Food & Beverage Business Review ( Jun-July 2016)

June-July ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Feel A Sensation

VENUS INDUSTRIES Mfrs. & exporters of stainless steel cutlery hotelware & lifestyle products WZ-1, Basai Road, Moti Nagar, New Delhi-110015 Tel.: (91-11) 43163300, 45061071 E-mail: v_khurana@venusindustries.in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review June-July ’16 Website: www.venusindustries.in

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E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Mobile: +91 9811136837 Director Operations Rajat Taneja Mobile: +91 9810315463 Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 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: info@hammer.co.in © 2016 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 Swan Press, B-71, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 028.

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.

One of the distinctive features of the present day Indian food services industry is the fast evolution in guests’ dining out preferences. This can be attributed by the significant increases in disposable incomes in select pockets of urban Indian society (but their numbers are sizeable) since the last decade, by the rising awareness towards global cuisine through increased exposure of Internet, television and overseas travel among the middle class and upper middle class India during the recent years, and also by the marked shift in socio-cultural profile among huge swathes of Indian population during the recent years.

One of the effects of the evolution in guests’ dining out preferences in the present day Indian food services industry is the growing popularity of fine dine restaurants in select pockets of urban India. Overall, the concept of fine dine has got more market acceptance in India than it was a decade before, and its future also seems to be bright in the industry.

In this issue’s Cover Story, we have explored various facets of the business of fine dine restaurants in the Indian food services industry, in some detail. The essential differences between fine dine and casual dine outlets are also presented through industry experts’ opinions.

As the guests in restaurants, on an average, are getting more discerning, the role of tableware in the success of restaurant business is garnering more importance in the Indian food services industry. The Business Story deals with tableware trends and the market of tableware in the Indian context.

In these health conscious times, the health restaurants which are presenting or are interested in presenting only healthy food & beverages without compromising on the taste factor are expected to have good market potential, in the Indian food services industry. The topic is explored in detail in our Feature section.

The consumption of wines in India is growing appreciably, but not according to its market potential. It is because the Indian wine industry is not only brimming with potential but is also impeded by several challenges. Here we have discussed the various ways by which wine production and consumption can be enhanced in India.

The feature on Joost Juice Bars, and on the recent developments at Cremica Food Industries also make for interesting reading as is the article for the Theme Cuisine section, where the cuisine of Naples is being presented. The article on tackling hair menace in food can help the restaurant industry personnel to be more hygienic with their hair during their food preparation and serving.

Besides these features and articles on industry relevant topics, there are some other interesting features, articles and Q&As in this issue, which can together give our readers an engrossing time. They are of course complemented by the rich treasure-trove of information from our News and Event sections.

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

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

June-July ’16

Contents

Cover Story

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Departments

India is Loving Fine Dine

Business

Event

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News

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Report

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Health

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Restaurant Review

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Chef Voice

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Hygiene

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Operations

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Product Preview

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Interview

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Inducing Appetite with Style

Feature

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It is Time for Health Restaurants

Agri

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The Fruit as Vegetable

Beverage

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Indian Wine Industry: Potential and Challenges

Profile

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Reaching for New Heights

Theme Cuisine

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The Aroma from Naples

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SIAL World Tour Know About the Interesting Trends at SIAL Paris During 16th-20th October, 2016

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he SIAL World Tour presented some new trends in food retail across 28 countries, thereby giving an overview of what is happening in the food trade in these countries. The aim of the SIAL World Tour was to reveal and explain the major retail and consumption trends in the food & beverage industry, which are shaping the different world markets, and vote for the most representative products of these trends, in their respective countries. SIAL World Tour could be construed as a window to the world of food retail and consumption trends, at a global level!

28 journalists from all around the world, co-ordinated by SIAL Paris, shared their views and analyses of the food & beverage markets across these 28 countries! Respective country’s product winners of the World Tour 2016 were revealed during the presentation. The products were selected on the basis of their success story in their respective countries. Rajneesh Sharma, Editor – ‘Food & Beverage Business Review magazine represented India, as part of the group.

This year three main trends have been identified by the journalists who participated in the World Tour. They are Health; Smart Shopping and Convenience; and Channel Blurring and Changing Consumption.

They are discussed below: The Health Trend Consumers are inclined to become more health conscious, consumption habits are changing and healthy food store are going through expansion. With growing childhood obesity, and increased concerns about public health, fresh and healthy food products are what the supermarket and hypermarket chains are aiming to offer. At the same time, the consumption of local produce and the awareness of the social responsibility of producers are growing.

Consumers are now paying more attention to what they eat; they are seeking for natural alternative options like organic, with less sugar, low fat, no preservative, gluten free…

Chia-seeds, aronia, quinoa, açai-berry, goji, matcha-tea... the so called super foods are becoming more and more popular in the daily nutrition. Conventional products are integrating this trend into their ingredients. Dietary need has become a real issue and protein products are also emerging in grocery stores, for consumers seeking for functional benefits to facilitate their active lifestyles.

Smart Shopping & Convenience Trend Consumers are remaining preoccupied with convenient products. A product which can save time and effort is likely to become popular, and it will remain so if it is a healthy product, tastes good and is priced rightly.

Convenience stores and other small scale specialty stores are still expanding. And a wide range of products that amalgamate quality, ease and speed of preparation, are satisfying different kind of opportunities of consumption and are solving specific consumers’ needs, are emerging.

Channel Blurring & Changing Consumption Trend Food consumption habits are changing, particularly among the emerging generations. Millennials tend to snack more, they eat on the go and visit restaurants more often than older generations.

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Nowadays food retail and food service are no longer distinct universes. Some new store concepts are now including onsite consumption facilities.

Finally, retail buyers and category managers are keeping a closer watch on hip restaurant & food trends. It would not take long before you are likely to find products reflecting similar trends, on the supermarket shelves.

On the other hand, initiatives are being launched against food waste in several countries. Some of the largest global retailers have agreed to reduce their food waste by 50 percent, by 2025.

Know about these trends and products in more detail during SIAL Paris, which would be held during 16th- 20thOctober 2016! The World Tour Worldwide winner will be revealed on Tuesday, 18th October 2016.

The Participating Trade Journalists and Magazines:

• Denise Otero (Actualidad En Supermercados Argentina) • Lorna Gloria (Retail World Magazine, Australia) • Stefan Pirker (Cash, Austria) • Christophe Sancy (Gondola, Belgium) • Marlucy Lukianocenko (Superhiper, Brazil) • George Condon (Canadian Grocer, Canada) • Yang Shu (China Food Newspaper, China) • Petr Hribal (Zbozi&Prodej, Czech Republic) • Florence Bray (LSA, France) • Linda Schuppan (Rundschaufür den Lebensmittelhande, Germany) • Zsuzsanna Hermann (Trade Magazin, Hungary) • Rajneesh Sharma (Food & Beverage Business Review, India) • Stefen Wynne-Jones (Checkout, Ireland) • Arik Yanai (KupaRoshemet, Israel) • Leonardo Rastelli (Largo Consumo, Italy) • Koichiro Takeshita (Shokuhin Shogyo, Japan) •Tys Hallema (Food Magazine, Netherlands) • Tania Walters-Mitchel (Supermarket News, New Zealand) • Reidar Molthe(Dagligvarehandelen, Norway) • Barbara Mikusinska-Ozdobinska (Handel, Poland) • Filipe Gil (Distribuicão Hoje, Portugal) • Inga Lobzhanidze (Moye DeloMagazin, Russia) • Maryke Foulds (Food Review, South Africa) • Seon Hui Gim (The Buyer, South Korea) • Jaime De Haro Requena (Distribución Actualidad, Spain) • Ayse Dincer (Dunya Gida,Turkey) • Daniel Selwood (The Grocer, United Kingdom) • Lindsey Wojcik (Grocery Headquarters, USA)

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Participating Countries — Trends & Products ARGENTINA TREND: PROMOTING THE MARKET ZONES • Natural, healthy, tasty and modern products for all ages allow for differential pricing. Their healthy and innovative qualities invigorate the sectors and categories.

It helps creating new business opportunities.

• Leading national brands introduced innovative and healthier products into categories that had remained practically unchanged for a long time.

• Another trend in Argentina: highlighting certain areas within stores, by using special layouts or displaying new products.

PRODUCT: TERMA LIMONADA AUSTRALIA TREND: HEALTH • Consumers are increasingly aware of their health, well-being and consumption habits.

• Launch of high quality products and alternate options such as super foods, gluten free, low/sugar free, low/salt free, low fat/free, and so forth.

• Increasing demand for high protein foods for consumers looking for functional benefits to aid in their active lifestyles and diet.

PRODUCT: BODIE’z PROTEIN WATER AUSTRIA TREND: SUPERFOOD • Products fulfill more and more dietary needs PRODUCT: NÖM FASTEN PROTEIN DRINK

BELGIUM TREND: CHANNEL BLURRING • Food retail and food service are no longer distinct universes.

• When it comes to lunch or take away meals, convenience stores and fast/smart food outlets are competitors.

• Some new store concepts do include on-site consumption facilities.

• Retail buyers and category managers are keeping a closer watch on hippest restaurant & foodies trends. It doesn’t take long before you find similar products on the shelf.

PRODUCT: BUTCHER’S BURGER BRAZIL TREND: NATURAL, FRESH AND HEALTH

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and preservatives.

• Growing popularity of organic, free from, vegetarian, vegan food and drinks.

PRODUCT: CRAWNCHIES

• Healthy food store are in expansion.

• In this kind of store, at least 50% of selling area is dedicated to fresh food (vegetables and fruits).

• Supermarkets, at large, have tried to expand areas for functional products and specific necessities. They have increased the offer of gluten, lactose and cholesterol free products.

• 40% of population has some restriction, according to Brazilian Federation Gastroenterology.

PRODUCT: TIROLEZ ZERO LACTOSE CANADA TREND: CONVENIENCE • Every new condominium in Canada has a grocery store in it to be more convenient • Home delivery and click & collect continue to grow • A new service has complete ingredients with instructions delivered to homes in a box to help non-cooks make gourmet meals.

PRODUCT: NUPASTA CHINA TREND: BOOM OF CONVENIENT STORES • The convenience stores and small-size characteristic shops are on the rise.

PRODUCT: BROWNING FLAVORED FERMENTED MILK

CZECH REPUBLIC TREND: HEALTH AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE • Consumers are more informed and educated.

• Therefore they are more interested in taking care of their health and want to know what they eat and drink.

• The majority have enough money to choose products accordingly.

• They long for natural food and drinks, ideally refreshing, with great taste, low calorie content, without sweeteners

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FRANCE TREND: COMBATING FOOD WASTE • Thanks to initiatives as Provins’ Intermarché in 2014 (ugly fruits and vegetables’ operation) the fight against food waste has grown very fast among the French distributors.

• During the COP 21, this topic has become media-friendly in France.

• The largest global retailers have agreed to commit in order to reduce by 50 percent their food waste by 2025.

PRODUCT: UGLY CEREALS GERMANY TREND: SUPERFOOD & HEALTH • Chia-seeds, aronia, quinoa, açai-berry, goji, matcha-tea, are more and more popular • Conventional products (bread, yogurt, cereal...) are integrating this trend into their ingredients.

• Low carb-nutrition is en vogue. Healthy nutrition is becoming a question of faith.

PRODUCT: SKYR HUNGARY TREND: CHANGING CONSUMPTION • New challenges for FMCG manufacturers: consumption habits are changing • Millennial snack more often: they have breakfast, lunch and dinner less often than older generations – instead they snack more often.

• Millennial eat out of home more often, they eat on the go and visit restaurant more often than older generations.

PRODUCT: SNACKI & GO INDIA TREND: TRADITION • The traditional salty snack is the fastest growing category.

• The snack foods business in India consists of three categories western snacks, traditional snacks and bridge.

• The macro snacks category that consist of biscuits, salty snacks, chocolate and confectionary, is growing at 20 per cent.

PRODUCT: CADBURY DAIRY MILK SILK – BUBBLY

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IRELAND TREND: DEMAND FOR HEALTH OPTIONS • Product reformulation.

• Growing childhood obesity, and increased concerns about public health - including discussions about a ‘sugar tax’ at government level.

• Concerted effort on the part of food manufacturers to use more natural and healthier ingredients, and promote healthier product ranges with their portfolio; “slim” wholemeal bread, rath.

PRODUCT: HIRO BY ROISIN ISRAEL TREND: CUSTOMERS DON’T WANT UNHEALTHY FOOD • Categories perceived as less healthy, suffer from a significant volume decline.

• In addition to several new product launches in the healthy food category.

PRODUCT: SCHNITZEL SERIES ITALY TREND: SERVICE CONTENT • The wide range of products that mix quality, ease and speed preparing, satisfying different kind of opportunities of consumption and solving specific consumers’ needs.

PRODUCT: FLAN DI VERDURE MAGIE DELLA NATURA JAPAN TREND: IMPORTANCE OF FUNCTIONALITY • The product’s convenience gives delight to people when they use it.

• Especially since these days people are busier than before.

• It will be surely very natural that people want convenience instinctively, so that people can have more time.

PRODUCT: SMILE BALL NETHERLANDS TREND: HEALTH • Despite the Dutch consumers’ love for snacks, they are more and more looking for snacks that fit in a healthy lifestyle. But if they do snack, they want the products to be top quality.

• Retailers and food manufacturers have capitalized on that trend by offering high quality, healthier alternatives. For example without added sugar, less fat, etc.

PRODUCT: KWEKKEBOOM OVEN

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NEW ZEALAND TREND: CROSS POLLINATION • Leading FMCG companies teaming up to create new products and flavours.

PRODUCT: LEWIS ROAD CREAMERY FRESH CHOCOLATE NORWAY TREND: HEALTH • Health is a key trend.

Fruit, vegetables and fish are increasing and even the low price chains now sells a lot of fresh packed fish.

PRODUCT: SALMARAW POLAND TREND: PROTEIN SOURCES • In the beginning the products were available for purchase in places where people came to play sports.

• These days they are sold in grocery stores.

• New products with high protein content are introduced in such categories as yoghurt and drinks.

• The manufacturers usually target their products at men.

PRODUCT: BAKOMA MEN PORTUGAL TREND: HEALTHY FOOD • Portuguese consumers are more into healthy products.

PRODUCT: OLIVEIRINHA RUSSIA TREND: HEALTHY FOOD • Russians are interested in healthy food but 85% of them think that it is too expensive. In big cities there is intense interest in farm products.

• Consumers want to eat natural foods without artificial additives but for the normal price.

• For example sales of cottage cheese increased by 50% over the past three years.

PRODUCT: YELLI BRAND SOUTH AFRICA TREND: NATURAL AND PRESERVATIVE FREE PRODUCTS • Consumers are looking for products that are more natural, and contain fewer preservatives.

PRODUCT: EARTH ESSENCE SOUTH KOREA TREND: PROMOTING THE MARKET ZONES • Promoted through the SNS. • Most of South Korean people have a smart phone, and own SNS.

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• They upload to their SNS that they take pictures when they buy new products or eat delicious food.

• Then, other people watch the SNS, to purchase products same as the SNS. • It is a new way to expand the market share of new products in Korea.

PRODUCT: HONEY BUTTER CHIP SPAIN TREND: HEALTHY FOOD • Fresh and healthy products are what the supermarket and hypermarket chains are aiming to offer soon.

• At the same time the consumption of local produce and the awareness of the social responsibility of producers and of food waste is growing.

• Ways of preparing food such as grilling or boiling are increasingly used.

PRODUCT: DIA BALANCE TURKEY TREND: INNOVATIVE HEALTHY FOOD • Among the same type of products, consumers prefer what they think is the healthiest and more innovative.

• Value added products have always been favourite among consumers but this time a new way is emerging.

• Consumers prefer naturally added ingredients or added value for certain purposes.

Now the trend is products with fewer ingredients, no chemicals with new and interesting natural ingredients which serve for new taste and health benefits.

PRODUCT: ARBELLA GRAPE SEED PASTA UNITED KINGDOM TREND: NEXT GEN COCONUT • Coconut is touted for its multitude of health benefits (good for heart health, immunity, weight loss and improved digestion) • It also has wide-ranging health and beauty claims (from softening skin to restoring damaged hair) • Coconut water and coconut oil have now hit the mainstream in UK retail, and as consumers look for products with “functional benefits” we have seen a huge swathe of coconut-based NPD from flours to snacks and even head lice treatments.

PRODUCT: PIP & NUT COCONUT ALMOND BUTTER UNITED STATES TREND: SMARTSHOPPING • More consumers are looking for convenient on-the-go snacks.

PRODUCT: ROCKIT APPLE

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event EVENTS’ CALENDER Bakers Technology Fair 2016 22-24 July 2016 The Codissia Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore www.bakerstechnologyfair.com India Hospitality Expo 4-6 August 2016 Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor AC Stadium, Panaji, Goa

Asia Fruit Logistica Gets Bigger in 2016 Over 9,000 top-level buyers and trade professionals from more than 70 countries are expected to attend the three-day international trade fair for fruit and vegetable marketing in Hong Kong Asia Fruit Logistica, Asia’s leading fresh produce event, to be held in Hong Kong from 7th-9th September, is set to get bigger this year as the amount of exhibition space sold for the fruit and vegetable marketing show has already surged past last year’s total.

What is more, visitors would find plenty of novel products and services on offer at this year’s show, the organisers informed.

Over 9,000 top-level buyers and trade professionals from more than 70 countries are expected to attend the three-day exhibition.

Exhibitors from some 37 different countries have registered to showcase their products and services, and there are 23 national pavilions booked.

Egypt and Australia — which have been among the top-five exhibiting countries at Asia Fruit Logistica over the recent years — have expanded their space by 30 percent and 24 percent respectively, compared to the last year’s total.

Many other countries are ramping up their presence, albeit from lower bases. Exhibiting nations from within Asia are leading the way.

As of late June, Pakistan, Thailand, Korea and Japan had already registered sizeable increases in exhibition space. European countries such as Germany, Greece and Spain are also among the big movers.

Novelty on Display Latin American country Colombia is making its debut appearance at this year’s show.

Renowned for being a major banana exporter, Colombia is also one of the world’s most bio-

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diverse countries, producing a wealth of exotic fruits — and it is now carving a niche in global markets for a range of products, whether it be avocado, mango or physalis.

Asia’s burgeoning berry business will also find representation at this year’s show. Some of the exciting sources of berry supply will feature through first-time exhibitors such as Joyfarm, which exports organic strawberries from Korea; Soloberry, which represents berry growers in Spain, Portugal and Morocco; and leading Polish blueberry grower-exporter, BerryGroup.

