Food & Beverage Business Review by Food & Beverage Business Review

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) Sub-Editor Tapapriya Lahiri Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Photographer Mahendra Singh Mehta Production Controller Vinay Goel Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Neeraj Diwan 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: 45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 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 © 2012 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. 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.

Presently, the Indian food & beverage industry is passing through various trends whose eventual coalescing into norms can reshape the essential character of the industry in the times to come. With the change in lifestyles propelled by socioeconomic factors, the fast foods are fast becoming an integral part of the diets of a sizeable section of urban India. In busy and crazy cities like Delhi you would often across couples from nuclear families, who are engaging a large part of their days and evenings in demanding jobs. Often they do not have the leisure to cook an elaborate meal, and in such cases, often fast foods like burgers or pizzas become their preferred dining choices. No wonder the fast food chains are seen mushrooming across the urban Indian landscape. On the other hand, healthy eating options like fortified biscuits, whole grain breads, frozen pro-biotic yogurts are making their presence felt in the Indian market with great frequency. The looming threat of diabetes, cardiac problems and other ailments associated with sedentary and tension-filled lifestyle, along with growing health consciousness, the increased disposable incomes, and the growing need to look better are all together inducing the demand for healthy eating in India. Along with these two contrary currents, there is a perceptible maturation of the wine culture in India in the recent years, which is propelling multiple high-end foreign wine brands to make foray into the Indian market. It would not be an overstatement to say that despite the discouraging per capita average consumption of wines in India, and despite the unfriendly tax structure with which the Indian wine industry is bogged down with, the potential wine consumption in India is simply heady with possibilities. The reason for this high potential can be accounted by increased disposable incomes among a section of the urban Indian population over the last decade, the heightened global exposure due to increasing incidences of overseas travel and all pervasive urban reach of satellite television, and of course by the rising economic empowerment of women. Along with the maturation of the wine culture, the markets for customised chocolates and designer cakes are also growing and so is the café culture. All these issues are explored in detail in our Cover Story, which can facilitate the industry to better tailor their policies for the near future. The poor reach of Bihari cuisine in the Indian restaurants doesn’t in anyway match its wonderful taste and timeless legacy. If our fancy restaurants make a sincere effort to popularise the diverse gastronomic repertoire of Bihari cuisine, it has great possibility of reflecting positively in their bottom lines. Here we discuss some popular tastes of Bihar in our Business Story, which urgently demand savvy marketing recipes to achieve their well-deserved panIndian presence in the Indian restaurant business. The growth of the retail sector has great influence on the food & beverage industry, and in this context, we have tried to explore the growth and the impediments in the Indian retail scenario in detail, with references on its impact on the Indian food & beverage industry. All these pressing issues are spruced by the regular sections of our magazine to keep you engrossed between the covers.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

CONTENTS

Cover Story

Departments

The Emerging Trends

Retail

The Plot of the Retail Story

Business

The State of Delicacies

Focus

Savour Cakes and Art at Firefly

Agri

Avocado: The Panacea for Health

Theme Cuisine Cover Pix: Celeste Chocolates

Dec-Jan ’12

Flavours From the ‘Spice Island’

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Event

News

Report

Wine

Pub

Bartender Watch

Restaurant Review

Chef Voice

Health

Product Preview

Business Opportunity

Interview

EVENT

Alimentaria 2012: A Platform to Gauge International F&B Trends

limentaria, the food and drinks exhibition, is more than an international platform. It is an emporium of dialogue, exchange, information and knowledge on the trends and challenges of the food industry. This event returns to Barcelona from 26th to 29th March with sponsors like Nestlé España S.A and AZTI-Tecnalia. The Alimentaria Hub will cover all of the show’s activities oriented towards boosting the innovative and multi-dimensional nature of the industry and in detecting business opportunities. It will be a new multi-format space encompassing exhibitions, business meetings and conferences. The Alimentaria Hub will span 4,000 sq.m in Alimentaria’s pavilion 7 and will cover an area devoted to the exhibition of products and content, with 2 auditoriums with a joint capacity for over 300 people and a lounge space for business networking, attended by guest buyers from around the world, which will also hold the VIP Lunch. Furthermore, an exclusive area has been designed for international bloggers specialised in the different industries, who will explain what is happening at Alimentaria 2012 live. This has all been designed in dynamic and enterprising formats with free access for all Alimentaria 2012 visitors. The programmed activities at The Alimentaria Hub will be made up of six core themed areas: Innovation and R&D, Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing, Internationalisation and

Globalisation, Distribution and Retail, Marketing and Media, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Each of these themed areas will be conducted through an extensive multi-format programme encompassing exhibitions, business meetings, conferences and seminars, among other activities, and will be attended by widely renowned international gurus. Content will be provided by diverse leading companies, institutions and associations collaborating in its organisation. Companies to have already confirmed their participation include: Nestlé, Google and LinkedIn, and organisations such as the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, FIAB (the Spanish acronym for the Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation), the Triptolemos Foundation, AZTITecnalia and Ecoembes.

Innoval Awards ceremony. In this 2012 edition there will be 15 Innoval awards, the specialisation of products from the sales channel and new consumer trends. These new awards will be: the International Award, two Channel Awards (retail and food and hospitality), and three Trend Awards that will join the nine Innoval Awards by Product Category. Aside from its innovative nature, this edition’s jury will consider the trends that influence the current consumer — pleasure in terms of value, exoticism, the variety of flavours and sensations, the recreational characteristics of the product, practicality in terms of user-friendliness, preparation and consumption, and finally the growing trend towards the healthiness and well-being of food.

Innoval

AZTI-Tecnalia: The Collaboration Between Research and Companies

Innoval, a meeting point for innovation and the food industry, will be the entryway to The Alimentaria Hub. Over 140 innovations will be displayed at this grand exhibition of products and the exhibition will be the nucleus of the new space. Innoval aims to highlight the efforts of manufacturers in the conception, development and launch of the most innovative products since the last edition of Alimentaria in the national market. The exhibiting companies will also have the chance to present their innovations on Alimentaria Hub’s Media Set stage during the eighth edition of the

In this 2012 edition, AZTI-Tecnalia will once again show its interest in the agrifood industry and will be present at The Alimentaria Hub. The central researcher will be one of the sponsors and will present a successful example of the collaboration between the business world and this technological centre. AZTI-Tecnalia and Café Fortaleza have launched an RDI project that has resulted in two innovative products: coffee with fibre, and decaffeinated coffee with lime blossom and lemon balm. They received the Carrefour Award for the most innovative company from the Basque Country, in 2011.

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EVENT

Ethnic Foods Europe Ethnic Foods Europe 2012, Europe’s only exhibition which will entirely cover Oriental, Arabic, Indian, Mexican, Turkish, AfroCaribbean and other world food, will be organising its second edition from 27th – 29th March, 2012 at the Brussels Exhibition and Conference Centre in Brussels, Belgium. The three-day exhibition and speakers program is now widely recognised as the European business event for the ethnic food industry; targeting buyers from retail, food service and other ethnic distribution channels. The upcoming edition of Ethnic Foods Europe is expected to attract excellent turnout from all European market leaders. The exhibition will feature more than 200 companies from 20 countries; among them are renowned leaders such as Heuschen & Schrouff (The Netherlands), Geeta’s Food (United Kingdom), Yama Products (The Netherlands), Günz GmbH (Austria), Baktat (Turkey), Tok GmbH (Germany), Asia Express Food

(The Netherlands) and many others. “We have created a total event strictly for the ethnic foods sector,” said Dedy Collette, Ethnic Foods Europe Exhibition Manager. “By focusing exclusively on ethnic food products, we are providing visitors with an excellent and comprehensive overview

Eat-Japan • Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 : 27 – 29 March – Brussels Expo • Only European trade event for the ethnic foods industry • Market leaders meet for three day exhibition • Exhibition features more than 200 companies from 20 countries

New at EFE: Many new exhibitors and new content Ethnic Private Label 2012 EFE Industry Dinner on the evening of the first exhibition day

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which won’t be found at the broad spectrum events,” asserted Collette. New and important element of Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 is the EFE Industry Dinner in the evening of the first exhibition day, which is expected to attract 350 delegates, exhibitors, partners, press and Embassy trade officials. The break-out sessions feature a total of 25 presentations covering a wide range of market related issues. Another new part of the exhibition will be Ethnic Private Label 2012, where visitors will discover products to expand their brand strategy into new ethnic food categories. Businesses and buyers involved in the Japanese market will be able to gain a valuable sense of the overall market for ethnic food & drinks, the positioning of Indian products within that market, as well as pick up hints on relevant consumer and business trends.

The Focus Ethnic Food & Beverage Exhibition will stage Oriental, Arabic, Indian, Mexican, Turkish, North African, Middle-East, Afro-Caribbean and other global cuisines.

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EVENT How the 2011 Exhibitors Responded “This first edition has offered a promising platform for buyers and suppliers to stimulate the market of Asian foods to further explore the possibilities in this market.” - Heuschen&Schrouff OFT BV & Founding member “Best place to be if your business focuses or intend to focus on Ethnic Foods.” - Grace Foods Ltd & Founding member The Ethnic Food Show is dedicated to bring together the ethnic food suppliers and buyers community under one roof. It is clear that Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 is really going to be Europe’s biggest trade event on ethnic food where buyers and leading ethnic suppliers will meet to do better business. Ethnic Foods Europe delivers a lot of business benefits. Here the different business houses will have a platform to develop new market opportunities, have a close look at the conference programme, learn from business leaders and identify the latest trends and enjoy a wide range of inspiring features. Visitors and delegates will hear, learn and see about new product developments, retail trade professionalism, trends and innovations with face-to-face meetings, networking and education.

Salient Features of the Show • International exhibition with more than 200 exhibiting companies • Trends and Innovations • EFE Master Classes sponsored by professional trade publications • EFE Industry Dinner for exhibitors and their business relations (Evening of 27th March 2012)

“Great sparkling show! The best exhibition ever. Very useful where exhibitors as well as visitors will find the right match! Good and effective business possibilities. We look forward to the next show.” - TokGmbh& Founding member “Ethnic Foods Europe offers great opportunities.” - Oriental Merchant (Europe) Ltd/ Kai Tak BV & Founding member “There is indeed a need for an Ethnic Food Exhibition in Europe.” - Ajinomoto Consumers Product “The fair is good and we got a good feedback as well.” - Dee Thai Perfect Foods Co. Ltd “Surely next year we will participate again.” - Ampol Food Processing Ltd “EFE has shown its usefulness as a specialised fair and has been experienced by exhibitors and visitors alike as a more relaxed environment to really talk business than most of the general fairs.” - Geeta’s Food Ltd “Great quality show with high caliber visitors.” - Kingfisher Lager Beer “The Ethnic Foods Europe Exhibition exceeded my expectations, very good quality of enquiries already bringing in new business. Well done on organising such a unique show for our trade.” - Liroy BV

How the Visitors Responded Luc Willemssens - Chief Buyer at Hanos “So Ethnic Foods Europe is most definitely the place-to-be for anyone looking at this market.” Patrick Verhoeven - Category Manager Makro Cash & Carry Belgium “It’s a great opportunity for me and my colleagues; it’s wonderful that we have such a prime event here in Europe.” Sinechal - Category Manager Carrefour We are always looking for new products and new suppliers. We are striving for a dynamic range that matches the tastes of the customers. All types of ethnic foods are on the increase this year.

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EVENT

6th Anuga FoodTec

E V E N T S’ C A L E N D E R

From 27th March-30th March, 2012, the 6th Anuga FoodTec, to be held in Cologne, Germany will become one of the world’s most important trade fairs for the food and drink industry in 2012. And, there will be a consequent and valuable marketplace for all those who want to present their solutions and products to a global audience of trade visitors. With 1,17,000 sq.m of exhibition space, it is no wonder that from manufacturing and packaging to distribution the Anuga FoodTec unites the entire process chain under one roof – across sectors. The Anuga FoodTec 2012 is organised by Koelnmesse GmbH and by DLG e.V. (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft). For exhibitors and visitors from all over the world, the Anuga FoodTec 2012 provides the best opportunity to present and experience the latest trends and exciting innovations, whether it is in processing, packaging or distribution. This year the Anuga Food Tec will provide the opportunity to participate in extraordinary sector events with top speakers. The German Agriculture Association (DLG Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft), will honour model innovation projects in the food and supply industry with its 8th ‘International FoodTec Award.’ Product segments will cater to process technology, packaging technology, automation, data processing, controlling and regulation technology, food safety and quality management, service accessories, environmental technology, biotechnology, refrigeration and air-conditioning technology, conveying, transport and storage installations, logistics, ingredients and auxiliary materials, components, assemblies and surface technology, accessories, service firms, and publishers.

TRAFS 2011 26-29 January 2012 (was postponed to these new dates) Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services Hall 103, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC) www.thailandhoreca.com

Food&HotelAsia 2012 The biennial International FHA (Food&HotelAsia) is all set to enter its 18th edition in Singapore, from 17th to 20th April 2012. Much anticipated both locally and internationally, FHA2012 brings to market a myriad of food and hospitality products catering to the food services and hospitality industry from around the world. Asia’s largest and most comprehensive international trade exhibition will encompass five specialised events namely: • FoodAsia • HotelAsia • Bakery&Pastry • HospitalityStyleAsia • HospitalityTechnology The exhibition is spread across an area of 85,000 sq.m. The event is scheduled to take place at Singapore Expo, at Halls 1-9, 1 Expo Drive, Singapore. The show is expected to attract participation of 2,600 exhibitors from over 60 countries and regions. The show will also feature various conferences, providing trade professionals with a great platform to share their knowledge. Numerous competitions, like the FHA Culinary Challenge 2012, FHA Imperial Challenge 2012, Asia Barista Championship 2012, will also add vibrancy to the exhibition.

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Gulfood 2012 19-22 February 2012 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai www.gulfood.com PIFBEX 2012 & Horeca 2012 Philippines 1-4 March 2012 Philippines International Convention Centre, Manila www.pifbex.com Europain & Intersuc 2012 3-7 March 2012 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.europain.com Aahar 2012 12-16 March 2012 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.aaharinternationalfair.com Alimentaria 2012 26-29 March 2012 Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via Venue Barcelona, Spain www.alimentaria-bcn.com Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 27-29 March 2012 Brussels Exhibitions and Conference Centre, Brussels www.ethnicfoodseurope.com HOTELEX 2012 9-12 April 2012 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China www.hotelex.cn FHA 2012 17-20 April 2012 Singapore Expo, Singapore www.foodnhotelasia.com NRA Show 2012 5-8 May 2012 Mccormick Place, Chicago, US www.restaurant.org SIAL China 2012 9-11 May 2012 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center Shanghai, China www.sialchina.com Thaifex World of Food Asia 2012 23-27 May 2012 Impact Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com

Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

The World’s Oldest Tea Auctioneers Completes 150 Years Kolkata-based J Thomas & Company Pvt. Ltd. the largest and oldest tea auctioneer in the world, completes 150 years. The tealoving city first witnessed its tea auction on 27th December, 1861 on 8, Mission Row (now Nilhat House at 11, R N Mukherjee Road). The most applauding factor is that it was the first tea auction that took place in India. The company boasts of an impressive team of trained tea tasters. Once, the Nilhat House was the residence of General Clavering, member of the council of Warren Hastings. The property was subsequently sold to Robert Thomas, the founder of JT & Company, for a princely sum of 34,400 silver coins. Nilhat House was rebuilt later in the 1960s with the foundation stone laid in 1961 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The tea auction room has an antique ‘samovar’— a metal urn with a spigot at the base — used in Russia to boil water for tea. According to A. Dasgupta, the Senior GM of the JT & Company Pvt. Ltd. “The Russian custom of tea drinking was to nibble a sugar cube as one sipped on the tea, in order to make it sweeter.” Some excerpts of glossary of tea tasting: Autumnal- A seasonal term applied to teas grown during this period. Autumnal teas frequently produce a reddish leaf and liquors with varying degrees of flavour and aroma. Bakey - An unpleasant liquor taste, usually caused by too high temperatures, and driving out of too much moisture during firing. Certain bacteria have been known to cause bakiness. Musty: Suspicion of mould. Full: Liquor possessing strength and body.

Australian Max Beer Earns Accolades Australian MAX, a premium strong beer brewed at the Khoday Breweries in Bangalore by International Breweries, has won the two titles of ‘World’s Best Strong Lager’ and ‘Asia’s Best Strong Lager’ at the World Beer Awards. This is the highest award ever won by a beer brand manufacturered from India. The beers are manufactured with IBL’s proprietory Staged Lagering Process (SLP) to create a smooth and well-rounded flavour. International Breweries (IBL) is a Canadian owned brewer producing and marketing high quality beers worldwide. IBL was the first international brewer to enter the Indian beer market in the late 1990s and has helped to pioneer the improvement of beer quality & craft brewing over the past decade. IBL’s strong beer, Australian MAX, is an exceptionally smooth, refreshing beer that goes down easy but packs a real punch with 7-8 percent alcohol by volume. An elated Peter S. Harvey, the Executive Director, IBL said, “It is the highest mark of recognition from the industry. There is a growing demand for strong beers in India, particularly in the south. Australian Max will be the premium offering for such clientèle. The brands have been positioned and priced at par with our competitors within the strong beer segment.”

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Dec-Jan ’12

Savour at Second Sin The food connoisseurs of the capital can savour at Second Sin, located at MGF Metropolitan Mall, Saket, New Delhi. With 195 covers, the Second Sin is comprised of four divisions namely, Lounge Bar, The Bistro, Grill & Pizzeria Terrace and Kebab Khan Terrace. The restaurant attracts 75-100 footfalls during weekdays and weekends witness 200-250 footfalls. Kebab Khan Terrace has a couple of Moorish tents which 12-15 people can reserve for partying. In festive seasons, the tents are sold at premium rates. The alfresco Grill & Pizzeria Terrace is the place where food aficionados can relish their pizza with gusto in winters. Grill & Pizzeria Terrace is only opened during winters. Here the clients can watch live preparation of pizzas on a clay oven, right in front of them. According to Gurshan Yashpal, the Director of Restaurant Operations said, “The main attraction in winters is Grill & Pizzeria Terrace, where clients can catch spectaclur bliss of pizza preparation over the set up of clay oven. To grill pizzas we use mango wood, in a clay oven. Mango wood helps to maintain and retain the flavour of the pizza. Besides, the guests can order any of the four menus of four different sections in Second Sin. The lounge has live piano sessions with crooners coming in and playing piano.”

Brooke Bond Broaches New Variants of Green Tea To cater to the discerning taste buds of urbane Indians, Brooke Bond Taj Mahal has launched its green tea in three stimulating flavours — Honey Lemon Green Tea, Earl Grey Green Tea, and Darjeeling Green Tea, which are all rich in anti-oxidants. Green tea connoisseurs can find this range at high-end retail outlets and supermarkets. The teas are wrapped in tea bags of 10 and 25 packs, priced at Rs. 40 and Rs. 90 respectively. The honey lemon version is a delicate and light refreshing green tea with a dash of honey and a juicy lemon flavour. The Taj Mahal Earl Grey Green Tea is an invigorating green tea blend with the extract of the bergamot orange fruit, and Darjeeling Green Tea is a classic variant with long Darjeeling leaves and a delicate aroma that can overwhelm one’s senses. Arun Srinivas, the Category Head-Beverages of HUL said, “We seek to constantly engage our consumers with new and innovative products to cater to their changing lifestyles and needs. We at Brooke Bond Taj Mahal are expanding our product range to target the health and wellness market with the latest range of our offering — Taj Mahal Green Tea.”

Reliance Industries to Step in QSR Business Reliance Industries, a $50-billion-plus oil and gas giant, will establish its foothold in the QSR (quick service restaurant) business next year, under its own brand. Now along with its budding retail business, RIL will showcase another façade of its business aura. Rishi Negi, the COO of multiplex operator Fame India, will spearhead Reliance’s way-in to the QSR segment that is growing at least 25 percent a year and where international brands such as McDonald’s and Domino’s have introduced the Indianised cuisines to take on popular local chains such as Jumbo King and Saravanaa Bhavan. Negi will develop the concept of QSR within 3-4 months.

