Food Service Business The Indian QSR market, which is experiencing an annual growth of 2530 percent on an average, is expected to see the entry of two international brands this year. They are Lord of the Fries and La Tasca.

Moreover, Fatburger a US-based premium burger chain which has presence in 27 countries, has already opened its maiden outlet in India, in Gurgaon’s Cyber Hub, where the offerings of the gourmet burger franchise are being tailored to match the Indian tastes. Vazz Foods Pvt Ltd, the master franchisee for Fatburger in North India, is envisaging to come up with five Fatburger restaurants by December.

Lord of the Fries (LOTF) is an Australian family-owned vegetarian QSR chain, which will have its first restaurant outside Australia this October, in Delhi-NCR. After having three to four restaurants in Delhi carrying the brand Lord of the Fries, the

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brand is expected to extend its presence in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. Lord of the Fries would primarily cater to the huge vegetarian eating out market in India.

The Spanish tapas bar chain La Tasca, which already has more than 45 outlets in the UK and the US is targeting to set up 30 La Tasca tapas bars in six to eight cities of India, over the ensuing ten years. Each of these forthcoming restaurants in India carrying the La Tasca brand will incur an investment of Rs.2 crore and they will be targeted at the well travelled Indians as well as the youth who do not mind experimenting with novel cuisines.

Wendy’s hamburgers are coming to attract the tastes of people of India.

Wendy’s, which happens to be the third largest hamburger chain in the US, will

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be entering the country, in partnership with Sierra Nevada. One of the joint venture partners of Sierra Nevada is the Haryana-based packaging company Rollatainers, whose unit Carnation Hospitality acquired Barista Coffee in the recent past. Wendy's outlets in India are expected to be realities in Indian food service space, during the first quarter of 2015.

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NEWS SCAN

Ballantine’s Day Ballantine’s, the globally renowned brand of blended scotch whiskies, is celebrating a double victory after scooping two gold medals in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), one of the most respected competitions in the global drinks industry.

The brand won gold for its Ballantine’s Finest and Ballantine’s Limited expressions, reinforcing its reputation for excellence across the range. The judges praised Ballantine’s Finest for its “wide spectrum of aromatics, covering citrus, dried fruits, honey, spice, toast and rich malt” and for its “light character, yet packed with complexity”.

Ballantine’s Limited was described as having “a complex array of flavours, led by rich malt, ripe grape, apricot and fruit cake.” The judges also commented on its “beautiful texture” and “long complex finish”.

Peter Moore, the Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, commented, “As the no. 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s no. 2 Scotch whisky by volume, it is naturally very important to us that we deliver consistent outstanding quality across the Ballantine’s range. So to receive this recognition from the IWSC judges is a great honour for us all.

I would like to thank our Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, and his team at the distillery as it is in no small part thanks to their expert skill and dedication that Ballantine’s continues to win these industry awards, year after year.”

Here it deserves a mention that Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years.

Spice Up Your Snack Time with Vegit A change is taking place at the breakfast tables of many households in urban India due to time constraint.

Convenience is a vital factor for a majority of working couples and nuclear families. Keeping in mind the behavioural change and convenience factor, Vegit, a leading brand in ready-to-cook mixes, is all set to launch four new variants – Sabudana Vada, Corn Star, Falafel and Aloo Halwa for the Indian market. With Vegit Aloo Halwa, Vegit has forayed into the desserts segment.

All Vegit’s Indian snack mixes are created to appeal to Indian tastes. As the brand propositions ‘Hamara Mix, Apka Twist’, the four new variants of Vegit will also come with a twist recipe. One would have the opportunity to add one’s own culinary twist to these variants of Vegit.

“We aim to enhance consumer experience through innovative products. Moving beyond the concept of enjoying home-made snacks that are prepared from scratch, Indian consumers have become experimental and are using packaged food items which save almost half of the cooking time. With these new launches, we aim to cater to the food basket of homemakers, working women and consumers who are on the lookout for convenient snacking solutions, without compromising on taste and nutrition,” stated Prakash Lohia, MD, Vegit.

Reasonably priced between Rs. 60 – 100 (irregular weights), these products will be available at various retail outlets across the country very soon. ○

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Auchan and Max Hypermarkets End Partnership Auchan, the globally renowned hypermarket chain has ended its nearly two-year-old partnership with the Indian retail division of Dubai-based Landmark Group — Max Hypermarkets. According to the official statement from the two retailers, the reason for this break-up was the failure to convert the partnership into a joint venture.

It is likely that the 13 Auchan stores in India would be rebranded to Max Hypermarkets by January 2015. Here it deserves a mention that Auchan Hypermarket in India is the result of a franchise agreement between the Dubai- based Landmark Group’s Max Hypermarkets India Pvt. Ltd. and Groupe Auchan. On July, Carrefour, another French retail giant, also decided to exit India after four years of presence in the country. By the end of September this year, Carrefour will shut down its five Indian wholesale stores.

Carrefour’s decision to exit from India, which is followed

by Auchan’s ending of its partnership with Max Hypermarkets, if viewed in the backdrop of prevailing uncertainty and lack of clarity on foreign investment in multibrand retail in the Indian retail sector, does not augur well for the organised food & beverage retail scenario in the country.

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A Humane Endeavour by An Unusual Journey Nestle Through Flavours Nestle has introduced an important animal welfare program.

Nestlé’s new policy states that it will eliminate practices like confining pigs in gestation crates, calves in veal crates and egg-laying hens in cages; and also discontinue with the forced rapid growth of chickens used for meat products; and cutting the horns, tails and genitals off farm animals without painkiller.

Humane Society International, one of the largest animal protection organisations in the world, with more than 11 million members and constituents globally, has applauded the announcement.

“We thank Nestle for taking a stand against inhumane factory farming practices,” said NG Jayasimha, the Director of HSI India. “Cruelly confining animals in cages for their entire lives, castrating or removing their tails or horns without painkiller, and breeding them in a way that compromises their welfare is simply unacceptable,” he added.

Here it deserves a mention that Nestlé is also encouraging food sustainability by promoting the global Meatless Monday movement via on-package messaging for some of its products.

Nestlé’s policy follows dialogue with animal protection organisations including The Humane Society of the United States (HSI’s sister organisation), Mercy For Animals, and World Animal Protection.

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Barbeque Nation, the casual dining restaurant chain having several outlets in the country, recently celebrated the Grand Trunk Road Food Festival across its outlets in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. The food festival was held during 1st-17th August. The gastronomic span of this unique food festival was spread across 2500 kilometres.

The festival gave the opportunity to the guests to savour some of the delicacies which were/are part of the culinary fare of the regions through which the Grand Trunk Road passes, the road which covers Kabul in Afghanistan to Chittagong in Bangladesh. The menu was designed to be as diverse as the cities through which the Grand Trunk Road passes. At this food festival the bold and robust flavours of Punjab met the mustard-infused delicate flavours of authentic Bengali cuisine to present a true gastronomic celebration for the connoisseurs of delicacies. From Chapli Kebab of Kabul to delicious Kasundi Chingri of Chittagong, the gastronomic journey covered a fairly wide range of flavours.

The vegetarian starters included Anari Aloo, Bhuna Chaat and Peshawari Bharwan Mushroom among others. Chapli Kebab, Murgh Bano Tawa Kebab, Kasundi Chingri and Tala Gosht were some of the starters in the non-vegetarian section at the food festival. The highlight of the non-vegetarian main course at the festival was all-time favourites like Chingri Malai Curry, which is a treat for sea food lovers, and the Mughlai Murshidabadi Chicken Biriyani. The highlight of the vegetarian fare consisted of Jinga Posto, Dal Khyber, Afghani Pulao, Kosha Patol Bharwan, and Khatte Aloo.

Commenting on this occasion, Chef Vijay Anand Bakshi, Head – Culinary Operations, Barbeque Nation expressed, ”Our aim of this food festival is to offer a variety of the most relished barbeques and delicacies, from different cities through which the GT Road passes, to our guests. Barbeque Nation has committed itself towards serving its guests with the most unique and diverse recipes from across different cultures and this event is aimed towards fulfilling the commitment. Through this food festival the foodies can come and enjoy refreshing new recipes. At the same time, we are continuing with our signature dishes too.”

“We travelled to remote villages and towns in West Bengal and Punjab to trace classic cuisines. For example, Ghanne ki Ras ka Kheer is a sweet served at this food festival, which is made from condensed sugarcane juice while Murshidabadi Biryani is cooked with eggs and potatoes,” added Vijay.

The festival not only brought the long forgotten tastes of different regions across the Indian sub-continent but was also marked by transforming of the restaurants’ ambience to match that of typical dhabas, which are commonly seen when you travel through GT Road. The staff at the Barbecue Nation outlets in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad during the food festival was attired in desi clothing.

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REPORT

Bars Don’t Deserve Ban very idea of prohibition of alcoholic beverages is a hair brained one to begin with as history has shown the utter failure of such an exercise time and again.

The closure of authorised liquor shops in the state is expected to only lead to the proliferation of the sales of unauthorised liquor outlets selling spurious liquors, whose consumption could be life threatening too. Moreover, the decision will severely dent the state’s coffers. During 2012-13, Kerala earned around 16.4 percent of its revenues through sales of alcoholic beverages.

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he decision of the Kerala government to shut down all bars in the state, except those bars which are housed in the five-star hotels of the state, can at best be described as myopic. The Kerala government had passed an order banning the sale of liquor at bars and hotels below the fivestar category in the state, and the ban order was supposed to come into effect on 11th Sept.

However, the recent Supreme Court’s decision has extended the date of the initiation of the cancellation of bars’ licenses in the state to 30th September, from the earlier date of 11th September of this year.

Moreover, a bench of justices of Supreme Court has directed the Kerala High Court to hear the case and take into consideration the concerns of bar owners of Kerala, which includes the allegedly discriminatory clause that does allow serving of liquors only in five-star hotels of the state.

Here it deserves a mention that the state of Kerala has 730 bars which are out of the ambit of five-star hotels of the state, of which license of only 418 were renewed this fiscal. The remaining 312 would be having no option but to shut down at the earliest, if the new and short-sighted policy comes into effect.

And from the next fiscal, if the policy comes into effect, only five-star hotels of the state will be allowed to serve liquor. Though the decision of the Kerala government to allow only fivestar hotels to serve alcoholic beverages is highly discriminatory, but the Kerala

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government has not spared five-star hotels totally. It has stipulated that even five-star hotels would have dry days on Sundays since 2nd October of this year.

If the ban on bars in the state, except those of the five-star hotel bars comes into effect in the God’s Own Country, it doesn’t deserve a mention that the liquor industry of the state will be hugely affected, and would also lead to mass unemployment of people engaged in the industry. The decision would severely affect the food service industry of the state too, for many guests visit the restaurants cum bars with the hope of having a packaged combination of sumptuous snacks and heady spirits.

Thirdly, the decision would indirectly and adversely effect the overall tourism and hospitality industry of Kerala too, as many tourists may in the near future (when the ban on bars excluding the five-star hotel bars of the state comes into effect), redirect their travel plans from Kerala to some other destinations where they can have a good and heady time, without such unnecessary government regulations.

The state government of Kerala has also announced a plan to bring alcohol prohibition in the state within 10 years, under which state-run liquor stores will be phased out at a rate of ten percent a year over the next decade. The Kerala’s Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his party colleagues should realise that the

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government of Kerala does a rethink over the issue, which can have severe economic and humanitarian implications in the long-run.

Yes, there is no denying the fact that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can and does have serious and far reaching economic repercussions for the family and adds to the state’s cost on health expenditure by a considerable amount.

But the solution for minimising the several adverse social and economic affects of the alcoholic beverages industry lies in individual choice to not consume alcoholic beverages, and in moderation in the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but not in their coercive prohibition by state.

Instead of attempting prohibition of sales of alcoholic beverages, the state government should have initiated a more concerted and more creative awareness programme to educate the people of the state about the perils of excessive drinking. Awareness and not coercion is likely to be the agent of social change in our times, and it is about time that the state authorities realise this.

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Indian consumers.

The program titled ‘European Quality Food: Eating with your Five Senses’ also endeavoured to increase the knowledge of F&B professionals on European gastronomy and European F&B products so that they can play the role of influencers who recommend these kind of products and increase their supply in their respective channels. This program had a double approach as it targeted end consumers and F&B professionals.

However, the targeted public for the promotional campaigns of this program represented only 3 percent of the Indian population, which means a market of 35 million people located in the main cities in India - New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

Here it deserves a mention that the European Union is nowadays one of the main suppliers of food products in India and its different cuisine traditions have indeed a very good reputation in India.

Eating with Your Five Senses is expected to enhance the position of European F&B products further in the Indian market.

Enhancing Awareness on European Gastronomy

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children. Along the past three years, the caravan had reached a total of 16,000 current and potential consumers of European food & beverage products.

These activities were part of the program named ‘European Quality Food: Eating with your Five Senses’, a program financed by the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and FIAB - the Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation.

For the Indian food & beverage industry, the program has three main goals. They are to increase the awareness and emphasise the value of the European gastronomic culture, with a particular emphasis on the Mediterranean diet. The logic of the program is based on the premise that a deeper familiarity with the European gastronomic culture will increase the consumption of European F&B products in India and, eventually, it will facilitate exports for the European food and beverage industry to India. The second objective of the program is to increase the desire to consume European F&B products and create a good positioning of the same among targeted

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uropean Quality Food: ‘Eating with your Five Senses’ took a further step to familiarise food and beverage lovers with the European cuisine and the Mediterranean balanced diet by carrying out Master Classes and seminars in the schools of our future Chefs in Bangalore, during the month of July and August.

The informative and content-based activity was aimed to spread and promote knowledge of the European cooking methods, its ingredients and gastronomy. This activity was designed specifically for the best 10 hotel management and culinary institutes in Bangalore, targeting both students and teachers to have deeper knowledge about the core aspects of European gastronomy.

The European Chef Nicolas Roman together with Chef Abhijit Saha introduced to these institutes the art of understanding the European cooking methods and their quality, the properties of various exotic Mediterranean ingredients and how to combine them to mastering state-ofthe-art dishes.

A cooking book called ‘European Menu’ was created for the development of the activity which contained 25 traditional recipes from a typical European menu, ranging from starters, main courses and desserts. The activity in the institutes consisted of a Master Class conducted by the Chefs where some of traditional European recipes were prepared.

This is the third and last year of the program, which had reached to a total of 30 top culinary institutes in India, thereby reaching out to more than 5000 students in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

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During the month of August, the European Wellness Caravan was touring the cities of Bangalore and Hyderabad in order to spread awareness on the Mediterranean diet and the properties of the European food products among the end consumers in India. The caravan stopped in the city of Bangalore on 9th and 10th of August, and completed its tour in the city of Hyderabad on 16th and 17th of August.