An array of apple brands will also be on display at the exhibition. Ambrosia, the bi-coloured apple that was discovered in British Columbia, Canada, in the early 1990s — and is now grown under licence in Canada, the US, Chile, New Zealand and Europe — will have its own stand at the event for the first time this year.

The exhibition is the core of the Asia Fruit Logistica business week, which also features a rich programme of three conference events. It all gets underway with Asia Fruit Congress — Asia’s premier fresh produce conference event — which takes place on September 6, the day before Asia Fruit Logistica opens its doors.

On the first day of Asia Fruit Logistica, Cool Logistics Asia, the conference dedicated to perishable logistics, will return for its second edition.

New for the 2016 edition of the show, and taking place on the second day is Smart Horticulture Asia — the first-ever conference for information management, standards, technology and robotics for Asia’s fresh produce sector.

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www.trinityworld.biz TRAFS 2016 4-7 August 2016 Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangkok www.thailandhoreca.com Fi and Hi India 2016 22-24 August 2016 Pragati Maidan, New delhi www.foodingredientsglobal.com/india/home Asia Fruit Logistica, 2016 7-9 September 2016 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong www.asiafruitlogistica.com Cakeology 16-18 September 2016 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon East, Mumbai www.cakeology.in Annapoorna World of Foods India- 2016 22-24 September 2016 Hall 6 , Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 8-11 October 2016 Las Vegas Convention Centre, Nevada, US www.ibie2016.com SIAL Paris 2016 16-20 October 2016 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.sial.fr HOSTECH by Tusid 2016 2-5 November 2016 Istanbul Turkey www.hostechbytusid.com

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TRAFS 2016 :

‘One Stop Shop’ for Hospitality Industry As many as 20,000 buyers/decision makers from more than 30 countries are expected to visit the four-day event.

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hailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services(TRAFS) 2016, a ‘One Stop Shop’ for owners/executives/ professionals in hospitality and food service industry, is now ready to serve 20,000 target buyers from over 30 countries.

The 10th edition of the event, from 4th7th August, would witness participation of over 150 exhibitors representing a full range of products, informed Kavin Kittiboonya, Managing Director of Diversified Communications (Thailand).

The four-day show is scheduled to take place at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, Thailand.

TRAFS 2016 will also house three country pavilions from Korea, Taiwan and China, from whom exhibitors will be looking for potential distributors to serve the booming tourist and food service businesses in Thailand and the region, Kittiboonya stated.

Kittiboonya said further that visitors/buyers could expect to see a comprehensive product range of latest technology from hotel/food equipment and supplies, chilling and freezing equipment, cleaning equipment and supplies, food packaging, tableware /kitchen utensils, mattress and linens, vehicles/golf carts, coffee, bakery and ice-cream equipment, ingredients and supplies, meat and poultry/ seafood, dairy products/cheese, wine/beer/ liquor, information system, signage/led display, etc.

“TRAFS 2016 will be a ‘One Stop Shop’ platform for owners/executives/ professionals in hospitality and food service as a whole to source new food and drink

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equipment/ingredients and hotel supplies,” Kittiboonya noted.

Kittiboonya expected as many as 20,000 buyers/decision makers from almost 40 countries to visit the four day event.

Besides products, visitors can also expect to see comprehensive activities from hospitality professionals, i.e. food and bakery competitions, master classes on food and bakery by renowned Chefs, seminars from front office managers and human resource personnel.

Furthermore, TRAFS 2016 is being held alongside another two big events — Thailand Franchise & Business Opportunities (12th edition), the biggest franchise show in ASEAN; and ASEAN Retail 2016, an international show on retail equipment and supplies.

“This is a unique opportunity for buyers/ decision makers to visit three big events in one place at one time,” Kittiboonya said.

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Food&HotelAsia2016 Attracts over 70,000 Stakeholders With over 70,000 attendees, Asia’s leading premier business event saw fruitful networking and negotiations

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he recently concluded Food&HotelAsia2016 (FHA2016) showcased an impressive spread which ranged from the finest and most unique food ingredients and products, to food service equipment, hotel amenities and software solutions. The tradeshow gathered 72,000 attendees, a 13.3 percent increase from the last edition in 2014.They included exhibiting staff, trade visitors, conference speakers and delegates, judges and competitors, and members of the media.

“We are heartened and pleased that FHA has continued to be the platform for exhibitors to showcase new and innovative products and is the chosen sourcing ground for many international buyers. Its relevance to the food and hospitality industries remains as vital and effective today as ever,” said Lindy Wee, Chief Executive of Singapore Exhibition Services, which organised the event.

The four-day FHA2016, which was held during 12th-15th April, commanded rewarding leads and deals for exhibitors and participants, with negotiations expected to continue even after the event. One of the quickest deals ever struck at FHA, less than an hour after the event’s opening, was between Dutch hotel room equipment maker, Bentley Europe BV, and Singapore buyer Hunwin Enterprises, for a revolutionary

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sensor-operated hair dryer that premiered at the event.

The event also witnessed launch of many new products. Foxy’s Thoughtful Ice Cream, a super-premium, all natural ice cream loaded with six strains of probiotics, was one of them.

“After months of research, we have launched what we believe is a world first: a super-premium ice cream that is almost the perfect probiotic delivery system,” said Angus Murray, CEO of the California-based company.

The Japan Pavilion, led by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Singapore, returned this year with an even greater number of exhibitors and space than the 2014 edition.

“JETRO is participating in FHA for the fifth time this year with 79 exhibitors in our pavilion, a 70 percent increase compared with the previous edition, as part of our continued efforts in supporting overseas business expansion activities of Japanese SMEs,” Masaya Hasebe, Managing Director, JETRO, said.

Gene A. Rono, President of the Association of Purchasing Managers of Hotels & Restaurants of the Philippines, was one of the visitors with a wide array of products on the show floor.

“As a gluten-free establishment, it is

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not easy for us to find local suppliers of such products. This is the second time I am visiting FHA because it gives me the opportunity to source for gluten-free products from international suppliers,” said Agnetta Lew, owner of Jonathan’s, a popular gluten-free cafe in Singapore.

Knowledge Sharing Arena From destination investment opportunities to F&B design, hospitality technology, food manufacturing and bakery, FHA2016 International Conference covered a wide spectrum of topics ranging from new strategies, to challenges and issues impacting the food and hospitality businesses.

Zenaida B. Gonzales, owner of Michell’s Cakes & Pasteries and Stregato Gelateria, the Philippines, said, “The conference, especially the masterclass on bakery trends, is very informative. We were made to understand the present trends in bakery products. The latest innovations being discussed would surely help to boost sales, especially the story-telling way of inspiring our customers to be curious to buy the products.”

One of FHA’s most exhilarating events, the FHA Culinary Challenge saw a mix of both young and established Chefs from around the world gather to compete in various challenges such as the Gourmet Team Challenge where Team Taiwan emerged winner; the Individual Challenge where Marina Mandarin of Singapore won.

Raffles Hotel Singapore became the winner for the new Sweet High Tea Challenge.

The next edition of FHA will be held in April, 2018.

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America’s Genuine Broaster Chicken Soon in India Yellow Tie Hospitality, a Mumbai-based food & beverages (F&B) franchise management company, is all set to introduce a popular chicken brand from the US — Genuine Broaster Chicken — in India.

Broaster Chicken is known for its patented pressure fryer technology, which utilises less oil than open fried chicken and retains more chicken moisture. The brand has been serving pressure fried chicken since it started its operations in 1953. Currently functional in 36 countries across the world, Broaster Chicken is served at leading chains like ‘Bob Evans Garden’ and ‘Al Bek’.

Starting with Mumbai, Yellow Tie Hospitality Management plans to launch the brand in 40 cities across the country, by the end of this year.

“Broaster Chicken has been an integral part of America’s food heritage for the past 60 years. Loyalty towards this brand can be attested by food lovers all over the world who never stop talking about its deliciousness. Therefore, we at Yellow Tie hospitality felt it was time to introduce this savory paradise to Indian consumers, filling the gap in demand and supply for better fried chicken by getting Broaster Chicken to the plates of Indians,” Karan Tanna, Founder and CEO, Yellow Tie Hospitality said.

Besides the regular pressure fried chicken, the Genuine Broaster Chicken menu in India will also offer other interesting products like Jong-Lee burger, Happy Fried Chicken and Palangtod, among other delicacies.

Raju Bhatia to Represent India’s Dry Fruit Industry at INC Raju Bhatia, the renowned face of California Agri Nuts Corporation has been appointed as India ambassador to represent the dry fruits industry at the next edition of International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) conference, to be held for the first time in India in 2017.

INC 2017 is scheduled to be held at Chennai from 19th-21st May. As Managing Partner in California Agri Nuts Corporation and Managing Director of DRB Foods, Bhatia’s focus is to create value for the industry and consumers alike. He is recognised globally for his vision, and is known as one of the stalwarts of the industry.

“It’s an honour and privilege to be appointed as an Ambassador for India to represent the dry fruits industry at the INC,” Bhatia said in a statement.

“Our ever growing dry fruit industry in India comprising of almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashew nuts, raisins, etc. to mention a few, now has a representation worldwide, and my vision is to put forward issues across key bodies and help in promotion of trade and spread the health message on benefits of consuming these nuts to the masses,” he noted.

The INC is a source for information on nuts and dried fruits for health, nutrition, food safety, statistics, government standards and government regulations regarding trade barriers and trade quality standards.

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Real VOLO Brings Fizzy Drinks with Healthy Element India’s leading packaged fruit juice company Dabur India Ltd. has announced its foray into the fizzy drinks market with the launch of a range of fruit juice-based aerated drinks. The new range, Réal VOLO, has been prepared using a blend of exotic fruits like cranberry, blueberry, blackberry and grape. The range will be available in 250ml cans, priced at Rs. 40.

“Today’s health conscious consumers prefer healthier beverage options. We have been witnessing an increase in consumer demand for ready-to-drink beverages that are aerated but not unhealthy. With Réal VOLO, we are meeting this consumer demand with a range of fizzy fruit drinks that retain the goodness of the fruits and comes without the guilt of unhealthy consumption. Our Réal VOLO range contains 20-25 percent fruit juice content, thus making the fun of fizz healthier with the goodness of fruits. Consumers can now have a can of Réal VOLO without the guilt of consuming carbonated drinks,” Dabur India Ltd.’s Category Head — Fruit Juices and Beverages Mayank Kumar said.

Réal VOLO, which does not have any added preservatives, is being launched in two variants: Cranberry-Blueberry, and Grape-Blackcurrant. The company plans to extend this range in the coming months with the introduction of newer variants.

“Dabur has always been at the forefront of innovation. We pioneered the concept of packaged fruit juices in India with the launch of Réal and were also the first to introduce 100 percent fruit juices and fruit-vegetable juices under Réal Activ brand. We expanded the category with India’s first fruit fiber beverage – Réal Activ Fiber+ and are now further expanding our range with the launch of fruit juice-based aerated drinks with Réal VOLO. With the launch of Réal VOLO, we aim to not only extend the brand Réal to give our consumers more choices but also make the experience of consuming aerated beverages more enjoyable and nutritious,” Kumar added.

Domino’s Pizza Introduces ‘BurgerPizza’ It looks like a burger, but tastes like a pizza. Yes, Domino’s Pizza India recently introduced a significant new innovation for the Indian market – the BurgerPizza!

“This is our attempt to create a new category and bring pizza-ness in a consumption segment that is addressed by burgers and sandwiches,” said Dev Amritesh, President & Chief Business Officer, Domino’s Pizza India, while announcing the new offering.

“Unlike other burgers, the BurgerPizza is comfort food, full of pizza goodness and has been specifically designed for the Indian palate,” he added.

The BurgerPizza is different from conventional burgers in many ways.

“Instead of using fried ingredients, the BurgerPizza has oven-baked ingredients.

It is made with generous fillings of herbs and vegetables, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and soft buns, all oven baked together to perfection,” S. Murugan Narayanswamy, Senior Vice President Marketing, Domino’s Pizza India, explained.

“We aim to address the desire for a burger through a new kind of pizza — the BurgerPizza,” Narayanswamy pointed out.

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The new innovative addition to the Domino’s menu is aimed at growing the company’s share in the ‘all day, individual consumption’ occasion and further grow its share of the chained Indian food service industry that is pegged to grow threefold to Rs 25,000 crore within five years according to a recent ASSOCHAM report.

“Our category is segmented by occasions. We dominate the ‘shared mealreplacement’ occasions with our core Pizzas. The ‘all day, individual consumption’ occasion is an opportunity that we see as being incremental to our business.

The BurgerPizza is our offering for this opportunity,” Amritesh said.

Starting at Rs 89, the BurgerPizza range is available in two vegetarian and two non-vegetarian variants at the 1000 plus Domino’s Pizza restaurants across India.

The BurgerPizza is also available for ordering on the Domino’s online ordering website, and the Domino’s Pizza mobile app, the company said in a statement.

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Barbeque Nation Among ‘Great Places to Work’ in the F&B Sector Barbeque Nation, one of the leading casual dining chains in India, has been recognised as one of the best employers in India and has secured a leading rank in “Great Place to Work, 2016” survey and awards in the food & beverage service segment.

The list of 100 Best Places to Work for 2016 released by Great Place to Work Institute was topped by Google India. Barbeque Nation was ranked 37th in the list. But in the food & beverage service segment, it came just after Marriott Hotels, which topped the hospitality segment as well with its overall sixth rank in the list.

The Oberoi Group and Lemon Tree Hotels are the only two other companies in hospitality segment that made it to the top 10 with their overall ranking of eighth and ninth respectively.

“We are elated to be one of the leading employers in the F&B sector. Restaurants are infamous for their stressful work environment and long work hours. However, at Barbeque Nation we believe in doing things differently. The goal is simple — giving our customers a great experience without compromising our employee’s work satisfaction,” Sameer Bhasin, CEO, Barbeque Nation Hospitality, said.

Cremica Food Industries Raises Rs. 100 Crore Condiments maker Cremica Food Industries recently raised $15 million (Rs 100 crore) from Rabo Equity Advisors, a food and agri-focused private equity firm, media reports said.

The move is aimed at increasing Cremica’s geographical reach in retail outlets across southern and western India.

The company had also offered to buy-back shares from its previous investors Motilal-Oswal, earlier this year.

According to reports, Rabo Equity Advisors will acquire a minority stake in Cremica following the transaction, which is routed through India Agri Business Fund II.

New Craft Beer from Witlinger Witlinger has launched a new range of craft beer with tangy and fruity taste in the original ale and wheat combination. Brewed at Brains brewery in Cradiff, United Kingdom, Witlinger craft beer has infused the naturally cloudy beer with coriander seeds and orange peel.

“The beer is brewed with the finest of flavours from around the world for savouring premium craft beer bliss,” Kaama Impex, the company which launched the Witlinger brand of craft beer in 2014, said in a statement.

The demand for premium craft beer is growing fast in India. From about Rs 280 crore, the craft beer market in India is projected to expand to Rs. 4,400 crore by 2020, the statement added.

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Amalgam Frozen Foods Forays into Retail Sales Planning to Installation World Class Commercial Kitchen Equipments

Starting with Kochi in Kerala, Amalgam Frozen Foods, a part of seafood export major Amalgam group, will open frozen food stores across the country under the brand name Buffet, over the next three years.

The reason behind opening the stores for which the company has set aside an initial investment of Rs. 25 crore is to provide consumers frozen food without deterioration of quality through temperature fluctuations.

“The very essence of frozen food is temperature management. If the cold chain breaks down at any stage during delivery from the factory to the consumer’s refrigerator, the frozen food could be subject to temperature abuse,” said Abraham J Tharakan, Chairman and Managing Director, Amalgam Group.

The group plans to sell a range of frozen food products from ice-creams, parathas, seafood, meat and vegetables.

The frozen food sector is growing at a CAGR of 20 percent and is dominated by ice-creams followed by green peas, Tharakan said.

Lavazza Unveils New Filter Coffee Italian coffee manufacturer Lavazza has added a new product to its ‘Made in India’ range of pure filter coffee.

The new product is named Grand Hotel.

The first ever ‘Filter’ product in the country from the house of Lavazza, this new variant will give coffee enthusiasts a chance to experience the taste of authentic ‘Italian coffee’, Lavazza India said in a statement.

Grand Hotel filter coffee is a blend of 50 percent washed Arabica and 50 percent natural Robusta, sourced from Chikkamagaluru and Coorg regions in India with mild and aromatic tastes, offering an enriching experience to the coffee lovers, it added.

Yours Food Launches Malto Energy Biscuits Eastern India’s FMCG brand, named Yours Food is expanding its product portfolio with the launch of energy biscuits under the brand name Malto.

Currently available in West Bengal, the product will storm into markets of other states over the next few months, a media report said.

Priced reasonably at Rs 10 for a 100 gm pack, Yours Malto energy biscuits hope to strike a chord with the kids.

Effluent Requirements Relaxed for Restaurants

Rajkiran Kitchen Equipment

RZ-65-B, Narsingh Garden, Gali No.1, Khyala (Near Bus Body), New Delhi-110018 Contact : 9811179683, 9312438614 E-mail: info@kitchenramma.com

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www.kitchenramma.com, www.frostramma.com

Restaurants up to 100 seat covers connected with Municipal/ Delhi Jal Board Sewer system are now exempted from installing effluent treatment plants.

The decision to amend the effluent standards and requirements for restaurants, eating houses and other such establishments was taken by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in their recently held board meeting, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) said in a statement.

However, the general standards of discharge of effluent into public sewers, as mentioned in the standards are to be ensured, the statement added.

Earlier it was mandatory for the restaurants and eating houses in Delhi having seating capacity of 36 covers or more to install effluent treatment plants.

“We welcome DPCC’s revised norms, in which our suggestion has been implemented and restaurants having capacity of upto 100 seat covers have been relaxed from setting up ETPs (Effluent Treatment Plants),” said Riyaaz Amlani, President, NRAI.

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Turning Kids’ Menu into Edible Art Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts has partnered with the acclaimed international food artist, Samantha Lee, to encourage familyfriendly ‘fun dining’. Using dishes from the hotel chain brand’s new Kids’ Menu, Samantha has transformed five dishes from the nutritionally balanced new menu into kid-friendly works of art.

Here it deserves a mention that the new kids’ menu was recently launched in Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, across Asia, Middle-East and Africa. The Holiday Inn Kids Menu is available in all Holiday Inn hotels and resorts across Asia, MiddleEast and Africa. Created in partnership with Nutrition Australia, all the recipes are based on the criteria developed by the organisation’s accredited practising dietitians, thereby ensuring that all the dishes of this kids’ menu are nutritionallybalanced and good for growing little ones.