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NEWS SCAN

Myriad Dine Dens to Knock Kolkata in 2012 This leap year, the Kolkata diners’ will find myriad new dining dens across the city to savour in. Some of them include; INDIAN Sarson: It will be a north Indian restaurant with a 100-seater capacity. The restaurant will be located at Lake Town’s Diamond Plaza, on the fourth floor. It is about to open in the month of June. According to Amitabh Rai of Sarson, “It’s a key location where the food aficionados have a huge demand for such an upscale dine-in experience. He also added that, “Another 100-seater Sarson is expected at City Centre Salt Lake.” XO: Under the supervision of Amitabh Rai, XO is going to be the one-stop option for ‘upmarket Chinese cuisine’, situated just above the Sarson at City Centre, Salt Lake. The Chinese restaurant will also feature an open-air bar and live counters. Machaan: City’s food connoisseurs will experience a jungle-themed Indian cuisine restaurant from the kitchen of Speciality Group of Restaurants. The 100-seater property will be opened at Howrah’s Avani Riverside Mall. This will be the second Machan in the city, which follows an exiting outlet at Mani Square Mall on EM Bypass Road, at Kankurgachi. Mainland China has also reserved a 100-seater space at Howrah’s Avani Riverside Mall. Koshe Kosha: Koshe Kosha will bring in ten oulets across the city to indulge in. Some will crop up in a QSR format.

South Kolkata’s posh area, off Golpark will witness the first Koshe Kosha outlet. “The outlets at Garia, Dum Dum, Tollygunge, New Town and Salt Lake will follow,” said Pradeep Paul of Koshe Kosha. Zaffran and Kafe Bindaas!: Manisha Nath of Kafe Bindass!, will wheel this Mughlai restaurant at the Lake Road, in South Kolkata. There will also be a Zaffran takeaway next to Kafe Bindass! in Kasba. With six outlets in the city already, the 2012 target for Kafe Bindaas! is four-five more. The first two to open will be at Kasba and Bondel Road in South Kolkata; both with 35-40 covers. CAFE The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: After its flagship Calcutta outlet at Forum, the cafe chain had plans to open “at least two more outlets”, one on Theatre Road, Central Kolkata and the other in at the City Centre, Salt Lake, early this year. Both will comprise 50 covers.

Nilgiri Green Tea to Spread its Aroma in India In the near future, avid Indian tea drinkers can sip in ‘Avataa Nilgiri Long Ding Green Tea’ in India, as this tea will be soon available in the Indian markets. ‘Avataa Nilgiri Long Ding Green Tea’ is well accepted in the US and Europe. ‘Avataa’ means ‘fresh’ in Sanskrit. ‘Long Ding’ refers to the celebrated ‘Kaihua Long Ding’ tea in China originating in Kaihua county and Long Ding Lake. This tea has won the prestigious certification ‘tea with superior characteristics’ at ‘North American Hot Tea Spring Championship 2011. Besides, it was showcased in ‘champion circle’ at Las Vegas World Tea Expo. According to G. Udayakumar, the Director of Bluegate Beverages, “We have now launched this premium Nilgiri green tea in the domestic markets after its huge success and accolades in the US and Europe.” Elated Udayakumar said, “The project has become successful because of installing a new production and packing facility at an investment of Rs. 1.5 crore at Billimalai Estate, which is located 12 kilometres from Coonoor, Ooty. Only the high-grown leaves from the Billimalai Estate, spread across 250 acres and situated at 6,400 feet above sea level, are used to manufacture this tea.”

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Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

Manchester United Café Bar Seeking Expansion Manchester United Café Bar (Man Utd Café Bar), a casual all-day dining café, is planning for expansion by opening more outlets across the country. The brand has presence in New Delhi, Mumbai and Goa, with five cafes within its ambit. Mirah Hospitality is the master franchisee for the brand. The group also manages brands like Rajdhani, Mad Over Donuts and Falafel. The brand demands the minimum area of 3,500 sq. ft., with an investment of Rs. 2.5 crore Anil Laroia, the AVP of Operations said, “We are open to franchising and looking for the right partners. We are planning for expansion in the metro cities, and cities having a strong nightlife culture.”

Govt Set to Slash Import Duty on European Wines Now, there is a big reason for the tipplers to be in high spirits. The government of India is envisaging to reduce the import duty on wines and sprits to 50 percent from an astronomical 150 percent. Now drinking French wines and Scotch whiskies will become more attractive than before. The reduction is expected to become effective from February 2012. According to the officials, in sight of concerns from the local industry, the government will lower import duty on high-end wines and Scotch whiskey, which does not have contending products manufactured locally. “It is not going to affect the local industry since we do not have the grapes to manufacture the same quality of wine as Chardonnay,” an official said.

Nanotechnology in Maiya’s Food Nanotechnology is perhaps now the most talked about implication in all phases of the food cycle ‘from farm to fork’. Maiya’s Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd has now adopted nanotechnology in preparing coffee and kharabhath—a semolinabased dish commonly referred to as upma. In the food and beverage sector, nanotechnology is a novel idea that is fast rousing the imagination of food entrepreneurs. The science of nano particles has been proved to offer several benefits like detection of bacteria, enhancing flavours, extending shelf life, improving nutrition, and making certain consistent quality. Dr. P Sadananda Maiya, the Director of Maiya’s Beverages and Foods Pvt. Ltd, said, “Due to the nanotechnology application, coffee served at Maiya’s will remain creamy and refreshing sans the cream coagulation and the kharabhath will not develop lumps for almost up to 10 hours.” He also added that “Nanotechnology usually deals with structures sized between 1 and 100 nanometer in at least one dimension.” It offers bright possibilities in not just food packaging but in retaining quality, flavour and improving the nutritive content.

Cono Sur Wines Open Bottles in India Cono Sur, the Chile-based wine exporter, has introduced its wines in the Indian market. Cono Sur is also one of the largest producers of Pinot Noir in the world. Cono Sur Bicycle Chardonnay 2010, Cono Sur Bicycle Pinot Noir 2010, Cono Sur Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 and Tocornal Merlot 2010 are the wines which are being introduced in India. These wines are exclusively imported by Sula Selections — the import arm of Sula Vineyards. According to Adolfo Hurtado, the CEO and Chief Winemaker of Cono Sur, “We are elated about our coming to the Indian market; one that signifies immense potential and embodies the exciting opportunity to work with Sula, which is India’s leading wine producer and a top wine and spirits importer.”

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Dec-Jan ’12

Your Creativity, Our Passion. Figaro Olives

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Mexican Foods Jalapenos, Harina, Cactus & Other Specialities Ingredients

Chinese Cooking Sauces, Chilli Sauces, Soya Sauce, Seasome Oil

Specialities Italian Preserved Vegetables, Sauces, Place Packed Jars, Kalamata & Linguerian Olives

Italian Condiments

Wine Vinegar & Balsamic

Olive oil

Savoiadri, Amaretti & Puff Pastry

Exclusively Brought in India by :

Corn & Baby Corn

Rodaa Ji Company

A to Z in Italian Food

Ready-to-Cook Pastes & Sauces

Contact : Lalit Asrani GI-30, Main G.T. Karnal Road, Industrial Area, Delhi-110033 (India) Ph. : 91-11-46988888, 91-98-100-16425 Fax : 91-11-27111906 E-mail : rodaajicompany@yahoo.co.in

Bar Syrups, Coffee Syrups, Smoothie Base, Sauces

Pommery Mustard & Vinegars

Hot & Jalapeno Sauces

Innovation in Chocolate

MUSHROOMS Stuffed Exotic Vegetables & Fruits

Guchhi, Truffles, Porcini, Girolles, Golden Nameko, Black Trumpet, Chanter Lee, Shitake, Cepes & White Jelly Funges

Recipient of “Ambassador of the Italian food & drink 2005” award.

NEWS SCAN

Nestle to Set up Rs. 500-cr Plant The Swiss food & beverage major, Nestle India Ltd., a subsidiary of Nestle SA has plans to set up Rs. 500 crore Maggi Noodles and confectionery-manufacturing plant in Gujarat next year. This will be the eighth plant by Nestle India. The food and beverage giant currently has operations in milk and nutrition, foods, coffee and beverages, and confectionary. For its hard line business expansion policy Nestle India will have its ninth plant in Bihar. According to Antonio Helio Waszyk, the Chairman and Managing Director of FICCI Food Processing Committee, “The company is reccing for 50-100 acres preferably around Ahmedabad. He also added that, “We are in an advanced stage of grounding and would firm up the plans by mid-2012. If things move accordingly, we would start manufacturing in 2014-15.”

The food and beverage major has leveraged its expertise of over 140 years in milk to bring a+ to the consumers and encourages consumers to make informed choices when selecting milk. Kumaran Nowuram, the General Manager (dairy), Nestlé India, said, “ We tend to believe that boiling takes care of deficiencies in milk quality if any, but this is not completely true. In fact boiling takes away some nutrients from the milk. That is where Nestle a+ Milk becomes the benchmark as it ensures consistent and high quality. He also added, “We track milk right from the farms till it reaches the homes.”

Nestlé India Unveils Inventive a+ milk Nestlé India has launched its Nestlé a+Milk as the benchmark of high quality milk. The company has also introduced a+Dahi. The company’s emphasis is to transform the ‘Cow to Consumer’ chain into distinct value for the consumer and a distinct competitive advantage for itself. According to Nestlé India, the quality of the new product is the result of a high standard and good practices that are implemented by the company at every stage, encompassing milk production, collection, transportation and processing.

Testa Rossa Marks its Presence in Hyderabad The luxury caffe chain—Testa Rossa has marked its presence in India by getting its first sip in Hyderabad at Road No 3 Banjara Hills. Testa Rossa has 90 outlets across eight countries in Europe, besides its recently launched outlets in Canada and the US. With its motto ‘If its Coffee its TestaRossa’ it brings an unique Italian lifestyle caffe exuberating ultimate luxury, exceptional quality products, impeccable service and elegant design. The café promises to offer an ultimate coffee experience combined with a picture perfect ambience to relax and chill out. R.A.M Gourmet Pvt. Ltd. has been appointed as the master franchisee for pan India operations. At Testa Rossa, the Italian espresso varieties are produced using the traditional triplex drum method, which involves roasting Arabica highland coffee over an open flame. Testa Rossa has an extensive range of coffee to choose from which includes the Espresso Macchiato — a layer of frothed milk on an incredible espresso shot, White Mochaccino — where tantalising white chocolate meets cappuccino, Caffe Caramello — caramel in traditional cappuccino. TRC will also launch Cremosito — a thick creamy beverage in the flavours of hazelnut and cappuccino for the first time in India. Testa Rossa also serves authentic Italian food with a wide range of pasta and grills. The caffe also has a specialty dish named Panini—an Italian sandwich made in the original European style. B Jagannath Rao, the Managing Director of R.A.M. Gourmet Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are bringing Testa Rossa to India with a clear objective of creating awareness about high-end specialty Italian coffee. We want to reach out to the urban and cosmopolitan coffee lover who is looking for a qualitative soul filling experience.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

Britannia Roasts Out New Imbibe in New NutriChoice Snacks Teacher’s Premium Britannia launched its latest health offering under the Scotch Whiskies NutriChoice brand called NutriChoice Multigrain Thins & NutriChoice Multigrain Roasty. and RTD’s NutriChoice provides a range of highon-health products for people who are concerned about health and want to pursue healthier lifestyles. NutriChoice Multigrain Roasty is a delightful combination of roasted grains and pulses, which have been flavoured for the Indian palate. NutriChoice Multigrain Thins is a healthy snack that can easily substitute your craving for a bag of unhealthy and fried bag snacks. NutriChoice Multigrain Thins will initially be available in three flavours viz. Classic Indian Spice, Mediterranean Herb & Tomato, and Lime & Mint. Vinita Bali, the Managing Director of Britannia Industries Limited said, “NutriChoice targets adults in urban India who are beginning to get conscious of the need to stay healthy. Along with this awareness and consciousness for health, comes a need for information and solutions for achieving health.”

Beam Inc, the global vintner, has launched Teacher’s 25 Years Old Blended Scotch Whiskey and Teacher’s Highland Single Malt Whiskey worldwide from the Ardmore Distillery. Teacher’s 25 Year Old—bright gold in colour—is a unusual and selective blend of the finest Scotch whisky, available in individually numbered and crafted in a ceramic decanter carriers to preserve exclusivity. Teacher’s Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey— burnished gold in colour, which comes from the Ardmore Distillery in the Highlands of Scotland, established in 1898. It is distilled, matured and bottled in Scotland. Beam Inc. is the fourth largest spirits company in the world. Its launched these spirits in an event, in Mumbai. Harish Moolchandani, the CEO and Managing Director of Beam India & ISC said, “Teacher’s 25 Year Old and Teacher’s Single Malt are the premium expressions that will help us to come out of the fuddle in the Indian Scotch Whiskey market and to offer the optimum experiences to whiskey aficionados.”

Scotch-based Ready-to-Drink Can Teacher’s, the premium Scotch whisky in India, has infused new flavours of headiness by introducing for the first time ever Teacher’s Scotch Premixed in a Can. Teacher’s Scotch-based ready to drink (RTD) beverages — Teacher’s & Cola and Teacher’s & Soda are available in 330ml cans; one of the preferred formats priced at Rs. 160 in Mumbai, allowing for easy and convenient consumption. With 4.8 percent ABV (Alcohol by Volume) Teacher’s RTD has currently been launched in Mumbai and will soon be available across the country for the party hoppers. Teacher’s RTD is mainly targeted at beer and alternate RTD beverage drinking consumers. Speaking about Teacher’s new introduction, Harish Moolchandani, the CEO & Managing Director, Beam India & ISC said, “Teacher’s RTD got designed as a format which bridges convenience, new occasions and excitement while maintaining the same quality and authenticity of a genuine Scotch. Teacher’s ready-to-drink premixed beverage is the perfect party partner; it is the new way of celebrating achievements.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

Indulge at Circa 1193 in Delhi’s Winters Chilly winters at Circa 1193 will probably be feeling warm with its wide array of winter Asian delicacies and dessert smoothies on offer. Circa 1193 is a concept restaurant, reflective of an innovative ideology that blends the ritualistic classical elements of the ancient Asian culinary art and the modern-day demand for an evolved palate. A diner at Circa 1193 — a 50-cover restaurant— can get infused with exotic flavours suiting the discerning tastes of the contemporary global diner. The cuisine at Circa 1193 is bound by various Asian gastronomic traditions, while not fitting into any one region in particular and fused with elements from the global culinary arena. The menu encompasses a wide gamut of cookery styles, ranging from the culinary traditions of modern China to the Korean Peninsula. The restaurant has an ample showcase of flavours from the East, South and Central Asia. Blackened Chicken, Chilli Caramel Basa are some of the delightful main course dishes and Coffee Pannacotta, Yuzu Mint Cheese Cake are some of the scrumptious desserts to relish on at this innovative restaurant.

Karl Winterhalter: A Life That Influenced Many Lifetimes Karl Winterhalter, the Founder of Winterhalter Gastronom GmbH, retired from life on 16 January 2012, after spending 100 wonderful and fruitful years on this planet. He was a man of great vision, dedication and decision. One of the greatest entrepreneural figures of the post World War-II era, he transformed a small family business venture into an internationally successful company that today delivers state-of-the-art warewashing technology around the world. He founded Winterhalter Gastronom from scratch, way back in 1947. In 1981 he was awarded the Germany’s ‘Federal Cross of Merit’ for his achievements. His lifelong motto was “Success is always a team effort” and this philosophy still shapes the company philosophy of Winterhalter Gastronom GmbH to this day. Karl Winterhalter’s motto is best reflected in relationship with his employees. He regarded them as the company’s most important foundation and made it a point of maintaining personal contact with them. Even up until recently he continued to come twice a week from his home in Wasserburg to the company office in Meckenbeuren, Germany. The first big sales triumph of Karl Winterhalter was the ‘Backhexe,’ a portable electric oven, which he exhibited at the IBO (International Trade Fair for Consumer Goods) in Friedrichshafen. The first fully electric dishwasher of Winterhalter Gastronom — the legendary GS 60— came a decade later and demand for the product exceeded his expectations many times over. He quickly decided to concentrate on producing industrial dishwashers and selected Meckenbeuren as the location for the new factory. Production capacity was quickly reached and further factories followed in his hometown of Endingen (Germany) and in Rüthi (Switzerland). Success followed success and a legend was born. Karl Winterhalter is no more, but his enduring legacy lives on through his company, which has a global presence with 38 of its own sales offices and numerous distribution partners in over 70 countries. Karl had shown to the world what an ideal life should be; its value should extend much beyond a lifetime.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

Angostura / Monin Cocktail Challenge On 28th November 2011 the final of the Angostura / Monin Cocktail Challenge was held in New Delhi. The Angostura / Monin Cocktail Challenge was held for the first time in India this year. The global finals of the 2012 Angostura® Global Cocktail Challenge will be held on Carnival Sunday, on 19th February 2012, in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The global finals of the Monin Cocktail Cup, 2011 was held on 12 December 2011, on the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. CL Brands Worldwide, based out of Trinidad and Tobago, are the brand owners of the Angostura range of Aromatic Bitters, Rums (Angostura Silver, Angostura 5 year old, Angostura 7 year old, Angostura 1919) and Scotches (Black Bottle, Scottish Leader and Bunnahabhain Single Malt.) In India, CL Brands is represented by Saksham Impex, who handles the Bitters range (Aromatic and Orange Bitters) and Unicorn Beverages, who handles the Rum and Scotch range. A total of 27 entries were received from a mix of outlets, including both five-star hotels, and leading independent bars and restaurants,

from the NCR region, Chandigarh, Udaipur and even Nepal. All 27 participants took part in the first round, in which they had to make two cocktails, one using Angostura Aromatic Bitters and the other using Monin syrups or purees. A two man technical jury, comprising Yangdup Lama and Rohan Jelkie, adjudicated for the same. Out of the 27 finalists, 8 were chosen to take part in the finals, held on the same day. They were Dhanpal from Auma, Abhishek from Smokehouse Room or Shroom, Mehrauli, Hemant Pathak from the Blue Bar, Taj Palace Hotel, Sahil Chauhan from the Polo Lounge, Hyatt Regency, VirendraThakur from the Park Hotel, GunjanThapa from Robben’sresto bar, Kathmandu, Yogesh from the The Oberoi, New Delhi and Mohit Saxena from Lap. The competition was planned and executed by Tulleeho, a leading firm working in the area of beverage education and training in India. The eight finalists needed to make three cocktails in 10 minutes. Two cocktails were needed to be made using Angostura Bitters, out of which one had to use one of the Angostura range of rums, and the other using any other CL Brands product. The third cocktail was to be made using Monin syrups or purees and any alcoholic beverage as the base.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

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Kolkata Pub Tipplers to Pay More for Booze Come March, a peg of alcoholic beverage would burn a hole in the pockets of alcoholic beverage drinkers in Kolkata. Their prices will be hiked atleast by 10 percent. Restaurants in the City of Joy will apply the hike a year after liquor prices went up to counterbalance some of the losses they had absorbed. According to Parag Mitra, the General Secretary of the West Bengal Foreign Liquor Manufacturers’, Wholesalers’ and Bonders’ Association, the prices of premium liquor brands had increased dramatically by almost 50 percent, while that of the low and medium-range ones saw a 30 percent hike. Besides, according to SK Khullar, the Executive Council Member of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Owners’ Association, since the restaurants had ample old stocks last year on an average, the hike didn’t go beyond a reasonable 5 percent. But it is time for revisioning the liquor prices at the hike rate of 10-15 percent. He also added that the 4 percent rise in sales tax had been implemented in 2011, which had made the current cost revision foreseeable.