The event, open to all public, was a great educational as well as entertainment opportunity pertaining to the European gastronomy. The caravan can be construed as an innovative way to bring Mediterranean diet to the Indian consumers. This was the third and the last year of the tour of European Wellness Caravan in India.

To reach a large number of European food consumers, the caravan was stationed in emblematic shopping malls such as Inorbit Mall in Bangalore and City Center Mall in Hyderabad. The visitors to the caravan participated in five interactive activities, each one related with one of our five senses and involving different surprises and learning experiences. The guests had the chance to learn on the Mediterranean diet and its products in an innovative way.

The activities that took place in the mobile caravan-stall were based on educational games such as blind tasting diverse products such as olives, asparagus, saffron, Manchego Cheese PDO among others; a quiz-test on different ingredients and their denomination of origin with an illustrative app; the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid Game in which the guests had to guess about its eating patterns, and recipes. The families went all out to learn and have fun in the activities, and got merchandising materials as prize.

The games drew the attention of impressive numbers of adults as well as

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The European Wellness Caravan

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COVER STORY

The

Cocktail Trends

Cocktails, which had taken a back seat for over a decade, are now once again taking centre stage among the consumer tastes of the Indian alcoholic beverages industry.

Though still a large percentage of regular drinkers in the country prefer to go in for whisky or rum or vodka with soda, coke, bitters respectively, the demand for cocktails is on the rise, across urban India. And it is not just the fair sex which is opting for cocktails but several middle-aged Indian men are seen preferring cocktails.

And the mixologists are coming up with some new concoctions which are being readily lapped up by cocktail connoisseurs. Ashok Malkani explores the present trend among the mixologists in the Indian alcoholic beverages industry who believe that though they are mixing up some innovative drinks, the old ones are still finding a pride of place.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’14

COVER STORY

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he usual trait prevalent among the regular alcohol drinkers in the country was to consume whisky with soda or water. This is now steadily giving way to sipping cocktails like Martini. The drink, which is believed to be James Bond’s favourite, is also being consumed as he preferred it: Shaken not stirred.

Not only martinis, cocktails, in general are becoming popular with Indian drinkers of alcoholic beverages.

This is confirmed by the Founder of Tuleeho, Vikram Achanta’s, statement, who said, “60-year-olds in cocktail events in Punjab hang on to their Martini glass the entire evening, getting constant refills of an Apple Martini, as they are so taken in by the taste.”

Yes, a generation of drinkers which grew with whisky-soda-water is now going gaga over cocktails. “Cocktail culture is back in the country. People are developing an inclination towards the sophistication of cocktails,” stated Krishna Rao, F&B Manager, The Mirador, Mumbai.

“Globally, the cocktail culture is in the midst of a huge upheaval. Cities like London, NYC, Paris, New Orleans and Hong Kong are home to some of the world’s best bars. And these bars and the people that work there are setting drink trends and best practices that are being adopted globally. And these trends have obviously spread to cities like Mumbai and Delhi where consumers are now seeking out bars which are able to create a holistic experience rather than just churning out drinks. Thanks to global influences, cocktail lovers among those entering the drinkable age in urban India are becoming very particular about their alcoholic beverage choices. Their cocktail selection generally revolves around the drink’s visual appeal, uniqueness, and also its health quotient.

Interestingly, some young women among them do want to shake their own drink sitting with bartenders and take notes of their favourite cocktails,” Rao added further.

“Today, visually appealing cocktails have emerged as a means for opening your palate to exotic new tastes and sensations due to the use of molecular mixology and a whole range of new ingredients and spices. They enable you to have a good time with your friends over long drinking sessions,” Rao

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pointed out. He feels that now the focus of good bars is on using good quality alcohol and ingredients in making cocktails.

However, Rao observed that “Despite global influences on the cocktail culture here, Indians’ cocktails choices differ a great deal from that of western choices.

Endowed with a sweet tooth, Indians prefer cocktails which are a bit sweet and fruity with some sourness; hence cocktails with citrus-based flavours are quite popular here. However, the western people prefer dry cocktails with use of herbs and bitters.”

Classical and New So which cocktails are preferred in India?

Are traditional cocktails like Bloody Mary, Screw Driver, Pink Lady, etc. are being preferred or are people going in

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COVER STORY

Cocktail Recipes Linear Cocktail Ingredients Tequila — 45 ml Cointreau — 15 ml Lemon grass — few stems Ginger Basil — few sprigs Lemon Juice Sugar Syrup Procedure Muddle together lemon grass, ginger, basil, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a granite glass.

Top up with Red Bull and garnish with basil sprig.

The Hulk Ingredients Rum — 15ml Vodka — 15 ml Gin — 15 ml Tequila — 15 ml Blue Curacao — 10 ml Sour mix Procedure Fill a tall glass with lots of ice.

Put all the ingredients together and top with Red Bull.

Garnish with mint leaves and lemon slice.

London Sour Ingredients Ballantine — 60 ml Lemon Juice Sugar Syrup Orange Juice Procedure • Shake all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with lots of ice and strain into an old fashioned glass.

• Garnish with orange slice.

Recipes by Vishal Gaikwad F&B Manager, DoubleTree

by Hilton Hotel PuneChinchwad

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for something new? Sagar Raut, Bar Manager – Novotel Hyderabad Airport claimed, “These days very few people prefer traditional Sushant Rege cocktails.

People are open to experimenting with their drinks and prefer trendy cocktails, depending on the company and occasion.” “Our most popular cocktails are Mojito, Long Island Iced Tea, Cosmopolitan, etc.,” he added.

However, Claude Pinto, Bar Manager – Edge Bar, Alila Diwa Goa, has a different view. “The classic cocktails will remain evergreen as they have evolved over the years. We do however practice newer concoctions such as the Smoked Fresh Bloody Mary,” he proffered. As far as popular cocktails at his bar are concerned, Cucumber and Mint Martini tops the list along with the Mojito, which are very popular at the Edge Bar. “The trend has changed drastically during the past few years. Whilst the classic cocktails are still quite popular, there are many bars in the country that are offering and serving innovative concoctions to guests. From incorporating seasonal flavours such as fruits of the season to the unusual mixes of tastes, the bartenders and the mixologists are trying newer cocktails and mocktails to appease the tastes of the customers. At our A Bar, we have a range of exciting new cocktails,” affirmed Ashutosh Thakkur, Food & Beverage Manager, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments.

Speaking about the popular new cocktails he cites two which are popular at Renaissance’s A Bar. These are Panitini and Teekha Peru. “Paan is a Hindi term for betel leaf. A paan is enjoyed as a mouth-refresher after meals.

The eating of paan is supposed to cleanse one’s palate and act as digestive as well. Taking inspiration from the traditional paan, A Bar has created a cocktail called Panitini which uses the ingredients that are traditionally used in

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a paan mixed with vodka and sambuca. The use of gulkhand adds a ting of sweetness to the cocktail and the fennel seeds give it the aroma. The betel leaf adds a mint like Krishna Rao flavour to the drink. The Panitini is a mix of flavours and is very refreshing as a drink,” elaborated Thakkur.

“The term teekha means spicy in English. Peru is the Marathi word for guava. Guava as a fruit has mild sweet and sour taste to it and when mixed with Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, you taste an after kick of heat with every sip. This cocktail offers a layer of flavours; sweet, tangy, spicy; which form the basis of Indian cuisines. The guava adds the sweet fruity flavour and the glass rimmed with salt and chili elevate the flavours further,” explained Thakkur while talking about another popular cocktail at A Bar. Sushant Rege, Beverage Manager, JW Marriott Hotel Pune, while giving his opinion on the traditional and the new cocktails, stated that “Classic and vintage cocktails like the Bloody Mary, Aviation, Rob Roy, etc. are all coming back into fashion again in India.”

“The cocktails served at our hotel complement the theme and concept of our restaurants. So our roof top lounge –

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COVER STORY involving mixology are also lounge, continues to serve Paasha – boasts of serving 50 classic increasingly finding space on the old classics like Bloody cocktails, made to perfection. Whereas our cocktail menus, but they Mary, Side Car, Planter’s our night club – Mi-A-Mi - serves more haven’t pushed out old Punch while also serving funky and innovative cocktails and favourites yet,” he observed. the contemporary Earl Grey shots. The favourites among the classics “In general, mojitos and Mar-tea-ni, Jager Bomb and are the Manhattan, Mojito, Margarita caipiroskas are the flavour of Flaming Lamborghini,” he and Martinis. Among our house the season. Many guests also pointed out while adding, signatures, the popular selection like to partake of a fresh fruit “Some of the more popular includes Purple Haze, MI A MI Ice Tea, frozen margarita or a daiquiri cocktails at Gadda da Vida Head Banger, Blowjob and Absinthe as it complements our tropical are Jager Bomb, Vodkatini, Blaze,” concurred Rege.

Claude Pinto Kamakazi, and climes. Long Rahul Korgaokar, Cosmopolitan.”

Island Iced Tea is the tipple Director of Food & Oniel Creado, Wine Ambassador at of choice for guests looking Beverage, Goa Marriott JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai, also agrees for speedy nirvana,” Resort & Spa, too shares with the general concept that old Korgaokar added. this view. “ Though may favourites still continue to rule the roost.

Ruban Das, Food & be not Pink Lady, but Elvis Pereira, Assistant Manager, Beverage Director, yes, traditional cocktails Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, Restaurant and Bar, Courtyard by such as Bloody Mary, Marriott, Bhopal also shares similar vehemently defends Margarita, Long Island views with Das. “Old is gold as they say. traditional cocktails. “The Iced Tea, etc. still find place on our cocktail Bloody Mary is a cocktail that Bloody Mary and Pink Lady will never can never go out of style. go out of trend, but due to menus as they are still Even today it is one of the modernisation, guests want to try popular among young Elvis Pereira something new and exciting. That is the most popular alcoholic and old alike. At the same reason all the fancy and exciting beverages around. We have a time, new concoctions cocktails are innovated. Mojito and mix of classic and modern cocktails. such as various fruit flavoured martinis, Long Island Iced Tea are very popular in Gadda da Vida, our popular chic sea experimentative shots and drinks

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COVER STORY our bar.”, he pointed out.

The Right Base Whether they be old classics or innovative concoctions, each cocktail requires a base. Which are the bases that the consumers prefer? Do they Rahul Korgaokar prefer more than one base? The mixologists and the bartenders have to take this into consideration while conjuring up new cocktails.

“Among the ladies, vodka and gin base is the preferred choice of cocktail base while among men it is whisky and rum. A few cocktails like the Long Island Iced Tea involves a mix of five white spirits – vodka, white rum, gin, tequila, triple sec. This cocktail is high in alcohol content and has no prominent taste of any one spirit,” explained Rege.

Such cocktails are favourite among youngsters who prefer a rush of alcohol over flavour. But cocktails with one base spirit and a liqueur to enhance the flavour is a better bet for a perfect cocktail.

“Given its ability to infuse effortlessly with other flavours and to remain innocuous on its own, vodka is the most preferred base. There are certain drinks (such as a Long Island Iced Tea or a Cosmopolitan), which calls

Cosmopolitan Ingredients Smirnoff Vodka — 45 ml Cointreau — 15 ml Cranberry Juice — 45 ml Lime Juice — 15 ml Procedure Mix well all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and pour in to a Martini glass (Recipes from Ruban Das, Food & Beverage Director, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach)

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Sundowner Ingredients Tequila Silver — 45 ml Cointreau — 15 ml Fresh Orange Juice — 30 ml Fresh Pineapple Juice — 30 ml Cranberry Juice — 60 ml Lime Juice — 10 ml Procedure • Pour all ingredients into Boston shaker and fill with ice.

• Shake well.

• Pour into Hi-Ball glass • Garnish with pineapple slices

Orange Hawaiian Ingredients Absolut Blu — 60 ml Blue Curacao — 15 ml Fresh Orange Juice — 45 ml Fresh Pineapple Juice — 15 ml for more than one type of liquor to be added to the drink. In such a case, it is required for the various spirits to mix together for lending the desired taste to the cocktail,” articulated Korgaokar.

Das too vouches for vodka as the base for cocktails. “However,” he added, “the trend is changing and mixologists are experimenting with lesser known spirits and inventing amazing drinks; many of them are creating their own concoction by mixing spirits with herbs, flowers, fruits, veggies and so on and making their own unique base. I have sampled cocktail bases with taste of bacon, burnt brick, slate chalk and other unusual flavours. Mixing cocktails is an art and while there are several techniques to make cocktails, there is no set rule or one answer; the basic is to start with the ‘base note’ of your drink – the core alcohol (sometimes infused) that can serve as the foundation from which you can build up the drink. The idea of a cocktail is to marry flavours and not to keep ingredients separately distinguishable.”

“Most of the 21st century cocktails are a mixture of two bases or more. The only reason they are mixed is to produce a distinct flavour to the drink,” explained Pereira.

Speaking about mixing up two or more bases Thakkur stated, “There are no side effects when two bases are mixed provided they are in the right quantity and balanced with supporting

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Procedure Pour all ingredients into Boston Shaker and fill with ice.

Shake well.

Fine strain into a martini glass and serve.

Edgy Delight Ingredients Tequila Silver — 45 ml Cointreau — 15 ml Cranberry Juice — 60 ml Lime Juice — 10 ml Procedure Pour all ingredients into Boston Shaker and fill with ice.

Shake well.

Fine strain into a martini glass and serve.

(Recipes from Subhashish Nanda, Bar Manager, Alila Diwa Goa) flavours.” He also informed that “Mixing of more bases in larger quantities gives a faster kick.” According to him an ideal drink is one which has everything in the right proportion.

Raut, Pinto and Creado all agreed that vodka, gin and rum were the favoured cocktail bases. “When two liquors are mixed together it enhances the aroma, taste and, sometimes, the colour of the drink,” Raut informed.

However, according to him, it doesn’t necessarily have a bad effect.

Speaking about mixing of two cocktail bases, Pinto feels that the taste totally “depends on how the mixing is done by the bartender. Two or more bases are normally used in a drink but the key is they must complement each other.”

Latest Trends Bartenders and the mixologists need to gauge the latest trends in the world of cocktails.

“The latest trends in the world of cocktails in the country are the classic cocktails. They went out of fashion in the 90s and 2000 but are now back.

Molecular mixology was big thing during 2000 –2010 but is now passé.

Also healthy cocktails with fresh ingredients are the ‘in’ thing, involving the use of organic spirits. Fresh fruit mojitos and Caipiroska are also in demand,” stated Rege.

“The latest trend in the realm of

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cocktails in the country is to keep it simple. The emphasis is on the authenticity of product – ingredients, recipe, taste, etc.