Coming back to Samantha’s creativity, using the theme of animal portraits, each food artwork created by Samantha has been designed to engage kids and their

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parents and encourage them to explore nutritious eating in a fun way. With the corresponding and easy to follow ‘how-to’ guides, parents are given tips they need to recreate food art at home, using the original Holiday Inn Kids Menu recipes.

Speaking about her creations for Holiday Inn, Samantha Lee said, “I started by creating food art for my daughter to encourage her to be more adventurous with food; so a partnership with Holiday Inn to help inspire thousands of children and their parents by helping them to discover new and exciting flavours is a cause that I knew I had to be a part of. Not only do we want kids to get excited about balanced eating, we want parents to see how to make food fun for their little ones.

“We created our new kids’ menu because we want to make sure families are making the most of their time together, with kids enjoying colourful and tasty dishes, and with parents relaxed, knowing that all the dishes have been created with nutrition at their core,” stated Lee Lin

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Teo, Head of Brand Marketing (Holiday Inn Brand Family, Crowne Plaza and Staybridge Suites) AMEA, IHG. “After good feedback from our guests on the new kids’ menu dishes we thought that we could take it even further by turning them into works of art with the very talented Samantha Lee. We hope that parents and kids are inspired to explore food as a bonding experience, both with us at Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, and also when the holiday is over, at their home,” Lee Lin Teo added further.

Some of the dishes on offer as part of the Holiday Inn Kids Menu include, DIY Lettuce Cup, Lamb Skewers, Chicken and Pea Risotto, Rice Paper Rolls, and Lentil Curry. For dessert, kids can choose from favourites such as Apple Crumble, Fruit Popsicle and Banana Split; made with yoghurt instead of ice cream.

June-July ’16

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Coffee in Normal Temperature is Not Carcinogenic The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reversed previous findings that coffee and yerba mate might cause cancer. But the findings, based on a large data set, come with a caveat. Drinking the beverage too hot may still be bad for your health.

In 1991, the WHO categorised coffee as “possibly carcinogenic” based on a much smaller database of studies. Now, the scientists highlighted some studies that associated coffee with cancer when the real culprit was probably tobacco smoking, which is highly correlated with heavy coffee drinking, according to the report.

To determine if drinking coffee, yerba mate or other very hot beverages causes cancer, 23 scientists from 10 countries met at the WHO’s cancer research arm International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, in May this year.

Their results were published in the journal Lancet, on June 15.

The scientists downgraded a cup of

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coffee from “possibly carcinogenic” and hot mate from “probably carcinogenic” to safe for consumption as long as neither are scalding hot.

But beverages surpassing 65 degrees Celsius may increase the risk of tumours in the esophagus, which resides in the chest area below the throat, said one of the researchers, Mariana Stern from the University of Southern California (USC).

“Enjoy your coffee or mate, but make sure it’s not very hot,” said Stern, an Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine and Urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

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“There is physical evidence that very hot beverages can contribute to cell injury in the esophagus and thus contribute to cancer formation,” Stern noted.

The group scoured more than 1,000 studies on over 20 different types of cancer. The scientists concluded drinking any beverage hotter than 65 degrees Celsius is “probably carcinogenetic to humans,” placing scalding hot drinks in the same category as DDT, frying food at high temperatures, consumption of red meat and the human papillomavirus.

However, the news about coffee was not grim.

“For many cancer types, we found clear evidence that coffee is not carcinogenic,” Stern said. “In fact, we found that coffee protects against some cancers such as liver and uterine endometrium cancer.”

The researchers estimated that a cup of coffee a day decreases the risk of liver cancer by 15 percent.

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KFC Introduces 5-in-1 Meal Box with a Tech Twist KFC’s 5-in-1 Meal Box lunch offering has an all new tech avatar: a limited edition box with a built-in power bank.

The new meal named ‘Watt a Box’ charges your phone as you enjoy your food.

“We launched the 5-in-1 Meal Box in March this year with the objective of providing an abundant complete meal and at an affordable price for our customers.

With the launch of Watt a Box, we have gone a step ahead and also introduced an element of utility into the box,” said KFC India’s CMO, Lluis Ruiz Ribot.

“Each one of us spends a considerable time on our smartphones daily and the phone battery going dead is almost like a nightmare! No longer so with Watt a Box around,” Ruiz Ribot added.

Ruchi Soya in ‘Top Packaged Food Companies’ List FMCG major Ruchi Soya has been ranked among the ‘Top 5 Packaged Food Companies in India’ by Euromonitor International, a leading global research firm.

With 7.2 percent retail value share last calendar, Amul topped the packaged foods market, according to the report that put Ruchi Soya in the fourth position.

Amul was followed by Mother Dairy and Britannia.

Ruchi Soya came fourth in the list, ahead of firms such as Parle Products, Mondelez India (formerly Cadbury), Nestle India and ITC; among others.

Ruchi Soya is one of India’s leading FMCG companies, with a strategy that focuses on farm to fork integration.

The company operates within the entire agri-spectrum, with a core focus on oilseeds extraction and edible oil refining, as well as the manufacture of soya food products.

Olives from Spain Ropes in Rafael Nadal as Ambassador To raise awareness about olives and encourage consumption of this key Mediterranean ingredient, Olives from Spain has launched the third annual campaign in India with tennis superstar Rafael Nadal as its ambassador.

Spain is the world leader in table olive production. It exports olives to more than 120 countries, representing 40 percent of the global market. The main markets for Spanish olives are the US, Italy, Germany and France. Since 2007, Olives from Spain has targeted other potential markets. India has been identified as a country where consumption of olives is steadily increasing.

This campaign is focused on presenting ideas for integrating olives into the Indian diet. It also focuses on sharing the nutritional benefits and the importance of olives in the Mediterranean diet, which is listed as an Intangible World Heritage by UNESCO. Advertising, an online campaign using Facebook and Instagram, and participation at the Palate Festival in New Delhi are part of this promotional season.

An Instagram account featuring recipes, which include Spanish olives, developed by Chef Sabyasachi Gorai and other renowned Chefs, is the newest addition to the online social media campaign.

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APPOINTMENTS

Chef Venecio Cadavida

Sarita Sharma Sarita Sharma has been newly appointed as the Mixologist at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. With experience of over seven years in the industry, Sarita brings to the table her expertise in beverage inventory, operations management, menu engineering and executing new concepts for the betterment of overall business.

Sarita started her stint in bartending as a senior bartender at Flaming Trio, a bartending company.

At Flaming Trio, she worked with Asian and international flavours. She then joined JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar as a Bartender in 2014 and later rose to the position of Assistant Bar Manager.

Sarita completed her education from ITM-IHMCT, Kharghar and then trained with other renowned hospitality brands like The Oberoi Hotel, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Grand Hyatt and ITC Grand Maratha.

Chef Venecio Cadavida has been appointed as the Executive Japanese Specialty Chef at Dashanzi, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. Born and brought up in the Philippines, Chef Cadavida is a Sushi master and is known for his exquisite culinary skills that he has acquired over the past 11 years of experience across varying restaurant concepts.

In his new role at Dashanzi, Chef Cadavida would be showcasing his skills at the LIVE Sushi and Sashami Bar. Having worked and acquired a varied skill-sets from hotels across the Philippines and India, Chef Cadavida brings his Japanese culinary expertise to JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

Chef Stanley Lum Wah Cheok Chef Stanley Lum Wah Cheok is the new Executive Chinese Specialty Chef at Dashanzi, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. In his new role at Dashanzi, Chef Stanley would be responsible for bringing innovative food & beverage menu featuring modern Asian delicacies.

In his career spanning over 26 years, Chef Stanley has been a part of many prestigious brands such as Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, The Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Hakkasan and Conrad Centennial Singapore 5 Star International.

He began his career at Cantion Hotel, China as Chef de Cuisine. Following his stint at Cantion Hotel, he joined the famous Pan Pacific Hotel as Demi Chef.

Having worked across different countries, he has acquired a strong sense of culinary innovation and has an in-depth understanding of the operational know-how of a Chinese restaurant setup.

Chef Devendra Khetle Devendra Khetle is the new Sous Chef at Indigo, a fine-dining restaurant located in Colaba, Mumbai.

Chef Khetle, who brings with him over ten years of industry experience, specialises in Charcuterie, smoked and BBQ meat, the sous vide cooking technique and Cajun and Creole cooking styles.

Chef Khetle began his career as a trainee at Taj Hotels and Resorts and went on to become the Demi Chef de Partie at the property. In his career spanning over a decade, Chef Khetle has worked in several reputed properties in the hospitality industry.

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RAFAEL NADAL , S PA N I S H T E N N I S P L AY E R .

olivesfromspain.in olivesfromspainindia olivesfromspainindia

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REPORT

Joost to Get a Boost

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith the rise in health consciousness as a counter to the faulty eating habits and by and large sedentary lifestyles in the urban Indian society, the popularity of fruit juice and juice bars are gaining momentum in our market.

However, the per capita consumption of fruit juice-based beverage is still very less in India. The per capita consumption of fruit juice-based beverage is 45 litre in Germany, 42.5 litre in Switzerland and 39 litre in the US, whereas in India, this per capita consumption is just 20 ml.

Hence, there exists huge untapped market potential in India, in the fruit juice segment. No wonder, the Indian juice industry, which was pegged at 3.5 billion USD in 2012, is estimated to reach 21.14 billion USD by 2018. And the Indian fruit juice market is one of the most promising segments in the Indian beverages industry. It is showing a CAGR of over 25-30 percent over the past decade.

The potential of the market for fruit juices and juice bars in

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India is reflected in the success story of retail giant Boost Juice Bars, which made its market presence in India in late 2011, under the name of Joost Juice Bars.

As there is a renowned drink by the name of Boost in the Indian market, the company decided to change its brand name to Joost Juice Bars for tapping the Indian market.

Here it deserves a mention that Boost Juice Bars is a successful international chain of retail outlets that specialises in making juices, smoothies, crushes and other healthy F&B alternatives. Boost Juice Bars, which was founded by the visionary entrepreneur Janine Allis in Australia (the first store of Boost Juice Bars was opened in Adelaide), already has presence in 14 countries including India since 16 years of its operations.

Today there are more than 450 Boost Juice Bars in 14 countries throughout the world, which include 17 Joost Juice Bars in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. Besides Australia, Boost Juice Bars has presence in South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

“We have both franchisees and company-owned stores though all of our company-owned stores are just in Australia,” informed Janine. According to the website of Boost Juice Bars, the brand is now operating in more countries than any other juice bar in the world.

In late 2011, Rivoli Sinha, Founder and MD, Joost Juice Bars, signed the master franchise agreement and commenced the operations in the Indian market. Till now there are already 17 Joost Juice Bars’ outlets in India, though its brand presence is still limited to Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. The first store of Joost Juice Bars came up in 2012, at Fitness First gym, at Select Citywalk, Saket, New Delhi. “We are looking to add another 17 outlets of Joost Juice Bars in the next 12 months and are hoping to reach 100 stores by 2020,” asserted Rivoli, while talking about Joost Juice Bars’ ambitious growth plans.

“We have presence in gyms, hospitals, airports, commercial centres, and malls presently. We would love to explore more interesting options for our footprints,” proffered Rivoli. This writer feels that one of the markets where Joost Juice Bars can focus to expand its footprints is the university campuses in metros and other tier-I cities of India.

Rivoli rightly feels that there is a high demand of fresh juices in India as the Indian customers are now more aware about the health aspects of food & beverage than they were a decade earlier. And of course, she is quite enthusiastic about the future

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REPORT used at Joost are 100 percent natural market of juice bars in urban India. and fresh fruits are handpicked from a And it seems the price-sensitive nature of the variety of fruits available in the market.”

Indian market is also not an impediment towards “At Joost we do not believe in diets, the projected growth of Joost Juice Bars. “Once what we do believe in is eating as close our guests develop the trust that our brand only to nature as possible and at Joost we uses natural ingredients, they realise that our make it easy for our customers to do products are of great value. We have found the just that,” stated Janine. The nutrition customers are happy to pay a little more for and health quotient of the products quality,” observed Janine. of Boost Juice Bars is nothing short Presently, the product portfolio of Joost Juice of impressive, and similar health Bars includes smoothies, fruity crushes, freshly philosophy has been percolated to the squeezed juices and also healthy food items. product profile of its Indian franchisee.

“Joost is about eating as close to nature as The impressive product range of Boost possible, and this means we need to consider includes 97 percent fat-free smoothies what is in season and what is local to the with pro-biotics, whole fruits and individual markets,” expressed Janine, while casting her ravishing smile. veggies, blended or juiced; 99 percent Rivoli Sinha (L) with Janine Allis Joost Juice Bars has a menu offering fat-free, dairy-free crushes among more than 30 juices, smoothies and crushes others. accompanied by healthy snacks and protein bars. This writer Boost Juice Bars has smartly endeavoured to cater to the got to taste one of the juices of Joost Juice Bars during the tastes of the Indian market. “Many of the products of Joost company’s press conference held recently, and though the Juice Bars are the same as the products of Boost Juice Bars in contents of the juice are unknown to him, it tasted delicious and Australia, but only an arrogant business would think that what works in their local market would also work in India. Rivoli has a was quite filling. good feel for the Indian market and its needs. She has included “The products at Joost Juice Bars are 98 percent fat free and juiced sugarcane in the menu, similar to what she had as a child, free from preservatives, artificial colours and flavours. All our but she has created this product in a modern and in a hygienic products are low in fat & saturated fat which make them healthy manner,” explained Janine. & safe for all age groups,” offered Rivoli, while adding, “The fruits

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REPORT

Restaurants to Contribute 2.1 Percent to India’s GDP by 2021 The Indian restaurant sector is estimated to create direct employment for 5.8 million people and contribute a whopping Rs. 22,400 crores by way of taxes to the Indian economy, in 2016

From left, Rahul Singh, Honorary Secretary NRAI, Venkatesh Kini, President Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, Riyaaz Amlani President NRAI, Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, Samir Kuckreja Past President and Trustee, NRAI, Arvind K. Singhal, Chairman and MD Technopak Advisors.

T

he restaurant industry alone would contribute 2.1 percent to the GDP of India by the year 2021, estimates the India Food Services Report (IFSR) 2016 by National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI).

India’s nominal GDP is expected to reach $3.6 trillion by 2021 from $2.3 trillion in 2016, the report, released by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), in New Delhi on July 20, pointed out.

“India has been on a high growth trajectory over the last couple of years.

India’s exponential growth and consumption in terms of frequency of eating out and experimentation with cuisines and concepts has given the F&B services sector such a fillip that this industry is currently estimated to be worth $48 billion in terms of overall market size,” the NITI Aayog CEO said after releasing the report.

“I am happy to unveil the NRAI India Food Services Report 2016, an industry paper

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that documents the various developmental parametres for the F&B sector at large,” he added.

While presenting details from the report, Rahul Singh, Honorary Secretary, NRAI, pointed out that the NRAI IFSR 2016 documents the unprecedented growth that this sector has witnessed while outlining some of the challenges that pose a barrier to entry and optimal operational efficiency of the industry.

The report’s findings reveal that the food services market in India has triggered growth across a wide range of ancillary industries, thus providing a boost to the entire ecosystem, he noted.

Key allied industries which support Indian food services industry and have benefited from its growth are agriculture and food processing, supply chain and logistics, real estate, kitchen equipment, and commissary.

“The total food services market today stands at Rs. 3,09,110 crores and has grown at 7.7 per cent since our last report in 2013.

This is projected to grow to Rs. 4,98,130

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crores at a CAGR of 10 percent by 2021,” Riyaaz Amlani, President, NRAI, said at the launch event.

“This year alone, the Indian restaurant sector will create direct employment for 5.8 million people and contribute a whopping INR 22, 400 crores by way of taxes to the Indian economy,” Amlani observed.

The report also reveals that the share of the organised market in India’s food service sector is just 33 percent.

“This is largely due to over regulation of our industry, the complex maze of approvals and licenses required and high tax brackets.

It is about time that our industry’s socioeconomic impact is recognised by the government, and it initiates immediate steps to unlock the true potential of this behemoth,” Amlani maintained.

The unorganised segment that dominates the Indian food services market comprises dhabas & roadside eateries (street stalls, hawkers, trolleys, stand-alone sweet shops) that have traditionally been the most common eating out options for Indians.

“The NRAI’s third research on the Indian food services industry is a comprehensive report that includes results from in-depth interaction with a variety of companies, meetings with over 50 CEOs, consumer research that covered 2000 people across 20 cities of India, and trade research at restaurants,” Samir Kuckreja, Past President and Trustee, NRAI, said while introducing the report.

While the Indian food services industry has seen a steady growth over the last three years, the report reveals that the industry has its fair share of roadblocks and challenges like high real estate and manpower costs, inadequate supply chain, infrastructure, financing issues and unfavourable policy formulation.

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health

Retaining Nutrition of

Chocolates

By Jyotismita Sharma

I

t is no secret that the dark side of chocolates is actually healthy one.

Emerging evidence from several studies suggests that eating chocolates is not only delicious but also good for our brain and heart. Chocolates can potentially lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce stroke risk. And much of chocolate’s nutrition comes from a compound called flavanols.

According to the Mars Center for Cocoa Health Science, flavanols are a distinct group of naturally occurring compounds that can be found in a variety of food products such as tea, red wine, blueberries and raw cocoa.

Cocoa flavanols are plant-derived bioactives from cocoa beans. Cocoa is an especially rich source of flavanols and the type and mixture of flavanols and procyanidins found in cocoa is unique. Many studies show cocoa flavanols have a range of proven health

36

benefits, including improved circulation and cardiovascular health, the research arm of the makers of leading chocolate brands such as Twix, and Snickers, said.

But do we actually get this nutrition from antioxidant activities and from flavanols of cocoa when we eat a chocolate cake or a chocolate cookie?

It may depend on the preparation as there is a risk of loss of nutrition during food processing and baking. So finding a way to retain chocolate’s nutrition in baking could help people indulge in the delicious muffins, cakes and cookies with less guilt.

Preventing Nutrition Loss In a study published in the Journal of Food Science, scientists from The Hershey Company -- a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery -- and US-based Brunswick Laboratories showed that in chocolate cakes,

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antioxidant activity and cocoa flavanols could be largely retained by using a combination of baking powder and baking soda.

With this method, over 85 percent of the cocoa flavanols were preserved in recipes for chocolate frosting, hot cocoa drink and chocolate cookies, the findings showed.