Mother Diary Lifts up ‘Star News Brand Excellence Award’ Mother Dairy was conferred with the ‘Star News Brand Excellence Award in the FMCG space’at the World Brand Congress. Having created an admirable brand recall owing to the superior quality of innovative products, Mother Dairy has been bestowed with this honour in the FMCG space for food & beverages. Dr. Saugata Mitra, the Chief People Officer of Mother Dairy received the award at the ceremony organised in Mumbai. Elated on the occasion Dr. Mitra said, “It is a glowing moment for everyone at Mother Dairy. Our success is dependent on the acceptability of our offerings amongst the consumers. This is an inspiring honour which will encourage us to ensure transparency, unquestionable commitment to quality and single-minded focus on excellence. We are happy that we are being recognised and bestowed with such prestigious awards.”

New Portuguese Palate at Nando’s Nando’s Chandigarh, the South African chain of restaurants, has introduced a new Portugese dish to its menu, Cataplana Algarve. Cataplana is the name for the non-vegetarian cuisine as well as the utensil in which it is served. Cataplana Algarve is a medley of flamegrilled Peri-Peri chicken thighs, tossed with spicy rice, grilled peppers, chickpeas and a dash of parsley. One can enjoy Cataplana Algarve, along with refreshing designer drink, Rosa Fresca. Cataplana Algarve is also similar to Indian biryani and is served with assorted ingredients inside a copper dish that enables the ingredients to mesh together and this gives a great herbal tinge and full flavour to the cuisine. The serving vessel is a broad domed dish like two woks placed together, and is traditionally made of copper. It is of Moorish design and was introduced to southern Portugal during their occupation. Algarve is a province in Portugal after which this rich, aromatic dish is named.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

NEWS SCAN

Appointments Vikas Mittal

Vinayak B Vetekar

McCain Foods India Pvt. Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of McCain Foods Canada, has announced the appointment of Vikas Mittal as the Managing Director of India & Subcontinent region. In this capacity, Mittal will be playing a key role in shaping the long-term growth strategies for the company, besides building the McCain brand in India. An alumnus of IIM Lucknow and Delhi College of Engineering, Mittal has over 20 years of experience of working across most competitive FMCG categories. Previously, Mittal was working with Dabur India Pvt. Ltd. where he served as the Executive VicePresident (Marketing) for Dabur’s Personal and Home Care Division, and subsequently he moved as the Head of Innovations, Dabur India Pvt. Ltd.

Vinayak B Vetekar has joined ADF Foods as the National Sales Manager. In this role, he will be in charge of sales, marketing and distribution activities of the company. Prior to joining ADF Foods, Vinayak was associated with Parle Agro as the Business Head. Vetekar is a postgraduate in Marketing Management from Welingkar Institute of Management. During his 19 years of experience in dealer/ network management, strategy/ and profit accountability, Vetekar has worked with Lakme Lever, Kellogs India, and Cargill India. His expertise lies in beverages, OTC products, cosmetics, breakfast cereals, biscuits, edible oil and mobile phones.

Red Mango Arrives in India Red Mango, the USA’s premium frozen yogurt and smoothie brand brings in 100 percent natural, non-fat & low fat and gluten-free frozen yogurts fortified with pro-biotic to the palates of India, by opening its flagship outlet at the Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. On an extensive international expansion plan, Red Mango starts its Indian operations with its first flagship store at the Ambience Mall, which is spread across an area of 1300 sq. ft. Red Mango is now looking to establish its presence in the Indian sub-continent with its offerings of frozen yogurts, using the world’s best & natural probiotic ‘Ganeden BC30’ from the US. Red Mango yogurts, available at 89 paisa/gm are made of premium flavours such as Madagascar Vanilla, where the ingredients are imported from Madagascar — the finest producer of vanilla in the world. Along with that strawberries imported from Sonoma in California, blueberries from Europe along with the most premium chocolate servings using Ghirardelli are the hallmarks of Red Mango yogurts. Bringing to India yogurts in delicious flavours like ‘Original’, Cinnamon’, ‘Madagascar Vanilla’, ‘Blueberry’, ‘Sonoma Strawberry’ and ‘Ghirardelli Chocolate’, Red Mango also offers other healthy options like ‘Power Smoothies’, ‘Probiotic Parfaits’, ‘Gourmet Waffle’ and more. Rahul Kumar, the CEO and the Principal Owner, Red Mango India, who holds the rights of franchise of Red Mango as a division of Maez One Retail & Food Pvt Ltd. said, “We wish to bring to India a healthy eating option and with Red Mango’s pro-biotic Froyo we seek to introduce to the health conscious consumers of the country the brilliant taste of froyos and smoothies in their preferred flavours.” He also added, that “We plan to open an array of similar outlets in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Chandigarh in the near future, with a target of opening 12 to 15 outlets by 2012 and 100 outlets in the next five years across the country.”

Tourism Victoria to Host the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Tourism Victoria is to host the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. ‘The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s World’s Longest Lunch’ is the first of its kind event in India, comprising a single lunch table; showcasing exquisitely presented Victorian produce through specially created dishes and wines to 500 VIP attendees across India. To build up to the ‘Melbourne Food & Wine Festival’s World’s Longest Lunch’ event, Tourism Victoria and Grand Hyatt Mumbai will be hosting a three day Melbourne Food and Wine Festival from 22nd to 24th February at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. The festival will showcase numerous dishes and wines from Melbourne over a three day period, at Grand Hyatt Mumbai’s Italian restaurant, Celini. This initiative will set Asia’s record of the longest lunch table and will be featured in the Limca Book of Records. The event is to take place outdoors of Grand Hyatt Mumbai and it is the first time two renowned Chefs will come together to prepare gourmet cuisine for such a large audience. The menu for the ‘The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s World’s Longest Lunch’ has been designed by Adam D’Sylva, in conjunction with Jean Christophe Fieschi, the Executive Chef, Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Adam is the Executive Chef and Co-owner of Coda; a modern eatery that serves unique cuisines combining modern European, Thai and Vietnamese influences, and is also the celebrity Chef of MasterChef Australia. Chef Jean Christophe Fieschi has a tenure of over 23 years with Hyatt and previously worked with Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Hyatt Regency Dubai and Galleria, Hyatt Regency Osaka, Japan, and Grand Hyatt Taipei, Taiwan.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

REPORT

‘All India Food Safety Summit’ Generates Awareness on Food Safety Measures

ith the enforcement of the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act-2006 and its Rules & Regulations by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), food safety is assuming to gain immense significance in order to protect the health of the population and also for the export of fresh and processed foods. The Rules and Regulations under FSS Act have already been enforced from 5th August 2011. To shed a deep light on food safety measures, ‘All India Food Safety Summit’ organised by All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA) pitched an awareness and understanding drive for all the personnel involved in the food business. The Government officials at the All India Food Safety Summit pointed out that beside the big food business players, every small roadside food vendors like bhelpuri walas or bada pav walas should have license and registration number. The government will appoint ‘food safety officers’ at every district for inspecting and supervising all the food vendors and big fat food businesses. The thrusting power of the new act is to promote self-compliance by the food processors by properly following Good Hygienic Practices (GHP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and adopting the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification under Food Safety and Management systems in order to ensure highest quality and safety of the food products manufactured and sold in

the country as well as exported. The Regulations will deal with licensing/ Registration, labelling and Food Products Standards & Food Additives etc. and the prescribed standards for various food products.

Licensing and Registration of Food Business Section 97(3) of the FSS Act stipulates “Notwithstanding the repeal of the aforesaid enactment and orders, the licenses issued under any such enactment or order, which are in force on the date of commencement of this Act, shall continue to be in force till the date of their expiry for all purposes, as if they had been issued under the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations made

there under”. In the spirit of the above Section 97(3), the existing licenses should be considered as valid under FSS Regulations till their expiry. Now, the Regulation 2.1.2(1) of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 which stipulates “all food establishments to get their existing license converted into the license under these Regulations by making an application to the Licensing Authority within one year of notification of these Regulations” read with Section 97(3) of FSS Act2006 is contradictory to each other and is required to be amended in line with Section 97(3) of FSS Act such that the holders of the existing

Some excerpts of recommendations which are given to state and central governments by AIFPA: • Nil goods and service tax (GST)- GST should be implied on food processing otherwise all food products price would go up substantially which will lad to unnecessary food inflation. • The farmers should be given the freedom to sell directly to food processing companies/aggregators/processors in addition to selling through Government or private mandis. • Government’s support is required for the uniform classification of all ‘processed fruits and vegetables’ across centre and state on the cenvat structure. It is also required to keep F&V processing industry under a special GST rate of 0% in the line with cenvat structure. • There is an urgent need to include processed food products in the mid day meal scheme. In the present scheme high wastage and pilferage happen mostly because rice and wheat are sold in open market and the end benefits are not reaching kids. In case of processed foods this nuisance can be avoided and the kids will be able to get nutritious wholesome food specially and hygienically designed for them. • Promotion of cold chain industry on PPP (purchasing power parity) basis as it is essential to ensure seamless integration of agri and food value chain. • To allow corporate farming.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

REPORT licenses should not be required to apply and to convert their existing license under new Regulation. In a clarification given by FSSAI, There is no contradiction in Section 97(3) and Regulation 2.1.2(1). In fact, regulations are extension of the provisions of the Act which enables FSSAI to allot new 14 digit license number to existing licence holder. So it is neither renewal nor new license but simply a migration to new system to with new number as different procedure for numbering were being followed under A/FPO/MMPO/MFPO etc. To facilitate migration and in consonance with the Act, these migrating existing units/FBO’s will not pay the fee for the period till their existing license is valid.

Mandatory requirement of certification from accredited agencies for units under Central Licensing With reference to the requirement mentioned in Annexure 2, Sr. No (2) under “Documents to be included for renewal or transfer of license given under existing laws prior to these Regulations” that ‘for units under Central Licensing it has to be a certificate from accredited agencies’, it will take considerable time to establish sufficient numbers of accredited agencies all over the country to be able to handle the large numbers of units widely spread through out the country for their certification. Therefore, According to the Government, that the mandatory requirement of certification for units under Central Licensing can stay relaxed for a certain period, for one-two years, to enable the industry to gearup for the certification requirements and also to enable the development of sufficient numbers of accredited agencies and for establishing their norms of working, charges. According to FSSAI, One year time has been given for transfer of licence so that FBOs can organize necessary changes and get certificate. Since provision of the Act has been operationalised from 05th August 2011, all units are to conform to the provisions detailed in the act, rules, and regulations. In the summit, Piruz Khambatta, the president of AIFPA and Chairman of Rasna mentioned, “the development of the food processing industry is of prime importance for food security, controlling food inflation, and for the prosperity in rural areas.” At the same time he also pointed out that, the Central and state government bodies should work closely with industry to ensure this happens as the industry could do for rural India what IT has done for urban India.” AIFPA’s President Khambatta believes that, “the food safety and security could transform into worlds food factory by welcoming FDI in multi-brand retail.” He also articulated about the Government’s inclination to reserve a fixed percentage of goods for purchase by multi brand retail from the India SME’s. Beside this, he also felt that in a similar manner the retail major should be required to buy a fixed percentage of Indian produce to export outside India through the global chain because the real advantage of India allowing FDI in multi brand retail with 51% foreign ownership can be gained only if Indian products are exported.” ■

Dec-Jan ’12

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

REPORT

Get United for Rendezvous at UCH By Tapapriya Lahiri

he seed of inception for the United Group of Restaurants started with United Coffee House, which is a 70-year-old flagship restaurant of the group in the capital. The illustrious journey of the United Coffee House began in the year 1942 when Delhi was again reinventing its soul and developing its modern character, facilitated by the craftsmanship of the renowned town planner Sir Edwin Lutyens. Since then the 70-year-old legacy of a restaurant has become a permanent feature of the topography of Connaught Place. Hansraj Kalra, the founder of the United Group of Restaurants, set up the United Coffee House. Soon the United Coffee House emerged as an interactive coffee house, which created its niche clientele from the cosmopolitan gentry, ranging from politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and artists. They came from different walks of life, but perhaps one of their common interests was to spend quality time in an environment which afforded the liberty and leisure to be their true elegant selves, spruced with cups of aromatic coffee and a distinctive culinary experience. The tradition still continues… United Coffee House can be construed as a witness to the changing food culture of Delhi for more than seven decades now. No wonder, the food connoisseurs of the capital designate it as an institution and a prominent address for indulging in gastronomic pleasures. United Coffee House started as a coffee house, but later redefined itself into a multi-cuisine restaurant. UCH has a handsome list of signature dishes which are on its menu card from three to four decades. Today, this 175-seater restaurant specialises in regional Indian, continental and oriental specialties, which are mastered over years of dedication and experience by its promoters and team members. Interspersed with oriental, colonial and old world décor, the Victorian setting of this landmark eatery is still the chosen

destination for many in the twenty-first century Delhi. The menu of this classy restaurant has its signature recipes since decades and its time-tested unique in-house creations are still savoured by many of its discerning guests. In fact, many look out for them. As the name suggests, the United Coffee House has a special coffee menu with its in-house coffee blenders, thereby making coffee drinking time for its guests a unique and memorable experience. Akassh Kalra, the proprietor of the United Coffee House, walked down the memory lane to describe the old-world charm of the United Coffee House. “In the initial days, the interiors simulated our Parliament structure with tall fans, small coffee tables with wooden chair. It was way different from the interiors the guests see now, where woods play a predominant role.” Starting with tea, coffee and snacks, UCH began its journey into the world of cuisines with Indian foods. They were followed by Chinese and continental delicacies. “It is perhaps the only restaurant in the capital which is functional from 9 in the morning till midnight. From morning 9 to 12 noon, we have a wide range of breakfast items. Another USP of our restaurant is that we provide 315 items, from 12 noon to midnight, on all seven days of the week. And guests will not be dejected by the unavailability of their favourite items, for all the 315 items are available everyday,” elaborated an elated Kalra. The management of the United Coffee House however doesn’t believe in resting on its laurels. The amendments in business policies pertaining to the United Coffee House from time to time have contributed to the increase in clientele of the United Coffee House. In the year 2009, there were 450 walk-ins on an average day, but 2011 has witnessed 650 walk-ins a day, on an average. Kalra also informed that the United Coffee House happens to be a wine-friendly venue. “We have a superior selection of wines, single malts and many other heady spirits in our restaurant. We can offer 15-17 different types of wines by glass. It is because, I believe in promoting the culture of wine by glass,” asserted Kalra.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dec-Jan ’12

COVER STORY

The Emerging Trends The Indian food & beverage industry is going through a transition, which is reflected in several trends. One the one hand, as a result of rising health awareness in the society and pockets of increased disposable incomes, the demand for health foods and healthy eating is on the rise, which has resulted in the introduction of a range of healthy products in the dairy and snacks segment, and also in healthy dessert options. On the other hand, the fast food business in India has also significantly grown over the years, propelled by the changing socioeconomic scenario in the country in this globalised age. Lifestyle changes have also resulted in our desserts moving in the designer and customised ways, and the demand for high-end chocolates is also increasing in India, as is the emergence of many talented chocolatiers. The wine industry is also maturing which may result in not only much higher average consumption of wines in the country, in the near future, but also in spreading the roots of the wine culture beyond the elites of the metros. The eating out culture has gained momentum in urban India over the last decade, and the exposure to global food & beverage trends through travel and television, coupled with high spending power among a section of the society has resulted in gaining of the popularity of authentic versions of exotic cuisines like Japanese, Mexican, Italian, Thai, etc. No wonder restaurants with such culinary focus are mushrooming across the Indian metropolitan landscape. Here Swarnendu Biswas explores some of these above-mentioned prevailing trends in the following passages, which does have the potential to give a new character to the Indian food & beverages industry in the times to come.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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COVER STORY

resently, two major contrary trends are spearheading through the Indian food & beverage industry. On the one hand, the change in socio-economic condition of India has resulted in significant increase in the demand for fast foods in the country. The rise in the number of nuclear families with both the couples working long hours, along with the rise in disposable incomes have led to the emergence of the demand for fast foods in the urban Indian society. So it comes as no surprise that a recent research report by RNCOS titled ‘Indian Fast Food Market Analysis,’ has stated that the Indian fast food industry is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 34 percent during 2011-2014. Presently, the Indian fast food industry is exhibiting a 30-35 percent growth per annum. Buoyed by the growing demand for fast foods in India, many renowned multinational fast food chains have over the years established their presence in the country.

popularising their respective brands in these cities. Domino’s envisaged to open 60-65 outlets in India every year, during 201012, while Yum Brands Inc. which has brands like KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell under its ambit, has eyed huge expansion in India, with plans to have 1000 fast food outlets by 2015. The multinational company also plans its Indian operations to touch a turnover of Rs.4600 crore by 2015. The company will also invest a whooping amount of Rs.460 crore in India from 2011 to 2015. One of the fast food conglomerate’s famous brands, KFC has grown by an astonishing 70 percent in terms of sales, in India, during the last one year. Generally the fast foods do have high fat and calorie content and thus are not that good for health, particularly for the population with a sedentary and busy lifestyle, with very little time for excersing. But this is not the complete story by any means.

Fast Foods Gaining Market

Towards Healthy Eating Options

In the Indian context, this taste for fast foods like burgers and pizzas is not only spreading through metropolitan India. There is an impressive potential of growth of the fast food industry in the untapped tier-II and tier-III cities of India, because of which, according to RNCOS, major fast food retailers have already started introducing various marketing strategies towards

On the other hand, we are witnessing significant numbers of globally aware Indians becoming increasingly health conscious, and thus they are voting for an impressive number of healthy choices in their dietary plans. The inclination towards healthy foods can perhaps be largely attributed to the rising health awareness in the Indian society at large; not only due to overseas travels, but also due to television. Besides the awareness factor, the need factor has also propelled the demand for healthy foods & beverages in India, particularly among the upper and upper middle class segment of the educated Indian population living in the metros. “It is a known fact that two thirds of all deaths are directly affected by improper diet and poor lifestyle. The nation’s most common killers—heart disease and diabetes are related to what you put into your mouth and your lifestyle,” informed the nationally renowned nutritionist Dr. Anjali Mukerjee, the Founder and Co-Chairperson of Mumbai-based Health Total. Here it deserves a mention that Health Total is an eminent name in the Indian nutrition and wellness industry, and has been rendering its services to people from all walks of life though

Dr. Anjali Mukerjee

Dec-Jan ’12

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various health programs, for more than a decade now. Various health programs at Health Total offer nutritional management of problems along with lifestyle behaviour modification so that people can take care of their health in a way that is easily incorporated into their regular lifestyle. In today’s urban India, lifestyle diseases have become quite commonplace. India has earned the dubious distinction of being the diabetes capital of the world and according to the predictions of WHO, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases will make the Indian.economy lose a huge amount of Rs.100,000 crore every year, by 2015. According to Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, “India has an estimated number of 5.1 crore diabetics which makes our country having the world’s second largest diabetic population after China.” In fact, one in eight Indian adults is either afflicted with diabetes or is at the high risk of having diabetes, and according to WHO, the cardio-vascular diseases will be the largest death and disability causing diseases in India by 2020. Therefore we can say that besides growing health consciousness, people in urban India are now being induced by an increasing need to eat and drink healthy for keeping the looming threat of lifestyle diseases at bay, which have the potential of cropping up as a result of their tension filled and/or sedentary lifestyle or also because of their eating history. Then there is the beauty and glamour factor behind the growth of healthy food products in urban India. “People now make a conscious effort to look good and they are aware that 75 percent

COVER STORY of how they look is determined by what they eat. Thus healthy eating has become a major concern with many people. They want to eat low calorie food, which is also tasty,” elaborated Anjali. Even Nita Mehta, the culinary guru of our times and the renowned author of myriad best-selling books on cookery asserted that “Looks are now important for all age groups of people and now they also understand that good, healthy food makes your body beautiful, be it your skin or hair.” As a consequence of the consciousness, need and beauty factors, which are supplemented by growth in disposable incomes, we are now witnessing a profusion of healthy foods and beverages in the sleek super market shelves of Indian cities. Nowadays many Indians are going for whole wheat or multi-grain breads, grilled instead of fried foods, and are reducing the intake of cheese and other fatty stuff in their breakfast tables. Sensing this growing demand for eating healthy and eating quality, many foreign brands have invaded the Indian food & beverage industry in the recent years. In fact, the invasion of foreign brands in the Indian market space, and increase in disposable incomes among Indian middle class and upper middle class over the last decade are probably the only common factors behind these two contrary currents of demands

pervading through the Indian food & beverage industry; that is the demand for fast foods on the one hand, and the demand for healthy eating and drinking on the other hand. Nowadays, in many urban Indian households, especially if they are relatively well-off households with some degree of global awareness, breakfast has made a smooth transition from aloo paranthas or puri sabzi to cornflakes, whole grain breads, fruit juices and other assorted health drinks, and fresh dairy products. There is a growing tendency in many upwardly mobile urban Indian households towards consumption of products with oats and wheat flakes, which happen to be excellent sources of fibre and are very good for the functioning of the intestinal tract. Besides they are spruced with cholesterol lowering properties. However, we must remember that the concept of healthy food and drinks is not new. For example, the fruits and milk have time-tested legacy as healthy food and drinking options, and were and still are regarded as especially essential for growing children. But healthy foods and beverages were not as fashionable and as integral to the lifestyle of upwardly mobile urban India as they are nowadays, and nor they had such an all pervasive impact on the dietary patterns of growing numbers of urban Indian households. These days, the healthy foods and beverages have made their presence felt in many of our lives and lifestyles in the form of breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, dinner and eating out options.