Nowadays, bartenders are doing away with the usage of fancy glassware, inedible and often elaborate garnish, etc.,” disclosed Das. “In Gadda da Vida we have a cocktail promotion every year, which is a hot favourite with the guests as they get to sample new recipes that Ashutosh Thakkur we conjure up using ingredients/ herbs not used before,” he added.

“The latest trend in cocktails is molecular and decoction cocktails,” stated Creado. According to Raut, “Latest trend in cocktails are shooters, different fruit-based mojitos and frozen cocktails.”

“In more mature markets such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore where the populace is more open to experimentation, bars specialising in molecular mixology are mushrooming. However, in more traditional markets like Goa, the local residents as well as visitors tend to stick to known devils and thus cocktails in their classic form still take precedence here,” explained Korgaokar while discussing the latest cocktail trends in India.

“The latest trend in cocktails in the country is to pay equal focus on the gimmickry, while mixing and serving the drinks, as well as helping the guest with the order, which ranges from flaming shots to test tube shots to injection cocktail, etc. The trend among the guests is to have a blend of unique flavours or different textures in the cocktail or keeping it fresh with fresh ingredients,” claimed Thakkur.

“Nowadays guests are willing to go out of their way and try new stuff on the menu. Another trend that is catching on is guests making their own cocktails. Guests are very particular about how they like their cocktails,” aired Pinto.

“Cocktails made from ingredients that are healthy as well as alcoholic is the latest trend in cocktails in the country.

Examples are Green Tea Vodka, Espresso Martini, etc.” asserted Pereira.

The general scenario is that though a majority of the alcoholic beverage drinkers in India prefer regular drinks but, unlike a decade ago, several of them are now also wanting to sip cocktails and experiment with new mixes as well. So let us ■ raise a toast to cocktails.

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BUSINESS

The Promising Scenario of

Food Processing Because of myriad reasons, the processed food industry has been growing at a rapid pace in India. This has led to increased foreign investment in the country in this sector. Between April 2000 and July 2013, India attracted a foreign direct investment of 1,970 million USD in the food processing sector.

Ashok Malkani is of the view that with the Indian government giving incentives for foreign investment in this sector, there is definitely going to be an impresive flow of FDI in the food processing sector, which includes RTE food. Isn’t it also time for the Indian investors to jump into the fray, in a big way?

T

he food processing industry is one of the largest industries in India and is ranked fifth in terms of production, consumption, export and expected growth. Food processing in India was earlier limited to food preservation, packaging and transportation.

Now the industry has evolved and widened its scope with emerging new trends in consumer preferences and the advancement in technologies adapted to meet those preferences.

Food processing sector is an

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important segment of the Indian economy, constituting a share of around 9–10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in agriculture and manufacturing sector. Currently growing at more than 10 percent per annum, it is expected to touch 194 billion USD by 2015 from a value of 121 billion USD in 2012, according to Swapan Dutta, Deputy Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The Indian food value chain is going through a transformation. It is becoming

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more streamlined and more integrated than it was before, and it is having greater significance in the global trade.

This gives more opportunities for the Indian food processing industry to grow.

Sunrise Industry Indian food processing industry is widely recognised as a ‘sunrise industry’ having huge potential for uplifting agricultural economy, with potential for creation of large scale processed food manufacturing and food chain facilities,

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BUSINESS and the resultant generation of employment and export earnings.

The industry is employing about 13 million people directly and about 35 million people indirectly. The food processing sector in India is geared to meet the international standards.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs Investment & Technology Investment Promotion Division, India is the world’s second largest producer of food with the potential of being the biggest, backed by its food and agricultural sector.

India’s agricultural production is expected to grow at a rate of 4.6 percent in 2014. With the second green revolution just around the corner, India’s production of food grains this year is expected to break the 2011–12 record of 259 million tonnes (MT).

The Indian food industry which presently stands at close to 135 billion USD with a CAGR of 10 percent, is expected to touch 200 billion USD by 2015.

Moreover, India is the third largest fish producer and the second in inland fish production in the world. Marine

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products contribute a fair share to India’s food processing industry. According to MPEDA, export earnings from marine products touched a record 5 billion USD during 2013–14. All these statistics also portend a bright future for the Indian food processing industry.

There are several other reasons for the huge growth potential of the Indian food processing industry. The fact that India has a huge upper middle class population with very busy lives makes it an important market for processed food

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products. Moreover, about half of the domestic expenditure in India is spent on food items, by an average Indian.

There are other reasons too. India has dynamic agro-climatic conditions and therefore, its food processing industry has a large and diverse raw material base.

Relatively cheap labour is found in abundance in India which can be targeted for low production costs, useful for domestic markets as well as exports.

Above all, poultry, fish and meat processing, fruit and vegetable

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BUSINESS

processing, dairy products, packaged food and drinks, convenience foods, etc. are some of the excellent opportunities in terms of investment.

“The growth of food processing sector would need to be a significant component of the second green revolution, considering its possible role in achieving increased agricultural production by ensuring better remuneration for farmers. A developed food processing industry will reduce wastages, ensure value addition, generate additional employment opportunities as well as export earnings and thus lead to better socio-economic condition for millions of farm families,” said Piruz Khambatta, Chairman, CII National Committee on Food Processing, and CMD, Rasna Ltd. Succinctly, the market for food processing in India is anticipated to grow impressively in the near future on account of increasing numbers of working population, growing per capita disposable income, rising per capita expenditure on prepared food, increasing numbers of middle-class and affluent consumers, etc.

Also, the opportunities in food and grocery retail in India are immense, given that it constitutes about 69

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percent of India’s total retail market, as per panel members at the seventh Food and Grocery Forum India.

According to a recent report by research-based global management consulting firm TechSci Research titled ‘India Ready-to-eat Food Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2019’, the country’s ready-to-eat (RTE) food

market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 22 percent between 2014 and 2019. These also augur well for the Indian food processing industry.

However, it is not to say that the Indian food processing industry is not without its share of challenges, which are impeding its progress. As a result of the predominantly unorganised character of the food processing industry in India the adoption to new technologies has been fairly sporadic in the industry.

The paucity of cold chain infrastructure, and relative scarcity of sophisticated packaging solutions are among the other many issues plaguing

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the industry. The need for establishing mega food parks and processable varieties of crops are always there in the industry, which needs to be given an impetus on a war-footing.

Thankfully, the state is making some earnest efforts to give a fillip to the Indian food processing industry.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs’ Investment & Technology Promotion Division, the MOFPI has formulated a Vision 2015 Action Plan that includes trebling the size of the food processing industry, raising the level of processing of perishables from 6 percent to 20 percent, increasing value addition from 20 percent to 35 percent, and enhancing India’s share in global food trade from 1.5 percent to 3 percent.

The Export Potential With a huge agriculture sector, abundant livestock, and cost competitiveness, India is fast emerging as a sourcing hub for processed food.

Indian agricultural and processed food exports during April–December 2013 stood at 16,578.91 million USD, as compared to 15,206.22 million USD during the same period last year, according to the data released by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The share of food processing export in total exports from India is around 12 percent.

During FY09-13, India’s exports of processed food and related products increased at a CAGR of 21.9 percent to reach 36.1 billion USD.

For Attracting Investments Recently, the food industry in India has been attracting a lot of attention from foreign investors. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) is making endeavours to encourage investments in the sector. It is providing incentives for cold chain development and also grant-in-aid for setting up laboratories that are equipped for testing food products.

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BUSINESS Food processing industry in India attracted foreign direct investments (FDI) worth 5,360.89 million USD during the period April 2000–January 2014, according to the latest data published by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has estimated that the Indian food processing sector has the potential to attract 33 billion USD of investment in 10 years.

With the increase in attractiveness of the food processing industry, there has been significant deal activity in this space with mixed contribution from corporate M&A and private equity investments.

While the dairy segment has witnessed primarily PE deals with few M&A, fruits & vegetables as a segment is yet to evolve for food processing industry. This is evident from the deal space where only two PE transactions took place in the last three years.

The Government of India has allowed FDI up to 100 percent in food processing sector through automatic route. For promotion and development

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of the food processing sector, it has allocated a sum of Rs 5,990 crore under various schemes of the food processing industries ministry during the 12th Five Year Plan.

Furthermore, according to the Ministry of External Affairs’ Investment & Technology Promotion Division , the MOFPI and ‘Invest India’ have entered into an agreement for the setting up of an Investors’ ‘Help Desk’ for offering online support to investors, both domestic and international, with regard to their queries, and guide them particularly at the initial stage of setting up their units.

Overall, the Indian food processing industry is poised for phenomenal

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growth in the years to come. There is the expectation of enhanced investment and the participation of domestic and international players within the sector which will further contribute to its growth and development; will create new capital infrastructure, better technology, and improved product quality. At the same time, India needs to gear up to investor expectations by ensuring the necessary support infrastructure and adequate policy backing, among others.

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F E AT U R E

Biting into the

Burger

By Swarnendu Biswas

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hese days, burger has emerged as a very popular snack in the Indian fast food space. The huge crowd at McDonald’s, KFC’s and Nirula’s counters reflects that the burgers have caught the imagination of not only the young college going generation, but also of the urban middle-aged and middle class section of our society at large.

Its popularity is a part of India’s growing fast food culture, which again is fostered by growing disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of the Indian society during the last decade, and also due to the influence of global tastes, fast-paced lifestyles, and growing nuclearisation of urban families which leaves less time for many to cook elaborate meals.

McDonald’s is of course synonymous with high quality burgers, but the presence of burgers in urban India is far more

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widespread than the ambit of McDonald’s in the country. Nirula’s and KFC India have their burgers and in the recent past Dunkin Donuts did come out with a range of burgers for the Indian market.

Not only the organised fast food chains, but nowadays, we are seeing a plethora of bakeries and other eating out outlets in the unorganised sector displaying burgers on their shelves.

defined as a one or more cooked patties of minced goat meat, chicken, beef, pork, potato, etc., sandwiched between two bread buns. The patties and bun package can be spruced with green vegetables, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, as part of the contents. The burgers are usually served with condiments like sauce, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise, which are either added to the burger or presented on the side of the dish.

Simple and Delightful The global popularity of this simple and delightful fast food is complemented by its over hundred-year-old legacy. However, all said and done, the history of burger is not very old as compared to many other famous food items of the world.

The name burger is derived from hamburger, and is a short form of the latter.

A burger can be simply and commonly

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German Influence, US Market Though the term hamburger is derived from the word Hamburg, a city in Germany, but modern burgers were probably not presented to the world by the Germans, as is being commonly believed. The burger could possibly have its origins in the US, though the German influence on burgers could not be discounted.

Here it deserves a mention that during the mid- nineteenth century, a plethora of immigrants from various parts of northern Europe were beginning their voyages to the United States from Hamburg, with the objective of settling in the ‘New

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F E AT U R E World.’ They eventually introduced their culinary legacies and customs to their host country, one or some of which probably led to the creation of burgers.

During that period, New York was the most common destination for ships cruising from Hamburg, and various restaurants in the vibrant city began offering the Hamburg-style steak in order to attract German sailors and immigrants landing there. During the late 19th century, Hamburg steak, which can be regarded as precursor to hamburger, were served in many restaurants located in the port of New York. The dish was a lightly salted and often smoked beef minced by hand, which was usually served along with onions and bread crumbs. This dish was similar to minced beef preparations found in Hamburg in those days and helped to create nostalgia among the huge exodus of German and other European immigrants to the US. And nostalgia is often channelised into healthy revenues.

It is believed by many food historians that the first hamburger (which is also referred to as burger) was created by a Danish immigrant named Louis Lassen of

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Louis’ Lunch — a small lunch wagon in Connecticut — in 1900. Though bread and meat were consumed separately or as a sandwich much before the invention of hamburgers, but it is believed that they were first presented between two slices of bun only in the beginning of the twentieth century. However, there are other claims to the invention of burger.

Many claim that Charlie Nagreen used to sell pork meat between two slices of bread at the Seymour Fair (now known as Outagamie County Fair), Wisconsin, USA, way back in 1885, which enabled his consumers to eat while walking along. The Seymour Community Historical Society of Seymour, Wisconsin has credited Charlie Nagreen with the invention of hamburger.

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He is also known as “Hamburger Charlie.”

But according to the research of White Castle, an US-based fast food hamburger restaurant chain, hamburger was first created in Hamburg, Germany, by a German cook named Otto Kuase, who came up with this fast food option in 1891.

However, the most popular among these and many other claims towards the origins of hamburger or burger is that of Louis Lassen’s of Louis’ Lunch, who incidentally is believed to have come up with this singular combination, which in the later half of the next century was going to foster the fast food revolution, to cater the need of a patron who was in a tearing hurry (yes, in those days too time was scarce). Being too busy to sit and dine, he asked for something to eat on the move, and the ingenuous Lassen came up with the first hamburger, whose filling was a broiled beef patty.

The Rise of White Castle If to McDonald’s credit should go for popularising hamburgers across the globe, to the White Castle goes the credit of

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F E AT U R E making hamburgers an integral part of the palate of the US people. White Castle was founded in 1921, by Walter Anderson and Billy Ingram, in Wichita, Kansas, US. Presently, the fast food hamburger chain is headquartered in Columbus, US. Credited to be first fast food chain in the US, the company is known for its small, square hamburgers, which are also known as sliders. In the aftermath of World WarI, probably due to widespread antiGerman sentiments in the US at that time, burgers’ popularity received a setback in the country. But the sliders from White Castle revived the popularity of burgers in the US. The impeccable hygienic standards followed at White Castle outlets also managed to dispel US people’s apprehension at that time regarding eating ground beef, which was caused by Upton Sinclair’s novel named The Jungle(1906) that showcased the poor sanitation practices of the meat packing industry.

Moreover, White Castle’s chain-wide standardised method of food preparation instilled confidence among the consumers that they would receive the same quality of offerings from any White Castle outlet.

Besides, as the concept of fast food was unknown at that time in the United States (and elsewhere too), there was absence of infrastructure to support the business. The company therefore created its own infrastructure, which included centralised bakeries, meat supply plants, and warehouses to meet its supply requirements.

However, the company’s refusal to franchise or resort to loan has probably lowered its growth potential. Despite pioneering the concept of fast food and the nationwide popularity of burgers, all of White Castle’s 420 outlets are located within the US, which doesn’t sound impressive in front of other huge QSR chains, which begun much later but have emerged as global forces in the QSR business.

An Inspiring Story Without reference to McDonald’s no story of burger can be complete. The success of this largest hamburger chain in the world speaks volumes of the entrepreneurial genius of Ray Kroc, who fashioned its phenomenal growth. The genesis of the company can be traced to 1940, nineteen years after White Castle came into being.

It begun as a barbecue restaurant in San

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Bernardino, California, that was being run

by Richard and his brother Maurice McDonald.