The scientists initially saw that 50 to 95 percent of the flavanols were lost in making chocolate cakes. After further investigation, they found that the use of baking soda in the chocolate cake recipe was associated with increased pH (measure of acidity) of the cake, darker colour, and a loss of flavanols and antioxidant activity during the baking process. Use of only baking powder in the cake recipes allowed complete retention of the antioxidant activity and cocoa flavanols, but resulted in a flat cake. By partially substituting baking

June-July ’16

powder for the baking soda, the cake pH was moderated and almost all of the flavanols were retained while still resulting in a cake with acceptable colour and height.

Numerous studies have reported on the fate of naturally occurring flavanols during cocoa bean fermentation and roasting, but there has been little investigation into what happens during cooking with cocoa powder.

In this study, the researchers selected recipes from cookbooks for a variety of cocoa-containing food products such as chocolate frosting, hot cocoa drinks, chocolate cookies, and chocolate cakes. The recipes were prepared using Hershey’s Natural Cocoa Powder and then measured for antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, and flavanols.

“Natural cocoa powder, like most dark chocolates, is a concentrated source of naturally occurring flavanols and can be a significant dietary source of flavanols” said David Stuart, Director of the Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition.

The researchers said that although previous studies had reported on the effect of fermentation and roasting on cocoa flavanols, this was the first paper to report on the effect of common cooking processes on cocoa flavanols in a wide variety of products, ranging from hot cocoa drink to chocolate frosting and chocolate cake.

This study showed that the choice of leavening agent and its effect on pH during baking is a key factor in the levels of antioxidant activity and flavanols, in a baked product.

More Healthy Chocolates Just as connoisseurs thought it couldn’t get any better, researchers have found a way to make chocolates even more nutritious — and sweeter.

Cocoa undergoes several steps before it takes shape as a candy bar or cocoa powder. Workers cut down pods from cocoa trees, then split open the pods to remove the white or purple cocoa beans.

They are fermented in banana-lined baskets for a few days and then set out to dry in the Sun. Roasting, the next step, brings out the flavour. But some of the healthy polyphenols (antioxidants) are lost during the roasting process, so the researchers wanted to figure out a way to retain as much of the

June-July ’16

polyphenols and good flavours as possible.

“We decided to add a pod-storage step before the beans were even fermented to see whether that would have an effect on the polyphenol content,” said Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa from the University of Ghana. “This is not traditionally done, and this is what makes our research fundamentally different,” Afoakwa asserted.

Afoakwa’s team divided 300 pods into four groups that were either not stored at all or stored for three, seven or 10 days before processing.

This technique is called ‘pulp preconditioning.’ After each storage period passed, fermentation and drying were done as usual. Seven-day storage resulted in the highest antioxidant activity after roasting, he reported, at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), held last year.

To assess the effects of roasting, the researchers took samples from each of the storage groups and roasted them at the same temperature for different times.

The current process is to roast the beans for 10-20 minutes at 120-130 degrees Celsius. The research team adjusted this to 45 minutes at 116.6 degrees Celsius and discovered that this slower roasting at a lower temperature increased the antioxidant activity compared to beans roasted with the conventional method.

Afoakwa informed that the beans that were stored and then roasted for 45 minutes had more polyphenols and higher antioxidant activity than beans whose pods were not stored prior to fermentation.

“Pulp preconditioning likely allowed the sweet pulp surrounding the beans inside the pod to alter the biochemical and physical constituents of the beans before the fermentation,” he explained.

“This aided the fermentation processes and enhanced antioxidant capacity of the beans, as well as the flavour,” he pointed out.

According to Afoakwa, the new technique would be particularly useful for countries in South-east Asia and Latin America where cocoa beans produce a chocolate with a less intense chocolate flavour and have reduced n antioxidant activity.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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ONLY OLIVES FROM SPAIN

THE PRODUCT TAKING INDIA BY STORM Discover why Spanish table olives are conquering the Indian preserved foods market

Photo Courtesy: Olives from Spain

S

panish table olives are completely vegetarian and can be found in over 120 countries.

Spanish table olives have a special place in the Indian market; on average, imports have increased by 109% since 2013. India imported more than 2.000 tons of olives in 2015, of which 97% were imported from the world’s leading producer, Spain.

What are olives, exactly? Olives are the fruit of the olive tree, which has been cultivated in the Mediterranean for millenia. Most olives are used to produce oil; however, a select few are used to maketable olives. These olives are evaluated on their flavour, size, separation of pit and flesh, the size of the pitrelative to the fruit, and low fat content. Manzanilla, Gordal, Hojiblanca, and Cacereña are names of a few of the Spanish table olives that meet these standards.

Spanish table olives are very interesting from a nutritional stand point as well. Olives are a natural source of vitamin E, which helps protect cells from oxidation. Olives also contain vitamin A, iron, fibre, calcium, and magnesium, yet they are a low calorie food. In fact, olives contain 150 kcal per 100g, compared to 450-550 kcal for other common snacks. Seven olives a day represents just 37 kcal.

There are three types of Spanish olives, depending on when they are harvested. Green olives are harvested before the fruit has ripened.

Reddish, purplish, and tan olives are harvested during the ripening process, and black olives are fully ripened when harvested. The timing of the harvests combined with the wide variety of marinating and pickling processes means that there are hundreds of regional varieties

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of olives and over 80 kinds of stuffed olives.

Olives contain the four basic flavours — sweet, salty, sour, and bitter — making them a delicious snack and a versatile ingredient. Chef Sabyasachi Gorai has created a series of fusion recipes with Spanish olives. These recipes include marinades with herbs and spices and adaptations of traditional Indian recipes to include Spanish olives, such as Punjabi Olive Samosas and Olive Raita. Indian consumers appreciate this delicious, exotic fruit that is well suited to the vegetarian and nonvegetarian Indian diet and also fits in with the growing interest in a healthy, balanced diet that is open to new flavours.

Learn more about the Olives from Spain campaign in India at

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www.olivesfromspain.in

June-July ’16

Chicken Olive Kathi Roll Level of difficulty: Medium Preparation time: 30 min Number of serves: 2-3 portions Ingredients

QTY UNIT

Sliced Black and Green Olives from Spain 30 pcs Refined Flour (Maida) Rotis 5 pcs Boneless Chicken 300 g Gingergarlic Paste 15 g Salt to Taste Pure Olive Oil 20 ml Roasted Cumin Powder 5 g Coriander Powder 2 g Red Chili Powder 5 g Chaat Masala 3 g Sliced Onions 30 g Fresh Coriander Leaves Chopped 15 g Bell Peppers Sliced 15 g

Directions • Mix ginger paste, garlic paste and salt and marinate chicken cubes in it for an hour preferably in the refrigerator. Heat oil in a pan and sauté chicken cubes till done.

• Add roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix sliced onions and sliced Spanish black and green olives.

• To make kathi rolls, put one teaspoon of pure olive oil on a tawa and lightly heat the rotis. Place six to eight pieces of cooked chicken and sprinkle with remaining green chilies and coriander leaves.

• Spread the sliced green and black Spanish olives, a spoonful of onion and carrot mixture on the roti and sprinkle salt.

• Roll the roti tightly over the stuffing and serve.

Olive Bhindi Masala

Ingredients

QTY UNIT

Black Olives from Spain

30

pcs

Coriander Powder

3

g

Red Chili Powder

3

g

Turmeric Powder

3

g

Green Chili, Chopped

1

pc

Tomatoes, Chopped

2

pcs

Cuminseed

5

g

Mustard Seeds

5

g

Pure Olive Oil

30

ml

Level of difficulty: Medium Preparation time: 30 min Number of serves: 1-2 portions

Salt to Taste Bhindi

250

g

Onions, Chopped

2

pcs

Directions • Heat oil in a pan.

• Once hot, toss in the cumin and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.

• Once it stops spluttering, add green chili and onions. Stir-fry on medium heat until browned. Remove from heat and keep aside in a plate.

• Pour 1/4 cup of oil in the same wok.

• Add the chopped bhindi and stir-fry for a few minutes until cooked and aromatic. This way, the bhindi will not split while cooking and the dish turns out very tasty.

• Remove the bhindi from the heat once it is fried and lightly browned.

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• Add the sautéed onion mixture back to the wok and toss in the fried okra. Mix well to combine and let it cook for a minute on medium heat.

• Now, add all the masala {spice} powders and mix well.

• Let it cook for 5 minutes.

• Add the chopped tomatoes, Spanish black olives, mix well and cover the wok. Let the flavors blend well and the tomatoes cook until softened. This takes about 7 minutes.

• Uncover, add salt and mix well.

• Allow to cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.

• Remove from flame and serve hot with rotis.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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C OV E R S TO R Y

India is Loving

Fine Dine

The concept of fine dine is on the rise, in the Indian food service industry. As the liveried stewards/waiters make their way towards your table in a fine dining restaurant and present you with a menu with a flourish, you are likely to be impressed by the classy demeanour of the people serving you as well as with the ambience and dĂŠcor of the place.

Then comes the menu‌The menu at such a restaurant may offer the guests a wide choice of dishes which they may have had on their visit/s abroad and yearned for them for quite some time here, in India.

Ashok Malkani takes a look at the growing popularity of fine dining food & beverage outlets in the Indian food service industry and finds that the experience of partaking a meal at a fine dining outlet can indeed be an experience worth savouring.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

June-July ’16

C OV E R S TO R Y

T

op hoteliers now often talk of “staging an experience” and “shaping the atmosphere” at their establishments. These are becoming crucial elements in their bid to woo the Indian gastrocrat, who has been growing more and more sophisticated.

Indians are travelling more than ever before and thus on an average, they have more access to the best of global dishes, than they had a decade before.

Consequently, their expectations from the Indian restaurants have risen too.

Now, there is a new breed of luxury consumers in urban India – the professionals with high discretionary spending ability. Therefore nowadays fine dine or haute cuisine, in top restaurants, is no longer the preserve of the elites. With the spending power on the increase, even the middle-classes in urban India are now able to partake in the Michelin-starred meal, once in a while. And in pockets of urban India now eating out in a high-end restaurant is considered an experience worth paying for.

Reasons for the Popularity “Fine dining has become popular in Indian food service industry nowadays owing to the increase in the customer spending power and rising income levels. Also, people today are well travelled and enjoy sophisticated environments; therefore they look forward to a fine dining experience as opposed to a more casual set up. People who appreciate artistically plated food and are knowledgeable of exquisite and

June-July ’16

rare ingredients also enjoy fine dining restaurants,” opined Chef Himanshu Taneja, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

“India has now become a major hub of guests asking for the same or similar gastronomic experience which they would have experienced in some other country.

Moreover, with the World Wide Web at their fingertips, the guests now want to experience what they see online, or in their own country. This has created a growing market for fine dine,” declared Chef Neelabh Sahay — Executive Sous Chef, Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences.

“Fine dining is becoming popular in India because the spending power of the restaurant going guests in India has increased over the last decade. Moreover, the customers are becoming aware

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about the new culinary concepts and the benefits of having healthy food,” proffered Nishendra Kashyap, Director, Food and Beverage, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore.

Chef Alok Kumar Pathran, Chef de Cuisine, Jaipur Marriott Hotel feels there are numerous reasons for the popularity of fine dine restaurants in the country.

Briefly he lists them as, “Detailed attention to menu making, refined way of service, extremely high quality of the products, and personalised service being given to guests by steward/s.”

Chef Rajinder Sareen, Executive Sous Chef, Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa agrees that fine dine is becoming popular in the Indian food services industry. “Nowadays many of the people who dine out are well travelled and they have experienced fine dining at different corners of the world.

They are spreading the awareness about fine dining in their own network through social networking or by chatting, etc.,” he pointed out.

Parvez Sheikh, F&B Manager, Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai is of the view that the popularity of fine dine is mainly “because of the quality of service, cuisinespecific food, style of service, ambience and a status approach to the people who expect the best of the best.”

“More Indian restaurant guests are now travelling across the world, than they had done ever before. They carry their experiences of the food and services experienced in countries which are experts in fine dining concept. This experience leads to greater demand for fine dining in the Indian scenario. To elaborate further, different fine dining chains are

41

C OV E R S TO R Y

Rajinder Sareen

also entering the Indian market due to good demand for their concepts in India,” elaborated Sheikh further.

“The concept of fine dine has definitely been on the rise, in the Indian food services industry. With more knowledge about various international cuisines at their disposal, now customers want to experience a lavish and luxurious dining experience with authentic food. The Chefs at these restaurants identify with and are familiar with the world famous cooking techniques. Moreover, the ambience and service of a fine dining restaurant facilitate a worthwhile experience,” stated Puneet Sharma, Food and Beverage Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon.

“There are fine dining restaurants but I believe the trend today in the Indian food services industry is more pronounced on the casual dining experience. Simple, wholesome, authentic food set in friendly ambience and food that can be enjoyed over conversations with friends and family is in trend, in the Indian food services industry,” opined Surjan Singh Jolly, Director, Food and Beverage – JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. He believes that casual dining can never go out of style.

Reginald Fernandes, Director, Food & Beverage, Hyatt Regency Pune, too is of a similar view. “Fine dine is now losing its charm, especially across standalone outlets, as today’s guests hardly have much time at hand due to the busy work schedule and hectic travel. They rather prefer to spend less time on small and quick meals, in a relaxed ambience,” pointed out Fernandes.

rise in the Indian food services industry, there is also a belief that along with the ambience and service the tastes of the Indian diners is also changing. They are now evolving in terms of their food preferences. Consequently, fine dining restaurants are now opting for innovation and experimentation to cater to their discerning clientele. The cost factor in fine dining restaurants also needs serious exploration. This writer talked with some personnel involved in the operations of fine dining restaurants to get a more holistic perspective of these issues.

“The cost factor affects the fine dining restaurants because here the food & beverages are being served at high cost to maintain the profitability. It is thus important to pull revenue to various sources to balance the cost factor,” Sheikh cautioned.

“More and more people are choosing to eat out on regular basis. Our food habits too have evolved over time, with more exposure to international cuisines. We at JW Café, at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, provide our guests a variety of cuisines, which includes both Indian (regional dishes) and an international fare such as Japanese, Thai, and Continental. We stay true to the flavours and authenticity of the dish, however the presentation style varies.

For example, at Romano’s we serve homestyle, authentic Italian food. However, we have introduced interesting concepts here through means of promotional menu such as ‘Black is Back’- an all black ingredient menu and ‘A Chocolate Affair’ – using chocolate as the core ingredient in a five course menu,” informed Surjan Singh.

“The Indian consumers are evolving in terms of their food preferences. They are looking for unique and novel experiences

Initiatives and the Cost With a majority of the experts claiming that the popularity of fine dine is on the

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Devang Badiani

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Surjan Singh Jolly

and this has, and will, continue to command change within the market. As far as Jaipur Marriott Hotel is concerned, we have come up with varied food promotions every month. We also call in a specialised Chef, known for his/her expertise in a particular cuisine from other Marriott properties, to ensure authenticity and consistency in the respective cuisine,” affirmed Chef Alok.

“Cost factor is always a concern in a fine dining restaurant. The costs in a fine dining restaurant are always high because of the high quality of products being used, because of better crockery and cutlery being employed, and because of refined service. However, the target consumer of a fine dining restaurant is different from a casual restaurant. With evolved guest base, the impact of cost is reducing,” maintained Chef Alok, while discussing the cost factor in fine dining restaurants in India.

Pooja Arambhan, Co-curator, MeSoHappi & The Captain’s Table, Mumbai, concurs that the consumers in the Indian restaurant industry are becoming more receptive to experimentation. “To cater to their tastes, MeSoHappi & The Captain’s Table, Mumbai have tried to take traditional recipes and add a fine dine, modern twist to it. Also, we try to keep ourselves up to date with the changing food trends. For instance, we have introduced gluten free dishes as people are becoming more health conscious,” she asserted.

Devang Badiani, Managing Director, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resorts, Lonavala, too agrees that more and more people are now open to experimenting with their palates and are also appreciating the global delectable choices. “As far as the F&B

June-July ’16

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C OV E R S TO R Y and awareness about various cuisines and dining concepts. For instance, we had introduced dessert pizzas which were created using the normal dough but in place of the usual toppings fruits, Indian desserts, etc. were used and this was appreciated by a lot of guests. At Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon we aim to present innovative dishes to match the tastes and preferences of the evolving Indian palates,” asserted Sharma.

The Essential Differences Alok Kumar Pathran

outlet at Rumourss Sky Villa & Resorts is concerned, it is a multi-cuisine, fine dine located within the premises of a boutique resort. So, depending on the consumer preferences, we mostly customise dining as per their wish. However, when it comes to fine dining, our methodology is to pre arrange a limited menu that offers a choice of courses. This may include everything from wine to desserts and would adhere to a more formal ambience,” informed Badiani.

“As far as cost is concerned, fine dine is a niche concept and restaurateurs are aware that fine dine outlets will attract only niche audiences,” Badiani pointed out.

“Eating out habits have changed and people are experimenting with molecular gastronomy and there is an introduction of fusion cooking. We at Mezzaluna in Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore have come up with pizzas in Indian style like a Chicken Tikka Pizza, and Paneer and Broccoli Pizza. But we prefer to stick to authentic Italian food,” maintained Kashyap.

“We try to experiment with 20 percent of the total dining experience; ranging from local produce to new flavours. This, we have seen, helps break the monotony of one’s dining experience,” said Chef Himanshu.

“At one of our restaurants we break the classics into components; reconstruct them in the way that we perceive, without affecting the taste,” conveyed Chef Neelabh.

“Indian consumers nowadays are definitely more open to experimenting with food. They are willing to try out fusion dishes, specially paired with Indian cuisine. They are looking for restaurants that offer traditional dishes with a modern twist. This is primarily due to globalisation

44

However, experimentation and innovation in food is not the prerogative of fine dining restaurants only. The casual restaurants too are adopting techniques like fusion food.

So one is bound to ask the differences between casual dine and fine dine.

“Fine dining is a more formal setting of dining at a full service restaurant as compared to casual dining. Most of the fine dining restaurants have dedicated meal courses. The style of service too in fine dining restaurants is more formal.

The ambience of fine dining restaurants is also classy. Their presentation of the food is expected to be stylish and artistic in nature. Moreover, in fine dining restaurants mainly very high quality ingredients are being used. Casual dining, on the other hand, has a more relaxed ambience. There the style of service is more easy and friendly. This type of restaurants promotes community style eating,” explained Singh.

“According to my experience, fine dining restaurants tend to present food and service in a formal way, with flawless skill. Their modus operandi of having no technical lapses is meant to woo their

Neelabh Sahay

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Himanshu Taneja

guests. However a casual dining is more towards quick service with no restriction on style,” aired Sheikh.