Baked to Health Urban India’s growing interest towards healthy eating can also be reflected in their evolved choices of bakery products. The rising popularity of multi-grain breads, whole grain breads and sugar free desserts in India endorses this trend. In fact, this shift in preference towards healthy bakery products has induced many bakeries to change their offerings to more healthy ones. “For cakes and pastries, whipped creams on top are no longer the trend. Lighter frostings like cream cheese/ yogurt are increasingly substituting full fat cream. Instead of whipped cream blobs for garnish, fruits are increasingly

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Vinita Bali making a wonderful, healthy garnish for desserts,” asserted Nita. Healthy snacks have also started gaining currency. Britannia’s NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Ragi Cookies and NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Oat Cookies are some pertinent examples of new-age healthy snacks which are very helpful for the diabetics. They are tasty, crunchy and convenient options for those mid-day meal pangs, and they are scientifically created to suit the special lifestyle and nutrition needs of diabetics to manage extreme swings in blood sugar levels. Britannia has perfectly married taste and health through its NutriChoice 5 Grain biscuits too. “NutriChoice 5 Grain biscuits are an excellent choice to assuage the hunger for in between meals,” affirmed Vinita Bali, Managing Director, Britannia Industries Limited. Britannia NutriChoice 5 Grain biscuits are made from five carefully chosen healthy cereals. They are comprised of oats that help reduce bad cholesterol; corn, which promotes cardiac health; ragi, which is a good source of both calcium as well as fibre; rice, which is low in fat; and wheat that is a source of wholesome energy. Britannia’s NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Ragi Cookies and NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Oat Cookies contain a unique combination of soluble and insoluble fibres that are reported to delay glucose absorption, thereby preventing extreme swings in blood sugar levels. Ragi, besides comprising of complex carbohydrates, which help in the slow release of glucose into the blood stream, is also known to be a rich

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COVER STORY source of calcium. Oat soluble fibre helps control blood cholesterol by binding some of the cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps to give you a feeling of being full for longer periods of time. And of course, it doesn’t deserve a mention that NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Essentials cookies contain no added sugar, and are devoid of cholesterol. Trans fats tend to raise the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and hence Britannia’s NutriChoice Diabetic Friendly Essentials cookies contain zero percent trans fats and at least 25 percent reduced fat as compared to your average cookies in the Indian market. “The target consumers of our NutriChoice brand are adults in urban India, who have now started to get conscious about the need to have a healthy life and lifestyle,” explained Vinita. Britannia Industries has also made significant investments in enriching its products with relevant vitamins, minerals, etc. “Over 50 percent of our bakery portfolio has been fortified – the leading brands being Tiger, Milk Bikis, Marie Gold, Britannia Breads, etc.,” elaborated the power lady. Recently, Britannia Industries has come up with two more NutriChoice offerings—NutriChoice Multigrain Thins and NutriChoice Multigrain Roasty. Both the products are loaded with health and taste. “We have recognised and spotted the opportunity to provide healthy munching choices, without involving compromise on the delight and enjoyment factors,” affirmed the corporate Czarina. Way back in 1997, recognising that there were very few avenues to purchase wholesome and low-calorie food, Anjali Mukerjee’s Health Total had branched out into manufacturing of health food snacks. “We manufactured high-fibre snacks including millet biscuits, whole wheat cheese biscuits, wheat bran biscuits, and protein rich soya bean biscuits. These were great tasting and low caloried and were the perfect ways to satisfy the craving for food without the fear of putting any weight on. Recently, though we have stopped manufacturing these snacks, we recommend similar snacks manufactured by other companies,”

informed Anjali—the wellness diva of our times.

Trendy Dairy Fresh dairy products, which have excellent health characteristics, have also shown increase in popularity in India over the years. Nowadays, we can see a wide variety of fresh dairy products boasting of low fat content, adorning the supermarket shelves with increasing regularity. Here it deserves a mention that nowadays many big players in the Indian dairy business are repositioning yogurt and facilitating to graduate it from a mere meal accompaniment to a stand-alone breakfast option or as a healthy dessert. One of the branches of healthy dairy is the frozen dessert segment. In the very recent past, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing

Nita Mehta Federation (GCMMF), the body behind the nationally renowned Amul, has introduced a frozen yogurt named Amul Flaavyo According to Amul, the product contains live probiotic bacteria which facilitates digestion and improves immunity. The product is made from natural ingredients and is fortified with essential vitamins. Presently, the product comes in mango, strawberry, pineapple, vanilla, and misti doi flavours. However, this innovative product from Amul has come not a day sooner as a string of frozen yogurt chains are entering the country, which would

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eventually make our desserts healthier. The US-based frozen yogurt brand Red Mango has made a foray into the Indian market in January, following the entry of the Canadian yogurt chain Kiwi Kiss, which had emerged in the Indian market last year. Moreover, Singapore-based yogurt brand Berrylite is envisaging to open its outlets in India, in the near future.

Functional and Organic We are now also seeing the growing emergence of a comparatively new genre of health foods, which are termed as functional foods. Functional food is a food item where a new ingredient or some new ingredients or more of the existing ingredient is/are added and the modified product has a new function or role in the body. Normally, functional foods pertain to health-promotion or disease prevention. Functional foods which are already available in the Indian market include those involving removal of an allergic protein (for example gluten free atta), those containing live bacteria such as Yakult health drink or those containing some health nutrients such as energy bars, juices and soy based products. “Opportunities in the functional food sector in the developing countries like India are immense. These natural ingredients offer new flavours, as well as real health benefits. These supplements play a pivotal role in the prevention and management of diseases, and their growing market does provide a great business potential for those in the health industry,” opined Anjali, who is regarded as one of the greatest minds in India’s health and nutrition industry. She can be credited with re-teaching the modern twenty-first century India its ancient and long forgotten knowledge that ‘food has the power to heal.’ The popularity of organic foods is also on the rise, and super health foods like spirulina and wheatgrass juice are becoming vogue among the higher echelons of the Indian society in the metros, whose numbers are no longer that insignificant. Though only a few in India could afford high-end health foods or organic foods on a regular basis, the perceptible shift towards healthy eating is evident

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H O T E L W A R E S

Creating Style Out of Steel ... for Hospitality

Manufacturers & Importers of : Chaffing Dishes • Cutlery • Tableware • Holloware • Barware • Hotelware • Kitchentools

LOTUS HOTELWARES 19/250, Malviya Nagar, (Shivalik Road), New Delhi - 110017 Tel : 26682828, Fax : 46054914 Mob.: 9312238648, 9810071838 E-mail: lotushotelwares@gmail.com Factory : Kundli Industrial Area, Phase IV. Haryana

COVER STORY throughout India, particularly in urban India.

Healthy and Exotic The practice of eating out in restaurants is becoming an integral part of the lifestyle of many upwardly mobile urban Indians, which is giving a fillip to the restaurant business in India. The growing exposure to global food & beverage trends together with pockets of high disposable incomes in the society is making the well-heeled sections of urban India opting for fine dining restaurants focussing on exotic cuisines like Japanese, Italian, Mexican, etc. This trend is reflected by the growing number of Italian, Japanese, Thai or Continental restaurants, in the landscape of metropolitan India. Nita thinks that presently, among the various exotic cuisines on offer in India, Italian cuisine is the most popular in the Indian food & beverages industry, though she also adds that the “other exotic cuisines too are fast gaining popularity. “ However, that doesn’t mean that traditional dishes have a bleak future in the Indian restaurant business. Being a prolific and extremely talented writer of several cook books reflecting enduring popularity, Nita has uncommon insight on consumer behaviour. “Yes, customers are engaged in experimentation in terms of trying out new food & beverage options, but still the classic creations do appeal to their palate. So the classics need to be given a twist to satisfy their desire to eat the same thing in a different way,” concurred Nita. However, she cautioned that “dishes should not show more fat, and must be cooked in a healthy manner in order to be popular in today’s India.” Nevertheless, the impact of healthy eating is likely to have its presence on the Indian restaurant business, in the near future. In fact, many experts feel the effects of this trend are already being visible in the Indian restaurant business. “Most people today have more than a passing curiosity about which restaurant serves healthy as well as fancy foods. There is widespread interest in those exotic cuisines which provide greater nutritional benefit and flavour as compared to traditional Indian curry dishes,” informed Anjali

The visionary lady believes that “In the near future, restaurants should implement strategies to tailor their menu in a way so that its items become more healthy while at the same time, keeping the taste factor high.” Yes health with taste has become the mantra of new-age eating in India; only health is necessary but not sufficient, similarly taste is necessary but not sufficient. Nita also feels that “With increasing frequency of eating out, the demand for healthy food at restaurants is also becoming important.”

Designing Desserts The rise of popularity of designer desserts is another emerging trend in the food & beverage industry, which can give great hope for the stand-alone bakery outlets with limited means to invest, to tackle the invasion of retail bakery chains and huge manufacturers of bakery products on their market space. Only imagination and creativity are needed to create the customised desserts with difference, and now there is a ready market for it, especially in metropolitan India. Gone were the days when cakes, pastries and chocolates looked staid and were known only for their tastes. Now the evolving trend is to custom-made your cake according to your exact specifications, which include your preferred theme and design. Of course, designer cakes are still a rarity in India but their visibility in the Indian bakery industry is no doubt increasing. Now whether you want your birthday or wedding cake or chocolates to simulate the shape of a swimming pool or a golf course or a toy train for the matter, it can be done. Now you can eat your cake and still have it too; its enticing theme and creative designs forever treasured in your memories.

Chocolates Gaining Currency The market for high-end designer chocolates is also evolving in urban India; especially among upwardly mobile segments of metropolitan India. The designer cakes are complemented by designer chocolates too. Chocolate making classes and chocolates as gift items have become vogue in urban India. These days, the application of chocolates in the Indian bakery industry is perhaps more pronounced

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than ever before. We are seeing many talented bakers and chocolatiers making their presence felt in the Indian bakery industry with their dark and delightful creations. Nidhi Bhageria, the Managing Director of Celeste Chocolates, acknowledges that the market for chocolates in India is nowhere that of Switzerland and Belgium, both in terms of maturity and variation, but at the same time, she voiced enthusiasm about the future of the market for gourmet chocolates in India. “There has been an evolution in chocolate tastes in India over the years, which can be attributed to greater international exposure,” said the savvy entrepreneur. Grown from a small enterprise to a huge player in the realm of designer chocolates with a factory, a sleek corporate office, and two operational chocolate boutiques under its ambit, presently, Celeste Chocolates is one of the biggest retailers in India, in the realm of gourmet chocolates, with Indian operations and global networks.

Wine and Café Culture The growth of café coffee culture, and the fast maturation of wine culture are the other two dominant consumer trends in the Indian food & beverage industry. Nita asserted that “The Indians still need to be educated about the different tastes of wine,” and she is very correct, but at the same time she stated that “with increased global travel and global exposure, there has been a positive attitudinal shift among more Indians than ever before towards wine consumption. They no longer associate drinking wine with vice.” This is very healthy to the industry as well as to many independent rational minds. Besides the society’s attitudinal shift through great degree of exposure to western lifestyle where wine consumption is as normal as drinking water, the increased wine consumption in the recent years in India can also be attributed to the same old reason of increased disposable incomes among some select pockets of the society, whose numbers are in no way insignificant. At the same time, the change in social mores powered by increasing incidences of tremendous economic empowerment of women has also encouraged wine consumption

Dec-Jan ’12

COVER STORY among the superior sex, which in turn has resulted in giving a fillip to the overall wine consumption in India. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the wine consumption in India is expected to attain a figure of 14.7 million litres in volume terms by the end of this year from around 4.6 million litres in 2008. According to the same ASSOCHAM analysis, the Indian wine market in value terms was Rs.800 crore in 2008, which is expected to escalate to Rs.2700 crore by the end of 2012. And in this increased wine consumption, women are going to play a more than significant role. Among women across India, the wine consumption has enhanced by 28.7 percent in the last five years. No wonder lots of premium imported wine brands have forayed into India in the recent past, and this trend is likely to continue in the near future too. The increase in coffee consumption, and the increased need for social networking have perhaps given an impetus to the coffee cafe culture in

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India. The growth of coffee cafe culture has been led by the young English speaking generation in the metros, but now the not so young crowd are also seen crowding the mushrooming coffee café outlets across the urban landscape. Way back in 1996, Café Coffee Day introduced the idea of coffee café outlets, which can serve as perfect hangout zones or venues for serious meetings over cups of aromatic coffee and sumptuous snacks. Barista Lavazza soon followed the pioneer, in 2000, and for a decade or so these two giants dominated the organised retail coffee café chains business across the country. Now sensing the huge market for coffee café outlets in urban India, many foreign retail coffee chains are planning to enter the Indian market. British coffee chain Costa Coffee has already forayed into India, and is giving these two corporate giants some competition. Starbucks Coffee Company, the world’s largest retail coffee chain, will enter this growing retail coffee market in India, in alliance with Tata Coffee Limited. The Seattle-headquartered Starbucks has partnered with Tata Coffee for

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sourcing and retail in India. Starbucks which is searching for the right locations, is likely to launch its first outlet sometime in the early 2012. At the same time, Australia’s premium retail coffee company Di Bella Coffee is likely to open five outlets in Mumbai by early 2012, and if they succeed, their success would be followed by outlets in Delhi and Bangalore. We can say that the further establishment of all these abovementioned trends in various spectrums of our society does have the potential to change the character and dimension of the Indian food & beverage industry, in the near future. Eventually these trends would shape up the industry and make it reach to greater heights of globalisation. The industry players who could anticipate these changes and tailor their products and services in conformity to any of these fast evolving trends are expected to greatly succeed, but those who would not anticipate these changes and refuse to change themselves, may face the possibility of seeing their competition crossing them by with a snigger. ■

R E TA I L

The word retail derives its origin from the fourteenth century French word ‘tailer’, which means to cut off, clip, pare, and divide in terms of tailoring. In modern sense, the word implies sale of physical goods or merchandise in small or individual lots, directly to the consumer, from a fixed location. This fixed location can vary from a road side kiosk to a grocery shop, or from a department store to a glitzy mall. Retailing today occupies an important position in the Indian economy. Though disorganised retail still rules the roost in India, organised retailing is growing steadily. Hypermarkets are springing up not only in the metros but also in the country’s tier-II and tier-III cities. Here Ashok Malkani takes a look at India’s retail scenario and explores how have the retail markets progressed over the years.

he Indian retail market currently stands at $396 billion and is likely to grow further at 12 percent to reach a figure of $ 574 billion by 2015. It is the second largest employer in India after agriculture, employing more than 35 million people with the wholesale trade generating an additional employment of 5.50 million. The different forms of retailing venues can be classified as hypermarkets, large supermarkets (having an area ranging between 3500-5000 sq.ft. on an average), mini supermarkets (10002000 sq.ft.) convenience stores (7501000 sq.ft.), traditional grocery shops, and also traditional retailers seeking to enter the modern age by introducing self-service formats and value-added services like free home delivery. In India,

all these formats co-exist together in its burgeoning retail space. With increasing rural income, organised retailing is also making inroads

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in the Indian villages. No wonder, WalMart, Carrefour, Tesco, etc. are eager to enter the Indian retail market, which is characterised by growing potential. The

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R E TA I L hindrance is FDI, which is being opposed by the political opposition, which led to the Union Cabinet’s decision to permit 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail to be kept in the backburner. But despite that, the growth of the retail sector in the present times indicates promising market for the international retail giants in India. During the last few years, we have witnessed a mushrooming of supermarkets and hypermarkets in an otherwise fragmented Indian retail market. “Is se sasta aur accha kahin nahi!” shouts the slogan of a supermarket chain. And judging by the crowd it attracts on weekends or weekdays, it would seem like the people believe in this slogan. However, it becomes evident that this is not the only supermarket chain that is attracting huge crowds. Hypermarkets in India in general, are doing roaring business. According to researchandmarkets.com, hypermarkets currently accounts for 14 percent of mall space and are expected to witness high growth. Yes, Indian retail market,

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over the last decade, has been showing greater acceptance towards organised retailing formats. Domestic retailing is slowly graduating from a multitude of unorganised family-owned businesses to organised modern retailing. The Indian retail industry, which is the fifth largest retail industry in the world and accounts for 10 percent of our GDP, is expected to grow at a rate

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of 25-30 percent annually. Rapid urbanisation, changes in shopping pattern, demographic dividend and proactive measures by the Government are abetting the growth of the retail sector in India. Among the retail segment, the organised retail seems to be the focus of the growth. The reasons for such growth in organised retail are similar to the growth

R E TA I L of the retail sector in general. Government’s encouraging stance towards FDI in retailing, growing wave of consumerism, a high proportion of young population, the growth of nuclear families, etc. can induce the organised retail segment in India to attain higher growth. Particularly India’s demographic scenario, which is tilted towards the young population, is expected to be a major driver towards the growth of retail sales, especially in the organised retail segment. Moreover, the high growth of the Indian retail sector is also expected to continue due to huge inflow of investments, and due to the loosing grounds of the traditional models in this sector. However, there is no denying the fact that the maximum growth in the Indian retail sector is expected to be experienced in the top 50 to 60 markets, which are located in the urban areas, which would mostly be supermarkets and hypermarkets. But with increased competition being perceived, these supermarkets and hypermarkets are expected to have a decline in their margins. . The total retail spending in India is estimated to double in the next five years. Of this, organised retail – currently growing at a CAGR of 22 per cent – is estimated to be 21 per cent of

the total retail expenditure. All these augurs well for the food & beverage retail too for the highest contributor to the retail sector is the food and grocery segment. According to a study by NABARD, food retailing constitutes 61 percent of total retail in India.