They produced a limited menu, focusing on just a few items—burgers, fries and beverages—which facilitated or rather enabled them to emphasise on quality at every step. Here it deserves a mention that in 1948, the brothers reorganised their business as a hamburger stand by introducing production line principles.

When Kroc, who was a milkshake machine salesman at the time, visited the outlet for a business purpose, he was impressed by the bothers’ effective operations, and pitched his vision of creating McDonald’s restaurants all over the US to them. Kroc was the first to realise the huge business potential that the restaurant did embody.

However, eventually the reality of McDonald’s was to even surpass this initial vision of Ray Kroc...

The brothers, and the visionary joined hands in 1955, when Kroc became the franchise agent of the McDonald brothers. In 1955, Kroc founded the McDonald’s Corporation. He opened the very first restaurant of McDonald’s Inc. in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA. The Des Plaines outlet garnered hundreds of dollars on its opening day, and soon more eager franchisees were lining up. Kroc franchised scores of restaurants to franchisees. By 1958, McDonald’s had sold its 100 millionth hamburger…and that was just the beginning of the story.

The brothers, however, didn’t feel the pressing need to expand their business on a nationwide basis. Kroc eventually purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers in 1961. He soon made McDonald’s burger not only a national favourite but a global success story in marketing. The edifices of McDonald’s success story, which created global popularity for burgers, were probably the stringent consistency of quality across outlets located in different geographies, and successful franchise operations.

Ray Kroc believed in the entrepreneurial spirit, and rewarded his franchisees for individual creativity.

Many of McDonald’s most famous menu items—like the Big Mac, Filet-OFish and the Egg McMuffin— were created by the franchisees. At the same time, the McDonald’s operating system insisted franchisees to follow the core McDonald’s principles of quality, service, cleanliness and value.

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Catering to Indian Tastes Today, McDonald’s has presence in 130 countries across more than 32,000 outlets, and the fast food chain serves 58 million customers, on an average, each day. In India, where McDonald’s begun its journey in 1996, the burger chain had a network of over 300 restaurants till August 2013. India is the first country in the world where McDonald’s does not offer any beef and pork items.

McDonald’s have also made earnest and successful endeavours in catering to the Indian tastes.

More than 70 percent of McDonald’s menu in India has been locally developed with complete segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian products right from the food processing plants to the point of serving the customers. McDonald’s commitment to its Indian customers is evident even in development of special sauces that use local spices and chillies.

McDonald’s also established cold chains across India which facilitates to maintain freshness and nutrition of its products across the country.

Today, burger, a fast food product which originated from the other part of the planet, has became favourite of middle class urban Indians. Besides the above-mentioned socio-economic factors, which were mentioned in the first paragraph of the story, the growing Indianisation of burgers has also contributed to their popularity among Indians, many of whom favour global tastes with local flavours.

Chatpata Aloo Burger and Subz Burger from Nirula’s, McVeggie burger, McSpicy Paneer, McAloo Tikki, Masala Grill Veg burger from McDonald’s, and KFC’s Paneer Zinger burger, and its recently launched Potato Krisper burger are only some of the plethora of burgers catering to the nuanced Indian tastes.

However, the burger offerings of the QSRs should be more sensitive to the regional flavours of India which vary within very small geographies, and these chains need to come up with more pocket-friendly burger options than before, if they want the taste and flavour of their burgers to permeate deeper into the realm of tier-II cities and even the huge untapped rural India. Probably the QSRs selling their burgers in India these days need another genius like Ray Kroc to make burger’s popularity a pan-Indian ■ reality in true sense.

Aug-Sept ’14

FOCUS

The Organic and Local Flavours

By Sharmila Chand

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reshly picked organic tomatoes and herbs from local farms or backyard gardens are so delicious and nutritious. Then why to ship the ingredients from faraway fields and increase the carbon footprints? This is the question many Chefs and restaurateurs are raising nowadays.

Since the last decade, diners in urban India are shifting their preferences

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towards healthy food & beverage options which has also augmented the demand for food made with fresh organic ingredients.

Besides organic food, local food is also attracting the guests’ interest. There is now a higher appreciation for sustainable, ‘in season’, local and natural produce among the people, than it was say a decade earlier. No wonder, many restaurants around the globe are realising

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that often ‘local tastes better.’ It is heartening to see that many Chefs are giving locally available or produced fruits and vegetables preference over imported food products.

This writer recently interacted with some leading Chefs where the emerging trend of incorporating local, farm-fresh, organic food products into the menus was being explored.

It is a major food trend that cannot

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FOCUS

“The challenge is the supply chain. There just aren’t enough purveyors offering competitively priced organic food stuff in the country, which can induce businesses to embrace them with enthusiasm.”

— Chef Manu Chandra, Executive Chef

expressed Chef Manu Chandra, Executive Chef and Partner, Monkey Bar(in Delhi and Bangalore) & LikeThatOnly restaurant(in Bangalore), and the Executive Chef at Olive Beach(in Bangalore).

However, on whether there is a serious demand for organic food in the Indian food service business, Chef Manu averred that “I think there is a rising interest, but a serious demand for organic food outside of retail is still at a nascent stage.”

Anurudh Khanna, Executive Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park, is taking several steps to reduce carbon foot prints and in procuring organic ingredients. “Purchasing organic food can cost a restaurant more than purchasing conventional food. The good

and Partner, Monkey Bar(in Delhi and Bangalore) & LikeThatOnly restaurant(in Bangalore) and the Executive Chef at Olive Beach(in Bangalore)

be dismissed. And this preference towards organic and sustainable food by many leading Chefs is manifested in the diners’ choice too. Well this can lead to celebration of taste and health at the same time.

However, despite rise in demand for organic and sustainable food, it is still a niche market in India. Massive promotion of these types of food products by the food service industry, which also includes restaurants in hotels, is needed to make them attain mainstream popularity.

Rising Demand, Nascent Market “Organic food is certainly not as faddish as it once seemed. Nowadays there are bonafide attempts by Chefs and restaurants in the Indian food service business to embrace organic products.

Whilst this may not have any immediate impact on the larger psyche of the diners, it will certainly encourage organic food producers, and spread awareness about organic food products,”

Aug-Sept ’14

“There is no denying the fact that organic food is very seasonal in context to Indian climatic conditions. Due to wide seasonal fluctuations in India, the economic viability of organic food gets compromised.”

—Anurudh Khanna, Executive Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

“There is now a rising demand for safe food, flavoursome food, seasonal food, locally grown food, food higher in nutritional content and mineral value.

However, this is not a new concept, it is centuries old but undergoing a re-evolution.”

— Inderpal Singh Kochhar, Owner, Sewara Organic Farms

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news is that there are guests who are willing to pay that extra cost to eat in an environmentally-friendly manner,” he said.

Besides health attributes, the taste of the organic food is also a factor to be reckoned with. “There is no doubt that organic food is more appetising than conventional food. Moreover, organic food tend to make menus more creative and that is why it has the potential of increasing the profitability of restaurants in the long-run,” Chef Anurudh pointed out.

However, Chef Anurudh admitted that “These days organic groceries are easily available, but fresh organically produced vegetables are still difficult to procure.” But at the same time Chef Anurudh affirmed that “Demand for

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FOCUS organically grown products is increasing on a day-to-day basis, though still more awareness about the concept is needed.”

food products are also often in short supply,” explained Dhruv Oberoi, Sous Chef, Olive Bar & Kitchen, New Delhi.

Towards Organic Success Challenges to Tackle Whether organic food is commercially viable is also a frequently asked question. The exploration of this question is needed to analyse organic food’s relevance across hotel’s restaurants. “Viability here includes both economic viability as well as physical viability. There is no denying the fact that organic food is very seasonal in the context to Indian climatic conditions. Due to wide seasonal fluctuations in India, the economic viability of organic food gets compromised,” pointed out Chef Anurudh.

Then there is the challenge of supply chain in procuring organic food products. “The challenge of the supply chain is an uphill one. There just aren’t enough purveyors offering competitively priced organic food stuff in the country, which can induce businesses to embrace them with enthusiasm. The cost burden of organic food products is often passed on to the customers,” explained Chef Manu.

There are other challenges towards

Dhruv Oberoi

maintaining an organic food menu in restaurants or to make organic food reach farm to fork. According to Chef Anurudh, not only organic food and organic agricultural practices may cost more than conventional food and conventional agricultural practices, leading to the high prices for organic products, but a consistent menu with organic food is difficult to maintain.

“Though demand for organic food is growing, running an organic restaurant is not easy. Organic food products tend to be intrinsically more expensive than processed foods, thereby driving up a restaurateur’s costs. Moreover, organic

Sewara Organics

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noteworthy initiative in organic farming is Sewara Organics, a vertical of The Sewara Group. Sewara Organics was conceptualised by Inderpal Singh Kochhar, the owner of Sewara Organic Farms, who has always been passionate about organic farming. It has been his aim to supply fresh organic produce directly to consumers.

Sewara strives to establish a harmony between the habitat and lifestyle by providing its clientele alternative living choices, which include healthy food & beverage choices.

“We are truly inspired by the principles of permaculture — earth care, people care, fair share. Sewara strives to inculcate an existence that is self-reliant and participative.

Sewara’s primary motive is to reach out to consumers by offering localised and seasonal organic produce basket round the year with total transparency and traceability,” affirmed Inderpal Singh Kochhar, the Owner, Sewara Organic Farms.

Sewara Organics has farms of 70 acres in Noida and this enables bringing in same-day harvests right from the fields into the homes of its customers.

At Lodi – The Garden Restaurant in New Delhi, on every Tuesday a special food menu is displayed on the concept of farm to fork. The vegetables and fruits are brought from Sewara Farms. As per the availability of seasonal vegetables a special menu is designed for the day keeping in the mind the love for farm fresh vegetables by consumers. Some of the fresh and pure delicacies on the menu include farm broccoli and thyme soup, fresh lettuce and roasted beetroot salad with honey dressing and almond pudding with homemade fig ice cream.

Sewara Organics’ fresh and dry produce along with an entire range of flavoursome ready-to-eat deli items are retailed at Lodi-The Garden Restaurant.

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For organic food and local cuisines to get wider acceptance in the Indian food service business, the restaurateurs need to have the courage to change. “Instead of attempting to imitate the western tastes, what we need is a celebration of our own biodiversity. If someone tried putting ponkh chaat counters in every mall instead of the buttered ‘American’ Corn, even if just for the brief two months when the dish makes an appearance, one may just come away surprised by the collective taste buds of our country. But someone needs to try,” pointed out Chef Manu.

And this attempt at innovation with local cuisines is also needed to a greater extent across our hotels, which if done, is expected to pay rich dividends.

However, Oberoi feels that despite the challenges involved it is very much possible to make a successful organic restaurant in the Indian food service or hospitality industry if several ground rules are taken into consideration.

“There are few points to keep in mind before getting into organic restaurant business. One is getting prepared for higher start-up costs. Also the menu needs to be prepared while taking into account of the expected price fluctuations,” articulated Oberoi.

“Embrace menu changes which will help you to overcome short supplies, value supplier relationships, and think long-term as profit margins are expected to be quiet low in restaurants dealing with organic food,” are some of the other advice of Oberoi to the restaurateurs dealing with organic food products.

To sum up, we can say that in today’s metropolitan India, organic and locally produced food products across restaurant menus in five-star or four-star hotels can have a decent demand among the discerning and health conscious palates, provided awareness building and promotional exercises are carried in a proactive and savvy manner. However, the restaurants concerned must be able to maintain a consistent menu despite the seasonal fluctuations, and must be having a solid supply chain operating in I the background.

Aug-Sept ’14

PROCESSED FOOD

Signature With a Sweet Script

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

he Gurgaon-based Lite Bite Foods Pvt. Ltd., a fast growing company in F&B retail space with 12 core brands and more than 65 operational outlets under its ambit — including both owned and franchised operations and both fine dining and casual dining verticals — has recently joined hands with Puranmal Foods India Pvt. Ltd., a company which has made a name for itself in supplying sweets in the institutional and retail markets of Mumbai. The objective of this coming together of two companies is to launch a premium brand of sweets and savouries named Signature. The company formed as a result of this tieup is known as Signature Sweets.

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Foraying in the Capital Signature Sweets will start operations during the upcoming festive season. At the initial stage, Signature’s sweets and savouries will make foray in the Delhi-NCR market only and will target corporate clients, large industrial houses and Delhi-based socialites. On later stages, various other geographies in India will also be included in the company’s operations.

At the initial stage, all sales will be done by experienced sales professionals, with help from the promoter groups by word of mouth, which will in turn is expected to create a lot of goodwill for the brand in the market.

The next step in progression would be to tap large hotel

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groups, event management companies, catering groups, etc. that will boost the product line.

“At the third stage, Signature’s sweets and savouries will be marketed to the retail segment of Delhi-NCR through various kiosks, which would be operational from the Delhi-NCR outlets of Lite Bite Foods,” explained Amit Burman, the Chairman of Lite Bite Foods Pvt. Ltd. Currently, Lite Bite Foods covers 1 million sq. ft. of retail space, and has strong presence across malls, high streets, multiplexes, airports, hotels and other important footfall locations.

Some of the famous food service brands operational under the umbrella of Lite Bite Foods are Punjab Grill, Zambar, Fres Co and Asia Seven. At the subsequent phase, according to Burman, Signature Sweets is expected to have its presence across many other parts of north India, after gauging its success story in the earlier phases across Delhi-NCR. The products under Signature brand will initially include a wide range of sweets and savouries, which will include

Aug-Sept ’14

PROCESSED FOOD Soan Papdi, Kaju Katli, Kaju Pista Roll, Milk Cake, Malai Doda, Dateberry, Kaju Anjeer Roll and Roasted Barfi among others. Speaking on this tie-up, Amit Burman said that Signature Sweets would be targeted to fill the huge gap or the huge market need in the Indian sweets and savouries categories within the high-end B2C, B2B as well as the QSR segment. He rightly believes that there is a huge untapped market in the Indian sweets and savouries categories within the high-end B2C, B2B as well as QSR segment, which Signature Sweets will effectively address.