“Fine dine is more classy, elegant and stylish, targeting niche crowd, with very high pricing. Even the entertainment offered here is more classy than that of the casual dining restaurants. Casual dining has a different target guest profile which has little time at hand as compared to fine dine. At casual dining outlets the style of service is more casual and unpretentious,” differentiated Fernandes.

“Casual dining is dining in a casual environment. Here the food served ranges from low to moderate prices and the dress code here is casual. Fine dining on the other hand is elegant dining with five-star services, with gourmet menu often created by the Chef. Naturally it has high pricing.

Reservations are usually required in fine dining restaurants,” described Chef Alok.

Moreover, the dress code at fine dining restaurants is expected to be formal.

“The differences range not just in the menu, pricing, ambience and service but also in the target guests for the two kinds of restaurants,” iterated Pooja.

“A fine dine restaurant is supposed to be a restaurant with a more formal ambience and a restaurant following sophistication in food etiquettes. Whereas a casual dine-in, as the name suggests, has a relaxed atmosphere and the menu could be something that caters to all kinds of palates,” stated Badiani.

“A fine dining restaurant is a formal restaurant which may/may not have a dress code. The food and the style of service at a fine dine outlet would be more refined and personalised. On the other hand the casual dine would tend to have its focus towards a homely environment with more of comfort food and quick service,” aired

June-July ’16

June-July ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

45

BUSINESS owned and operated,” Kashyap stated further.

“A fine dine restaurant is more formal in terms of ambience, cuisine, service and dress codes. There the meal courses are more structured and elaborate. Menus in such restaurants remain constant over longer periods as customers identify with them. Whereas, in a casual restaurant, the menus are more quirky and could change with evolving trends,” opined Pooja.

Parvez Sheikh

Chef Neelabh.

“Fine dining restaurants are full service restaurants with specific dedicated meal courses. Décor of such restaurants features high-quality materials, with an eye towards the ‘atmosphere’ desired by the restaurateur. The wait staff is usually highly trained and often wears more formal attire. Fine dining restaurants are almost always small businesses and are generally either single-location operations or have just a few locations. Here the food portions are visually appealing.

Fine dining restaurants have certain conventions of dining which visitors are generally expected to follow, which often include a dress code,” elaborated Kashyap.

“A casual dining restaurant is a restaurant that serves moderately-priced food in a casual atmosphere. Except for buffet-style restaurants, casual dining restaurants typically provide table service.

Casual dining comprises a market segment between fast food establishments and fine dining restaurants. Casual dining restaurants often have a full bar with separate bar staff, a large beer menu and a limited wine menu. They are frequently, but not necessarily, part of a wider chain, particularly in the United States. In Italy, such casual restaurants are often called ‘trattoria’, and are usually independently

46

The Preferred Model Fine dine restaurants now come in all formats – stand-alone, branded chains or housed in star hotels. There is a difference of opinion about which are more preferred. Some of them believe that stand-alone fine dines score over fine dine chains or those fine dine outlets which are housed in star hotels. They opine that these are favoured because of the superior quality of food and high standard of service. Mostly stand-alone fine dining restaurants are run by a dedicated Chef or a Restaurant Manager who is involved in all the decision making process and does a lot of innovative menus, promotions, and value for money deals to get the crowd in their restaurants.

Others aver that the stand-alone fine dine restaurants many a time can’t maintain the standards in terms of food and service consistently, which can put them at a disadvantage. The opinion about the preference of one format of fine dining restaurants over the other seems to be equally divided. However, the experts whom this writer spoke too seem to be enthusiastic about the future of fine dining restaurants in the Indian food service industry.

The Future is Fine “With so much innovation and evolving trends in food, the future of fine dining

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Nishendra Kashyap

restaurants in India is surely bright and uniqueness is the key to this future.

Although there is a lot of competition, innovation and experimenting to keep our customers coming back is what motivates us to do better,” averred Sharma.

“The future of fine dining restaurants is bright because as food lovers travel, they are developing their taste buds and consequently are wanting to try different cuisines and ingredients. Moreover, they are spreading awareness,” Chef Rajinder added.

“The future is very good for fine dine restaurants in India, but there has to be a constant evolution in terms of food and service as there is a lot of competition and it is often neck to neck,” asserted Kashyap.

Chef Neelabh too believes that the future for fine dine in the Indian food service industry is bright. “The way fine dining restaurants have come up during the past decade – and with a boost in travel and tourism – there seems to be a huge demand in the future for many fine dines. Probably the lesser known cuisines would take up a major chunk of the market,” he opined.

“The future of fine dine restaurant is great because this type of experience will keep intact impeccable hospitality, which is getting affected by the casual service.

An increase of fine dine restaurants will definitely be better for the Indian food & beverage industry and also for the Indian hotel industry,” explained Sheikh.

Yes, everyone this writer spoke to on the issue of future of fine dining restaurants in India was of the view that the future of fine dine restaurants is bright in the Indian food services industry, and this concept is sure to continue to prosper and flourish. So let n us raise a toast to fine dine.

June-July ’16

June-July ’16

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BUSINESS

Image courtesy: Rosenthal

Inducing

Appetite

with Style

Food presentation is also crucial for today’s food service business. The way the food looks on the plate is what tempts our eyes and induces us to taste it. Food presentation can turn a party into a grand success.

Having a nice table setting, which can entail positioning the silverware properly around the plates and having matching or complementary glasses in their place, can influence your enjoyment of the meal.

The cutlery and other tableware must be attention grabbing and appealing to the onlookers’ aesthetic senses. With the food service industry and the home-owners now paying more attention to the tableware, Ashok Malkani finds that there is ample scope for the growth of this industry in the country.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

June-July ’16

BUSINESS

I

t can be rightly said that out of all the five senses that we possess food flirts the most with taste and smell. But there is a third dimension—the visual attractiveness of the food — which also plays a vital role in our enjoyment of food. The saying ‘one eats with eyes first’ is quite right.

And the Indian food service industry seems to be taking the inherent truth in this saying more seriously now than it did before. Consequently, tableware and presentation of the food is playing an important role in F&B outlets across the country. Here it deserves a mention that the Indian tableware market can be broken down into three broad categories: dinnerware (plates, bowls, cups, saucers and mugs), glassware (beverage ware, stemware and barware of both glass and crystal) and flatware (eating utensils).

Tracing the history of tableware, one finds that the first ever tableware was the green clayware. The first tableware unit in India was attempted by the renowned scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, in the early part of the 20th century in Kolkata. However, the first organised unit of tableware was set up by MG Bhagat

June-July ’16

in Kolkota, in 1955, named as Bengal Potteries. Since then the tableware in India has come a long way…

The Indian tableware industry has evolved through different phases of metamorphosis. The growth drivers for the industry are growing middle class population and increasing purchasing power, growth in organised retail sector, and growing leisure hospitality and catering industry in the country.

Indian tableware industry has evolved considerably since the past decade. The

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

quality of the products in the Indian tableware industry is improving to cater to the global standards. With investments in improved latest technologies and availability of inputs from global markets, it is expected that within a decade our tableware products will gain global recognition.

Tableware Trends “With the world changing their palates, hotels and restaurants are changing their plates. Having avid travellers

49

BUSINESS

Glenn Ewart

as guests, hotels and restaurants are bringing in exclusivity on tables and to match them, manufacturers are not far behind. Companies are starting to compete on presentation and creative design to further ‘spice-up’ their tables.

Since the past couple of years, there are various trends creating waves in the Indian cutlery circle. The demand is not anymore restricted to Bone China or porcelain. The demand has gone beyond the old school charisma and has given birth to the new era of tableware in order to attract patrons,” stated Nishendra Kashyap, Director, Food and Beverage, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore.

“For example, there are restaurants who keep their tableware according to their theme and some like to keep it sophisticated and elegant. The use of different materials has also evolved, and restaurants are now using stoneware to add a dash of style,” he added further.

One of the emerging trends in the global cutlery business is the growing popularity of coloured cutlery.

Glenn Ewart, the former Export Business Development Manager of

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Churchill, one of the leading tableware companies globally, said, “The global market for tableware is projected to exceed 41 billion USD by 2020, driven by consumer interest in social dining with family and friends and growing sophistication in the practice of fine dining. The growth in the market is also supported by favourable demographic factors and the marked preference for at-home entertainment and the ensuing increase in the frequency of hosting lunch and dinner events at home. The growing importance of food presentation and styling as the most important finishing touch to culinary skills is also benefiting the sales of tableware. Asia-Pacific ranks as the fastest growing market with a CAGR of 5.4 percent, led by robust demand for imported branded tableware; westernisation of food and entertainment habits, growing affluence of the middle class population, rising penchant for trendy lifestyles, and rise in the number of fine dining restaurants.” Churchill, which has entered the Indian market, prides itself for being able to launch new products three times a year.

“Crockery has by far become an integral part of dining rooms not only because of its utility but also because of the fact that it can lend grandeur even to a humble little dwelling. Crockery adds grace and class to the decor of the dining room, thereby giving it a royal ambience,” proffered Nishek Jain, Owner of a restaurant named 29, located in Mumbai.

The demand for crockery in India has undergone dramatic change. Crockery is no longer used only as a serve ware but as a lifestyle product. With the changing lifestyle and attitude of people, the design

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Rhea Singhal

of crockery has undergone sea change.

A transition from stainless steel to glass wares has been observed. With cultural diversity and varied lifestyles in India, the Indian crockery market happens to be one of the most vibrant market segments.

The Market Scenario Earlier China was leader in porcelain ware, however, it also developed good quality Bone China and started competing with Indian manufacturers.

To compete with the Chinese products, Indian manufacturers also started using high quality raw materials imported from Turkey, New Zealand and China.

By importing raw materials, Indian manufacturers avoided the problem of free-silica, iron and TiO2 in ball/ secondary clays in India, which helped to attain required strength of body.

Of late, Indian manufacturers have upgraded their equipment to auto cup machines, heavy duty de-airing pug mill, filter press and roller hearth kilns. The result is that India is, today, the second largest producer of Bone China tableware after China, in the world.

However, it may be added that Indian Bone China tableware manufacturers are doing good business worldwide only in large mugs (280-320 ml) segments. But till now very few Indian manufacturers have successfully produced dinner wares of international quality. Lack of proper technology is one of the main reasons for failure. But this is being rectified as new Bone China units in India are using latest technology and equipment and even old stoneware industry is modernising and converting facilities for manufacturing Bone China with latest equipment.

The current market size of total tableware market in India is estimated at Rs.2082 crore. The total approximate turnover of opal ware in India is Rs.300

June-July ’16

BUSINESS crore, the total approximate turnover of glassware and bakeware in India is Rs.702 crore. The current market size of Bone China and ceramics in India are Rs.300 crore and Rs.250 crore respectively.

With the Indian diners now paying more heed to the presentation of the food, the demand for exquisite tableware is increasing in the country. The result is the tableware market in the country is in an upbeat mood. Investors – Indian as well as international – are now showing keen interest in the Indian tableware industry.

One of the reasons why foreign investors are eyeing the Indian market is because the government has been introducing new policies to stabilise the trade gap in various industries, including tableware industry. It may be mentioned that, at present, the Indian tableware industry is largely confined in the unorganised sector.

Eco-friendly Tableware New technology is also bringing in adventurous industrialists to come up with new ideas like eco-friendly tableware. Rhea Singhal, CEO of Ecoware, said that when she started the company, her idea was to

use plant biomass to create disposable tableware that is strong, water resistant, and aesthetic.

Her company started using bagasse (not the edible parts of any plant) to make a range of disposable dishes that are certified by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) as being compostable.

Today, her products are used in several restaurants, institutions and schools.

“We manufacture and sell biodegradable disposable tableware, made entirely from plants. Our portfolio includes cups, plates, bowls and trays in addition to biodegradable cutlery.

We have our own manufacturing units to convert crop waste into moulded tableware. We sell our products to QSR

formats, caterers, schools, hospitals, hotels and in retail trade, both online and offline. Ecoware is 100 percent natural. It contains no chemicals, toxins, plastics or metal. Our approach is to delink plastic from food,” explained Rhea.

Overall, we can say that the Indian tableware market is all set for a leap forward. As with other industries, this industry has also has seen consolidation and acquisition. The increase in middle class disposable income and predilection towards quality lifestyle among a sizeable section of Indian consumers have created a demand for tableware that is eyecatching and attractive, to help stimulate the appetite and induce customers to the n F&B outlets.

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f e a ture

It is Time for Health Restaurants

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith health consciousness rising in the urban Indian society — a healthy trend which is also contributed by the unhealthy reality of a spate of lifestyle diseases afflicting us — there is a pressing need for the Indian food service industry to bring more healthy food products & beverages for the eating out crowd, without compromising on the guests’ tastes.

It is about time we have more ‘health restaurants’ in the Indian food service industry. They should not only stringently adhere to all FSSAI rules and regulations but should go beyond that. They should ideally serve not only healthy food & beverages, but ‘only’ healthy food & beverages. Moreover, the menus of these restaurants should

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ideally be certified as ‘healthy’ by the renowned and independent dieticians and nutritionists, who of course, should not have any stake in such restaurants.

The Role of Experts Nowadays, with many dieticians and nutritionists having national fame, it can be a pragmatic decision on the part of restaurants serving healthy food & beverages to get their restaurants’ menus endorsed by such renowned dieticians and nutritionists. A given health restaurant can choose to get any one nutritionist and/or dietician to endorse its menus.

Both the nationally renowned clinical nutritionist, Ishi Khosla, and Dr. Ritika Samadaar, Regional HeadDept of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, supported my view when I suggested that restaurants which are focused on serving healthy food & beverages should get their menus evaluated or endorsed by nutritionists and dieticians of repute. “This can be a healthy exercise and it can facilitate those restaurants to stand apart from the crowd,” proffered Ritika.

However, endorsement of menus of restaurants attempting to position themselves as healthy restaurants by renowned nutritionists and/or dieticians

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

can be easily done by the evaluation of the past and present offerings of those restaurants, but that is no guarantee that those restaurants would maintain their healthy track record of serving only healthy food & beverages in the near and distant future too.

Ritika, as usual, has a pragmatic suggestion to prevent such a possible loss of health quotient of health restaurants in the future. “It would always give more credence if such health restaurants have a renowned nutritionist or a dietician or both in their panel on a regular basis, who would supervise the health quotient of their food & beverage offerings from time to time,” opined Ritika. These nutritionists and dieticians on the panel can also work in tandem with the Chef or the team of Chefs of those restaurants to develop the menus in a way so that they can amalgamate the best of taste and health.

This measure would help health restaurants to maintain quality control and hence their market positioning, both of which are extremely crucial in this frantically competitive food service industry.

“Health restaurant can be a market savvy option for restaurateurs in the Indian food service industry in these times, when more numbers of people in India are more aware of the health

June-July ’16

f e a ture quotient of food & beverages than they were ever before. Many of them are in fact, looking for healthy eating options and preferring them,” asserted Ritika.

Some Healthy Infusions In fact, there is a popular perception that taste and health don’t go hand in hand, but like most popular perceptions this too has very little scientific validity.

Ritika thinks this assumption can be easily countered with tasty and healthy products like soyabean cutlets, soyabean chops, ragi cakes, ragi rotis, multigrain rotis and multigrain breads, desserts with yoghurt and dahi, grilled fish and chicken and many, many other healthy food options. She believes health restaurants should focus on snacks based on ragi, bajra, and whole grain.

“The Indian food service industry should also show a shift towards multigrain rotis and multigrain breads, and should more extensively use whole wheat grain as the base for cakes,” averred Ritika, while also pointing out that “For frying purposes, oat crumbs should be used by the health restaurants instead of bread crumbs.”

June-July ’16

Dr. Ritika Samadaar

She also suggested that pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds should be used as ingredients in such health restaurants, wherever it is feasible.

It can be a pragmatic option to have ground flaxseeds into muffin, cookie, or bread recipes. Here it deserves a mention that both flax seeds and chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. “And of course, the products

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

of such restaurants must be less on salt, should have minimal use of preservatives that is not more than wherever they are absolutely necessary, and should have very less or no added sugar,” Ritika suggested. At the same time she acknowledged that totally abhorring the use of preservatives in a restaurant is not a practical option.

“Maple syrup, molasses, Stevia could be used as alternatives to sugar in health restaurants, wherever possible,” the doctor pointed out.

And of course, health restaurants should have extensive use of fresh green seasonal vegetables and fresh seasonal fruits in their dishes, as long as the taste of the dish is not compromised upon.

According to Ritika, the issue of affordability in health restaurants could be addressed in a ‘healthy way’ by going for indigenous ingredients and through extensive usage of seasonal vegetables and fruits in the restaurants’ menu.

There is no denying the fact that the Chefs and F&B Managers of health restaurants would have to exercise their creativity quite vigorously to invariably incorporate good taste in their healthy

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offerings. It is because without taste, healthy food can not have market edge.

Other Suggested Measures Ritika categorically stated that healthy food & beverages needn’t necessarily be something exotic or organically produced, entailing exorbitant pricing.

“Even everyday commonplace food like roti and pulses can be spruced with health and can be prepared in a healthy manner,” pointed out the renowned dietician.

There is no need for health restaurants to serve only costly food, which would be out of reach of the majority of the eating out crowd, and neither it is necessary that they can have only presence in the metros and tier-I cities of the country. “Even tier-II cities can have market for such health restaurants,” proffered Ritika.

Sometime back Ishi Khosla had suggested to me that the “allergen status of food items which have potential to cause allergy should be mentioned in the restaurants’ menu.” This would safeguard people vulnerable to allergies to certain types of food. This can be

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another attribute of a health restaurant; by introducing this measure they can be friendly to the guests who are susceptible to allergies.

The role of interactive menus (a topic discussed in the last issue by this writer) where guests can have a say(but not final say) in changing the menu according to their preferred choices, can also be helpful in maintaining or enhancing the health quotient of health restaurants. Ritika thinks that the lack of sufficient health attribute in the Indian food service industry today is basically a supply side problem.

She rightly believes that if guests can have more say in the food & beverages that they are being served in restaurants, they are expected to choose healthy options. And a great majority of guests who would come or do come to such health restaurants can be expected to choose only healthy food & beverages in their menu suggestions, provided of course they do not compromise on the tastes.

Ishi also suggested that restaurants should have a selection of food products for people afflicted with gluten related disorders. Restaurants positioning themselves as health restaurants can do well to heed to such wonderful advice. It would be better if menu for people with gluten related disorders are highlighted in a distinctive manner, like in a different colour than the rest of the menu. Of course, such exercises again require the advise/help of the nutritionists and dieticians.