The Rural Potential However, this retail growth story is not only confined to the urban market, as contrary to popular perception, rural India presently accounts for almost half the domestic retail market. The urban retail market, comprising metropolitan cities, tier-II, tier-III cities, presently offers great opportunities to organised retailers but there is apprehension that this market may saturate in the near future. Hence, most big retail companies are envisaging entering the untapped

rural market. For instance in the recent past, ITC had taken a rural initiative through Choupal Sagar and so did DCM (Hariyali Kisan Bazaar). And Pantaloons has entered into a joint venture with Godrej to enter rural India (Aadhaar). Besides, several other Indian companies are thinking of launching rural retail brands to tap this largely untapped market. According to a study by NABARD, organised agrifood retailing is though urban-centric and comprises a miniscule segment of food retailing, it is growing at one and a half times as fast as food retailing. Also in the recent years there has been an impetus in rural income over the years due to higher agriculture production which has led to the popularity of organised retailers among the villagers. Farmers have also garnered benefits from the agricultural loan waiver, and various development schemes, which have contributed towards increasing rural consumption levels, 35 percent of which, according to a study, is accounted by food products. Recently, NABARD has come out with an exhaustive and informative study titled ‘Organised Agri-Food Retailing in India.’ The summary of the forecasts of the study are given below:

Summary of Forecasts of the NABARD Study Aspects Retail Food retail Organised food retail Organised retail space for F&B Warehouse space for organised food retail Manpower (direct) for organised retailing Investment on IT infrastructure for F&B Long-term investment for organised retailers in F&B (Interiors, refrigeration, rental advance and IT) Short-term investment for organised retailers (inventory) Long-term credit demand by organised F&B retail Short-term credit demand by organised F&B retail Total credit demand by organised F&B retail Creation of retail space for F&B* Creation of retail warehouse space for F&B*

Size in 2008-2009 Rs. 17,497 billion Rs. 10,673 billion Rs. 150 billion 22 million sq.ft. 7.33 million sq. ft. 0.85 lakh Rs. 0.8 billion Rs. 29 billion

Expected size in 2020 Rs. 53,517 billion Rs. 32,696 billion Rs. 620 billion 52 million sq.ft. 17 million sq. ft. 1.84 lakh Rs. 3.1 billion Rs. 165 billion

Overall increase (%) 206 206 313 136 132 116 288 469

Rs. 5.7 billion Rs. 20 billion Rs. 4 billion Rs. 24 billion Rs. 22 billion Rs. 3.7 billion

Rs. 23 billion Rs. 78 billion Rs. 15 billion Rs. 93 billion Rs. 80 billion Rs. 15 billion

304 290 275 288 264 305

*Excluding the investment in land

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Dec-Jan ’12

International Retailers Eyeing India Due to political pressures the Indian government has not yet been able to channel the desired FDI in the retail industry through foreign investors (despite its recent policy to allow 100 percent FDI in single-brand retail), but the country is among the most preferred new markets for foreign retail giants, who are envisaging to foray into the emerging markets to offset economic recession in the developed world. The retailers are eyeing the markets of India and China with great eagerness, which have impressive growth potential and are not likely to be affected by recessionary forces in the near future. In a survey carried out by CB Richard Ellis among 323 international retailers, India topped the list among the markets which these retailers entered for the first time last year. The study covered 75 countries. According to the study by CB Richard Ellis, last year eight retailers entered India, which was followed by Turkey, that experienced the entry of seven foreign retailers last year. However, in terms of presence of international retailers, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rank is a not so encouraging 35. At the same time, according to the survey, New Delhi was ranked as the fourth most popular city for new retail entrants at city level. From the survey we can draw inference that the present scenario of retail industry in India is bright and the future is expected to be brighter.

The Recent Developments Very recently, despite its inability to open multi-brand retail sector for foreign direct investment, the Union Government has managed to notify 100 percent FDI in single-brand retail, which may encourage many retail giants to have full ownership of their India operations. Till now, only 51 percent FDI in single-brand retail was permitted. However, for proposals involving FDI in single-brand retail beyond 51 percent, the mandatory sourcing of at least 30 percent of the total value of the products sold would have to be done from the domestic small and cottage industries, artisans and craftsmen, which have a maximum investment in plant and machinery not exceeding 1 million USD. According to the US India Business Council, which welcomed this recent move, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single-brand retail market is expected grow from 7 billion USD to 20-25 billion USD, in the next five years.

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R E TA I L Some issues that investors need to consider in the area of multi-brand retail are: Conditions

Challenges Involved

State permission is required

• Identifying states for FDI investment • Any additional state conditions for allowing/ approving FDIs have to be contend with.

Minimum FDI of Rs.450 crore and maximum stake of 51 percent

• Finding Indian partner/s with willingness and ability to invest at least Rs. 432 crore in the proposed joint ventures can be a challenge.

Half of the total FDI must be channeled for the building of back-end infrastructure

• Whether there would be appreciable return on investment made in back-end infrastructure is a cause of concern.

30 percent manufactured products • Margins and quality of products sourced should be sourced from small from SMEs need to be standardised. and medium enterprises • Reactions of elite consumers for products from SMEs must also be taken care of account.

However, the 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail sector is yet to become a reality. The Economic Survey has favoured a phased opening of foreign direct investments in multibrand retail. According to the survey, this step could facilitate catering to the concerns of consumers and as well as farmers, besides bringing technical know-how. But the proposed FDI policy for multi-brand retail, even if it becomes a reality, has many restrictions/ conditions, which are likely to raise some concerns from the investors. So even we get 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail it would not be smooth sailing all the way, as the proposed FDI policy is tagged with

FDI is likely to be permitted only in the six big metros

several riders. Overall, the question of whether we need to have more supermarkets in our neighbourhood is a dicey one, and is loaded with potential positive and negative impacts. Many argue that the entry of international retail giants in India, in the realm of multi-brand retail, may jeopardise the existence of many pop and mom grocery stores and increase unemployment levels in the unorganised segment of the F&B industry, but at the same time,

India’s Retail Story in Statistics • Sales through MGR outlets (Mass Grocery Retail) will escalate by 218 percent by 2015 to reach a figure of $ 27.67 billion. (Source: Business Monitor International) • The share of organised retail in India is expected to increase from 5 percent of the total market in 2008 to 14-18 percent and a figure of $ 450 billion by 2015. (McKinsey & Company report titled ‘The Great Indian Bazaar: Organised Retail Comes of Age in India’). • During 2010-2012, around 55 million square feet of retail space will be ready in the national capital region, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengalaru, Hyderabad and Pune. The organised retail real estate stock will grow from the existing 41 million sq. ft. to 95 million sq. ft. during the same period. (Source : India Organised Retail Market 2010 by Knight Frank India) • Food retail sector in India is set to more than double by 2025 to reach a figure of $150 billion. (Source: Report by KPMG) • Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows between April 2000 and January 2011, in single-brand retail trading, stood at $128.34 million. (Source: Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion)

The price of prime real estate in the metros is exorbitant as compared to those of small cities.

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permitting foreign retail giants to have major stake in India’s retail sector can give rise to more efficient distribution and less wastage of food products, which can eventually lead to their reduced prices for the end-consumers. Inbuilt inefficiencies and wastage in distribution and storage are the major reasons why about 40 percent of food production in India doesn’t reach consumers. The proposed retail revolution can address this lacuna with better logistics. Farmers are also expected to get better prices for their products as a result of the proposed retail revolution, who otherwise were and still are susceptible to be short-changed by the unscrupulous middlemen. The employment in the organised sector of the Indian F&B industry is also expected to get a fillip with the entry of more foreign retail giants in multibrand retail. But all said and done, the idea of injecting 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail is a proposed move that is pregnant with the possibility of revolutionising the Indian food & beverage industry and taking it to the post-modern age by unshackling its chains which are still tying the industry down as remnants of a feudal era, thereby curtailing its growth possibilities. ■

Dec-Jan ’12

BUSINESS

By Ashok Malkani

ihar can not only produce scholars like Rajendra Prasad, born revolutionaries like Jayaprakash Narayan, colourful personalities like Laloo Prasad Yadav and a plethora of seasoned bureaucrats; it can also produce creative, sumptuous and highly affordable dishes, which if creatively marketed does have the potential to find their respective niches in the global gastronomic platform. However, Bihari cuisine has not taken the country by storm in the modern times, like many of its personalities. There is no denying the fact that though the people from Bihar have spread all over the country and beyond, Bihari cuisine has not yet received its due panIndian recognition. Except for Bihar, Jharkhand and a few other places, Bihari food is not that recognised elsewhere. Though sweets like maalpua, rabri/ basundi and rasia (a special form of kheer prepared during the Chhath festival) are popular in Mumbai and other places, many people do not know that these delicacies hail from the state where the Buddha gained

realisation and entered into meditation to reshape the history.

The Pan-Indian Neglect Today as people are craving for exotic cuisines and are eagerly devouring Japanese, Thai, Mexican and even Ethopian food, it is high time that regional Indian cuisines like Gujarati, Marwari, Bengali, Bihari cuisines, etc. gained their due fame and popularity. And one of the lesser known Indian cuisines is Bihari food. Here we would have a look at some of the well-known dishes from Bihar, which the Bihari families do prepare irrespective of which corner of the planet they reside. Many of them also lament the fact that there are hardly any restaurants, dhabas or even roadside vendors in India, which specialise on typical Bihari food. Do you recall coming across any restaurant announcing that they serve authentic Bihari cuisine? Or of any Bihari food festival in the five-star, or for that matter, even in three-star hotels? I know your answer. Not even does your friendly neighbourhood restaurant claim that it has a specialist in Bihari cuisine in its culinary repertoire. Is it our failure to appreciate the

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culinary nuances of a state, embodying millennia-old cultural traditions, or has the Biharis themselves failed to position their cuisine as something different? Take the case of pitta from Bihar which according to me could beat Tibetan momos any day. These boiled rice flour dumplings, which are often stuffed with ground channa dal paste, and mixed with garam masala, ginger and garlic, are a nutritious and tasty treat for the vegetarians, though non-vegetarians are also likely to like them. Pittas could be either salty or sweet. The sweet pittas are filled with molasses. But I do not know of any renowned restaurant where you can get them, and once I had to drive twenty kilometers to my friend’s house, withstanding Mumbai’s chotic traffic, in order to savour some pittas. Then there is litti chokha, perhaps the most famous dish from Bihar, to which Biharis across the globe identify with. The dish affords the possibility of creating culinary magic from dough, gram flour, green chilies, potato, onion, corainder seeds and some other simple day-to-day food ingredients. According to Pushpesh Pant, the author of the voluminous India: Cookbook, “Litti chokha is a great health food.” He is correct. The dish requires no frying, and comprises proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and calcium. Moreover, this health food doesn’t come with a premium price tag. But sadly litti chokha is also rarely featured in the

Dec-Jan ’12

BUSINESS restaurant menus of big cities, and has largely remained confined to the kitchens of Biharis.

The Popular Tastes of Bihar However, thanks to the celebrated novelist Chetan Bhagat, who praised litti chokha and called for the need to make the Bihari dish “available everywhere,” this wonderful dish has managed to garner some media attention. It deserves a mention that actress Sonakshi Sinha tweeted back to Chetan Bhagat urging the writer to get the dish from her in Mumbai. It would pleasantly surprise many that Priyanka Chopra had also grown up on litti chokha. This was revealed by non other than her father Ashok Chopra, who believes that having litti chokha in the morning can afford you to carry “the rest of the day without a meal.” Perhaps now, when people are craving for something different for their palate, is the time for the enterprising restaurateurs to come up with Bihari cuisine, whose variety, of course doesn’t begin or end with pitta or litti chokha. For example, sattu or powdered gram and khichdi are integral part of the rich culinary legacy of Bihar.

Dec-Jan ’12

Especially, the people of northern Bihar rely heavily on sattu, which gives great energy. Khichdi with accompaniments of curd, papad, pickle and ghee is a wonderful culinary presentation from Bihar that has the potential to entice the palate of the entire country. A typical Bihari breakfast often involves the presence of sattu drinks whereas Khichdi, a tasty broth of rice and lentils seasoned with spices is a popular mid-day meal for most Hindu Biharis. A number of preparations in Bihari kitchen like litti, parantha, etc. are filled with sattu and spice. Sattu parantha is a mundane delicacy from Bihar that you could taste not in high-end restaurants but in an average Bihari family. However, there are many other specialties of the varied tastes of Bihar, which unfortunately are less well-

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known outside the purview of the kitchens of Biharis.

The Aromatic Heritage One of the essential characteristics of Bihari cuisine is that the state has imbibed the best aspects of the Gupta, Maurayan, Turk, Afghan, Persian and European culinary styles but at the same time retained a food culture that is infused with the distinctive aromas and tastes of Bihar. The long history of Bihari cuisine can be traced back to the various cultural influences that the region of Bihar was subjected to during the course of millennia, and also to its geography. In Bodh Gaya, which is located in Bihar, Lord Buddha attained enlightenment and thus it is natural to find the impact of Buddhism in Bihari cuisine. For example,

BUSINESS references of pitta (rice cake), khajjaka (the modern day khaja; prepared from wheat flour and sugar) which can be savoured at Silao near Rajgir even today, palala (modern day tilkuta made from pounded til, or sesame seeds) are found in Jataka tales, a body of ancient but timeless literature revolving on the Buddha’s previous lives. Today Gaya is famous not only for its history, but also for its tilkuta, which can be best savoured in the winters. Gaya has another wonderful sweet named lai, which is a concoction of sugar and beaten rice. Its peras—sweetmeats made of sugar and milk— are also no less popular than those of Mathura. Rice, lentil, tarkari or vegetable preparation, and pickle are the essential elements of Bihari cuisine since several centuries. With the advent of Jainism and Buddhism in Bihar, its followers took to a vegetarian diet, while the non followers of these religions preferred various meats like that of the meat of goat, pig, deer, etc. But perhaps the influence of Buddhism has made most Biharis vegetarian. Bihari cuisine is predominantly vegetarian though meat, chicken and fish dishes are also there. The presence of mighty rivers like Sone, Gandak and the Ganges has perhaps given rise to a significant fish eating population in the state. Fish curry with rice is savoured by many Biharis. Biharis are predominantly rice eaters and their association with rice is a long one. Rice has been the staple food of Biharis since the days of the Buddha, which was and is partaken today across all strata of Bihari society. Even Buddha was usually offered rice cooked with milk, and mixed with honey. Today, Bihari cuisine has a plethora of rice-based dishes within its purview. Only the quality of rice consumed may differ from one class to another. At Nalanda, which is located in Bihar, Hiuen Tsang — the famous pilgrim from the seventh century AD — was treated with Mahasali rice whose each grains were as large as beans. When cooked it emanated a heavenly aroma and great shine. Centuries passed by, but Bihar’s love affair with rice continued. Abul Fazal, the noted Mughal chronicler, had also

described the rice cultivated in Patna as being ‘rare and unequalled in quality.’ Today also it is difficult to perceive a typical Bihari meal without the contribution of rice. A fine variety of beaten rice or chiwra, heavily coated with curd and cream, is a favourite dish in Mithila, Bihar. Besides great rice, Bihar also produces luscious fruits. Among the fruits, Bihar is famous for its litchis, which was introduced by the Buddhist pilgrims from China. They brought the first saplings of litchi plant as a homage to the land of the Buddha. Mithila is also famous for Makhana or foxnut, a water fruit comprising lotus seeds. It is considered pure enough to be offered even to the Gods. Makhana is eaten in various ways, the most common being as salted puffs. Kheer, which is a dessert prepared with milk and rice, with makhana is a delicacy of Bihar that needs

to be placed among the best of the gastronomic offerings of this world. Bihar’s non-vegetarian cooking is influenced by the cultural amalgamation of Turks, Afghans, Mughals, Persians, and other medieval invaders. The flavours of non-vegetarian Bihari cuisine can find their aromatic resonance in the memoirs of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, who found it quite tasty. When in Bihar go for the Bihari Kebabs; traditionally a mutton dish that can be eaten either with roti, parantha or boiled rice. Chanpuran region of Bihar is known for its mutton-grilled dish named Taash. Thankfully, recently we are seeing that some fast food restaurants are selling Bihari kebabs as Bihari kebab rolls. They essentially come across as mutton kebabs rolled in parantha. Biryani and seekh kebabs are also very popular in Bihar, and are essential elements of nonvegetarian Bihari cuisine.

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The Tribal Flavours Without mentioning tribal cuisines, no story on Bihari cuisine can assume a ring of completeness. Situated in the southern part of Bihar, the area of Chotanagpur is home to numerous aboriginal tribes having varying food habits and cuisine. Some of the tribal specialities of Chotanagpur are Asur Pitta(a cake of sorts, prepared from rice, maize or the flour of mahua). Mahua tree gives birth to hallucinogenic mahua flower. Asur Khichdi is another tribal dish from Bihar, which is cooked by adding mahua flour after the rice is half cooked. Sauria Ghata is prepared by crushing maize and cooking it like rice. Korwa lata is prepared by mixing the seeds of mahua to sarai or sakhua fruit. It takes two days to prepare Korwa lata; another tribal specialty of Bihar. These delicacies deserve to be adorning the menu of classy restaurants of Delhi, Mumbai and other metros, and like all good things they too should get national acceptance very soon. The tribal tastes of Bihar can be best enjoyed with Handia — the tribal beverage of Bihar. Despite the advances of modernisation, the appeal of Handia, is still very much evident in Chotanagpur. Handia is arrived by fermenting rice with the help of a medicinal cake named biro that incorporates a dozen herbs. The rice to be fermented is first partially cooked over fire in a handa or earthen cooking pot, from where this drink has derived its name. Only that amount of water is added which the rice can absorb. Thereafter, it is cooked and mixed thoroughly with the powdered biro. The pot is then kept in a cool place for about a week and only then the beverage is ready to drink and get drunk Handia is a part of the festivity of the tribal population of Bihar, and can be regarded as the common gastronomic link in the tribal culture of Bihar. Can’t it be positioned well so that Handia play a role in the next New Year festivities, in upscale restaurants of Delhi, Mumbai and other metros? Not only Handia, Indian restaurants must make proactive efforts to showcase the entire composite flavours of richness and diversity of Bihari cuisine, which have high possibility of making ■ them stand apart from the crowd.

Dec-Jan ’12

T A STE ON OF TRADITI

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FOCUS

Savour Cakes and Art at

Firefly By Sharmila Chand

Firefly is a design-oriented company, dedicated to perfecting the fine art of baking delights with exquisite sugar craft. It is the product of the passion and idea of Pavani Kaur which sprouted in the form of an enterprise in 2007, and since then there is blooming of success. Yes, she is the brain behind this venture, and she happens to own it too. With no formal training in culinary arts or aesthetics, Pavani has nurtured and developed her brand with only talent and passion, practice and perseverance. And of course, with lots of love. Do you need anything more? Firefly specialises in cakes, cupcakes and cookies, adorned with beautifully hand-crafted sugar accents. If you want to go still deeper, let me tell you that Firefly’s forte’ is recreating beautiful flowers with sugar! They enhance the look of even the most modest of cakes. Succinctly, the products of Firefly are customised to the customers’ liking, with every little detail reflecting the clients’ fancy. You can spot this Firefly at C-180, Defence Colony, in south Delhi. The excerpts of the interview with this aesthetic and inspiring lady follow:

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Dec-Jan ’12

FOCUS What is the USP of Firefly’s products?

The baked products that Firefly offers are entwined with the ‘modern’ take on ‘caking’ and traditional recipes. This combination of art and sugar makes our products unique. So with us one isn’t just eating a delicious cake, but admiring its beauty too. How are your products different from other bakery outlets?

Firefly cakes are completely customisable. Every little detail is painstakingly created to make our cakes truly one of their kind. Not too many Indian bakeries have ventured into the field of ‘Fondant’ which is a dough made with sugar and glucose. It is a very pliable substance that can be used to mould and sculpt beautiful recreations of flowers and figures. We at Firefly use fondant to make even ordinary cakes look like masterpieces. How do you combat competition?

Ensuring that our ingredients are of the highest quality is one of the main focal points. In addition, intricacy and customisation go a long way. Firefly cakes are incredibly detailed and of course they taste absolutely delicious, which makes us the designated cake artists to many a returning customer. We update our portfolio regularly and make sure we can offer absolutely any design/flavour the customer wants.

We at Firefly are always reaching out and testing new products and recipes to ensure a perfect end product. What kind of growth do you foresee in future?

How do you ensure the quality of ingredients?

Most of our ingredients are imported from the US, and the rest are carefully selected through several trials and experiments.