Joining Hands

Amit Burman

Speaking further on the tie-up, Burman capital, thereby giving us a chance to elaborated that “Puranmal, with its showcase our expertise outside west impeccable track record was a natural India. The focus will be to start with choice for us to enter into this limited product line, concentrating on partnership. They already have an making the phase profitable and then impressive presence in Mumbai and had moving on to the next phase,” expressed always been earnest on venturing into Deepti. the capital city. At Lite Bite Foods we Both the players would bring in have always explored introducing new their own set of expertise to this verticals and it made perfect sense for us partnership. On being asked the nature to partner with Puranmal to create our of partnership of both these players by joint Signature.” this writer, Deepti stated that the stateBurman informed that the association of-the-art manufacturing facility of Lite of Lite Bite Foods with Puranmal Foods Bite Foods in Gurgaon will be used to India Pvt. Ltd. began at the beginning produce the products of Signature of this year that was in January 2014, Sweets, for which already an area has when the latter’s infrastructure set up at been demarcated in the facility. Lite Andheri-East was used by Lite Bite Bite Foods’ impressive distribution Foods to produce the products for its network, logistics and reach will be the outlets at the Mumbai International crucial elements in prospering this Airport. partnership. “We at Puranmal “In the past few years of our Foods India Pvt. Ltd. would be existence, our brand has providing our expertise on raw continually re-invented itself, materials, equipments and as both in terms of product portfolio well as infrastructure,” Deepti and the target segment. After stated. The responsibility of maintaining successful the finances will be jointly relationships with some of the shared by both the giants in the hospitality companies. industry, we realised the potential of replicating the Purity at Puranmal same in north India too Here it deserves a and Delhi/NCR,” mention that Mumbaiobserved Deepti based Puranmal Foods, Chawla, Director – which was established Puranmal Foods India only in 2010, and which Pvt. Ltd., while talking has made a name for about giving shape to itself in the premium Signature Sweets. sweets market in the city “We sincerely hope of glamour and that Signature can fill commerce within a short the demand for quality span of four years, sells Deepti Chawla Indian sweets in the

Aug-Sept ’14

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its sweets from its three fine dining restaurants and two QSR outlets. The company has over 90 varieties of sweets to make its consumers spoilt for choice.

“Besides the end consumers, we also cater to five-star hotels, resorts and offices, and in the institutional segment, Marriott, Hyatt and Taj’s air catering division are among our major clientele,” confirmed Deepti. “Our reputation has been bolstered by the fact that we produce quality products from our central kitchen at Andheri – East. We use pure raw materials and have no involvement of adulteration, which is supplemented with smart packaging options,” Deepti pointed out. Puranmal’s sweets, according to her, uses no preservatives, emulsifiers or stabilisers in its production process.

“Fine ingredients like scortched milk, dry fruits and saffron go into our products to create sweet indulgent experiences,” stated Deepti.

In her opinion, this reputation for purity of Puranmal will facilitate to make the premium products of Signature Sweets garner huge appeal in the Delhi-NCR market and subsequently, across the north Indian market. She informed that Signature Sweets was already armed with huge confirmed orders from various companies.

The Power of Signature Delhi-NCR and other north Indian markets do have a passionate love for sweets and a great many people in these markets do purchase and consume sweets on impulse, often without the reason of a suitable occasion. Therefore, Signature Sweets is expected to have an impressive presence across north India in the near future.

Moreover, it can be expected that the arrival of Signature Sweets in the DelhiNCR market can give competition to the rising popularity of chocolates among the capital’s well-heeled crowd, as gift items across corporates and festivities.

Presently, many Delhites are now directing their preferences towards chocolates as gift items from those of traditional mithais. Will Signature Sweets give an impetus to the popularity of traditional mithais during festivities, in the capital’s fast-paced food & beverage market? The signs look encouraging.

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AGRI

It is Not a Nut

By Swarnendu Biswas

C

ashew nut is a popular dry fruit with wide applications in the food preparations. Both cashew nut and cashew apple are the products of cashew tree. Scientifically known as Anacardium occidentale, the cashew tree can reach a height of 14 metres. However, the dwarf version of this tree, which grows only up to 6 metres, is generally more profitable for the F&B industry, as they have earlier maturity and higher yields as compared to their taller versions. Though native to north-eastern Brazil, cashew tree is now seen rampantly across many tropical regions of the globe.

Cashew nuts are produced in tropical countries because the cashew tree is very much sensitive to frost. Cashew nuts are regarded among the highly valuable

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processed nuts traded in the global markets, though it is not a nut. Here it deserves a mention that cashew nut, which is used as a sumptuous snack and is also used in myriad recipes is actually not a nut in botanical sense, but is a seed.

However, it is popularly and erroneously called a nut. The fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney shaped nut that is seen at the end of the cashew apple. The nut appears first and then the cashew apple appears behind it. Both the nut and cashew apple grow till they reach maturity.

Within a given nut there is a single seed, which we commonly refer to as cashew nut or simply cashew.

India got exposed to cashew tree and its seed through the Portuguese invaders, during 1560-65. In India, cashew was initially introduced to Goa and from Goa, the popularity of cashew nuts spread across the country. From India, the popularity of cashew nuts spread through South-east Asia and then to Africa.

Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Indonesia were among the top producers of cashew nuts with shell in 2010. Today India happens to be one of the major producers, processors and exporters of cashews in the world. Cashew is a huge source of foreign exchange for the country. In India, cashew nuts are mainly produced in Maharashtra,

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Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Goa and West Bengal. India happens to be the largest exporter of cashew nuts in the world.

During 2013-14, India’s exports of cashew and cashew-based products were worth 0.82 billion USD.

For Snacks, Desserts and Curries Cashew nuts have extensive applications in Indian curries and desserts, and thus its role as an ingredient in the Indian food service industry is immense. However, the shell of cashew nut is toxic. Therefore, the shell is removed before these nuts or rather the seeds are sold. Unlike other oily tree nuts, cashew nuts have starch comprising 10 percent of its weight. According to Wikipedia, this attribute makes them more effective than other nuts for thickening water-based dishes such as soups, meat stews, and some Indian milkbased desserts. This unique attribute makes many South-east Asian cuisines to use cashew nuts in their recipes.

Cashew nuts can be a tasty snack with tea or with alcoholic beverages, and is being extensively used in Indian cuisine as a whole for garnishing of some sweets or curries. They can be also grind into a paste to act as a base of sauces for some vegetarian and as well as non-vegetarian curries.

Aug-Sept ’14

AGRI For example, in the recipe of Shahi Paneer the cashew nut based tomato gravy can play a pivotal role in bringing the rich texture and flavour of the dish. In chicken korma also cashew nuts do play an important role. Cashew nut paste is also used in some types of Indian sweets, such as kaju barfi. There are numerous such examples of dishes where infusion of cashew nuts play a crucial role in enhancing the taste.

Besides extensive usage in Indian dishes, cashew nuts also have applications in Thai and Chinese cuisine, generally in whole form. Here it deserves a mention that both Chinese and Thai cuisines have a fairly long history of popularity in the country.

The Healthy Seed Cashew nuts, besides being tasty and also contributing to the taste of many non-vegetarian, vegetarian and dessert dishes, are also endowed with nutritional value. Cashew nuts are devoid of cholesterol. They also facilitate to reduce the bad cholesterol, and are a good source of magnesium which maintains strength of our bones.

Cashew nuts also help maintain healthy gums and teeth.

Cashew nuts are laden with less fat content than most of the other nuts. Moreover, cashew contains healthy dosage of monounsaturated fat that facilitates good cardiovascular health.

Intake of cashew nuts also keeps us full and thereby helps in keeping our weights in check.

The Role of Cashew Apple Cashew apple is also edible. The pulp of the cashew apple is juicy, but cashew apple has a fragile skin, thereby making it difficult for transportation. Cashew apple teems with Vitamin C. In fact, it contains five times more vitamin C than an orange. Cashew apple can be partaken fresh, could be cooked in curries, or could be fermented into an alcoholic drink. In Brazil and Caribbean islands cashew apples are regarded as delicacy. Cashew apples can also be used to make chutneys and jams. In many South American countries, the cashew apple has more popularity as an edible item than cashew nut. The cashew apple has wide applications in the beverage industry too.

In Latin America, a fruit beverage is made from the cashew apple pulp. The refreshing beverage has notes of mango, raw green pepper, and just a hint of grapefruit-like citrus. This drink can also be introduced in high-end restaurants in India, whether they be stand-alone or chain outlets, in a vigorous manner. They are expected to be liked by increasing numbers of globally travelled and globally exposed Indians.

The Goan cashew feni, an indigenous alcoholic beverage of Goa with more than 40-42 percent alcohol content, and with a global fame, is prepared from cashew apples. Conventionally, only ripened cashew apples which have completed their life and fallen to the ground are being crushed to make cashew feni. The cashew apple is mashed to extract the juice and the juice is kept for fermentation for three days. There is no infusion of artificial yeast or nutrients to quicken the process. The fermented juice is translated â– into cashew feni by going through two stages of distillation.

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BAKERY

For Building a Bakery Enterprise

By Ashok Malkani

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in big cities of urban India, are having less time to cook elaborate meals, thereby leading to an increase in ready-to-eat snacking options, where bakeries can and does play a crucial role. One can say that the growing demand for bakery products in India is fostered by changing lifestyles in urban India, increased effect of globalization in our F&B choices and of course, by the increased disposable incomes in select but sizeable sections of urban Indian society.

The demands of busy life are necessitating increased consumption of breads and biscuits across urban India, whereas the increased disposable incomes and globalisation are also inducing consumption of gourmet bakery products in the country, like specialised pastries and designer cakes or breads spruced with

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

n India, the bakery industry is the third highest revenue earner in the processed food sector. According to a report presented by Research and Markets, which was published in February 2012, the market size of the Indian bakery industry was pegged at 4.7 billion USD in 2010 and was expected to reach 7.6 billion USD by 2015.

According to an ASSOCHAM study of 2011, the bakery market of India was going through a steady annual growth rate of 8 percent. The changing socioeconomic scenario has contributed towards making bakery products gain greater popularity in the country, during the recent years.

The promising scenario for the Indian bakery industry is natural as now more and more people in urban India, especially

pumpkins, blueberries and other fruits.

With the growth of the bakery industry in India, we are seeing the mushrooming of a number of bakery outlets, and coffee café chains selling bakery products, operating in the country.

At the same time, the mushrooming growth of coffee café chains across the country can lead to greater impetus to the bakery business. All these factors together indicate a promising future for the entrepreneurs thinking of venturing into the Indian bakery industry.

Indian bakery industry is not only an industry with promising growth, but it is an industry which also has the potential to achieve high profit margins. The bakery industry is believed to generate over 50 percent profits on some products.

Moreover, bakery business can be initiated

Aug-Sept ’14

BAKERY with a modest investment and from one’s home also.

However, every business is fraught with the danger of failure. The promising scenario for the Indian bakery industry doesn’t mean that bakery business for Indian entrepreneurs is an easy route to earn money; it has its own challenges. The necessary conditions for success in the bakery business requires a combination of sustained hard work and creativity, besides of course, the knowledge about the ingredients and the prevailing market trends.

Look Before You Leap Before you venture into the bakery business it is necessary that you study all the pros and cons. There are a few things an entrepreneur or a potential entrepreneur venturing into opening a stand-alone bakery outlet or a stand-alone bakery café should explore upon.

Firstly, the entrepreneur or the potential entrepreneur should ascertain whether the locality where he/she is planning to start the business has a ready market for bakery products or not. The

Aug-Sept ’14

entrepreneur or the potential entrepreneur should also gauge his/her competition if any in the locality very carefully, and do some deep introspection on what novelty in terms of products, presentation and packaging he/she can offer to his/her potential clientele.

The person thinking of investing in a

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bakery shop or a stand-alone bakery café should also have a fairly decent degree of knowledge about the intricacies of the day-to-day working of the bakeries, and of the bakery ingredients; in fact more knowledge or practical experience he/she would be having in this regard, the better it would be for his/her business in the

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BAKERY future.

The knowledge of bakery operations and bakery ingredients should be complemented with the knowledge of current trends in the bakery business.

Besides deciding upon the investment that is to be made, a thorough evaluation of the fixed and variable costs (two examples of the fixed costs are the interest payments on capital invested on loan, and rent, two examples of variable costs are salary and the price of raw materials) and the projected profits are to be made, along with a clear idea of the time period which would be taken for break even.

For investing in a retail bakery chain, or in a bakery café chain, the entrepreneur or the potential entrepreneur has to gauge the market potential of his/her investment not only in a particular locality, but across various localities of a city/various cities, state/s, or country, depending upon the scale of operations he/ she has envisaged. Succinctly, he/ she needs to have a macro perspective of the business, besides of course deep pockets.

For those thinking of opening a bakery café chain or a retail bakery chain, more than the knowledge about the intricacies of the day-to-day bakery operations and of the bakery ingredients, knowledge about the macro perspective of the bakery business is needed, though the knowledge of the former two can also be facilitating factor while overseeing the day-to-day performances of the Managers.

As far as bakery café chains and retail bakery chains are concerned, the entrepreneur should preferably build one central bakery unit in each of the cities where it has presence, from where these chain wide operations would get their supplies across various outlets in a given city.

Prudent evaluation of costs and profits and a clear idea of the time period that would be required to break even are needed for bakery café chains and retail bakery chains too as it is required in their stand-alone versions.

Besides ensuring quality of baked creations, the entrepreneur in the bakery business also need to have knowledge as well as control over food safety measures, and health and hygiene issues so that spoilage and wastage is kept to a

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minimum and the image of cleanliness & hygiene is emanated to the consumers.

Minimising wastage would lead to quicker break even and the image of cleanliness may generate repeat business. These conditions should be adhered by standalone bakery outlets, bakery chains, and as well as bakery café chains.

Besides deciding on the right location, ascertaining and gauging the competition wisely, and keeping stringent control on product quality and a careful eye on costing, hiring the right staff and keeping them motivated are also very important in the bakery business, as this business depends a lot on human expertise.

Franchisee to Growth And one can get the support of an established brand at the beginning of one’s bakery business by opting to become

a franchisee of a renowned player in the bakery business. The spurt in the demand for bakery products is providing business opportunities to the franchisees, which though may not require great investment can yield lucrative profits. Besides wellestablished brand name, franchisors may also provide their franchisees with recipes, guidance, training, and as well as marketing and advertising support.

In India, franchising is estimated to be worth 22 billion USD (about Rs 1. 2 lakh crore). What is more, franchising business in India is showing an impressive growth rate of 30 percent per year, on an average.

And bakery is one of the sensible opportunities to explore franchising option.

Many of the renowned bakery players like Cookie Man, Monginis and Birdy’s have opted for the franchise route. An

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expert viewed that the potential of expansion of the brand through franchising is quicker than through company-run outlets. The franchisees can contribute to the capital of the franchisor, and in turn can expect to get the backing of an established brand which can help them get an edge over competition. It is a win-win situation in both ways.

However, there are riders. If the franchisee does not deliver the products of a certain quality that is associated with the brand which he/she is carrying, not only the business of the franchisee but the long-standing reputation of the franchising company can suffer. Simply relying on the brand name, without delivering the quality of products to match the reputation of the franchisor would not help the franchisee bakery business (or rather any business) to thrive.

Before starting his/her bakery business by investing to become a franchisee, the entrepreneur or the potential entrepreneur should do his/her homework, which of course include market research about his/her prospective business.