Dr. Shikha Sharma, the Founder of Nutri -Health Systems (P) Ltd. and the nationally renowned diet maven also

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

suggested to me sometime back that to attract more and more people afflicted with certain types of health issues, restaurants can make special menus as per medical issues of individuals for e.g.diabetic menu, hypertensive menu, dyslipidemia menu, etc. This idea can be adopted by the health restaurants.

By developing menus for people with special medical issues, the health restaurants can enhance their clientele base.

It would also be better if such health restaurants have a juice bar within their

premises, serving healthy fruit juices in uncommon combinations. This can be an added attraction to such restaurants.

Ambience, Décor and Promotion The ambience and décor of such restaurants should also reflect a healthy lifestyle. For example, larger than life sized photos of people walking, exercising, cycling, plying sports, etc. can be part of their décor. Soothing and soul uplifting music can be part of the ambience of such restaurants. And of course, it goes without saying that any restaurant thinking of positioning itself as health restaurant should have spic and span hygiene; not only in its kitchens but in every inch of its space..

Yes, health restaurants with the incorporation of the above discussed attributes can be construed as a relatively new concept in the Indian food service industry but I think that it can still garner quick popularity for these restaurants can effectively fill a market gap in the Indian food service industry of present times.

By organising some health and fitness related events from time to time like marathon run, kick boxing competition among women or lectures or fitness sessions by health or fitness experts, these health restaurants can get more publicity and hence market momentum among its target guest profile. n

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AGRI

The

Fruit as

Vegetable

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

here is some long-standing confusion regarding classifying tomato as a fruit or a vegetable.

Tomato is commonly treated in culinary terms as a vegetable, but botanically it is a fruit. It develops from the ovary of the plant after fertilisation. The tomato fruit is a berry. It is the edible fruit of Solanum lycopersicum, which is the scientific name of the tomato plant. One can say that scientifically speaking tomato is a fruit, but in popular perception it is a vegetable because tomatoes are more extensively used in savoury dishes than in sweet dish preprations.

Tomato plants are vines and if supported, they grow generally up to 6ft or more above the ground. Tomatoes most commonly come in red and orange colours, but yellow and green coloured tomatoes are also abundant. Unripe tomatoes are often green in colour.

Even pink and purple tomatoes are also found. There are around 7500 varieties of tomatoes found! Beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, campari tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, pear tomatoes are some among them.

The History The genesis of the word tomato can be traced to the Nahuatl word tomati which gave rise to the Spanish word tomate, from where the English word tomato was derived. According to Wikipedia, Nahuatl is a language or a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family.

The origin of tomatoes can be attributed to Central and South America. It is believed that people in today’s Mexico were the first to use tomato as a food item. The history of its usage can be dated back to the 6th century BC.

The Spanish colonisation of Americas led to the introduction of tomatoes in Europe, during the 16th century. The Spanish people also took tomatoes to the Philippines, and from there it spread to the South-east Asia and then to the entire Asia. It sounds strange that during their initial days in Europe, tomatoes were thought to be poisonous

by Europeans. Though recipes made through the infusion of tomatoes can be delicious, its leaves are indeed poisonous. These days, tomatoes are widely consumed throughout the world.

In fact, it is one of the most liked food products in the world.

Cultivation, Production and Storage Though tomato plants can grow in most of the habitable climatic conditions, the ideal climate for the growth of tomatoes is the temperate climate. Tomato seeds can easily and quickly germinate between temperatures ranging from 68 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Tomatoes can be grown all over the year. Tomatoes require nutrient-rich, fast-draining loamy soil to attain impressive growth.

China is the top tomato producing country in the world, followed by India.

United States of America takes the third position in our blue planet as far as tomato production goes.

As far as storage of tomatoes goes, ideally they should be kept unwashed at room temperatures and shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. Refrigeration of tomatoes can negatively influence their flavour.

Wide Culinary Usage Tomatoes can be eaten raw in salads and can also be used in several culinary

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

June-July ’16

AGRI applications. They are integral part of many cuisines, but especially of Mediterranean cuisine. Tomato ketchup and tomato sauce are extremely common condiments and are extensively used to add taste and flavour to myriad dishes.

Tomato soup can set the mood for a great meal. Tomato juice is consumed as a beverage. Tomato is also used to make salsa or sandwiches. Peach-tomato salsa is a wonderful low calorie snack.

In pizzas, and in pasta sauces, tomatoes are extensively used.

Tomatoes are also used in burgers. Tomato is used in several Indian dishes ranging from butter chicken to mutton curry to fish curry to matar paneer to dal tadka to rajma to vegetable curry...and many more. Tomato is also used to prepare the cocktail named Bloody Mary. Roasted tomatoes with some seasonings can also be a tasty dish. Roasted cherry tomatoes on pasta or pizza can also make for a sumptuous evening.

Health Benefits Tomato is spruced with various health benefits. Tomatoes have more than impressive water content. The water content of tomatoes is more than 95 percent. Tomatoes also have low sugar content as compared to other edible fruits.

This fruit used as a vegetable is also good source of Vitamin A, C, K, and folate. Tomatoes are also a healthy source of potassium. The intake of tomatoes can contribute towards improvement of eyesight and reduction of blood pressure, and also can contribute towards alleviating skin problems and urinary tract infections.

Moreover, studies have shown that the lycopene present in tomatoes have lowered the incidence of macular degeneration and certain cancers. Tomatoes comprise a large number of antioxidants which can fight different forms of cancer. It is being seen that fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts can facilitate in lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. This can contribute towards heart health. Some studies have revealed that tomatoes can lower lipid levels. Therefore, the time is ripe for greater usage of tomatoes in our food services industry.

This suggested initiative is expected to garner impressive market dividends, in these growingly health conscious times.

More innovative usage of tomatoes by creative Chefs and restaurateurs in India are the need of the hour. However, their steep prices in the Indian market in the present times do generate concern. n

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57

bEVERAGE

Indian Wine Industry:

Potential and Challenges

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

hough India has had a long history of viticulture, which dates back to the days of Indus Valley Civilisation, and though winemaking existed throughout India’s recorded history, but as an industry in terms of post-modern parlance, the Indian wine industry can be described as a nascent one. But at the same time, it holds a lot of promise; promise which needs to be channeled into welcome realities.

India’s annual wine production was estimated at 17 million litres in 2014, and according to an ASSOCHAM study, this figure is likely to reach 21 million litres by 2018. That is almost an increase in production of 1 lakh litres per year, on an average. However, the

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consumption of wines in India is expected to increase by a greater rate during the same period. According to the same study by ASSOCHAM, whose findings came to light in later half of 2015, the wine consumption in India is likely to reach about 37 million litres by 2018 from 18 million litres in 2014. If we go by this study, then the consumption of wines in India is likely to be more than doubled during 2014-2018.

Influencing Factors for Market Growth There is no denying the fact that India’s wine consumption has shown marked increase during the last decade. The reasons can

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

be attributed to the growth in disposable incomes among select but sizeable pockets of urban Indian society, the rising global awareness towards international food & beverage trends fostered

by Internet, television and increasing incidences of overseas travel as compared to a decade before, to the demographic ratio tilted in favour of young population, and also to the growing economic independence and shift in socio-cultural mindsets among upwardly mobile urban Indian women.

The fact that more and more well-heeled women are shedding the unreasonable taboo towards alcoholic drinks is contributing towards the

June-July ’16

bEVERAGE growth in wine consumption in India. During 2006-2011, the wine consumption among women throughout India increased by more than 28 percent.

The fact that swanky retail outlets in big cities of the country are now having wines is also increasing this ancient, modern and delightful beverage’s consumption in the country. Wine tourism is also playing its role towards facilitating awareness about wines in the Indian society, which can translate into increased wine consumption among Indians.

“The Indian wine market has shown impressive growth over the past few years. Indians, on an average, now have more disposable incomes, and have more exposure than their counterparts of a decade or two decades earlier; a great many of them travel a lot and are exposed to a certain kind of sophistication that they aspire to cultivate in their life. Moreover, local production of wine is increasing too and there is more visibility of wines in the Indian market than there used to be a few years ago. All these have contributed to the growth in wine consumption

Cecilia Oldne

in India,” opined Cecilia Oldne, VP – Marketing and Global Brand Ambassador, Sula Vineyards.

“The rising number of fine dine restaurants and gastronomic pubs, together with awareness about multiple health benefits of wines are some of the other contributing factors to the growing

popularity of wines in India,” opined Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO, Grover Zampa Vineyards.

“India’s expanding wine industry is in the midst of a vital transition. The market for Indian wines has grown on an average of around 20 percent over the past decade,” pointed out Sumedh, while adding, “According to Maharashtra Grape Growers Association, the wine industry crushed over 27,000 MT of grapes in 2016. The industry has set itself a target of 100,000 MT in the next seven years.”

Here it deserves a mention that Grover Zampa Vineyards has presence in more than 17 states of India. The wines of Sula Vineyards have a pan-India presence. According to Cecilia, wines of Sula Vineyards are also exported to 26 countries, whereas Sumedh informed that the wines of Grover Zampa Vineyards had presence in 23 countries.

We need many more players like them to make the Indian wine market mature to the level of European standards.

Not an Elitist Beverage But the Indian wine industry is also

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bEVERAGE fraught with several challenges. Even today wine is, by and large, being perceived as an elitist drink in India, and this misconception is perhaps impeding the consumption of wines to rise to its true potential. According to the above-mentioned ASSOCHAM study, the misconception that wine is an elite drink “is a major challenge limiting the wine consumption in India.”

But thankfully, this erroneous perception is slowly but surely changing.

“Although seen as an aspirational beverage, the Indian wine consumers are no longer always from the high society. Now, there is a growing demand for wines in tier II cities of the country too,” averred Cecilia. “Sula Vineyards is expanding to smaller cities across the country now and we aim to make our wines available in all the nooks and corners of the country,” she informed further.

Sustainable Production But the question is, is our industry ready to tackle this impressive growth in consumption of wines in the near future, without resorting to rampant imports of wines? It could, if the governments

Sumedh Singh Mandla

and the Indian wine industry make a concerted effort to increase the production of wines.

Cecilia pointed out a novel dimension to address the impediments towards wine production in the country. “In India, one of the primary factors which are creating a hurdle towards wine production is the climate change resulting due to global warming. Due to this, growth and maintenance of grapes get affected. To solve this, farming practices implemented must be ecologically sustainable. At Sula Vineyards, we are at the forefront of this initiative and engage in only sustainable agricultural practices like drip irrigation, water harvesting and more,” she said.

“Our primary focus during the process of wine production is environmental sustainability and we work towards it collectively throughout the process of growing grapes and then eventually during the process of producing wines,” Cecilia elaborated further.

“Working with limited yields, sustainable viticulture practices and selective hand harvesting, our winemaking is carried out by a team of local oenologists under the direction of the renowned French wine consultant Michel Rolland,” informed Sumedh.

Taxation and Other Issues One of the major lacunae in the Indian wine industry is the huge and

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

unfairly high taxation on wines. The distribution of wines across India also presents an uphill challenge. “Unfair prohibitive taxes, and no uniformity in registration and operating rules in different states for wine distribution are major constraints towards the growth of the wine industry in India,” proffered Sumedh. “More relaxed excise duties and other government policies could go a long way in facilitating wine production and distribution in India,” agreed Cecilia.

The marketing of wines in India is also plagued by poor storage and transport facilities in the country.

“The discouraging state of storage and transport facilities is one of the main impediments towards the marketing of wines in the country. The unfriendly rules for marketing of wines in India, which is sadly the case except in few states of the country, is another of the challenges in this direction,” aired Sumedh.

For the Indian wine industry to mature from its present nascent stage, not only the loopholes in the production, distribution and marketing of wines in India needed to be effectively and urgently addressed, but the potential of the impressive growth in consumption of wines in India also needs to be translated into reality.

The consumption of wines in India is growing impressively during the recent years, but the rate of this growth could and should be considerably increased if some proactive endeavours are taken on a more sustained basis.

It is lamentable that our annual per capita consumption of wines is extremely dismal, considering the fact that we have such a long history of familiarity with this mildly heady beverage. The annual per capita consumption of wine in India is only 9 milliliters, which, according to Wikipedia, is 1/8000th of that of France’s. This unimpressive figure, however, does reflect the huge potential

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bEVERAGE

of growth that the Indian wine market does have in the light of the presently favourable socio-economic and sociocultural conditions.

Sumedh called for the necessity of a more fair tax regime, which he views can give an impetus to wine consumption in the country. In the above-mentioned study, ASSOCHAM suggested that both the Centre and the state governments should reject the “prohibitive tax” component and move towards a more rational tax regime. “State governments can selectively consider easing of taxes/ excise duty on wine which caters to the taste of educated class,” it suggested.

Awareness Building But in order to enhance the per capita consumption of wines in India to international standards, some proactive steps needed to be taken concertedly by the industry at large, on a more regular basis.

The low level of awareness pertaining to the nuances of wines is also impeding the growth in their consumption in the country. Therefore more wine promotional and awareness building activities, not only by the wine producers, but also by our high-end hotels and restaurants, are also the need of the hour for promoting wine drinking in India.

“One of the important steps towards increase in wine consumption in India is educating consumers about wines.

Once consumers are educated about grape varietals used for wine, about wine production and techniques of tasting and consumption, wine consumption will naturally increase in the country,”

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observed Cecilia.

“Wineries in India can encourage more marketing activities aimed at educating consumers. For example, wine festivals like The Great Grover Wine Festival helps by attracting a large audience and giving them a chance to try a variety of wines in a casual and enjoyable environment. At the same time, it also caters to serious wine drinkers who can take the master classes,” expressed Sumedh, while discussing initiatives to increase wine consumption in India.

According to Cecilia, Sula Vineyards is making some noteworthy endeavours in the direction of enhancing wine awareness in the country. “Sula Vineyards is an authorised WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) course provider. It is our endeavour to educate wine enthusiasts about the different varieties of wine, their consumption, health benefits and more and also provide a learning platform for people looking to make a career in this business, or for those simply wanting to know their wines better,” she conveyed.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Wine tourism is an important initiative towards generating greater awareness about the wines. “Our wine tours involve friendly, knowledgeable tour guides who take consumers on a tour of the vineyards and our winery, giving them in-depth details about wine making processes like how wines are being made, produced, stored and packaged,” elaborated Cecilia.

“Once the consumers learn about wine production, our guides take them to the Tasting Cellar where they can try out different wines and in turn are taught about different wine consumption techniques from the basics — see, swirl, sniff, and sip wine. The tours and tastings are conducted seven days a week throughout the year, at Sula Vineyards,” she pointed out further.

Packaging of wines in India can also be made more consumer-friendly.

Sumedh believes that “Making wine packaging attractive and informative will help in providing information and education to consumers about grape variety, serving temperature and much more.”

More intelligent promotion of the health benefits of wines in these health conscious times can make a marketing impact. “Promoting wine as a healthy drink and highlighting the health benefits of wine over other alcoholic beverages will help increase consumer interest towards wines in the country,” iterated the corporate honcho. He informed that “Drinking wine moderately, particularly red wine, has been proved to promote health. In fact, red wine helps prevent breast as well as colon cancer, in protecting the heart, sharpening the mind and reducing depression, as well as stimulating anti-aging.”

In Conclusion We can infer that due to favourable socio-economic and demographic factors, the Indian wine industry is displaying the potential to grow impressively, both in terms of production and consumption. In fact, the industry is growing well already, but not growing according to its potential.

Now it is up to the state governments in the country and the Indian wine industry to collectively tap this growing potential effectively and not waste it with lack of initiatives and persistence of myopic policies. n

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PROFILE

Reaching for New Heights

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith the urban Indian consumers of postmodern age having less and less time to prepare elaborate and tasty meals at home and with increase in disposable incomes among middle class India, it seems quite natural that the Indian food service industry is growing at an impressive rate.

It is expected to thrive in the near future, and with it the market of condiments is also expected to prosper.

The role of condiments in today’s food service industry cannot be overemphasised. Though their definition may vary, with some definitions of condiments even including herbs and spices in the ambit of condiments, but about their importance there is hardly any dispute. They can be added to the dish or can complement the dish.

Though condiments in themselves are seldom partaken, but they play huge roles in adding value to the quality of dining experience. Mustard, tomato ketchup and mayonnaise are some of the important condiments which are playing a significant role in our food service industry.

A Promising Segment The shift in modern Indian palate towards global dishes has also contributed towards giving a fillip to the Indian

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condiments market. “The deep penetration of international dishes like pastas and other noodles has boosted the regular consumption of sauces and ketchups across all ages,” stated a Technopak report on the Indian food processing industry. And this trend is only expected to gather momentum in the years to come.

“The Indian ketchup market is valued between 110 million USD to 120 million USD, supported by growth at a CAGR of 12-15 percent. New flavours like mustard and barbeques are widely accepted across the nation and marketers are experimenting with the product sizes and convenience packing to increase penetration,” noted the same Technopak report, which was published in 2013. The figures may have changed within these three years but the trends described in this paragraph from the excerpts of the report are more or less the same.

Euromonitor International in its report titled Sauces, Dressings and Condiments in India, which was published in December 2015, observed that busy lifestyles prompted timecrunched consumers such as working men and women in urban India to look to easy solutions such as cuisine-specific ready mixes with detailed instructions on how to cook them on the product packaging.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

According to the report, facilitating this trend was the growth of the middle-income consumer base, growing disposable incomes and growing numbers of nuclear families. In addition, high aspirations for food apart from the daily norms such as other Indian regional, Chinese and Italian cuisines helped sauces, dressings and condiments to grow in India, during 2015.

According to Akshay Bector, Chairman and Managing Director at Cremica Food Industries Ltd., in the fast evolving Indian condiments business the curry paste market would grow very fast.

He is also hopeful about the more than impressive growth of the mayonnaise market in India, in the near future.

“Curry and mayonnaise are the players in the Indian condiments market to watch out for,” he observed, while noting that “The market for condiments market in India is ripe for further penetration.” The snacks market is also promising in urban India, in the backdrop of a huge universe of working couples in nuclear families, having cluttered and busy lives.

Here it deserves a mention that Cremica Food Industries is one of the divisions of the Cremica Group, and an important player in the Indian condiments business. It also has a presence in the country’s snacks market.

The Cremica Group was established in

June-July ’16

PROFILE 1978 by Mrs. Rajni Bector, when she turned her passion for ice-cream making into a small backyard enterprise. That was just the beginning and in the course of the past three-and- half decades, the Cremica Group has established itself as a huge food products conglomerate.

Taste with Convenience Probably gauging the unfolding market scenario, Bector’s Cremica Food Industries has come up with an impressive array of products in the recent past, which can effectively cater to the growing needs of the Indian food service and food retail industry. Bector has a number of ambitious plans, which he is earnest to translate into reality soon. In fact, Cremica has always been keen on innovation and bringing in new products to strengthen its portfolio. According to a press release, Cremica Food Industries launched India’s first vegetarian mayonnaise, and India’s first cottage style potato crisps named Opera.