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With people in India opening up to new trends like designer cakes, it gives us more room to expand our horizons without the fear of uncertainty setting us back. We are continually striving to make

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FOCUS would have to spend. But with sugar-crafted cakes, the price margin is relatively higher because of the ingredients used and the time and effort put into each and every end product. It took a while for them to accustom themselves with the idea of the price difference for customised cakes. What motivates you the most in your business?

The inclination to create something new and different everyday and making people’s happy occasions just a tad happier, is motivation enough for me and my brand. What has helped you the most towards image building of your brand?

Our extensive and forever growing portfolio, our website and of course, print advertising has painted a wonderful picture of our brand in the market. Besides those, the positive feedback from all the happy customers; who have spread the good word to fellow cake art lovers, has helped us a great deal. our mark in the Indian cake industry, and are ensuring that our customers get nothing but the absolute best when they contact us. Hopefully with all the new ideas and concepts emerging in this field of cake making art, and people embracing this change, Firefly could expect a lot of feathers in its cap in the future. What is your company’s mission?

Firefly’s mission is to make each and every of its customer satiated so as to ensure return visits, and to achieve top-of-themind recall with regard to anything related to cake. Do you regularly research for new products and flavours?

We are always keeping track of the new flavours and ingredients emerging in the market. With the US being a regular trend setter in this field, we try to map their moves and provide to our customers what they do to theirs. In addition, experiments are done regularly at our end to bring about new flavours and concepts that are expected to impress our clients. With new tools and technology emerging in the art of cake making, we have the opportunity to create products that are so different from what was made available say even five years from now.

What would you like to say about the Indian bakery industry? How is it progressing?

The Indian bakery industry is still lagging behind as compared to its international counterparts. But a few outlets have started spreading their wings and are accepting the new concepts, challenges and ideas which their customers have now started requesting. It will take a while before the Indian bakery industry becomes truly matured and evolved. What are the day-to-day challenges of being in this business?

To us, every customer is different. They have different tastes, different perceptions, different ideas, and of course, different levels of ‘risk-taking’ when it comes to new and exciting designs. We face new creative challenges everyday, which keep us on our toes. And we love it! What are your future plans relating to the expansion of your brand?

We are keeping our fingers crossed. For now we are just striving towards creating a wider customer base.

■

What keeps you ahead?

One can say they are a passion towards design and the devotion towards discerning palate. Our customer friendly ways of creating edible masterpieces keeps us ahead of the curve. What are the kind of challenges you faced while promoting the growth of your company?

One of the first and foremost challenges was to develop the establishment of trust in the market for our products. People were initially very skeptical about the concept of ‘edible art.’ Their main concern was if it would taste as good as it looked, and if it would give them their money’s worth. It took a while to open up the minds of these reluctant customers, to the new but beautiful line of sugar craft. Another challenge was the price factor. People were used to going to local bakeries to pick up ordinary cakes for birthdays and other occasions, and they knew exactly how much they

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Dec-Jan ’12

AGRI

Avocado: The Panacea for Health By Sharmila Chand

ue to its shape and the leatherlike appearance of its skin, avocado is also known as alligator pear. The fruit derives its formal name from the Aztec word ‘ahuacatl.’ Avocados are the fruit from Persea americana, a tall evergreen tree which can attain a height of 65 feet. The weight of avocados depends upon their variety, but they usually weigh between 8 ounces to 3 pounds.

Avocado in Salads It is preferable to add avocado to salads as avocado can make your salads healthier. Research has shown that when fresh avocado or avocado oil is added to an otherwise avocado-free salad, the absorption of lycopene and betacarotene; the two important carotenoid antioxidants, enhances appreciably. One cup of fresh avocado containing approximately 150 gms of this healthy fruit, when added to a salad of romaine lettuce, spinach, and carrots, can increase absorption of carotenoids from this salad by 200-400 percent. Avocado oil added to this salad can help one derive the same health benefit.

Peeling to Optimise Health The health quotient of an avocado also depends upon the way you peel it. Research has unearthed that the maximum concentration of carotenoids in avocado is in the dark green flesh that lies just beneath the skin of the fruit.

Enhancing Serving • Chopped avocados can act as the ideal garnish for black bean soup. • Adding avocado to creamy tofu-based dressing recipe can enhance its richness and provide the concoction with a wonderful green colour. • Spreading ripe avocados on bread while making sandwich can be a good idea. Avocados can act as a healthy replacement for mayonnaise. • Combining sliced avocado with fennel, oranges and fresh mint can make your fruit salad attain exceptional quality.

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According to California Avocado Commission, the best method to peel an avocado is the ‘nick and peel method.’ In this method, you peel the avocado with your hands, similar to the peeling of banana. In the nick and peel method, the first step is to slice the avocado lengthwise, generating two long avocado halves which are still connected in the middle by the seed. Then you take hold of both halves of the fruit and twist them in opposite directions till they are separated. At this point, remove the seed and cut each of the halves lengthwise to produce long quartered sections of the avocado. Thereafter you can use your thumb and index finger to grip the edge of the skin on each quarter and peel it off, just as you would do with a banana skin. Now you are ready to savour an avocado containing most of the dark green outermost flesh that is rich in carotenoid antioxidants.

Fat is Healthy in Avocados There is a belief that avocado is too high in fat, and this belief happens to be true. Despite being fruit, avocados

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AGRI indeed have high fat content, which ranges between 71 to 88 percent of their total calories. This is about 20 times the average for other fruits. But the fat contained in avocado has three main health benefits. An average avocado is expected to have 30 gms of fat, but 20 gms of this fat content are in the form of monounsaturated fats which facilitates health, especially oleic acid. Phytosterols comprises a significant portion of fat content of avocados. These phytosterols include betasitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol, which play crucial supporting roles to our inflammatory system thereby facilitating to keep the inflammation under check. The anti-inflammatory benefits of these avocado fats are helpful for people suffering from arthritis. The polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs) present in avocados also have antiinflammatory benefits. In fact, it would be interesting to note that PFAs are widely present among ocean plants but are very much uncommon among land plants. This makes avocado tree and avocado fruit quite singular in character.

Avocados are also endowed with a high amount of a fatty acid named oleic acid, which accounts for over half of the fat content in avocados. And what role does oleic acid perform in human body? Oleic acid facilitates our digestive tract to generate transport molecules for fat that can increase our absorption of fat-soluble

nutrients like carotenoids. This monounsaturated fatty acid has also shown to help lower the risk of a cardiac arrest. One can say that avocado does provide us with health benefits because of its unusual fat composition and not in spite of its high fatty content. ■

Recipe with Avocado Salmon Carpaccio with Avocado Salad, Rye Crisps and Capers By Chef Suprabhat Roy, the Executive Chef at Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place. Serves 4 Fresh salmon 200 Gms Avocado 4 Nos. Shallots sliced 2 Tablespoons Coriander leaf chopped 1 Teaspoon Rye breads 1/4 Loaf Yellow mustard 1 Teaspoon Dill leaf Few leaves Olive oil 2 Tablespoons Salt To taste Pepper 2 Gms Lemon 2 Nos. Capers 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese 25 Gms Mesclun lettuce A handful Butter 1 Tablespoon Method Clean the salmon and ensure that there are no small bones embedded in the flesh. Slice the salmon very thin and arrange it flat on a plate. For rye crisps, slice the rye bread very thin, apply butter and let them dry in an oven at a very low

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temperature till they are crisp. For mustard and dill dressing, blend yellow mustard with salt, pepper and olive oil. Later add chopped dill and a dash of lemon juice. Peel ripped avocado and cut into cubes. Mix the avocado with shallots, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh coriander. Cut fine shavings from the block of parmesan cheese. On the salmon platter, arrange avocado in a layer and top it up with rye crisps and mesclun lettuce. Arrange the capers and parmesan shavings on top of the Carpaccio and drizzle mustard and dill dressing around. Tips: The salmon needs to be very thinly sliced. Alternately, if the slices are thick, the same can be beaten lightly with a mallet to flatten them out. The avocado needs to be peeled at the last moment to prevent oxidation. Mix the avocado with the lemon juice instantly to avoid discolouration. It also helps to keep the stone of the avocado with the flesh even after peeling in the same bowl.

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WINE

Time to Dine with By Swarnendu Biswas

ndiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s association with wines dates back to the days of Indus Valley Civilisation, with artifacts related to the culture of winemaking and drinking being unearthed at the sites of the Harappan civilisation. Later during the Vedic period, wine was often referred to as somarasa, and was treated as a part of many religious festivals of those times. The tradition continued through subsequent centuries and eventually, through millennia. But despite the 5000-year-old association with making and drinking of wine, the organised Indian wine industry in

the modern sense is at a nascent stage. The Indian wine industry is characterised by very less per capita consumption of wine, as compared to that of the global standards. It was only 9ml per year in 2008-09, whereas the annual per capita consumption of wine is 70 litres in France and Italy, about 25 litres in the US, and 20 litres in Australia. Even in China, it is 40 ml; a figure much ahead of India. The industry has just over one million cases of wines manufactured in India and 0.15 to 0.2 million cases of imported wines. The value of the Indian wine market accounts for only a discouraging 2 percent of its total alcohol beverages industry. However, going by the trends, the per capita wine consumption in India is expected to increase appreciably over the years, and the wine industry is headed for an impressive growth.

Being Nascent with Potential During the recent times, the rise in disposable incomes, comparatively favourable government policies pertaining to the wine industry, the growing exposure to a select section of population (whose numbers are not insignificant, considering the Indian population) to western gastronomic and cultural influences through travel and television, and increased incidences of economic empowerment of women(an increasing number of women are now savouring this age-old drink that often reflects timeless tastes) have all contributed towards the process of maturation of the wine culture in India.

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WINE The fillip to the eating out culture and the consequent growth of the restaurant business has also contributed to the popularity of wines. Sometimes, the growing popularity of wines has also given an impetus to the restaurant business. Whatever may be the case, we are witnessing a plethora of upscale restaurants in metros showcasing a wine list. Also big retail chains in certain states of India are now permitted to sell wines. All these above-mentioned factors account for the fact that the wine market in India is growing at 25-30 percent a year, as wines are fast emerging as a lifestyle drink among many elites in the metropolitan cities. According to Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the wine consumption in India is expected to enhance to around 14.7 million litres in volume terms by the end of 2012 from around 4.6 million litres in 2008. If it does so it would be a growth of 35 percent in wine

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consumption in India during the course of four years. According to the same study titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Emerging Industry Trends in Indian Wine Market,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Indian wine market in value terms was Rs.800 crore in 2008, which is expected to attain a figure of Rs. 2700 crore by the end of this year. However, according to the ASSOCHAM study, 90 percent of wine consumption in India is accounted by Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Goa and Punjab, which clearly implies that wine culture is yet to spread its roots through the rest of India. But despite that, sensing the potentially buoyant market for wines in India, many foreign winemakers have forayed into India. Not only Italian and French wines are rinsing the Indian wine market, but the New World wines from Australia, South Africa, and Chile are also finding popularity in India. The recently held Chilean

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Wine Festival at The LaLiT New Delhi witnessed the showcasing of a impressive number of Chilean wines, comprising both red and white varieties. All total 10 wine brands were showcased by the participating wine producers at the show, which included the traditional Carmenere and Malbec red wines, which are germane to Chile. Chile is keen to promote Carmenere, the national wine of this South American country, in the Indian market and the Caremenere wines can serve as ideal beverage options with traditional spicy Indian fare. In the recent past, Washington State Wine Commission showcased about 70 labels of wines from 12 producers in an endeavour to acquaint the Indian wine drinkers about them. The event took place in Delhi and Mumbai. Here it deserves a mention that Washington is the second largest wine producing state in the US; behind only California. But despite all such eventful

WINE happenings, there is no denying the fact that the domestically produced wines still dominate the Indian wine industry, and a similar trend is expected to continue in the near future too, though the consumption of imported wines is also expected to achieve high growth. The consumption of imported wines in India was expected to enhance at a CAGR of around 33 percent during 2010-2012. Sula Vineyards, Reveilo, Renaissance, Grover’s and a few other Indian companies have been making their presence felt in the domestic wine industry and their products does have the potential to give the imported wines a stiff competition.

AS Wadhwa with Amit Burman (R) The Bounty of Headiness One of the important players in the Indian wine industry is Natures Bounty Wines and Allied Products Pvt. Ltd. which is promoted by none other than Amit Burman, the ViceChairman of Dabur India Ltd. and the Chairman of Natures Bounty Wines & Allied Products Pvt. Ltd. The lifestyle products company for the connoisseurs has been marketing wines from France, Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy and South Africa, in India. The company also has cava from Spain in various variants in its ever expanding portfolio, besides cognacs, brandy and vodka from the cognac region of France, premium vodka from Estonia, and Kuchh Nai Scotch Whisky from Scotland. Cava is the sparkling wine from Spain. It can be construed as Spain’s version of champagne. Some of the reputed foreign brands of spirits that the company markets in India include Blue Nun, Calatrasi, Kaya, and Olcaviana. The company has entered into a tie-up with Langguth Wines & Spirits from Germany, one of the leading names in the world of wines and spirits, and has launched their range of Blue Nun wines for the Indian market. Kaya wines from South Africa are also from the house of Langguth, in cooperation with the major South African wine producer, Overhex Wines International. Besides these, the company also produces its own label—

Casuarina Creek wines— in four variants, which are Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon in reds and Unwooded Chardonnay, and Traminer in whites. Casuarina Creek brand is owned by Natures Bounty Wines & Allied Products Pvt. Ltd. and the wines of this brand are being manufactured in Australia. In fact, the company started its heady journey through success with its Casuarina Creek wines. One can say they are Australian wines made by an Indian wine manufacturer. Presently, the bounty of wines at Natures Bounty covers entry, medium and premium levels. Casuarina Creek Shiraz is a fullbodied wine, which has a rich dark colour. It is heavy in tannin and peppery. It has a lush texture and is endowed with ripe fruit flavours. This wine is an ideal accompaniment with meat stew and BBQ and also with spicy Indian vegetarian dishes. “The Casuarina Creek Cabarnet Sauvignon will serve as a very good pairing with lamb, beef, BBQ, roast and spicy Indian vegetarian dishes. The Un-wooded Chardonnay from Casuarina Creek is ideally paired with simply prepared seafood and poultry dishes,” elaborated AS Wadhwa, the CEO and Director of Natures Bounty Wines and Allied Products Pvt. Ltd. Yes, as you have guessed correctly, this wine can also act as a wonderful pairing with spicy Indian vegetarian dishes.

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I wanted to know more about Traminer, and Wadhwa obliged me. “Traminer is a high quality aromatic white wine, characterised with pungent floral flavours,” he informed wisely. The wine has intense floral scents of violet, rose lavender and perfume. Traminer is the name of the grape that produces this flamboyantly aromatic, full-bodied, spicy white wine. “Its rich, spicy flavours make this drink a wonderful accompaniment to spicy Asian cuisines,” asserted Wadhwa. So we can see that overall Casuarina Creek wines are finely suited to heighten the Indian palate. The Blue Nun Golden Edition, a high-end variety of sparkling wine, is another out-of-the-world ambrosia in Natures Bounty’s portfolio, that Indian connoisseurs can now enjoy without moving out from India. “This high quality sparkling wine emanates a full, rounded flavour. The singular feature of this light and elegant wine is that the wine contains fine pieces of 22-carat gold leaf, tailored to highlight its natural effervescence,” informed Wadhwa. A great aperitif or accompaniment for light meals and hors d’ oeuvres, this wine can accentuate the mood of celebrations and special occasions. Wadhwa also voiced his optimism about the present and future of the wine market in India. “India, with its growing economy, its ample pockets of sizeable disposable incomes, and an increasing number of people with awareness and exposure to global

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WINE

gastronomic trends, is a country to watch out for as far as the wine industry is concerned,” he observed.

The Challenges Galore But despite the potential, the impediments to the growth of wine culture in India are also many. There is rampant lack of awareness about wines in India, which far outweighs the emergence of small pockets of discerning wine consumers in metros. This needs to be addressed fast by the industry. Also, despite the present government’s comparatively friendly stance towards the wine industry, the taxation continues to be a major impediment for the industry at large. At present not only foreign wines are subjected to heavy taxation, but the domestic wineries are also subjected to repressive tax regime, thereby making them unaffordable to the multitude, many of whom naturally opt for comparitively affordable choices of headiness. Presently it seems that both the centre and the states tend to profit from wines at the cost of the delight of its targeted consumers. A change in the domestic excise policy can result in making wine imports bearing more reasonable pricing, and also encourage the availability of domestic wines throughout India. Expensive packaging inputs and management of distribution of finished goods are also areas of concern for the Indian wine

industry. Yes, as compared to high-end foreign wines, domestic wines are always an affordable option for many wine drinkers. But it is common knowledge that the production of wines and alcoholic beverages in India need to pass through the rigmarole of regulations in the forms of licenses and permits, without which the manufacturer cannot start his production. These time-taking exercises often increases the gestation period and enhances the cost of production of alcoholic beverages. If rules and regulations for wine production in India were made simpler and relaxed, their production would have got an impetus, while their prices would have been more customerfriendly. Succinctly, local levies and legislations together are hampering the growth of domestically produced wines. One can say that if the high import duties, coupled with unfriendly state duties are creating impediments for the growth of wine culture in India, the astronomical real estate costs are providing jolts to the wine manufacturing business in India, every now and then. Besides, the winemaking equipments, which facilitate a winemaker or a wine grapes-grower to evaluate the quality of his output on a continual basis, are quite costly in India, sometimes even bearing euro price tags, which significantly adds to the manufacturing cost of production of the wines. The ban on advertising of wines is another perpetual factor inhibiting their marketing force.

More Awareness, Less Taxes Firstly, the Indian wine producers and as well importers of foreign wines in India must make a proactive effort to disseminate education about wines among their target group, so that people get more aware of which wines go with which cuisine; a fact which

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even many regular wine drinkers in India are unaware of. Indian wine manufacturers and distributors should go for more promotional events and plantation visits, and supplement them with wine tasting sessions at upmarket restaurants, at five-star hotels and even at glitzy shopping malls. The conducting of wine workshops with increasing frequency is also a good option towards raising awareness about wines. Together, these exercises can give a fillip to the maturation of wine culture in India. The opening up of quality formal wine making schools in increasing numbers can also infuse awareness about the subtleties of wine in the Indian society on the one hand, and could increase the number of wine professionals in India. This in turn would eventually evolve the market of wines in India, paving the way towards its further growth in the longrun. Some positive changes in this direction are already happening. For example, a few months back the Tulleeho Wine Academy conducted the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits, for ITC Hotels. Here it deserves a mention that Tulleeho Wine Academy is an approved program provider for courses offered by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, London. We can summarise that the Indian wine industry is brimming with potential and at the same time saddled with several impediments. Unless the industry manages to tackle these lacunae by being able to convince the Union and the state governments to be more sensitive to their causes, and unless it spreads the awareness building exercises about the subtle nuances of wine and its food pairing combinations on a warfooting across the society, it may lose this potential quite soon, much to the sorrow of myriad talented winemakers. India may lose the chance of reaching the levels of Australia and South Africa in terms of wine production and consumption, a goal which now seems the country has the potential to achieve with some friendly tax structure and farsighted marketing strategies. ■

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PUB

Sporting the Spirit of Power Play By Tapapriya Lahiri

decade or so ago, the pub culture started gaining momentum among elite sections of metropolitan India. However, carving a niche in the pub culture is a more recent development in urban India. Now, the upwardly mobile urban folks having different interest areas do not have to search from pillar to post for their suitable place to drink and dance, or to drive away their blues. Right now themed pub or niche pub seems to be a wise investment decision in the food & beverage industry. Developers or the

investors of these next-generation theme pubs are finding that they are attracting impressive footfalls. For example, pubs based on sports can be regarded as a smart idea that can

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attract ardent sports lovers among the partying and drinking crowd. The concept of sports bar, though at a nascent stage in India, is gaining currency with each passing year.