Otherwise adversity in the business may caught the entrepreneur unawares, whose perpetuation without astute handling may lead to closure of the shop. And the players going for franchisee route, like the players going for standalone bakeries without support of any brand name, shouldn’t expect profits from the first day either.

In franchising, any beginner franchisee firstly needs to put his/her best efforts in the initial 6-8 months without expecting profits from the very first day. He/she must realise that retail is a long-term business, irrespective of with or without franchising support. This holds true for bakery business too.

Furthermore, bad or inappropriate location can lead to the failure of a franchisee despite the leverage of brand support. Similarly failure to meet the customer expectations in terms of quality of products and their presentation or even failure to meet customer expectations regarding products and presentation that the franchiser has instilled among them may also result in closing the shop of the franchisee.

Also, personal involvement in the

Aug-Sept ’14

bakery business, especially during the initial phase, is extremely important, and that is true for the franchisees too. In fact, besides getting the huge brand advantage many other factors of consideration are similar for the franchisees entering the bakery business and for the entrepreneurs entering the bakery business without the franchise support.

Yes, of course, inadequate support from the franchisor may lead to business disturbances in the franchisee’s operations, and in this regard the entrepreneurs or the potential entrepreneurs thinking of entering the bakery business should be sure of adequate support of the franchisor in their desired directions before taking the plunge. Failure to motivate the staff to excel or not having the right business model may also harm the business of the franchisees entering the bakery business.

Being Pilot Franchisee For those who are apprehensive of failure as a franchisee, they can explore the concept of pilot franchising. Pilot franchising can be beneficial for the franchisor’s brand reputation too. A business owner who is considering expansion through franchising can ascertain the viability or profitability of his/her franchising model by carrying out a pilot franchise before embarking on full-fledged franchising.

To understand pilot franchising one must understand the term pilot franchisee. The term pilot franchisee stands for the first franchisee appointed by the franchisor to evaluate or ascertain or estimate the extent of viability or success of his/her franchise operations.

Pilot franchising enables the franchisee to evaluate the franchise business model before investing his/her time and money into it. The franchisor can enter into an agreement with a pilot franchisee for a given time frame to test the financial viability or success of his/her franchising operations. If the pilot franchise or test franchise does well, the franchisor can make his/her pilot franchisee as his/her first official franchisee. However if the endeavour fails, the pilot franchisee would still gain rich experience and earnings as well (as per agreement with the franchisor). It is a test drive of sorts for the franchisee and the franchisor in the franchising route.

There are various advantages of becoming a pilot franchisee in the bakery business. Being the only franchisee for the time being, the pilot franchisee is likely to get individual and personalised attention of the franchisor. There is also the possibility of the pilot franchisee graduating into master franchisee, when the said franchise operation gets successful. Moreover, the pilot franchisee can have greater say in the territorial rights as compared to other franchisees who may follow when there is a smooth ride.

However, the pilot franchisee may have to contend with the disadvantage of not having a tried and tested model of franchising before him/her, as the franchisor is also likely to be new to franchising in the bakery operations.

Overall, bakery business in post-modern India has great potential to succeed, whether though franchising or through non-franchising route. However, being a franchisee of an established brand can help the entrepreneur or the potential entrepreneur to have the much needed edge in his/her bakery operations, which could help him/her to beat the competition more quickly and successfully.

With inputs from Swarnendu Biswas.

Aug-Sept ’14

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INGREDIENT

Gelling with

Gelatin G

elatin – a fairly old ingredient for setting many items and cooking is also spelt as gelatine and originates from the French term, gélatine. It is a transluscent brittle substance, colourless or light yellow. In itself it has no taste or odour and it is created by prolonged boiling of connective tissue of animals such as skin, cartilege, and bones. Apart from its use in food, it is also of use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and photography industry. Technically also known as E number E441, it is an irreversibly hudrolyzed form of collagen.

Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called gelatinous. Apart from culinary use, gelatin is also used in the pharmaceutical and makeup industry. Gelatin melts to a liquid when heated and solidifies when cooled again. Together with water, it forms a semi-solid colloid gel. Gelatin forms a solution of high viscosity in water, which sets to a gel on cooling, and its chemical composition is, in many respects, closely similar to that of its parent collagen.

Gelatin is also soluble in most polar solvents. Gelatin gels exist over only a small temperature range, the upper limit being the melting point of the gel, which depends on gelatin grade and concentration, and the lower limit, the freezing point at which ice crystallizes.

The mechanical properties are very sensitive to temperature variations, previous thermal history of the gel, and time. The viscosity of the gelatin/water

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mixture increases with concentration and when kept cool. In addition to the animal gelatins described above, there are also vegetarian gelatins such as agar.

Gelatin in Food Household gelatin comes in the form of sheets, granules or as powder. Instant types can be added to the food as they are; others need to be soaked in water beforehand. While the granular form of gelatin is easily available, the sheets are often sold only in large packaging, making them suitable only for commercial users.

Special kinds of gelatin are made only

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from certain animals or from fish. In order to comply with food needs of the Jews and Muslims, Kosher (for the Jews) gelatin can be made with fish bones, and/or beef skins. Unlike other restrictions it is considered kosher to use it with dairy products. Kosher law is complex and the bones and hides used in gelatin production are considered ‘pareve’. It means foods that are neither milk nor meat. Some people assume this to mean that the product is ‘vegetarian’.

To quote from an article in Kashrus Magazine, “since the gelatin product is from hides or bones - not real flesh - and has undergone such significant changes, it is no longer considered ‘fleishig’ (meat) but ‘pareve’, and can be eaten with dairy products.”

Similarly, when it says ‘halal gelatin’ it means the appropriate animals have been killed in mandatory manner and no pork products have been used in the making of gelatin.

Food Uses Common examples of food that contain gelatin are desserts, jelly, trifles, marshmallows and confectioneries such as gummy bears. It may be used as a stabiliser, thickener, or texturizer in foods such as ice creams, jams, yogurt, cream cheese, margarine. It is used, as well, in fat-reduced foods to simulate the mouth feel of fat and to create volume without adding calories.

Gelatin is used for the clarification of juices, such as apple juice, and of vinegar. Beside hartshorn jelly from deer

Aug-Sept ’14

INGREDIENT antlers (hence the name ‘hartshorn’), isinglass was one of the oldest sources of gelatin. It might come as a surprise that Isinglass, from the swim bladders of fish, is still in use as a fining agent for wine and beer.

Extraction & Recovery After preparation of the raw material, i.e., reducing cross linkages between collagen components and removing some of the impurities such as fat and salts, partially purified collagen is converted into gelatin by extraction with either water or acid solutions at appropriate temperatures. All industrial processes are based on neutral or acid pH values because though alkali treatments speed up conversion, they also promote degradation processes. Acid extract conditions are extensively used in the industry but the degree of acid varies with different processes. This extraction step is a multi stage process, and the extraction temperature is usually increased in later extraction steps. This procedure ensures the minimum thermal

Aug-Sept ’14

degradation of the extracted gelatin.

Recovery process includes several steps such as filtration, evaporation, drying, grinding, and sifting. These operations are concentration-dependent and also dependent on the particular gelatin used. Gelatin degradation should be avoided and therefore the lowest temperature possible is used for the recovery process. Most recoveries are rapid, with all of the processes being done in several stages to avoid extensive deterioration of the peptide structure. A deteriorated peptide structure would result in a low gelling strength, which is not generally desired.

Vegetarian Gelatin For the strict vegetarian and vegans, gelatin may be substituted with similar gelling agents such as agar, natural gum, carrageenan, pectin or konnyaku. These are sometimes referred to as ‘vegetable gelatins’ although there is no chemical relationship; they are technically carbohydrates, not proteins. The name ‘gelatin’ is colloquially applied to all

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types of gels and jellies; but properly used, it currently refers solely to the animal protein product. There is no vegetable source for gelatin. However, in respect to dietery requirements of segments of society, the gelatin suitable for vegetarians may be used for same effect in the product.

Some gelatinous desserts can be made with agar instead of gelatin, allowing them to congeal more quickly and at higher temperatures. Agar, a vegetable product made from seaweed, is used especially in quick jelly powder mix and Asian jelly desserts, but also as an alternative that is acceptable to increasing number of vegetarians. Agar is more closely related to pectin and other gelling plant carbohydrates than to gelatin.

Another vegan alternative to gelatin is carageenan. This alternative sets more firmly than agar, and is often used in Jewish kosher cooking. Though it, too, is a type of seaweed, it tends not to have an unpleasant smell during cooking as agar sometimes does.

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INGREDIENT cup, 250ml, cold water per sheet).

• Once soft, lift sheets from the cold water.

• Wring gently to remove excess water, than add to warm liquid, the quantity called for in the recipe; stirring until dissolved. If adding to a cold mixture, melt the softened sheets in a saucepan or microwave over very low heat, stirring just until melted completely. Then stir in the cold mixture gradually.

Diverse Uses & Tips on Gelatin

Technical Aspect Although gelatin is 98–99% protein by dry weight, it has less nutritional value than many other protein sources.

Gelatin is unusually high in nonessential amino acids (i.e., those produced by the human body), while lacking in certain other essential amino acids (i.e., those not produced by the human body).

It contains no tryptophan and is deficient in methionine and threonine.

Its other values and ratios of chemicals vary, especially the minor constituents, depending on the source of the raw material and processing technique.

Gelatin is one of the few food products or ingredients, which cause a net loss of protein if eaten exclusively.

Several people died of malnutrition in the 1970s while on popular ‘liquid protein’ diets.

For decades, gelatin has been touted as a good source of protein. It has also been said to strengthen nails and hair.

However, there is little scientific evidence to support such an assertion, one which may be traced back to Knox’s revolutionary marketing techniques of the 1890s, when it was advertised that gelatin contains protein and that lack of protein causes dry, deformed nails. In fact, the human body itself produces abundant amounts of the proteins found in gelatin. Furthermore, dry nails are usually due to a lack of moisture, not protein.

Gelatin Production The production of gelatin typically

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starts with the boiling of cattle bones or pig skins; contrary to popular conception, horns and hooves are not used. This material is then soaked with acid or alkali in large vats to extract and hydrolyze the protein collagen. The extract is then dried and ground to form a powder.

To make gelatin desserts, typically powdered gelatin is mixed with sugar and additives and artificial flavorings and food colours are added. Very hot water is added to swell the powdered gelatin and gel the liquid. The dessert gels slowly as it cools.

Eating tainted beef may have led to variant (CJD) in humans, but there are no known cases of variant CJD transmitted through collagen products such as gelatin.

Granular V/s Sheet Gelatin When using the powdered form of gelatin follow the following steps: • Sprinkle the granules of gelatin over the surface cold water or liquid. Use 1/4 cup, 60ml, or whatever quantity is called for in the recipe, per envelope. Do not dump them in a pile, as the granules in the middle won’t dissolve.

• Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Add warm liquid or heat gently, stirring until dissolved. To verify the granules are melted, lift the stirring utensil and ensure that there are no undissolved granules clinging to it.

For the sheet gelatin use the following suggested steps: • Soak sheet(s) of gelatin in a bowl of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes (about 1

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• Both sheet and powdered gelatin should be dissolved in cold water. If hot water is used, granules of gelatin will swell on the outside too quickly, preventing the water from getting in to the center.

• Don’t boil things made with gelatin. That can make the gelatin lose its efficacy.

• Desserts made with gelatin should chill for at least eight hours, but twenty four hours chilling is best. After twenty four hours, gelatin will not set any further.

• Some people prefer to use sheet gelatin, claiming it has no odour and the gel sets finer. Another advantage is no chance of un-dissolved granules when using sheet gelatin.

• If you want something made with gelatin to set faster, chill the mold or container first. Also you can stir the mixture constantly in a metal bowl placed in an ice bath until it begins to set, then pour it into the mold or container.

• Gelatin lasts forever, according to American claim. If the packet gives an expiration date, it has to do with a “degradation of the packaging”.

• Certain tropical fruits, such as pineapple, kiwifruit, and ginger, have an enzyme (bromelin) that can prevent gelatin for setting. But heating the fruit completely before using will destroy the enzyme.

• Some folks add gelatin to sorbets to keep them soften when frozen. If so, for 1 quart (1l) of mixture, dissolve 1 teaspoon of gelatin in 2 tablespoons or so of the cold sorbet mixture, and let it soften for 5 minutes. Warm a small amount of the sorbet mixture and pour it into the gelatin, stirring until dissolved, then mix the gelatin back into the sorbet mixture before churning. ■

Aug-Sept ’14

Mar-Apr ’14

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THEME CUISINE

Sumptuous Varieties of Maharashtrian Cuisine

By Sharmila Chand

M

aharashtra cuisine presents itself as an amalgamation of tastes and flavours. The state stretches from the rocky rain drenched Western Ghats to the north central parts of Deccan Plateau, and its geographical variety is complemented by its culinary diversity.

Maharashtrian cuisine has sumptuous delicacies which are teeming with flavours and spices. However, there are mild dishes too in the wide variety that Maharashtrian cuisine encompasses.

The Basic Tastes Jowar ki roti, Bhakri, and other types of flat breads constitute the staple dishes of Maharashtrian people. They are supplemented with lentils and a wide array of bhaajis, which to a foreigner may appear as vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries.

Together, the above-mentioned breads, lentils and bhaajis are the integral parts of a Maharashtrian diet.

Ingredients like wheat, rice, jowar, bajra, lentils, vegetables and fruits form important components of a traditional Maharastrian meal.

The state has an impressive range of tasty snacks as part of its culinary legacy, and also as part of its contemporary culinary character.

They include vada pav, misal pav, pohey, kothimbir vadi, thalipeeth, etc.

The Maharashtrian Thali A traditional and scrumptious Maharashtrian meal is served on a plate called the Thali where each food item served has a specific place.

Generally the bhaaji or curries are served on the right side while the chutney and koshimbir — a traditional Marathi salad made with beetroot, curd and spices — are served on the left. The papad is placed below the koshimbir with the rice and poli served at the bottom of the circle, close to the diner’s hand. The amti and rassa are served in separate bowls placed on the right hand side of the diner. Water is placed on the left hand side. The Maharashtrian Thali is an example of the aesthetic presentation of food.

Often the Maharashtrian food emanates

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strong aroma of spices from their freshly ground spice mix, popularly known as Goda Masala (black Maharashtrian masala) and from the liberal use of garlic and ginger.

Popular Tastes Some of the most popular Maharashtrian dishes are: Pohey Pohey is a very popular breakfast dish or snack in Maharashtra, which is generally served with tea. It is made in different style as Batata Pohey (flattened rice mixed with dice potatoes, spices and fresh herbs), or Kanda Pohey (flattened rice prepared with onion, spices and fresh herbs). Pohey is generally nicely garnished with fresh coriander, grated coconut and crushed peanuts.