The company in the recent past has introduced a brand of ready-tocook curry pastes named Desi Express, which has the potential to give a fillip to the ready-to-eat segment, in both

June-July ’16

Akshay Bector institutional and retail sectors of the Indian food & beverage industry. “With the range of curry pastes under Desi Express one just needs bare minimum of culinary skills to come up with a great dish. Furthermore, preparation of the final dishes with the help of Desi Express takes very little time; they can be readied

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

in just a few minutes,” proffered Bector.

These curry pastes of Desi Express, which come in six variants — Rozana Masala, Chana Masala, Rajmah Masala, Makhni Masala, Roganjosh Masala, and Sabz Masala — do have the potential to greatly simplify the otherwise time consuming nature of Indian cooking.

According to him, Desi Express had been launched in the institutional sector some six months back and the brand would have retail presence in the country, in the next two months. “Of course, the products under the ambit of Desi Express are geared to impress the Chefs and as well as the housewives,” expressed Bector candidly.

“The range of ready-to-cook curry pastes under the brand Desi Express has no preservatives, and is geared to provide authentic Indian flavours to the dish. It is made using the finest onions, tomatoes and other herbs that allow traditional and elaborate Indian dishes to be made with ease,” he pointed out further. These curry pastes can be used to prepare a wide range of Indian dishes such as pindi channa, paneer makhani, mutton roganjosh, etc.

Bector feels the combination of factors like taste, health, convenience, and

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PROFILE

suitability to Indian cuisines are expected to give Desi Express’s products a distinctive market presence in the Indian food service and as well as in the Indian food retail industry, in the very near future.

Other Portfolio Expansions Besides Desi Express, Cremica Food Industries has also come up with some other new brands in the recent past.

They include a spicy tomato ketchup brand named Tombo, Vegetarian Mayonnaise Squeeze Pack, and a new range of specialty sauces among others.

“Tombo is a spicy and flavoured ketchup which is infused with the goodness of fresh tomatoes and the magic of spices,” informed Bector. He also stated that Tombo tomato ketchup, which is presently for the institutional sector and is slated to include the retail sector within its market purview very soon, has achieved the distinction of getting 2 lakh units sold in a month, in Punjab.

The Vegetarian Mayo Squeeze Pack is developed in a manner so as to make it easy to store and portable for its consumers. The new range of ​specialty sauces from Cremica Food Industries are in seven different continental flavours — Peri Peri, Thai Sweet Chilli, Sweet Onion, Barbeque, Chipotle(South-West), Honey Mustard, and Sriracha.

Then there are Cremica Premium Dessert Toppings, which can cater to all types of desserts. These are premium toppings which are served with icecreams to taste. Black currant, strawberry, mango, chocolate, and caramel are some of the flavours within this range.

Cremica Food Industries has also come up with a range of sandwich sauces at Aahar 2016, which, according to Bector, can not only enhance the quality of sandwiches of food service operators, but these products are also geared to endow the sandwiches with a long shelf life. New

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variants of sauces for pizza and pasta were also launched by the company, during Aahar 2016.

Ambitious Enterprise Bector is not only investing in new products or new product ranges but also in strengthening the company’s infrastructure. “Two new plants have been envisaged, one of which will come up in Una, Himachal Pradesh and the next will translate into reality near Mumbai. Both will come up during the next financial year,” disclosed the market savvy entrepreneur who displayed a complete disinterest in resting on his laurels. The company will also expand its manufacturing capacity at its existing plant at Phillaur. The company, which was having a turnover of Rs.200 crore in 2014-15, is envisaging to reach a turnover of Rs.1000 crore by 2020.

To fuel its expansion plans, in the recent past Cremica Food Industries has raised Rs.101 crore from food and agri-focused private equity firm Rabo Equity Advisors Pvt. Ltd. In lieu of this investment, the private equity firm has acquired a minority stake in Cremica Food Industries.

The funding will be used to expand the distribution network of Cremica Food industries to 120,000 outlets in three years from 40,000 at present.

This expansion of distribution network will facilitate in giving the company a pan-India presence. Presently, the major presence of the company is in north India.

Cremica Food Industries is also coming with a food park in Pune, as a joint venture. The food park would be operational in 2017; from the next financial year to be precise. According to Bector, it would have 25 units. “Out of these 25 units, five units would be demarcated for our company, and it would give us the opportunity to make

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

our tomato paste,” confided Bector.

The food park is expected to entail an investment to the tune of Rs.200 crore. The company is also earnest on further enhancing its product range. “We would continue to offer solutions for our consumers in the institutional and retail sectors of the Indian food & beverage industry,” he affirmed.

Quality is the Key As discussed before, the passionate entrepreneur is optimistic about the future of condiments business in India, but he laid great emphasis for the industry to become more quality conscious in order to effectively cater to the fast evolving consumers.

Bector rightly believes that without placing a huge premium on the quality of condiments and snacks, the players operating in this segment of India’s food & beverage industry would find difficulty to make their niche in the competitive market, a market now teeming with increasing numbers of discerning consumers and clientele, especially in the long-run.

“We are mildly profitable, and we are happy with it. We prefer to remain that instead of going for huge profits in the short-run at the expense of quality of our products,” he asserted, while pointing out that his company’s stringency to research and quality control facilitates to keep it ahead of its competition, and has given it an enduring reputation in the market.

“It gives me great satisfaction that a lot of restaurants in the country are now placing Cremica Food Industries’ tomato ketchup and mustard sauce on their table top, which reflects our continual commitment towards quality,” he articulated.

It seems that the Cremica Food Industries, under the leadership of Akshay Bector, is geared for exciting n times in the coming years.

June-July ’16

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Venue:

Radisson Blu www.fhrai.com

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t h e m e cuisine

The Aroma from

By Sharmila Chand

N

eapolitan cuisine from Italy is perhaps the most celebrated cuisine within the huge world of Italian cuisine. The Neapolitan cuisine’s origins can be traced to the Greek-Roman period of ancient ages.

Subsequently, this cuisine has been enriched over the centuries with the influence of different cultures such as that of Aragon and France.

The cuisine of Naples has also acquired a large part of the culinary traditions of the entire Campania region, and has developed a balance between dishes based on rural ingredients and seafood dishes. Campania is a region in southern Italy.

Pasta is an important part of Neapolitan cuisine or the cuisine from Naples. In the realms of Neapolitan cuisine, spaghetti, linguine

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paccheri and ziti are popular varieties of pasta.

Gnocchi is another popular food item of Neapolitan cuisine. In Neapolitan cuisine they come across as fluffy potato knuckles that float in a sweet tomato sauce and surrounded by melted mozzarella. Gnochi from Naples represents a tasty combination of potatoes and cheese!

Tomatoes entered the Neapolitan cuisine during the 18th century. The industry of preserving tomatoes originated in the 19th century Naples, resulting in the export to all parts of the world of the famous pelati (peeled tomatoes) and the concentrato (tomato paste).

Ravioli Capresi is a specialty of Naples.

It is difficult to find outside of the region.

The filling is cacciotta caprese (a soft cheese from

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

June-July ’16

Capri), parmigiano and an egg to bind it. The sauce is a simple tomato one. Basil and more parmigiano finish the dish to perfection.

Mussels are not to be missed when visiting Naples. Cooked in a tomato sauce, spiced up a bit with chile peppers (peperoncini) and parsley and served on toasted bread, this can be a wonderful dish to savour.

Impepata di Cozze (mussels cooked in their own juices with black pepper) is also a good choice to explore while visiting Naples.

Of course, without the mention of pizza no talk of Neapolitan cuisine would get a holistic flavour. Pizza remains perhaps the most popular and best known creation of Neapolitan cuisine. The authentic Neapolitan pizza should be cooked in a wood-fired oven. It should involve the dexterity of an able pizziaiolo who makes the dough disk thinner in the centre and thicker in the outer part.

Desserts Neapolitan cuisine has a large variety of cakes and desserts.

The most famous ones among them are: Baba al Rhum — It has its roots in Poland and is named after Ali Baba. These little cakes are abundantly found in the city of Naples.

The classic version is served plain and soaked in rum, strega, or limoncello-based syrup, but you can also find them sliced and filled with pastry cream, ricotta cream, cream chantilly and fruit, lemon cream or Nutella.

Sfogliatelle — The clam shaped flaky pastries filled with ricotta cream, and topped with powdered sugar is

Did You Know?

A pizzaiolo named Raffaele Esposito created a nationalistic pizza in the late nineteenth century, 1889 to be precise, in the honour of queen Margherita of Savoy, where the colours of the Italian flag were represented by the mozzarella (white), tomato (red) and basil (green). Since then this pizza has been known as the Pizza Margherita!

June-July ’16

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t h e m e cuisine another wonderful dessert from Naples.

Delizie al Limone — Delicious lemon flavours are omnipresent in this dessert. Pan di Spagna soaked with lemon or limoncello simple syrup, lemon pastry cream or a combination of lemon curd and pastry cream is the filling, and then the cake is+ iced with a lemon infused whipped cream.

Torta Ricotta e Pera —This delicacy comes from the Amalfi coast. Here ricotta cream with bites of poached pears is sandwiched between two layers of almond and hazelnut biscotti or Dacquoise, dusted with powdered sugar. You have to bite through the hard cookie to get to its sweet and creamy center. Eating of this dessert can be a messy affair, but it would be a delicious affair nevertheless.

Torta Caprese — This is a dark chocolate cake, devoid of flour. It is rich, dense and has chopped almonds sprinkled in it. The cakes are topped with powdered sugar.

Some pastry shops also add shards of chocolate or a layer of rich ganache to Torta Caprese. n

Menu Planning Signature Menu at Sorrento at Shangri-La’s-Eros Hotel, New Delhi Zuppe — Soups Sicilian fennel and fava bean soup Fragrant seafood broth from the coastline of Sorrento Crudo and Insalata — Salads House cured and freshly tossed salads served chilled Pear, pomegranate, rocket, crumbled cheese, candied pecan, and vintage balsamic Mozzarella on wheels: locally hand-crafted buffalo mozzarella salad, assembled table side with toy box tomatoes, Napoletano basil and extra virgin olive oil Appetizers Cicchetti — Small plates, best for sharing Bruschetta bread — Crusty Italian bread loaded with toppings. Seasonal tomato, basil, rocket salad Al Forno — Baked Basilicata salami, caciocavallo cheese on white cornmeal crostini Artisan Pastas: The pasta is made fresh from the skilled hands of the restaurant’s artisan pasta makers Fagottini, stuffed pasta with ricotta and lemon Portata Principale — Main plates, sharing family style Wood-oven roasted whole seabass, squash with Parmesan chilli butter, olive oil whipped potatoes and Sicilian tomato sauce Plated Mains — Fish and Meat Black cod: Lardo wrapped with olio negra, nuts and roasted forest mushroom Plated Mains — Vegetarian 12 layered parcel of wild mushrooms, spinach, sundried tomatoes and ricotta with creamy mustard glaze Plated Dessert — Sweet Creations Mount Vesuvius: Hazelnut chocolate cremeux, almond biscuits, cocoa soil, and raspberry sauce Tiramisu: Tender biscuit moistened with coffee and amaretto, mascarpone cream, coffee gelee, bits of almond biscuit

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Recipe

Lardo wrapped Black Cod with Olio Negra, Nuts and Roasted Forest Mushroom

By Italian ​Chef Luigi Ferraro, Sorrento at Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi Serves 2 Portions Ingredients Quantity Black cod fillet Olive oil Salt Black pepper Dijon mustard Lardo slice Thyme Fresh button mushroom Morel mushroom Porcini mushroom Portobello mushroom Black truffle pate Tomato — deseeded Basil leaves Black olive oil Bacon chopped Cream cooking Lemon Pistachio

300 gm (150 gm each) 20 ml To taste To taste 10 gm 2 slices Few sprigs 20 gm 5 gm 5 gm 5 gm 5 gm 15 gm Few sprigs 10 ml 20 gm 100 ml 1 nos.

20 gm

Method: Marinate the cod fish with salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and lemon juice; wrap the fish fillet in lardo slice.

Take a non-stick pan and pan seared the cod fillet until it turns nice golden brown in colour.

In an another pan, add olive oil and sauté the various mushrooms until it turns light brown in colour; add cream and further cook it for two minutes; add torn basil leaves, diced tomatoes, check the seasoning. Keep it warm.

Take a service ware, arrange mushroom ragu in centre of the dish, lay pan seared black cod on top, garnish with chopped pistachio nuts, crisp bacon and black olive oil.

Serve it hot.

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R est a ur a nt

Explore the Best of Italian Cuisine

By Sharmila Chand

S

hangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi has launched Sorrento in the recent past, a specialty Italian restaurant that is solely based on the culinary traditions that lies in the heart of Italy.

Named after a coastal town in the south-west region of Italy, Sorrento takes an innovative approach on Neapolitan cooking, which is one of the most recognisable aspects of Italian cuisine.

Here it deserves a mention that Neapolitan cuisine is famous for its use of tomatoes, lemons, potatoes and fresh vegetables.

With Sorrento, the Italian Chef, Luigi Ferraro and the hotel’s Executive Chef, Neeraj Tyagi aim to offer flavours which are unique, inventive, yet relaxed without compromising on the traditional hearty Italian

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classics. They have chalked out a menu which comprises of fresh and authentic produce, artisanal pastas, Neapolitan delicacies and pizzas.

Elegant Décor, Exuding Warmth Designed by the pre-eminent Dubaibased Stickman Design, Sorrento boasts of elegant, yet warm and casual interiors that depict a classic Italian feel. The square tables reflect minimalist décor that allows more space in style.

Food display on twotier stone-top island tables, and an open kitchen add to the overall character of the restaurant.

Sorrento also takes the advantage of its location by providing access to the terrace and garden in the forefront for an alfresco feel, when the

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

weather is pleasant and breezy.

The Taste of Italy The Sorrento offers an abundance of Italian and Mediterranean specialties like pizza, pasta, buffalo mozzarella cheese, and fresh Mediterranean seafood.

Neapolitan cuisine is perhaps one of the healthiest diets in Europe and lovers of fresh ingredients and seafood will be in for a gastronomic treat at Sorrento.

Dishes at Sorrento revolve around fish plucked straight from the sea, virgin olive oil and crisp dry white wines, together with fresh vegetables and juicy vineripened tomatoes.

Ideally the menu at Sorrento should begin with cicchetti — a sharing platter that is the Venetian equivalent of tapas with Neapolitan elements. Using the finest Italian cheeses, dry-cured meats and crusty Italian breads, this course takes on a repertoire of famous Italian street food with a hearty twist.

Sorrento also offers a medley of soups

June-July ’16

R est a ur a nt

Luigi at Sorrento

– zuppe. Made from simple, yet sublime ingredients, this course offers delicious options of warm and fragrant soups, including a winter specialty soup from Naples cooked with squash, sausages and pasta simmered in tomato-flavoured broth.

Italian cuisine is incomplete without pasta. Sorrento brilliantly captures the Italian gastronomic culture with freshly made artisan pasta that is all-home-made in the restaurant’s pasta factory.

With such in-house specialties as Wood-oven Roasted Whole Sea Bass, Parchment-Paper-Baked Salmon

June-July ’16

Chef Luigi Ferraro brings with him more than two decades of hospitality experience across the globe. He has been working behind the scenes with the hotel’s Executive Chef, Neeraj Tyagi and his culinary team to further define the restaurant’s food and beverage operations.

The team under his supervision has been artistically crafting dishes, inspired by his classic culinary skills, use of authentic ingredients and his global experience.

Chef Luigi began his culinary journey as a Commis Chef and continued working his way up, holding many significant positions like Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Restaurant Manager, Chef de Cuisine, Sous Pastry Chef, and the Executive Chef.

During his previous tenures, he has worked in many restaurants in Europe, primarily in Italy. Chef Luigi has also been a Guest Chef at many cooking shows in Italy and has won multiple culinary accolades.

His extensive experience and wide repertoire in Mediterranean and international cuisine are accentuated by his culinary philosophy of serving dishes orchestrated with passion and crafted to evoke full flavours through the use of highest possible quality of seasonal ingredients, creative composition and sound cooking techniques.

Fillet, and Livornese Style Assorted Seafood Stew, the menu can cater to diverse palates while staying faithful to authenticity.

To culminate the experience of this remarkable Italian culinary journey, Sorrento offers Chef ’s signature plated desserts. They include Tiramisu, a popular rich treat perfected with flavours of coffee

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and amaretto that lies in the heart of every Italian, and Mount Vesuvius — a decadent chocolate and hazelnut dessert served with sour raspberry sauce. The latter is inspired by the Mount Vesuvius, located in the Gulf of Naples, Italy.

Flavourful artisan gelato and Sicilian coast-inspired sorbets are ideal endings to this hedonistic journey. n

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c h e f voice

The Master of

Dim Sums

By Sharmila Chand

A native Chinese, Chef Wang Yixuan, Consultant Dim Sum Head Chef of Yauatcha India, had been honing his dim sum making skills for 22 years at hotels and renowned restaurants across China, prior to joining Yauatcha India.

As the Consultant Dim Sum Head Chef of Yauatcha India, Chef Wang Yixuan leads the expert dim sum culinary team at Yauatcha, pan India.

During his previous tenures, he has had worked with an array of establishments as Dim Sum Chef.

Some of the establishments he has had worked with in the past include Guangzhou Yalongge Hotel, YuexiuTian’an Mansion, Haerbin San Diego Hotel, Chengdu Mantingfang Restaurant, Chengdu Century City InterContinental, Wuhan Optical Valley Hilton Hotel and Sichuan Tianlun Group among others.

Well-versed in making traditional and modern dim sums, he presents some varieties of dim sums which are completely new in India by adding more of lamb and meat. Chef Wang firmly believes strong foundational skills coupled with passion and creativity is the key to creating exquisite dim sum items. He takes pride in challenging himself to breathe new life into traditional dim sum dishes through their flavours or presentation.

Chef Wang is responsible for conceptualising new varieties of dim sums and likes to delight discerning palates with an artful balance of traditional techniques and innovative ideas. The excerpts of the interview follow: How do you define yourself?

Since I come from Guandong, which is at the heart of Canton region, I would define myself as a Cantonese food lover.

I am someone who is excited to work and learn new and unique culinary techniques with regards to the culture of the surrounding​areas where I work.

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Kindly talk a bit about your growth path I started at a very young age at a lower position and then worked towards where I am today.