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PUB Recently I happened to visit a pub, which revolves around the theme of sports. After hours of work in an office, a group of sports enthusiasts can always choose to indulge at the PowerPlay Sports Bar, located in a business hub of Gurgaon. PowerPlay Sports Bar was opened in September 2011 in the heart of Gurgaon (MG Road) with the objective to offer unique sports and entertainment options under one roof, while keeping the old-world pub atmosphere intact. However, like everything else in life, sports bars too are continually changing and evolving. Rapidly shifting consumer tastes and desires are meeting with eversavvy owners, thereby resulting in newage concepts that are reinventing the notion of what exactly constitutes a sports bar. This PowerPlay Sports Bar is also characterised with many new-age indoor games, apart from ample viewing options of major sporting actions through the globe. The pub affords a wonderful ambience to enjoy a larger than life sporting event, whether be it a soccer match between Europe’s top clubs or an

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adrenaline driving T20 cricket match or a Formula 1 car racing event, along with a mug of chilled beer or a glass of some more heady spirits.

Merging Thrill with Headiness Long gone are the days when a property could air a national or international level sporting event on a 25-inch television behind the bar and call itself a sports bar. Many enterprising entrepreneurs have totally redefined the genre of sports bar, in many cases blending elements of other successful dining and nightclub concepts. For example at PowerPlay Sports Bar, apart from having multiple HD screens and a projector screen showing matches with live commentary, the place also boasts of a foosball table.

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There are seven to ten screens fitted around the walls of the pub. The pub is spread through a space of over a 4,200 sq m and comprises 100 covers, but can easily accommodate 150175 people at a time. Like in an ideal sports pub, there is a much empty space to fill the gap. At the entry point of the pub, the sports lovers and tipplers can see a large hoarding were the today’s and upcoming games schedule is neatly keyed in. This creative measure may facilitate the sports enthusiasts to choose which game to watch. Sahil Ludhani, the Owner and Founder of powerPlay Sports Bar said, “The pub primarily attracts the young age group of 25-35. As a new place, the pub has not yet gained much popularity

PUB

but I am very much eagerly looking out for IPL, which I am sure will be a huge crowd puller. When I asked on footfalls, Ludhani elaborated that “Generally the place attracts 30-40 people on weekdays and 60-70 people on weekends.” Talking on the investment part, Ludhani told that he had invested Rs.1.5 crore to set up the property. Power Play also has Challenge Screens, wherein guests can register their challenge for any sport at a particular value-at-stake (a beer, or snacks). These challenges will be open for anyone to accept. PowerPlay also organises weekly foosball tournaments once a week, where the sporting folks can roll the ball on the table football — which is commonly known as foosball. People register in teams and play a knock-out tournament with the winners getting attractive vouchers. To begin the game, the ball is served through a hole at the side of the table, or simply placed by hand at the feet of a figure at the center of the table. The initial serving side is decided with a coin toss. Players attempt to use figures mounted on rotating bars to ‘kick’ the ball into the opposing goal. Expert players have been known to move balls at speeds up to 56 km/h (35 mph) in competition. Besides foosball, the pub also hosts some new-age games like Xbox Kinect, PSP3 (Play Station Portable), etc. which can attract the interests of the sports folks. Here one can also get the option of indulging in a game of dart boards.

The Red Rugged Look The ambience of the PowerPlay Sports Bar is enhanced with numerous attractive flags dangling from the roof of the property (but never touching the

ground), which can give you a great feel. You may feel that you are in the midst of an about to take place sporting event. The sports folks can also witness the IPL T20 jerseys and other soccer jerseys from around the world stuck on the red rugged wall. The red brick walls of the property, which infuse a rugged look to the place, are decked out with T-shirts of global sports teams along with photo frames of major sporting events that happened in the last decade. With its serene dimmed light power play, the place comes across as a perfect combination of sports and spirits.

Sporting Spirits Yes at PowerPlay Sports Bar, sports and spirits go hand in hand. The pub has a wide range of liquors and scrumptious dishes to savour on. The pub can be a beer lover’s paradise of sorts. Here the guests are offered a seven to ten samples of beer to savour, which will make the guests easier to choose a beer from the extensive ranges on offer. “Within a very short span of time we will introduce a new and extensive range of beers in our pub, which I believe would make the cheer of the IPL enthusiasts at this pub even louder,” asserted Ludhani. However, Ludhani believes in fun with social responsibility. “When in doubt about the age of the person, we serve liquor only after confirming the age of a person by asking him/her to show his/her ID proof,” he said. The pub also has conceptual cocktails on offer, under the head of Cocktail Pitchers. Some of these exotic concoctions include L.I.I.T—a combination of vodka, gin, white rum, orange liqueur, and tequila lime mix topped up with cola, and Caribbean

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Punch — a mix of vodka, gin, white rum, tequila, lime mix topped up with pineapple & cranberry juice. The drinks under the head of Classic Cocktails include Margaritas, Caprioska Daiquiri, Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach, Mojjito, Long Island Ice Tea among others. The alcoholic beverages at the pub also include an array of shooters which can surely shoot your taste buds in style. They include Kamikaze—a mix of vodka, triple sec & lime juice; Dig in hole —a mix of vodka, white rum, gin, tequila & lime juice; and Shoot out —a mix of tequila, orange liqueur & lime juice. Single malt buffs can get their throats rinsed and spirits revved up with Glenfiddich 18 years old, Balvenie 12 years old, Glenmorangie 10 years old and many more. Teacher’s Origin, Teacher’s 50, Teacher’s Highland and IMFL blended whiskies complete a holistic aura to the headiness at the pub. Talking of food, here the menu is kept simple with delicacies from Italy and North America. The menu promises numerous lip-smacking vegetarian & non-vegetarian dishes with varied options available. PowerPlay offers an extensive variety of snacks, ranging from Chili Cheese on Toast to Baked Chicken Nachos; Corn Nuggets to Fried Chicken Wings; kebabs, tandoori & paneer dishes, along with a wide variety of fish delicacies like Amritsari Fish, Fish Finger, Fish tikka, Fish & Chips, etc. With a wide range of nibblers coupled up with a great bar menu, PowerPlay Sports Bar is just the place where you would love to watch live sporting actions. I

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B A R T E N D E R W ATC H

Bartender is an Earned Term of Respect By Sharmila Chand

Michael Patrick McSorley (fondly called Mike), an award-winning mixologist from Seattle, has joined Polo Lounge at Hyatt Regency Delhi, where he is enjoying presenting the beauty of a finely crafted cocktail to his guests in Delhi. Originally from Ventura, California, Mike now calls Seattle as his home. The multilingual bartender can converse in German, Japanese, Spanish, and of course, in English. Over the last six years he has gathered experience in many of Seattle’s best bars and had been the Bar Manager at Naga Cocktail Lounge, located next to the Microsoft Campus in Bellevue, WA. Most recently he worked at Needle and Thread in Seattle, which was recently voted as one of the 25 best bars in the United States, by Esquire Magazine. In 2010, he was a US national finalist at the Cocktail World Cup, presented by 42 Below Vodka in New York City, and had also been a US national finalist at the US National Restaurant Association’s ‘Star of the Bar’ competition in Chicago, USA. Last year, he was sponsored by Cointreau and entered the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Bar Fellowship Programme. A cursory glance into Mike’s cocktail kitchen takes us on a creative journey, where you learn new and interesting ways to present the classic cocktails, while preserving the integrity of the ingredients. Mike’s highly impressive cocktail kitchen list includes a creatively stirred twist on bourbon with hand-carved ice called ‘A Cat in Pajamas’ , and a citrus infused vodka, lemon juice, and jasmine syrup using the Indian spice saffron, called ‘The Saffron Julius.’ The latter of them is created especially to delight the Indian clientele. I had the most interesting interaction with Mike. The excerpts of the interview follow: How do you define yourself, as a bartender or a mixologist? What is the essential difference between the two?

which entails that the word ‘bartender’ is an earned term of respect that not all mixologists do earn.

I would definitely define myself as a bartender first, and a mixologist second. There are many kinds of mixologists in this world. Many are bloggers, many do it as a hobby, many are spirits industry professionals, and some of them are actual bartenders. While anybody can become a mixologist, to be a bartender and to love what you do requires very hard work, a certain level of dedication to what you do, a desire to make people happy, a great palate, creativity, and last but not the least, the ability to take the responsibility to manage the drunk and the disorderly. I feel that all these qualities coupled with exacting work ethic makes a bartender,

What is your working philosophy as a bartender?

I always say that while apparently bartenders seem to exchange alcohol for money, what is really being sold is hospitality. As a bartender, I think that your main goal should be to provide the best hospitality that you can. Anybody can learn how to make a delicious cocktail… but being able to make drinks of exacting standards in a highvolume environment, while juggling the requests of several servers and managers, and providing excellent hospitality in a way that makes your guests feel genuinely welcome and comfortable is what separates a bartender from a mere ‘mixologist.’

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How did you decide to get into bartending?

I was attending the University of Washington, in Seattle when I first got involved in the restaurant industry. After finishing my studies, I didn’t particularly want to follow the usual career paths that people typically followed in my field of study, so I kept working for a pay cheque in restaurants. It was when I got my first bartending assignment that I realised that it was an opportunity for me to promote a creative side of mine that I had been neglecting, and it was a great industry to be in if you liked being rewarded for your hard work. That propelled me to take bartending as a profession and as well as a passion. Was it tough to land your first bartending gig?

It was really by accident! I had left a

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B A R T E N D E R W ATC H job at a restaurant located on Seattle’s waterfront and was looking for another fine-dining service job. During my interview at the Edgewater Hotel, the interviewer gauged my potential as a bartender, and offered me to become the lunch bartender for the hotel. I thought about it for a second, and enthusiastically said “Yes!” I had always respected the special relationship between the bartender and the guest, and really wanted to be a part of that side of the business. What are the qualities needed for a good bartender?

Indeed there are many. First is the ability to multitask. Bartenders must also be congenial, genuine hosts. Physical strength is also very useful when hauling 50 kilo kegs around a restaurant or a bar. Being an effective communicator is essential, as is an incredible work ethic. Experience is also very important, and there is no substitute for the rich experience that one can earn while enjoying the work of serving guests for years, behind many different bars. Above all, great bartenders should love what they do and should truly enjoy making people happy.

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What are the challenges a bartender has to face?

the top of the drink.

Well, again there are many! Besides the normal duties of running a bar properly, we have to worry about managing the level of intoxication for all of our guests. Working long hours when the rest of the world is relaxing and enjoying, dealing with the pressure to be always creative and to produce interesting flavour experiences for guests of all inclinations and with varying expectations, etc. are some of the many other challenges which are part of our job. However, I feel that the rewards far outweigh the challenges.

What is your least favourite drink to make?

What is your favourite cocktail to make?

I would have to say that the bar business was, is, and will always be a solid way of making a living. When alcohol is legal, you can make lots of money in this business. When alcohol is illegal, then you tend to make a ton of money in this business. When the economy is doing great, you make lots of money in this business. When the economy is not doing so well, then also you can make a lot more money in this business than in many other professions. No business is recession proof, but a bar or a liquor company is pretty close to it. ■

The Ramos Gin Fizz is definitely my favourite cocktail to make. When they are made incorrectly, they are a messy disaster, but when made well, a Ramos Gin Fizz can totally change someone’s opinion about cocktails. It has a delightful texture and flavour, and great dexterity is required to make it properly. It is also my favourite example of a drink that uses egg white for its velvety texture and ability to create a delicious foam on

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Off the top of my head, I would have to say a Long Island Iced Tea is a drink that I don’t enjoy making. I personally don’t think that they taste very good, and there are lots of more delicious and creative ways to put lots of alcohol into your body in much shorter time. So many bars are opening every day, but according to you how is the business of bars going these days?

THEME CUISINE

By Sharmila Chand

ri Lankan cuisine comes across as a melting pot of a multitude of culinary influences, ranging from the influences from Arab and Moor traders to southern Indian, Portuguese, Dutch and English culinary styles. Each group of invaders had brought in different culinary elements, thereby adding to the vibrancy of the Sri Lankan cuisine. It is said that Arabs introduced saffron and rose water to the island, and Portuguese who ruled the island in the1500s, introduced the use of chillies to the island. They had also introduced varied culinary terms such as ‘temper,’ which is derived from the Portuguese word temperado; meaning to fry and season. The Dutch, who ruled the island from 1658 to 1796, introduced delectable dishes such as Breudher, Christmas cake, Frikkadels (meatballs) and Lamprise.

Malay influence is also evident in the dish Wattalapam, which is a steamed dessert, and the rice dishes like pilau and biryani.

Rice, Seafood and Curries In Sri Lanka, the cuisine differs significantly from one region of the country to another. Rice is the main staple diet of the Sri Lankan cuisine, and is generally served either in boiled or steamed version, accompanied by a variety of curries. Though contemporary fast-food establishments have made inroads in the culinary scene, the average Sri Lankan still, by and large, prepares and eats traditional dishes as everyday food at home. Fish and seafood features heavily on the everyday Sri Lankan diet along with fruits and vegetables, which are largely cultivated on the island.

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In traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, curries are very significant to the menu. There are many types of curries in Sri Lanka but three of them stand out — white, red and black. White curries are mild, and are based on coconut milk. Red curries contain a large amount of chilli powder or ground red chillies, spruced with a few other spices. Black curries are made with lot of care as the right colour has to be attained by the roasting of the spices until they acquire a deep brown shade. These are the most commonly eaten curries in Sri Lanka.

The Typical Meal A typical Sri Lankan meal comprises of a main curry of fish, meat or poultry, supplemented by several other curries made with vegetables and pulses, which are accentuated by the presence of

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THEME CUISINE made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and yeast. Once the batter rises it is cooked in a wok-like pan. There are many types of hoppers including egg hoppers, milk hoppers, and sweeter varieties like vanduappa and paniappa.

Just Desserts and Drinks condiments such as chutneys and sambols. The chutneys and sambols are generally extremely hot & spicy and made from ingredients like coconut, onions, lime juice and chillies. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Sri Lankan food is the involvement of Maldive fish (dried fish), which is used to enhance the flavour of vegetable dishes. Coconut and chilli are essential elements of most Sri Lankan dishes. Common ingredients used in the preparation of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine are coconuts and coconut milk, chillies, onions, Maldive fish, and curry powder mixes.

The Popular Tastes of Sri Lanka Kiribath is a well known milk rice dish. Served with lunu miris— a fiery hot mix of red onions and spices— and dark fish curry, it is a traditional breakfast meal of the island. “In Sri Lanka this dish is usually enjoyed on the first of each month, and on important occasions,” informed Chef Ravindra Pushpakumara from Hilton Colombo hotel. Hoppers is another very popular dish of Sri Lanka. Native to Sri Lanka, Hoppers also known as appa are being served mainly for breakfast or dinner and is accompanied by lunu miris. Hoppers are

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Curd and treacle are common desserts of the island nation. Curd is made from buffalo milk and treacle in Sri Lanka is usually palm syrup extracted from either the kittul or coconut tree. “On momentous celebrations such as New Year, wedding or birth of a child, we dish out juicy and sumptuous sweetmeats such as Kavum, Halape and Thalaguli,” informed Chef Ravindra Pushpakumara. Kavum is a mushroomshaped battercake of ground rice and treacle, fried in oil. Halape is a mixture of jaggery and flour, wrapped in a leaf. Thalaguli is a ball of confectionary liberally peppered with sesame. Other sweetmeats include kaludodol; a rich, dark, confection made from coconut milk, jaggery and cashew nuts, and aluva and pumpkin preserve (puhul dosi). Panivalalu (honey bangles), muscat (oily sweet fudge) and gulab (a sort of jam) are other popular desserts of the island nation. “Traditional Indian sweets like rasagullas are also being enjoyed in Sri Lanka as desserts,” informed Chef Ravindra Pushpakumara. Two local intoxicating drinks of Sri Lanka are toddy and arrack. Toddy is made from palm trees while arrack is nothing but fermented and refined toddy. Together they can give you a touch of headiness in your date with Sri Lankan cuisine. I

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MENU PLANNING Here we present a traditional menu of Sri Lankan food, which is being planned by Chefs Ajith Hewabandula and Ravindra Pushpakumara; the visiting Chefs from the Hilton Colombo hotel. Salads • Gotukola sambol • Brinjol pehi • Fish moju • Tuna, potato salad with gamboges dressing. Soup • Drumstick soup • Curried lentil soup. Rice • Hean batha. Vegetables • Mango ambula • Green gram melluma • Brinjol pahi • Polos ambula • Kankun tempered • Bread fruit mallum • Kos malluma. Action • Sri Lankan fries • Sri Lankan omelet • Hoppers & pittu • Pol rotti. Meat and poultry • Chicken black curry • Pork smore • Mutton baduma • Roasted chicken • Pork deviled • Chicken ambulthiyal. Sea food • Fish ambulthiyal • Prawn badum • Cattle fish red curry • Fish red curry. Desserts • Sago cream • Wood apple soup • Milk toffee • Sesame balls • Curd & treacle • Polpani pancake.

RESTAURANT

By Sharmila Chand

looms, the all day dining restaurant at Eros – Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place, is known to offer guests the opportunity to savour the unique and extensive flavours of cuisines from all over the globe. The latest in its repertoire is the cuisine from the ‘Spice Island’ which we also know as Sri Lanka. Chef Ajith Hewabandula and Chef Ravindra Pushpakumara have been flown in from the Hilton Colombo hotel to take the capital’s food aficionados on an authentic Sri Lankan gastronomic journey. “We are continually looking at ways of developing our F&B repertoire to ensure we continue to offer the very best service to our guests. The decision to have Sri Lankan cuisine is a testimony to the importance we place on meeting the demands of our guests’ evolving tastes,” elaborated Julian Ayers, GM, Eros— Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place.

A Melange of Aromas

a sumptuous buffet for lunch and dinner everyday. Guests of the restaurant could enjoy indoor/outdoor

“Sri Lankan cuisine will come alive with the two maestros in action; be prepared to be enchanted by the vivacious flavours, get enticed by the tempting aromas as you get ready to indulge in authentic Sri Lankan delicacies.” - Julian Ayers, GM, Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place

Located at the lobby level, Blooms offers

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porch seating, gourmet comfort food, a wine list tailored to the varied menu, and rich, satisfying desserts. The day can simply bloom at the Blooms with the freshly prepared breakfast and a selection of fruit juices and hot beverages in the relaxed atmosphere of this 24-hour brasserie. In the evening, you could be induced by a variety of local and international specialties, from the buffet or the a la carte menu, to have a dining date at this family friendly restaurant. This winter, the team has pulled out all the stops and created a very special Sunday Brunch with the menu offering an exhaustive selection of local and international cuisines, including Continental, Indian, Mediterranean & Italian cuisines. There is also a range of desserts like chocolate fountain, hot desserts, cakes, pastries, fresh fruits, and a lot more on offer. There is a choice of indoor dining or a table set outdoors in a perfect setting of live music, to enjoy an afternoon with friends and family. The gastronomic options are appetisingly showcased at live counters that offer

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R E S TA U R A N T sumptuous selection for diners with exotic tastes. “Every Sunday there is a different theme for the brunch buffet. From a Sushi Bar and Dimsum Station to a Mongolian Grill, and from Seafood Sizzlers to Indian Sigri & Tandoori Kebabs and an extensive Dessert Buffet, the food stations brim with tastes and aromas that surround guests in the alfresco seating. And to top it all, there are impressive range of wines, beer and a range of cocktails from the live bar counter,” informed the Executive Chef of the restaurant, Suprabhat Roy.

Recipe by Executive Chef, Suprabhat Roy, Eros— Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place

The Sri Lankan Delicacies As expected, the visiting Chefs from Hilton Colombo hotel kept their promise of preparing the best of the island’s vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies which include the popular chicken black curry, mutton baduma, pork deviled, fish ambulthiyal, polos ambula, and polpani pancake, among others. Succinctly, Chef Ajith Hewabandula & Chef Ravindra Pushpakumara from Hilton Colombo hotel showcased the best of Sri Lankan cuisine. The tables were laid out beautifully with a fresh coconut holding a flower, thereby accentuating the coconut influence on the culinary fare being offered.