Pitla Bhakri or Pitla Pitla is supposed to be a rural Maharashtrian dish that is made with besan flour as the main ingredient. The dish is seasoned with cumin seeds, ajwain and other spices. Pitla is usually eaten with bhakri, a flat bread made from either jowar or bajra cereals.

Sabudana Khichdi It is again a popular Maharashtrian breakfast dish made with sago pearls, spiced with green chillies and seasoned with roasted peanuts and fresh coconut.

This dish is also eaten during fasting and is given as parshad in some temples.

Sol Kadhi It is a pink coloured drink, which is served as an appetizer. It facilitates digestion.

In fact, this drink is common across Maharashtra, Konkan, and Goa. It is made with coconut milk, and is spiced with some green chillies. The drink is spruced with sweet and tanginess from kokum and flavoured with fresh cilantro.

Bharli Vangi Known for its spicy and tangy flavour, it is a traditional Maharashtrian curry. Also known as stuffed eggplant, it is an exotic dish made with baby eggplants/ brinjals, stuffed with spicy masala.

Toor dal Amti It is a typical Maharashtrian spicy lentil.

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This dish forms the essence of daily menu in most Maharastrian homes. It is made with toor dal, and is seasoned with spices and sweetened with jiggery.

Vada Pav One of the most popular Maharashtrian snacks, it is prepared with deep fried potato based patty that is sandwiched between two breads called pav. It is often served with fried whole green chillies and chutney.

Pandhra Rassa Pandhara Rassa or simply rassa is like a watery curry, that traces its origins from the Kolhapur region. Chicken in white rassa is a classic dish from the Maharashtrian cuisine where chicken is cooked in a popular Pandhra rassa.

Kolhapur is well-known for its spicy nonvegetarian curries which includes the Taambda Rassa, which literally means fiery red curry.

Varhadi Rassa Another famous dish of Maharashtra is Varhadi Rassa that comes from the Vidarbha region, and is usually a chicken curry.

Mutton Kolhapuri Mutton Kolhapuri is a red hot mutton curry that is characterised by robust flavours.

The delicacy is usually served with bhakris or chapattis.

Puran Poli Puran Poli is a sweetened chapati stuffed with delicious sweet filling that compriseschanna dal (lentil made of gram) and jaggery. Puran poli is made from jaggery, yellow gram (chana) dal, plain flour, cardamom powder and ghee (clarified butter) and is often eaten after meals or as a snack.

This dish is found in almost all Maharashtrian festive occasions.

Shrikhand It is a classic Indian sweet delicacy from Maharashtrian cuisine made of hung & strained yogurt, flavoured with saffron and cardamom.

It is served chilled and provides a refreshing counterpoint to hot and spicy curries. The dessert is often garnished with toasted nuts and a pinch of saffron.

Aug-Sept ’14

THEME CUISINE

Menu Planning

By Sachin Joshi, Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune Veg Starters Kothimbir chi wadi Batata wada Sev bhaji Veg Main Course Matki chi ussal Alu chi pattal bhaji Dalimbi chi ussal Sevghachi amti Non-Veg Starters Kolhapuri mutton sukhe Bhajleli kombdi Non-veg Main Dishes Sukka mutton Tambda rassa Kombdi cha gawaran rassa

Aug-Sept ’14

Recipe Kothimbir chi wadi

By Sachin Joshi, Executive Chef Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune Ingredients • 2 cups of chickpea flour/besan • 2 cups of chopped coriander leaves • 1 ½ cup of water • 1 tbsp of rice flour • 1 tsp of turmeric powder • 2 tsp of cumin seeds • 8 garlic pods • Chopped garlic 2 tsp • 10 green chillies • Oil • Salt as per taste Method 1. Wash the coriander leaves. Chop and keep them aside.

2. Make a paste out of garlic, ginger and chillies.

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3. In a bowl mix chickpea flour, rice flour and salt with water.

4. In a pan heat oil.

5. Add cumin seeds, turmeric powder and ginger garlic chilli paste.

6. Stir and add chopped coriander leaves. Sauté it for a minute.

7. Now add chickpea flour mixture and stir continuously. Stir until mixture becomes thick.

8. Turn of the heat.

9. On a silver foil, spread the chickpea coriander leaves mixture.

Spread mixture evenly and pat with fingers.

10. Let it cool down. Cut into square shaped pieces.

11. Now again heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the kothimbir vadi till crisp.

12. Serve it hot.

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RESTAURANT

Varied Flavours from

Maharashtra

By Sharmila Chand

I

t is a brand new day at Café G at Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, every day. As an all day dining restaurant, Café-G’s key premise is its combination of buffet and live cooking with a décor, which complements the relaxed and lively ambience.

Here a holistic fine-dining experience is guaranteed, replete with freshly cooked up ideas on its menu that also change daily. Café G strives to offer its guests a different experience with every meal.

Mumbai Street Food at Café G Recently, Café G showcased one such unique and amazing experience which made the guests extremely happy. It was the ‘Mumbai Street Food Festival’.

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The menu was specially developed by Chef Pravin S Laad from Holiday Inn Mumbai. The menu included dishes like

Pani Puri, Ragda Pattice, Tawawali Tikki, Garam Samosa Chaat, Sev Papdi Chaat, Matar Patila, Dahi Puri

“The experience of cooking street food, specially street food from Mumbai, always excites me. I and my team received tremendous response from Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon and its patrons. We were so delighted to see the guests enjoying Mumbai street food during the 10 day-long-festival. We tried to be as authentic as possible for this food festival.”

— Chef Pravin S Laad, Indian Chef Cuisine, Holiday Inn Mumbai.

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Aug-Sept ’14

RESTAURANT “Cafe G, our all day multi-dining restaurant is famous for daily theme lunches and dinners. Every month we focus on doing a special food festival. Our Mumbai Street Food festival was much appreciated. The guests thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the flavours of street food of Mumbai in the ambience of a five-star property.”

— Indrashis Sinha, Associate Director F&B , Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon

Bhelpuri, Dahi Bhalla, Chicken Tikka, Tangdi Kebab, Tandoori Chicken, Seekh Kebab and many more.

During the festival the restaurant was decked up with the elements of a typical Mumbai street. Its open interactive kitchen overflowed with the aromas of an array of freshly-cooked food, all presented in a surrounding highlighted with a tinge of vibrant colours.

Talking about the food festivals hosted at the hotel, Indrashis Sinha, Associate Director — F&B , Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, said, “In an effort to offer different cuisines, flavours and variety to our patrons, we have a special food festival planned for every month.

Our food festivals like Konkani, Rampuri, Dilli 6 and the Mumbai Food Festival were great hits among our guests.”

Peshwai Cuisine at Mystic Masala

O

verlooking the poolside, Mystic Masala at Vivanta

by Taj — Blue Diamond, Pune, is perhaps the only restaurant in a five-star hotel in Pune offering traditional Maharashtrian Peshwai cuisine.

Mystic Masala presents hand-picked home-style preparations from central and western Maharashtra.

However, along with the array of Maharashtrian delicacies, the menu also showcases an extensive selection of popular traditional North Indian specialties.

Sachin Joshi “The ‘Regional Flavors of Maharashtra’ section of the menu from the restaurant features specialties from Vidarbha, Kolhapur, Sawantwadi, Satara, Konkani, Malwan, Wai, Nagpur, Sangli, Pune and Karjat including delicacies prepared for the Peshwa rulers and in other royal homes across the state,” conveyed Sachin Joshi, Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj – Blue Diamond, Pune.

“Among the local specialties at the restaurant are Kothimbir chi Wadi, a tasty coriander patty from Konkan; Kombdi cha Gawaran Rassa, a home style country chicken curry originally from Satara; Malwani Fish Curry, a tangy pomfret curry from Malwan; Kolhapuri Rassa, a spicy mutton dish served with rice,” he added.

“Here the staff will challenge you to resist popular desserts like Amrakhand and Puran Poli while live performers enchant you as you savour the traditional cuisine,” affirmed Praveen Sharda, Executive Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

Praveen Sharda

Aug-Sept ’14

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65

CHEF VOICE

The

Creative and

Passionate Chef

By Sharmila Chand How do you define yourself?

Chef Kailash Mukhia is the Head Chef, U n Me Lounge Bar, located at Hauz Khas Market, New Delhi. He has a rich experience of more than 17 years behind him.

Chef Kailash’s expertise lies in Chinese, Thai & Japanese cuisines.

“I love working on the Japanese teppanyaki grill in particular. While doing so I get to interact with the people directly and also charm my guests with my live cooking on the grill. I also love juggling with my knives and other tools which fascinates my guests quite a lot. I am always thrilled about it,” he said. The excerpts of the interview follow:

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I would like to define myself as a passionate food lover and a creative Chef.

What would you like to say on your work?

me and served for them. That feeling is always priceless.

What would you consider as your strength?

It is my belief in God.

I enjoy it to the fullest as work is worship for me.

And what would you consider as your weakness?

What is your philosophy of cooking?

It is the fear of losing my guest. So I work extra hard to give maximum satisfaction to my guests.

I believe that God has a special plan for me in my life and He wants me to achieve success with the talent of cooking that He has given to me. I respect His gift and enjoy cooking for everyone.

Had you not been doing this then what you had been?

Maybe I would have become a singer as I am fond of singing.

What would you consider as your best award?

The best awards for me are when people appreciate the food prepared by me. I feel that every day I reach a milestone when I see people smiling and enjoying the food that is prepared by

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What is your greatest desire, professionally?

My greatest desire, professionally, is to run my own restaurant.

What are your leisurely pursuit/s?

I love spending time with my family.

How do you de-stress yourself?

I unwind by watching movies.

How would you describe yourself if you had to do so in one word?

In one word, I would describe myself as hardworking.

Aug-Sept ’14

CHEF VOICE How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

As a Chef, I would prefer to describe myself as just a dedicated Chef and would not give myself any ratings as such.

What is your favourite cuisine?

Japanese cuisine is my favourite cuisine.

What is your favourite spice?

I would say that star anise is my favourite spice.

And your favourite dish?

Sushi is my favourite dish.

According to you, what is your favourite equipment in kitchen?

Teppanyaki grill.

What or which is/are your favourite restaurant/food joint?

Spectra at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences.

Whom would you consider as your favourite diner/s, that is the kind of guest you would like to feed?

The guests who would let me plan their menu and believe in my choice are my favourite diners.

What is the best compliment you have received so far?

It came when a renowned Chef so liked my dish that he said he wanted to lick my fingers.

What is your advice for people who love cooking and want to make it a career?

You can cook and you can keep improving on it.

This is the confidence any cook needs to have as she/he seeks to cook better meals for her/his family and friends/ guests, and also for herself/himself.

Where do we see you 10 years from now?

Ten years from now, I would like to see myself as a wellsettled restaurateur, serving good food and spending more time with family.

What are your future plans?

Set up my own restaurant five years from now.

What is the position of Chefs today in India?

It is definitely very good. Their reputation has increased and they are very much in demand.

What are the problems and challenges faced

by Chefs in India, these days?

In my opinion, their biggest challenge is to maintain a good team. Trained manpower has been always difficult to get in this industry. Also having a consistent flow of best quality ingredients is another challenge.

Aug-Sept ’14

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PROFILE

Giving a High

By Sharmila Chand

Pravesh Pandey, the Director of Operations at High Ultra Lounge, Bangalore comes with more than 12 years of work experience in the hospitality and food & beverage industry. In his role as the Director, he provides strategic leadership to ensure effective operations of the property.

Pandey has worked with reputed names like Shiro, Hard Rock Café’, ITC Hotels, etc. and also with international cruise liners. He has received many awards and recognitions for significant achievements and valued contribution to the organisations where he was engaged with.

He has acquired a wide range of experiences and expertise in all facets of operational management of stand-alone bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs. He has been continually offering variety and innovation in products to achieve brand excitement among customers. Capacity planning and budgeting have been the favourite areas of playground for Pandey.

His broad range of expertise does include strategic planning and execution; brand development and marketing; revenue management and budgeting; quality compliance and people development. The excerpts of the interview follow: High Ultra Lounge has been operating for quite some time now. What were its challenges and how were they countered?

with the height of the World Trade Centre, Bangalore. High Ultra Lounge sits atop the World Trade Centre in Bangalore.

The challenge in the beginning was to establish High Ultra Lounge as a venue for destination dining. This was required because High Ultra Lounge was opened in a relatively ‘new location’ for food and beverage in Bangalore.

We wanted to give people a reason to come to us. However, being located at a height of 421 ft. gives High Ultra Lounge a natural USP, one that is hard to replicate.

The team at High Ultra Lounge then worked hard to market the bar cum restaurant outlet and position it as a ‘mustvisit’ place for all tourists and locals.

We focused on providing our customers with four key USPs - great food, great beverage, great ambience and great service.

Food is taken care of by our Executive Chef, Zhang, whose previous stint was with Zuma, Miami. Beverage is taken care of by our dynamic Director –Bar Operations, Guru. The service is taken care of by me and the ambience is provided

Can you elaborate on any key challenge/s in the pre-opening stage?

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The lack of seasoned players in project management was a challenge that we have to contend with. Second was the scarcity of organised supply chain and sourcing norms.

Scouting for vendors of imported and fresh exotic produce is very difficult in the country.

Moreover, high duties and strict government import regulations still continues to be one of the main challenges for us as it hits the profit margins. The paucity of quality hospitality professionals to man key positions was another challenge at the pre-opening stage.

Have you made changes in the menu to cater to different customer groups?

To cater to our guests, we have created an elaborate menu and offered pan Asian dishes that are more in tune with the Indian palate.

We included a great number of Thai curries

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and Chinese starters.

Additionally, considering we are located in an older part of Bangalore where many vegetarians reside, we increased the number of vegetarian dishes available on the menu from 35 percent to 45 percent. We also created vegetarian dishes with different ingredients such as lotus stem and water chestnut to give our guests more variety.

According to you what is the customer delight factor at High Ultra Lounge?

We have focused on Pan Asian comfort food, which entails popular dishes from Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Korean cuisines. We have also created a menu that is not only suitable for the Indian palate but also provides the customers with international flavours and styles of cooking.

Apart from the food, we aspire to delight our customers by meeting their unexpressed desires. Considering that ‘customer experience’ will be the next battleground for brands, we are working on anticipating the needs of our guests before they express their desires to us.

Aug-Sept ’14

PROFILE Can you point out anything specific about High Ultra Lounge which you want to highlight?

The service at High Ultra Lounge is a major differentiator. The service we provide is neither casual, nor formal. We have created our own service style, one that is ‘fun and friendly!’ This needs to be experienced and cannot be explained!

How do you briefly describe High Ultra Lounge?

High Ultra Lounge is conceptualised as an F&B destination for tourists and locals alike. It is located atop the World Trade Centre at 421 ft. height and is crowned as the highest restaurant and lounge bar in south India.