“We are delighted to introduce the exciting, delicious Sri Lankan cuisine to our guests and we will continue to offer authentic cuisines from various regions in the future.” - Sanjay Keswani, Director of Operations, Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place.

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Sri Lankan Crab Red Curry Serves four Ingredients Crab (medium size): 4 Nos. Coconut oil: 3 Tablespoons Fenugreek seeds: ½ Tsp Cloves: 2 Nos. Cardamom Green: 4 Nos. Curry leaves: Few leaves Onion red chopped: ½ Cup Garlic chopped: 1 Tsp Ginger chopped: 1 Tsp Turmeric powder: 1 Tsp Red chilli powder: 5 Tsp Coriander powder: 2 Tsp Cumin powder: 1 Tsp Rampe (Pandan Leaves): ½ Leaf Goraka (Kudampuli): 2 Pcs Cashewnut: ½ Cup

There are many live stations at the porch of the restaurant, which were all decked up with Sri Lankan props like attractive masks, etc. To make the picture perfect, the two visiting Chefs from Hilton Colombo hotel were seen busy preparing dishes as per the guests’ demands.

The Visiting Chefs Chef Ajith Hewabandula earned the first runner up position during the World Spice Food Festival 2011 in Sri Lanka in the section of Colombo Chicken Curry Challenge. He also bagged the silver award for live

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Salt: To taste Coconut milk: 2 Cups Method 1. Clean the crabs and cut each of them into desired size. 2. Dry roast the cashewnut over low heat without giving them a colour. Cool down and grind to powder and reserve them to be used later. Clean the Gorake with running water to remove all soil and then soak in water and keep aside. 3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot and add in the fenugreek seeds, cloves and cardamom. When they crackle, add in the curry leaves and stir for a few seconds. 4. Add in the onion, garlic and ginger and cook while stirring till a golden brown shade is attained. 5. Reduce the heat; add all the powdered spices and cook thoroughly. 6. Add the crab and cook while stirring till it starts to turn red. 7. Drain the water off the soaked korage and add in the pot with salt, rampe and little water. Let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes. 8. Finish with coconut milk and cashewnut powder to adjust the consistency of the curry. 9. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with steamed rice or hoppers and garnish with slit green chillies. cooking, at the World Spice Food Festival 2011. Chef Ravindra earned bronze medals for carving in the spheres of vegetable, chocolate, and ice in the recently held Culinary Art Competition, presented by the Chef ’s Guild of Lanka. But these talented Chefs do not believe in resting on their laurels. Both the Chefs are very particular about the authentic preparation of the dishes. Hence they have got most of the ingredients from Sri Lanka. The gastronomic fare provided by them reflected an authentic feel along with personal care. ■

CHEF VOICE

Adding Flavours and Colours to Blue By Sharmila Chand

With a decade of experience in the F&B industry and armed with a degree in hotel management, Saurabh Kalia, the Executive Chef, PVR BLU-O, located at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, Delhi, is extremely passionate about his job. Besides his impeccable culinary skills, he has expertise in planning and setting kitchen layouts, which he has learnt over a period of time during his stints with some of the finest establishments in India and abroad. “Cuisine concept planning, facility planning, setting up restaurants, vendor management, staff recruitment and training are the areas I have been working on,” he informed me during the course of the interview. Extremely conscious about food safety and hygiene, Saurabh believes in a hands-on approach towards work. He also likes to keep his team in good spirits while setting learning examples for them. The excerpts of the interview with the complete Chef follow:

How do you define yourself?

I would define myself as ray of the Sun. I see everyday as a new opportunity to learn and polish my skills. Who were the biggest inspirations for your career?

It is my family. To be more specific, I got inspiration from my brother who is working as a Chef in Australia. How did you become a Chef? Was it accidental or did

you opt for proper training?

Becoming a Chef was certainly not an accident with me. It was something I chose early in my life and went on to do my bachelors in hotel management in pursuit of that goal. What are your specialties?

They are Chinese and Continental cuisines. What do you enjoy most about your work?

Cooking and experimenting with

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new ingredients. What are your great stresses related to work?

I usually do not stress at work as I enjoy my work thoroughly. What are some of the qualities that you feel a successful Chef should have?

He/she should be innovative and hard working. Besides, he/she must have good foresight, should be a good team builder, be interactive, and

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CHEF VOICE above all must be passionate about his/her job. What do you consider to be your best creations?

I consider tahu perkadel and ayam bakwan jagung as my best culinary creations. Tahu perkadel is a tahu stuffed with various exotic vegetables and is crumbed fried, whereas ayam bakwan jagung is a dish of fried chicken with sweet corns. And what dish are you most proud of?

Ayam bakwan jagung. I got lots of wonderful feedback about this creation. What is your most hot selling item?

It is dahi ke kebab. What is your favourite kitchen tool?

It is the Chef ’s knife, which my mentor gifted to me.

Dec-Jan ’12

At PVR BLU-O, my work is more challenging as this place is pre-dominantly a bowling alley. I have to see that guests also get good food here and don’t go back hungry after an animated game. — Saurabh Kalia. And what is your favourite ingredient?

I consider star anise as my favourite ingredient. In your restaurant, who would be your ideal diner?

Gordon Ramsay, the celebrated Scottish Chef, restaurateur and television personality, who has been awarded with 13 Michelin Stars.

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If you weren’t a Chef, what would you have been?

I would have been a farmer. I feel that like cooking, farming is another way to serve people. How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I would say 9/10 is the right answer. Where do we see you, 10 years from now?

Hopefully, I would be managing my own chain of restaurants by then. According to you, what is the position of Chefs today in India? How is it different from that of the international level?

Today, a Chef ’s profession is well recognised and respected all over the world, more so in India. I don’t think the position of Chefs in India is any different from that of the international level, except that we need to travel more to understand where the culinary world is progressing. I

HEALTH

Choosing Health with

By Tapapriya Lahiri

n these health conscious times, the growing importance of healthy cooking oil cannot be overlooked by the F&B industry. The health benefits of olive oil have garnered much media attention in the recent times. Like olive oil, canola oil is another healthy cooking option that has started adorning space in domestic and commercial kitchen shelves of India with increasing regularity. Canola oil can act as a health facilitator in Indian domestic and commercial kitchens, and its importance in India in the backdrop of increasing incidence of chronic diseases in Indian cities cannot be undermined. It is no

wonder that in 2010, the exports of canola oil from Canada to India reached a figure of 721 tonnes, which was triple of the figure in 2009. Canola oil, light yellow in colour with a neutral taste, is very low in saturated fats. 100 gm of canola oil provides 884 calories, thereby making it a high energy oil. Its high ratio of more monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids makes it a healthy oil for consumption. Canola oil is a vegetable oil for use in salads and for cooking. This healthy oil contains 55 percent of the monounsaturated fatty acid, 25 percent linoleic acid and 10 percent alphalinolenate (polyunsaturated fatty acid or PUFA), and has only 4 percent of the saturated fatty acids (SFAs). Simple dietary changes such as switching over to the consumption of canola oil can lead to multiple health benefits by way of preventing the incidences of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity. If one looks in totality, canola oil is the best oil in terms of fat content. No other oil offers this unique combination of fats. Some of the reasons why canola oil is regarded as one of the healthiest oils in the world because it has: • Lowest content of saturated fat or ‘bad’ fat amongst all cooking oils. • Very high content of Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA), which plays a role in reducing bad

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cholesterol. High MUFA facilitates to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and brain haemorrhage. • Very high levels of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid(PUFA), which plays a preventive role in heart disease and stroke. • Beneficial 2:1 content ratio of Omega-6 PUFA to Omega-3 to balance excessive Omega-6 intake in normal, everyday diet. • Plentiful supply of Vitamin E antioxidants, which reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer and memory loss.

The Basics on Canola Canola oil is made from canola seed. Canola oil is pressed from tiny canola seeds produced by beautiful yellow flowering plants of the Brassica family. Canada is the biggest single producer of canola. Canola is grown primarily in Western Canada, Australia and USA. Primarily it is grown in the regions of Western Canada, with some acreage being planted in Ontario and the Pacific Northwest, North Central and South-eastern United States. Each canola plant grows anywhere from 1m (3 feet) to 2m (6 feet) tall and produces yellow flowers which, in turn, produce seed pods. These seed pods are about one-fifth the size of pea pods and contain about twenty tiny round black or brownish-yellow seeds. Each canola seed has approximately 40 percent oil. The seeds are crushed to obtain canola oil for

Dec-Jan ’12

HEALTH

human consumption and the remainder is processed into a high protein livestock feed. Here it deserves a mention that canola was bred naturally from its parent rapeseed in the early 1970s. However, canola is not rapeseed —their nutritional profiles are quite different.

The Canola Advantage For high heat applications like those involving sautéing, grilling, wok cooking and deep fat frying, oil with a high smoke point is very beneficial. Canola oil has smoke points of 396-414°F. Moreover, if you don’t want the ingredients in your recipe to be overshadowed, then choosing mild tasting oils such as canola oil will be a better option. Baking with canola oil has health advantages as well. By using canola oil in place of melted hard fat, butter, shortening, lard or brick margarine, you are replacing fats higher in saturated fatty acids and trans-fats with a far more healthy option. Moreover, by using canola oil for baking, the total fat called for in a given recipe should be reduced by 20 percent. The application of canola oil also tends to make the baked good softer and more moist. So by using canola oil in bakery products we are not only using healthier oil, we are also reducing the total quantity of fat in our breads and desserts.

Canola Business in India Now the people in India have become more conscious of their health and wellness and look for healthy and premium products available in the market, whether imported or Indian. To fill this aspiration gap, Jivo Wellness has introduced Canola Cooking Oil to India. Jivo Wellness Pvt. Ltd. is presently engaged in the production/import/marketing of Jivo Canola Cooking Oil. Dalmia Continental has brought in Hudson Canola Oil, which can greatly interest the avid health-loving food lovers in India. Here it deserves a mention that in 2003, Dalmia Continental introduced Leonardo Olive Oil to India for Indian cuisine. Leonardo Olive Oil rapidly became the leading Indian brand of olive oil in India. Hudson Canola Oil is another hearthealthy oil option from Dalmia Continental. After USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico, canola oil is now being launched in India. Most of the American restaurants including KFC, McDonald’s & Taco Bell use canola oil to provide healthy food to their customers along with taste. One can say that for health conscious Indians, canola oil happens to be the cooking oil of the future. ■

Dec-Jan ’12

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Haute Services Private Limited

Blanco CS

Haute Services Private Limited is a boutique hospitality consultancy that was established in 2007. They offer a variety of services in the fields of hotels, restaurants, art advisory and interior design. The mission of Haute Services is to offer tailor made solutions that provide a distinct competitive edge to their clients. Their consultancy services can be broadly categorised into project related services and operations related services. Under the former they provide the entire gamut, that includes project management, consultancy on branding and positioning, interior designing services, uniform design, developing brand standards together with SOP manuals and menu design. Under their art advisory service, they help clients to choose from a wide range of arts. There are paintings, sculptures and object d’art , that perfectly compliment and many a time define the décor. In the case of art, they are also sound investments in the long run. The consultancy was established by Manish Kumar Baheyti, who leads a team of highly experienced professionals. The associates have a background of expertise having worked in senior positions with some of the leading chains such as The Oberoi Group, and Hyatt. Their growing list of clients include boutique hotels and some well known international and domestic chains of hotels. Haute Services Private Limited Info@hauteservices.com

Blanco CS (Customised Solutions) concentrates on the needs of professional target groups with its three business units Catering Systems, Medical Care Systems and Industrial Components. Blanco CS develops and produces highquality products for commercial kitchens and the catering industry, for clinics and medical practices and for customers from industry. The Catering Systems business unit offers well thought-out systems in which food is delivered appetising and fresh to the guests in line with the HACCP regulations. The product portfolio ranges from Gastronorm and food transport containers to complete systems for food distribution and serving. For years, Blanco CS’s Catering Systems have set standards in the catering industry with innovative developments, proven product quality and excellent service. Blanco CS began its operations in the middle of 2011, in India. At Aahar 2012, Blanco CS will present the Blanco Cook front cooking system. Blanco Cook enables a varied, appetising cooking show with 10 professional table-top units. The mobile fume extraction modules offer a licence to breath easy. Blanco jagdish.prasad@blanco.de

eMenu® System eMenu, an interactive digital menu, brings a taste of things to come in the formal and casual dining markets. Its dynamic, multilingual, touch screen interface will change the way your customers experience your business. eMenu can be configured to work in any hospitality establishment and allows customers to control the mood of their dining experience while ordering at their convenience — a perfect combination for increased comfort and customer loyalty. The system comes with customised solution for each hospitality verticals i.e. navigation only, full service, hotel, QSR, self service, food court, etc. Benefits to business owners: • People tend to eat with eyes; attractive visuals result in higher customer spends. • Increased revenue by ability to encourage up sales, cross sales, and impulse buying. • Quick and easy ordering, eliminates all kinds of delays. • Facebook integration, loyalty programs and feedback system. Azilen Technologies Pvt. Ltd. info@azilen.com

Kitchen Blender #37 Santos, the French manufacturer of electrical equipment, launches a new version of the Kitchen Blender #37. It is designed for restaurants, institutions, hospitals, hotels and ice-cream shops. Santos Kitchen Blender #37 is the ideal appliance for mixing, liquefying and crunching all kinds of hot and cold preparations such as gaspachos, soups, purées and creams. In addition to a new silent powerful and reliable commercial motor, the Kitchen Blender # 37 is equipped with new high resistance blades that can crush hard ingredients such as ice cubes and lobster carcass, for a better quality of blending. Its variable speed (up to 15 000 rpm) creates a vortex that can mix any kind of ingredients; liquid or solid. The new blender #37 also includes a pulse function (18 000 rpm) for an optimal result. The exclusive patented santosafe® locking system for the bowl and the cover allows a hands free use and protects the user: the motor stops when the locking system is opened. Santos new kitchen blender is supplied with stainless steel or a transparent bysphenol free bowl (2 or 4 liters). In addition, the new cap (Ø 46 mm) is removable in order to safely add ingredients while blending. Santos new blender #37 is easy to clean as here all the removable parts (bowl, blades, cover) can be handwashed or put into a dishwasher. The new kitchen blender is powerful, safe, easy to use and easy to clean, and it is the perfect equipment for all Chefs. Santos sjouan@santos.fr

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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Dec-Jan ’12

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A D V E R T I S E R ’ S COMPANY

PAGE NO.

I N D E X

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

ADAMI WILMAR LTD.

MITORA MACHINEX

AKASA

MRS. BECTOR’S FOOD SPECIALITIES LTD.

FIC

AKSAI

MUNNILAL TANDOORS PVT. LTD.

ALLIED METAL WORKS

NATURES BOUNTY WINES & ALLIED PRODUCTS PVT. LTD.

ALIMENTARIA 2012

NEENA ENTERPRISES

ALPHASTACKCHAIRS PVT. LTD.

NRA SHOW 2012

ANI GLASS CORPORATION

OCEAN GLASSWARE

ARCTIC SALES INDIA

PARSHADI LAL & SONS PVT. LTD.

BLANCO

PIFBEX 2012

DABON INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.

RAMA VISION LTD.

ELLE & VIRE

RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

ETHINIC FOOD EUROPE 2012

RATIONAL INDIA

EUROPAIN 2012

REMINGTON STEEL ARTS

FCML PROJECTS

RODAA JI COMPANY

FHA 2012

SHAMSONS FOODS

FIDELIO INDIA PVT. LTD.

STACKWELL

GENNEXT LOGISTICS PVT. LTD.

STEC STAINLESS STEEL PVT. LTD.

HBF 2012

S V CORPORATION

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

THAIFEX 2012

ITPO AAHARA 2012

THE NEW INDIA ELECTRIC & TRADING CO.

KAMANI OIL INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD.

TREE OF LIFE PVT. LTD.

KANHAIYALAL TANDOOR PVT. LTD.

UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS

KING METAL WORKS

UNITAS FOODS PVT. LTD.

VANYA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENTS

LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

34, 35

LOTUS HOTELWARES

VENUS INDUSTRIES

MANISHA INTERNATIONAL

BIC

PRODUCT PREVIEW

METAL AVENUES

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

* BC - BACK COVER

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

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* BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

Dec-Jan ’12

INTERVIEW

The Innovative Restaurateur By Sharmila Chand

His ambition is quite straightforward and simple. That is to introduce great dining destinations for the discerning diners of the capital. Saurabh Khanijo, the CEO, Welgrow Hotels Pvt. Ltd. is one of the successful restaurateurs of the city. With his innovative and persistent attitude, he is always on the look out to bring in the best delicacies and myriad cuisine themes. Right from his first ambitious venture, The Kylin Experience in January 2005, he has been involved in introducing various dining concepts to the capital. He is also credited with launching an Italian fine dining restaurant named Sartoria. Then in 2007, he launched Ivy Bar Dining in New Friends Colony, Delhi serving modern European cuisine, which he re-launched as Poison Ivy in 2010. Saurabh Khanijo is a man who believes in the dictum of slow start and improvising with consistency. He ensures that he goes on to the next project only after he masters his present one. On January 2011, as he celebrated Kylin’s sixth anniversary, he presented the Delhites with another interesting dining place — The Kylin Premier where one can relish authentic oriental fare in rustic yet contemporary interiors. With live Teppanyaki and sushi counters, here the personal Chef at every table intends to serve mouth-watering delicacies to the guests as they sip on the delicious sake. The excerpts of the interview with this avid food & beverage professional follows: First and foremost, please spell out some key challenges of opening a new restaurant?

Finding the right location at the right price is the greatest challenge. Usually the locations which are good always come at a high price. Secondly, getting a loyal and good team is also very challenging. Besides location at great price, which are the other very important factors that you need to take into account for making a successful restaurant business?

As a veteran in the hospitality industry, please comment on how the food trend has changed in India over a period of time?

With globalisation, people have become more exposed to varied exotic cuisines, and this has induced many of them to become more adventurous in their culinary choices. People are now keen to try out new things, as far as their eating out options go. This accounts for the brisk business of authentic Japanese, French, Korean and other restaurants specialising in exotic cuisines, in India.

Well, as a package everything in the restaurant business is tricky. Restaurants are like cars, where all the four wheels have to be synchronised and moving to get the right speed. I would say these four wheels are great ambience, great food, great service, and great marketing strategy. When all these factors move in sync, the restaurant becomes successful.

What has helped you the most in the image building of your brand?

What would you like to say on the current restaurant business scenario of Delhi?

Everything is a joy in this business once you manage to create the right restaurant. The joy ranges from creating delectable food to meeting new people.

I personally feel Delhi needs a lot more good restaurants, serving authentic cuisines. I agree new restaurants are mushrooming all over the capital but I would say that a restaurant is worth opening only if the persons involved in that restaurant have depth and dedication.

with the passage of time I got used to that as well. I now feel that no one is indispensable. You have challenges everyday but eventually they become a part of you. What are the top three traits or skills you look for in your Food & Beverage Manager?

They are sound personality, great patience, and the ability to delegate responsibilities. A good manager is the one whose absence is not being felt. Is it getting difficult to hire good trained manpower these days, in the restaurant business?

Being different and not getting in the usual rat race has helped us to grow. In the restaurant business, if you have the courage and the vision to do something different and the ability to sustain it, you have a high chance of succeeding.

It was and still is a challenge to get a good team. It is an ongoing practice to keep finding and nurturing new skills and talents.

What do you enjoy most about being in this business?

Make them an integral part of the restaurant. If you benefit, they should also benefit.

Do you find the pressure of attrition getting on your nerves, at times?

Initially I used to feel the pressure of losing a great Chef and/or a great employee but

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Can you suggest any tips or insights to strengthen your team?

What are your future plans to expand your brand?

In my seven years of experience I have felt that casual and informal is the way forward if one needs to scale higher in the Indian restaurant business. We are getting into café format, and adopting no frills and easy dinning model for our places.

Dec-Jan ’12