With a theme of ‘timelessness’, the venue has a design that is earthy and uses elements such as wood, water and greenery. The service is fun, friendly and familiar. The food is comfort pan-Asian with a modern twist and the beverages are made to suit one’s mood.

The vision is on getting back to the basics and getting those basics right.

What are your plans/goals for

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the future?

As the lounge bar has only been recently launched we are now focused on optimising operations. We are contemplating expanding in key locations within the country, in the near future.

What is your take on the hospitality business in Bangalore?

The consumption base in Bangalore is growing at a fast speed resulting in a high demand for newly opened restaurants. The city is a surprise package for most investors and entrepreneurs in the restaurant business.

What are the distinguishing features of your outlet which has marked it as a destination by itself?

The restaurant’s biggest USP is its height as it sits at 421 ft., making it the highest point for food and beverage retail in South India. Our vision is to be a world class F&B destination in terms of our products, processes, people and performance. Our Service Culture Code states that we need to create a positive and lasting impression on our guests through the 4Ms which are

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

menu, music, merchandise and memories.

Here I would like to add that High Ultra Lounge has gone an extra mile by creating its very own branded merchandise that is quirky and at the same time ideal for those who want to live the high-life.

What do you have to say about the ever growing competition?

The restaurant industry in the country is growing at a very fast pace. Competition is always healthy as it keeps you over the edge to create and perform better. I personally feel that it does work at times as a great synergy. The most innovative and consistent restaurant brands will lead the race.

Lastly is there any attention towards healthy food at your outlet? Is there a demand for this kind of food at your lounge bar?

A growing number of consumers do want food that are good for them — high in nutrition, yet low in fat and cholesterol.

Many these days are shopping at stores that stock organic and natural food.

There are therefore a number of dishes in our menu that serve healthy, nutritious meals in a fun, casual format.

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PRODUCT PREVIEW

ADDING TASTE TO THE INDIAN KITCHENS Knorr’s Indian base sauces are wellknown as magical ingredients in Indian kitchens. Their presence and acceptance can be seen across caterers to star hotels in the country. Their role in the institutional food service space is crucial. Being the first entrant of its kind in professional kitchens in the country, they have significantly improved efficiency and have become pivotal part of everyday cooking for modern day Chefs.

These products of Knorr are not only products of creativity but of extensive research. These base gravies have been formulated after conducting an in-depth understanding of Indian Chefs, their cooking procedures and what goes in making those sumptuous Indian curries and dishes. Succinctly, these products are tailored for Indian cooking habits.

These sauces are ready to use, 100 percent natural and act as a base sauce for a variety of gravy based dishes. It can be used as it is, or you can customise them to create that ‘signature taste’ that your guests associate you with.

Currently Knorr’s Indian base sauces come in two variants. They are Tomato Makhani Base Sauce, which could be used for creamy makhani preparations, and Onion Tomato Base Sauce, which could be not only be used for kadhai preparations but does have multipurpose use.

The Knorr Tomato Makhani Base Sauce is a concentrated base and its 1 kg pack can make 2 kg of base sauce. It is best suited for adding to the deliciousness of Butter Chicken, Paneer/Makhani dishes, Vegetable Makhanwala, Dal Makhani, Paneer/Chicken Tikka Masala, Paneer/Aloo Mutter, and Dum Aloo Kashmiri.

The 1 kg of Knorr Onion Tomato Base Sauce makes approximately 25 portions, which make it a delicious as well as economic option in kitchens. It is best suited for dishes like Paneer/Chicken Kadhai, Murg Kali Gol Mirch, Chole/ Chana Masala, Bhuna Ghosth, DalTadka and also for Biryanis.

These 100 percent vegetarian base sauces have no added colour and preservatives, and have minimal processing time as they present a ready to use base. Of course, the products have consistent taste quality. Their usage in kitchens can also lead to usage of less storage space as you don’t have to store many of the fresh raw materials if you use these base sauces. They also save the time of cutting and chopping, thereby allowing the Chef more time for creativity. These sauces are also ideal for handling bulk orders.

Both the variants come in 1 kg packs with a shelf life of 9 months. These products are packed using state-of-the-art retort technology which helps maintain freshness, aroma & flavour, thus ensuring consistency in taste.

Unilever Food Solutions unileverfoodsolutions.india@unilever.com or visit facebook page @ facebook.com/unileverfoodsolutionsindia

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

FACILITATING QUALITY HOSPITALITY After attaining global recognition by exporting to its esteemed clients across major countries, DMW Export Pvt. Ltd. has entered the domestic market to cater to the needs of the Indian hospitality industry. For the domestic market, the company’s name is Starlite Steel Pvt. Ltd. The product range of Starlite Steel Pvt. Ltd comprises hotel ware and corporate gifting items, which include counter &risers, platters, bowls, vases, bar displays, clip n dip sets, candle stands, display ware, uniforms and lots more.

The company can translate the ideas of its clientele into a wide range of fascinating steel hardware for the hospitality industry; in elegant designs and exquisite shapes, and guided by the latest trends. This range of hardware of Starlite Steel Pvt. Ltd. can be effectively customised to suit the specific requirements of its clientele.

Starlite Steel Pvt. Ltd. info@starlitesteels.com

ECO-FRIENDLY AND FUELEFFICIENT SOLUTION Navshakti — the innovative bio-mass gasifier cook stove from Navitas Green Power (Fuel Management) Pvt. Ltd. can bring big savings to the fuel bill.

This eco-friendly, low cost, easy to use cooking solution with flame intensity equivalent to LPG, and with heat output with flame control similar to that of LPG, is suitable for a comprehensive range of bulk cooking exercises. The equipment has a running cycle time ranging between 2 to 3 hours.

Navitas Green Power (Fuel Management) Pvt. Ltd. sales.navitasgreen@sar-group.com

Aug-Sept ’14

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PRODUCT PREVIEW

CREATING DESIGNER PRODUCTS SKI Established itself in 1984 i.e. 30 years ago with a group of well qualified and competent professionals, Hotel executives and engineers with hardcore professional streams. Today they have the modern-well equipped plant to produce undisputed quality products, varied spectrum of design for customize usages and timely delivery. The company specialise in Hotel Furniture, Equipment & Custom made products. The range of products includes - Banquet Table & Chairs, Cocktail Tables, Stage Blocks, Parquet Dance Floor, Buffet Tables, Tray Jacks, Partitions, Mobile Bars, Trolleys, Food Warmers and Outdoor Furniture. After rigid process of hard work and continuous research and development they created the brand SKI which is known for its quality, durability, reliability and environment friendly. They today have a trust of 30 years of association with hospitality industry. A long list of clients in India & abroad have made SKI products their standard and repeated orders from clients proves that their range of products is one of the finest available. All products manufactured by SKI are engineered to exceed expectations and to let you enjoy your operations.

S K International sanjay.skinternational@gmail.com

BLENDING AESTHETICS WITH QUALITY ‘VENUS’ a leading manufacturer of Stainless Steel Cutlery, Hotel ware, Tableware, Barware, Trolleys etc., has introduced a new range of ‘Counters’ to cater banquets and caterers. The entire range is the combination of ‘Rose Gold and Stainless Steel’. An exquisite journey headed to luxury living where beauty blends with quality. Venus industries celebrated its 50th year of existence last year, with a great pomp and show.

Venus industries is today an established name in manufacturing and exporting premium quality of stainless steel items, hotel wares-flatware, tableware, chafing dishes, laufeen dish & others, bar ware, and kitchenware. The company also offers exclusive Zebra table accessories. Venus as a brand is today synonymous with the art of the luxury dining in the hospitality industry. The “SUNEV” range of products from Venus Industries are fusion of stainless steel with ceramic, stainless steel with glass, stainless steel with wood, & stainless steel with acrylic. The products are available at retail stores like Lifestyle, Westside, @ Home, Reliance and other major stores across India. The successful combination of professional experience, creativity, and unparalleled knowhow ha s thrust Venus Industries in to a leadership position in the supply of stainless steel wares to the hospitality industry since over 50 years. The consistency and superior quality of the products along with innovation of international standard and its commitment to provide customer’s satisfaction has earned it an unenviable position in the hospitality segment.

Venus Industries v_khurana@venusindustries.in

DESIGNER CUTLERY & TABLEWARE Established in 1982, Neeti Udyog is a leading manufacturer and exporter of designer cutlery and tableware. With decades of experience in manufacturing and delivering quality products which are creatively designed, the company has carved out a niche for itself in the hospitality industry across the globe.

The USP of Neeti Udyog is that it can deliver custom made products. With its motto ‘You Sketch We Craft’ the company can fabricate all items as per the specifications/dimensions of the customers and can also develop the existing designs in silver-plated wares, stainless steelwares, copper wares, and brass wares. The range of cutlery and tableware of Neeti Udyog are immensely popular across leading hotels, restaurants, and other food service outlets.

Neeti Udyog anshul.neetiudyog@gmail.com

ADDING TO THE DRINKING PLEASURE Clean glassware is essential for beverage service. A glass free of soils and residue is needed to maintain aroma and flavour. Using clean, ‘beer-ready’ glassware is expected to increase a restaurateur’s profits and his customers’ satisfaction.

The glass washers from Krome Dispense can make the beer-ready glasses a quick and easy process by effectively cleaning the glasses from inside as well as outside. These glass washers, which are designed in Germany, can clean all types of glasses. They require no electricity, and no involvement of plumber/s for their installation. Moreover, they entail low investment and facilitate a high degree of hygiene in glass cleaning operations. The Krome Dispense has two models of glass washers in its portfolio, which the industry can use.

Pacific Merchants info@kromedispense.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNIT Y

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’14

A Perfect Range of Gratifying Kitchen Equipments

Bulk Cooker

Under Counter+ OHS+Tray Slide

Oven

Chinese Range

Four Burner Range with Oven

Two Door Refrigerator

Commercial Kitchen, Refrigeration & Food Service Equipments for Hotels, Restaurants, Banquet Halls, Hospitals, Fast Food Outlets, Sweet Shops, Industrial Canteens and Other Eating Establishments etc.

Mahto Kitchen Care

Regd. Off. : F-206, Madipur Colony, New Delhi-110063 Mob. : +91 9871215088, 9910306085 E-mail : mahtokitchen@yahoo.co.in

Visit us at : mahtokitchencare.in/com A D V E R T I S E R ’ S COMPANY

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AKASA ALLIED METAL WORKS ANI GLASS CORPORATION ANOUSHKA GOURMET PVT. LTD. APPLE BAKERY MACHINERY PVT. LTD. BMS ENTERPRISES CHANDRA ENGINEERS EUROPEAN QUALITY FOODS FnS INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD. GENNEXT LOGISTICS PVT. LTD. HOSPITALITY APPLIANCES PVT. LTD. HUMMINGBIRD FOOD & BEVERAGES PVT. LTD. IFB INDUSTRIES LTD. KAMP DEVELOPERS KANHAIYALAL TANDOOR PVT. LTD. KING METAL WORKS KITCH’N SOLUTIONS LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD. MAHTO KITCHEN CARE MANISHA INTERNATIONAL METAL AVENUES MM FISHERIES PVT. LTD. MOD KITCHEN EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. MRS. BECTOR’S FOOD SPECIALITIES LTD.

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MUNNILAL TANDOORS PVT. LTD. NEENA ENTERPRISES NUTECH JETTING EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. PACIFIC MERCHANTS P LAL & SONS PRIMO FOODS PVT. LTD. RAJKIRAN KITCHEN EQUIPMENT RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD. REMINGTON STEEL ARTS SAKSHAM IMPEX PVT. LTD. SHAMSONS FOODS SKYRA PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT PVT. LTD. SOLUTIONZ CONSULTING PVT. LTD. STEC STAINLESS STEEL PVT. LTD. THE NEW INDIA ELECTRIC & TRADING CO. THE SCS AGRIBUSINESS CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD. TROPILITE FOODS PVT. LTD. UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS UNITAS FOODS PVT. LTD. VENUS INDUSTRIES WINDSOR CHOCOLATIER WINTERHALTER INDIA PVT. LTD. PRODUCT PREVIEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

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INTERVIEW

Committed to

Excellence

By Sharmila Chand

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individual performances is needed, because if one person is lacking, the whole team will too. Besides these, help your team members to enjoy their work.

Finally, how is your experience at the present job?

What are the challenges of working here? How is it different from other places?

What excites you the most here?

My present job is full of great learning opportunities. Our management inspires me to fulfill my set goals not only on professional front but also as an individual.

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What is the USP of your F&B outlets?

It is having guests’ database as per their preferences which enables us to serve them with flexibility in order to maintain long-term customer relationship with Yes I Can! attitude.

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Delegation of work is a skill that all good F&B Managers should know. If you delegate rightly to your team members, it will give you free time to introspect on how to manage the team better. Make sure you delegate the right responsibilities to the right personnel and it will continue their learning process. Also staying on top of

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Can you suggest any tips or insights for F&B Managers to strengthen their teams?

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I feel pressurised when some people do not understand that they are wrong but still continue to ask for favour.

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What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

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In ur profession, it often happens that just a few team members can bring down the team performance, which leads to lots of time wastage. In this context, I would say that I would prefer addressing performance issues immediately rather than waiting till a performance review.

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If you could change one thing about your profession, what would it be?

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Depending upon our dealing with guests we get the opportunity to win or lose the repeat business that influences the bottom lines.

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Providing a great menu with slashing prices is a challenging proposition as ingredients are getting costly. As hotels’ F&B departments strive to tailor their menus to take into account of food allergies and to include organic dining options, slashing prices is becoming more challenging.

The constant competition in this fast changing industry is another challenge that we have to contend with. The demanding guests are another challenge.

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Can you point out some challenges of your profession?

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I dislike people who don’t take responsibility for what they do. Spilling food on clothes and a messy kitchen also disturbs me.

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What do you dislike the most in your profession?

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I enjoy ensuring high quality services, which translates into customer delight and can lead to optimum resource utilisation.

I like attaining maximum guest satisfaction by closely interacting with in-house and as well as potential guests.

This helps me to gauge their requirements and customise the product and services accordingly.

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What do you enjoy most about being a Director of Food and Beverage?

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A dedicated hospitality professional with over 14 years of experience in hospitality, food & beverage operations, corporate sales and customer service, Arbind Singh, Director, Food and Beverage, Radisson Blu Hotel Pune Kharadi is leading the F&B team at the hotel.

He has great expertise in planning, supervising and managing the entire F&B operations of the properties. He is committed to attaining excellence in guest service and quick resolution of grievances. The excerpts of an interview follow:

Anything else you would like to say?

In our food service industry there is always scope to develop new ways of making the visits more enjoyable for our guests. Moreover, we should always serve people with positive thinking while taking account of their health.

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