I picked up the skills of being a good Dim Sum Chef and it has not been a very easy journey for me. Hard work

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and dedication are the only reasons I am where I am today.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

My culinary philosophy is a simple one. I believe that a Chef has to be committed in what he/she makes. At the

June-July ’16

c h e f voice same time the Chef has to be creative in using spices and varied textures, and varied methods of cooking.

What or who is your source of inspiration?

My inspiration lies in my love for the entire dining experience. The exploration of new flavour combinations, application of varied local produce, and learning about cultures through food have primarily been my inspirations.

What is the most significant professional challenge you have faced during your tenures and how did you successfully manage that tricky situation?

My biggest challenge so far has been to make extensive vegetarian modern Cantonese delicacies. In India, I would say majority of the people are vegetarians and being Chinese, I enjoy creating dishes with meat and seafood. Consequently, experimenting and inventing a vegetarian dish with local produce has inspired me to think smarter and innovate better.

Another major challenge for me in

June-July ’16

India is to maximise the utility of local produce, since a lot of ingredients found abroad are not easily available in India.

What are your strengths?

I think hard work and dedication are my strengths.

How do you de-stress yourself?

Whenever I am under stress, cooking helps me feel better and relax.

What is your favourite cuisine?

Traditional Cantonese Chinese food is my favourite as I come from Guandong, which is at the heart of Canton region.

What is your favourite dish?

It is always dim sum.

What is your hot selling item/s?

I have worked on dim sums for over 22 years, therefore they are not just my forte but my most favourite items to rustle up in the kitchen. My primary focus here in India has been about

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

conceptualising new varieties of dim sums to delight discerning palates, along with creating an artful balance of traditional techniques and innovative ideas, and lead the dim sum culinary team at Yauatcha, pan India.

How has been the growth of popularity of Chinese cuisine in India?

Chinese food has been in India for years, and was one of the first foreign cuisines in India to pick up popularity at a fast pace.

However, when it comes to awareness about the rich diversity of Chinese cuisine in India, not many in India are aware of it.

For many Indians, Chinese food is ‘Schezuan noodles’ or ‘ chicken fried rice’, but Chinese cuisine is much beyond that.

It has a rich, vast cultural background with recipes dating back to millennia.

Chinese food is still an unexplored territory in India; there are many more styles of cooking within the broad purview of Chinese cuisine which are yet to gain currency in India.

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H Y giene

High on Hygiene From choosing the right location for the restaurant to training the staff on cleanliness, ensuring hygiene for diners in restaurants is a matter of detailed planning and of following a rigorous routine

By Jyotismita Sharma

A

s pleasant eating out is for a diner, maintaining hygiene in the restaurant could be as complex a task for the restaurant’s staff.

A small gaffe in following the scheduled routine can result in food contamination and loss of loyal customers. Emphasis on hygiene in restaurants and in other eating joints is now growing. And with food services industry expanding at a fast pace in India, as the latest National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) report predicts, it is only obvious that more new avenues for casual and fine dining would open up in the coming years.

“The total food services market today stands at Rs. 3,09,110 crores and has grown at 7.7 percent since our last

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report in 2013. This is projected to grow to Rs. 4,98,130 crores at a CAGR of 10 percent by 2021,” Riyaaz Amlani, President, NRAI, said at the recent launch of the India Food Services Report (IFSR) 2016.

But will the growth in the food service market be accompanied by a rise in restaurant’s hygiene standards as well?

This is quite likely in the Indian context because the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is reportedly now in the process of making hygiene enforcing norms stricter.

A sub-group consisting of industry bodies like the NRAI, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and the FSSAI have already been formed to amend rules that

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

govern safety standards at eating out establishments in the country, according to the report.

While confirming the development to Business Standard, a prominent business daily, FSSAI’s Chief Executive Officer Pawan Kumar Agarwal recently said enforcing food safety standards at eating places was a must.

“Hotels, restaurants and eating joints need an FSSAI licence to operate but food safety standards are not necessarily met. We wanted to get a sense of what the industry’s view was on the subject and whether they were open to the idea of stringent enforcement,” Agarwal was quoted as saying.

So maintaining high hygiene standards is set to become not just a

June-July ’16

Chef Jerson Fernandes

requirement for the restaurants in the country to attract new customers and retain them but also a compulsion to be in the business in the very first place.

How to Build a Hygienic Restaurant Experts feel that keeping in mind a few factors can help those who are planning to open a new restaurant score high on the hygiene quotient.

According to Chef Jerson Fernandes, Corporate Chef, Berggruen Hotels, an ideal restaurant should be in compliance with all HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) best practices which mainly include proper hygiene and sanitation best practices such as ensuring having an error-free ventilation system for flow of fresh air and exit of used air and having an error-free drainage system for smoother waste and

June-July ’16

water disposal.

The location of the restaurant too plays an important role, he said. The restaurant should not be located close to a dumping ground or a factory emitting harmful carbons, Fernandes pointed out.

“The restaurant should have easy access to fresh air and ample space for garbage storage. One of the important factors here is that the restaurant should also have a strong hygiene and sanitation training plan, both before and after opening,” he noted.

Shamima Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Davanam Sarovar Portico Suites, Bangalore, agreed that a restaurant should be ideally built as per the climatic conditions of the area.

“If the area is too dusty there should be screens to cut out the dust. It should not have too many nooks and corners, as they accumulate too much dust,” she explained.

“The restaurant should be built in a way where the flooring is not glossy and slippery. If the flooring is carpeted one should ensure that there are enough plug points for regular shampooing/ vacuuming. Ensure that the drainage and plumbing systems are properly done,” Shamima said.

Building a restaurant, that can meet high standards of hygiene and can also ease the daily maintenance process, demands paying attention to very small details, as was evident from Shamima’s suggestions.

“Direct lighting should have screens and if indirect lighting is used, one should ensure that the lamp shades are

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H Y giene not collectors of dust. No crevices on walls and ceilings and edges and corners to be curved,” she noted.

Shamima further noted that crockery and cutlery should be non-porous.

Paying attention to small details is very important because, as Fernandes pointed out, the price you pay for not taking care of hygiene and sanitation in your hospitality facility can be very expensive.

Few critical items on the checklist for an F&B Manager, according to Fernandes, should include — • Regular trainings on hygiene and sanitation best practices to familiarise and train staff on the same.

• Ensuring all cleaning schedules and deadlines are met on daily, weekly and monthly basis. The policy of zero tolerance on any cleaning or sanitation issues should be strictly followed.

• Ensure all pest control practices are strictly followed and a checklist is maintained for the same.

• Ensure you have a separate zone for smokers to not disturb the environment of non-smokers.

• Ensure all temperature logs are followed strictly for both hot and cold food items being served to guests to facilitate the food quality is maintained and cross- contamination risks are eliminated.

• No staff should report on duty without a clean uniform.

• Most importantly, regular audits and checks of the same to ensure guest expectations are met.

Shamima added that grooming standards of staff should adhere to

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Shamima Sinha

cuisine, décor and climatic conditions of the place. “Toilet and washrooms, if attached, should have a separate entity and should not be part of the restaurant,” she noted.

Upholstery should be such that it does not accumulate dust, and clearance table should be separate from side station, she opined.

Personal Hygiene a Priority “Cleanliness begins at home. You might serve the best food and drink in your restaurant but if your staff is not well groomed or lack personal hygiene, that’s of little use. Nobody wants to dine in a place which has staff who lack personal hygiene,” Fernandes said.

“Staff needs to be trained on this right from day one of their joining. The importance of personal hygiene has to

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

be explained to them right at the start,” he said.

Some important and basic aspects of personal hygiene for restaurant’s personnel, according to Fernandes, are— • To wash hands after using the washrooms or smoking • To change uniforms after a complete single shift • To sanitise hands once every three hours while on duty/after shaking hands with guests • To wear a proper head gear/hand gloves while handling food Employees are the most important link in preventing food-borne illness.

Good personal hygiene, including proper and frequent hand-washing, is the best way to prevent food-borne illness, Shamima pointed out. According to her, restaurant employees should adhere to the following practices to maintain proper personal hygiene: Hand-washing: Always make sure that hands are washed and thoroughly dried before starting work, between tasks, and before working with food products, equipment, utensils, and linens.

Cuts, Wounds, and Sores: Any cuts, wounds, or open sores on the hands and arms of restaurant’s personnel must be completely covered by a waterproof bandage. Wear single-use gloves or finger cots over any bandages on the hands and fingers.

Hair Restraints: Employees are required to wear hair restraints such as hair nets, hats or scarves that are effective in keeping their hair in control.

Proper Work Clothing: Restaurant’s employees who prepare or serve food products or wash and sanitise equipment or utensils must wear clean outer garments. It is recommended that aprons, Chef jackets, or smocks are worn. Employers must provide adequate storage areas for employee’s personal belongings. If employees routinely change clothing at the establishment, a room or area must be designated and used for that purpose. Such changing areas must be separate from food, clean equipment and linen.

Jewellery: The wearing of jewelry of restaurant’s personnel should be limited to plain banded rings only. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other jewellery should not be worn when preparing or n serving food.

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OPERATIONS

Hair Menace in Food Dr. Saurabh Arora

I

t is natural to get disgusted and to lose your appetite if you find human hair in your food, while eating in a restaurant. You are likely to leave the restaurant and never visit it again. The same applies to finding human hair in processed or packaged food products. You are likely to dump the entire contents into dustbin without regarding the expenses that you have incurred on it.

There is a heavy stigma attached to any food that contains hair — be it the food in a sophisticated restaurant or in homemade pickles — and this stigma is not unfounded. However, human hair in food is not merely disgusting but can cause serious health problems to the person eating such food or drinking beverages with infusion of human hair.

The popular sun-dried chips & papads are more susceptible to be contaminated with foreign matters including human hair as they are left to dry in the open, but finding human hair in the restaurant food would be often due to the lack of even basic personal hygiene practices.

When consumers find hair in food they are likely to wonder what other possible contaminant/s the given food could contain and if it is safe to eat it.

Hair in food is like a sign which tells consumers about the poor hygiene standards maintained by the food business operator (FBO). It brings the concerned restaurant/s, product/s or brand/s adverse publicity which could result in loss of its/their sales.

Human hair is made up of the protein named keratin, which also makes up the outer layer of the skin and nails. In itself keratin might not pose a problem

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but the truth is that besides making one feeling nauseated hair in food can lead to contamination in food too.

Human hair happens to be one of the physical contaminants in food along with stones, metal pieces, insect parts, rodent droppings, etc. All of these can result in food-borne illnesses like cholera, typhoid, jaundice, etc. To ensure food safety the FSSAI has established hygiene and sanitation guidelines as per the Schedule 4 of the regulations, which mentions that human hair must be controlled from falling into exposed food in eating establishments as well as in food processing and manufacturing plants. According to food regulators, the term food is a generic one and includes food products, beverages, bottled water, and nutritional and functional products. Thus none of these products should contain hair.

How Hair Can Cause Food Contamination You will be surprised to note that hair is one of the most commonly found ‘foreign bodies’ in food. Foreign body in food means any extraneous matter found in food which is not a part of the food’s ingredients. Hair in food can pose a physical risk as a person can choke on it; it can get stuck in the throat or cause nausea and vomiting.

Besides posing a physical risk, hair in food is also a potential contaminant.

Human hair is treated as a microbiological contaminant because besides being extraneous matter, it can also lead to the growth of microorganisms in the food. Oil, sweat, residue of hair treatment chemicals and shampoos, dyes or any other organic

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

matter sticking to the hair can become a breeding ground for pathogens when left in processed food products for long periods of time. A report published by the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, New Delhi on human hair waste states that hair could contain a number of toxic chemical contaminants. These contaminants reach hair from the environment and so these same toxic substances can reach food from human hair.

Hair is a potential route of Staphylococcus aureus contamination from the human scalp. Staph aureus, as it’s often called, is a type of bacteria that can be found on the skin and hair as well as in the nose and throats of people and animals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the most common way for food to be contaminated with Staphylococcus is through contact with food workers, especially when food are prepared by hand. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a leading public health institute of the US. Hair in salad or cut fruits, sandwiches and chutneys could pose a peril as hair can remain in these food products for hours.

Moreover, human hair can transmit ringworm as well as fungal infections if a person is infected by these.

The Potential Danger According to Hair Foundation, The Queen’s College, University of Oxford, England, every human being with hair on his/her heads, sheds between 100150 hairs every day at a constant rate.

Therefore a person doing an eight hour shift is expected to lose around 33-50

June-July ’16

OPERATIONS hairs in an average food service or food production establishment. Multiply this by the number of personnel working in the restaurant or a food manufacturing plant and you can calculate the potential pathogen risk to food from hair dropping!

This figure is attributed to only hair from the head but hair can reach food from the arms, beards, moustaches and even from the chest. Hair from the arms can travel into baked products from flour that has to be kneaded with the hands. Anything that enters food from the body parts of human beings is a potential contaminant. Therefore people working in restaurants, bakeries and food processing units have to follow strict hair control measures.

Preventing Hair Contamination FSSAI has strict guidelines for following good hygiene and sanitation practices including wearing of nets and caps to prevent hair from entering food. In most countries, people working in the food industry are required to cover their hair because it can contaminate food.

Complete capture hairnets are now available that has led to the decrease of

hair falling into food. Some countries even have rules for wearing beard and moustache restraints, especially for those with long beards and moustaches as people tend to touch them absentmindedly, which could cause hair to fall into food.

Good food production practices entail that all personnel wear hairnets, headbands, caps, beard covers or other effective hair restraints so that hair does not come into contact with exposed food products.

Food business operators in India need to ensure food safety by complying with FSSAI regulations so that their brand/ company can have much better chance to be safeguarded from legal hassles and adverse sales. To gain consumer trust in their products they have to take all measures to prevent any kind of contamination. This assumes even more importance in this age of highly potent and active social media, where compromising of hygiene by food business operators can go viral easily and quickly, which could result in legal hassles and severely affecting sales. Therefore the food business operators should have zero tolerance towards hair dropping in their food & beverage products.

Dr Saurabh Arora is the Founder of www.foodsafetyhelpline.com — a website and mobile app for the food industry to stay up to date, understand and implement the requirements of FSSAI. He has invented a patented nano technology based delivery system for curcumin, the active constituent of turmeric. He has a number of national and international research publications and patents to his credit.

Heading the testing laboratory and research business at Arbro and Auriga for close to 10 years, he has designed and setup four state-of-the-art testing laboratories in New Delhi, Baddi and Bangalore.

together with 同期举办

Asia’s fresh produce trading hub AsiaWorldExpo, Hong Kong 亚洲新鲜 果蔬行业 贸易中心 2016年9月 7– 9 日

7 – 9 Sep 2016

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA June-July ’16

中国香港 亚洲国际 博览馆 SCS Agribusiness Consultants Pvt. Ltd. 651 Pace City-II · Sector 37 122004 Gurgaon · New Delhi Tel +91 (124) 434 4500 Fax +91 (124) 434 4501 flb@scs-group.com

www.asiafruitlogistica.com

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pro d uct previe w

New Equipments from Elesa+Ganter

The Effective Sanitiser

Elesa+Ganter’s wide range of standard machine elements has been further extended by the introduction of the new VTT three-lobe knobs in Clamping Knobs family.

Made out of polyamide based technopolymer, black colour and matte finish, the three-lobe knobs are available in diameters 25, 32, 40 and 50 mm in two executions (from M5 to M10): VTT-SST, AISI 304 stainless steel boss, threaded blind hole, and VTT-SST-p, AISI 304 stainless steel threaded stud (from 10 to 40 mm).

The new design with three ample lobes, is particularly ergonomic and delivers a much better transmission of power even with smaller diameters, allowing the operator to get higher torques when tightening it; even when wearing work gloves.

In addition, the compact shape free of any recesses on the entire surface, prevents unhealthy residues or dust from depositing, ensuring easy cleaning, which is an essential requirement for applications subject to special regulations.

The AISI 304 stainless steel inserts are particularly suitable for applications on machines and equipment that need corrosion resistance materials, such as in food, medical and pharmaceutical industries, which, for hygienic reasons, require frequent cleaning operations with water jets or steam.

Here it deserves a mention that Elesa+Ganter’s wide range of standard machine elements has recently extended its range of electronic position indicators by introducing the new DD52R-E that joins the DD51-E model. Here the AISI304 stainless steel bushing ensures a high corrosion resistance and the internal lithium battery ensures a long life. Here the battery replacement can be performed easily, without disassembly of the indicator from the control shaft and without the loss of parameter configuration.

Elesa and Ganter India Pvt. Ltd. marketing@elesaganter-india.com

Trends All Purpose Surface Sanitizer & Cleaner (APS) is a broad spectrum, multi-purpose, nonfragrance cleaner and sanitiser from the house of Altret Industries Pvt. Ltd. It is particularly useful for the food industry.

This cleaner is effective on any kind of hard surface viz. floor, vertical surface, table, chopping board, etc.

The cleaning efficacy along with the sanitising effect of this all purpose surface sanitiser and cleaner places this product among the best in the industry.

The product contains no hazardous chemical, and is eco-friendly, bio-degradable & user-friendly.

The product covers 700-800 sq. ft. area after normal dilution in 30 litre water and can eliminate microbial organisms like Samonella, E.coli and Listeria, etc. It provides germ free effect through its sanitising capability. The product can be used in CIP (Cleaning in Place) & COP (Cleaning out of Place).

Trends APS also contains a unique permissible compound which removes dirt & oil from the surface. Moreover, the product does not contain any fragrance which can contaminate with food flavour, and provides great cost-effectiveness to its users.

Altret Industries Pvt. Ltd. trends@altret.com

Adding Value to the Table

Shining with Quality

The quality of raw materials, workmanship and ideas make the difference between an average product and something special. Thakurji Tablewares believes in producing products which are special. The company is a manufacturer, exporter, and supplier of high quality tableware in India and abroad.

Its assortment of tableware comprises kitchenware, ice bucket, brass candle holder, pastry stand, cruet set, and rectangular chafing dish. The company offers variety of styles and designs in tableware. The company’s products are being designed by master craftsmen, keeping in mind the latest market trends. Thakurji Tablewares’ clientele is spread across hotels, restaurants and airlines. Incepted in the year 1971, Thakurji Tablewares is an ISO 9000-9001certified brand.

The production unit of the company is spread over a vast area of 2000 sq mt., in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Thakurji Tablewares is well- equipped with technologically advanced machinery that helps the company to produce the products efficiently. The products of the company are regularly inspected by experts with the help of its in-house R&D and testing facilities. The company has also installed CAD (Computer-Aided Design)/CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) facilities.

Thakurji Tablewares thakurji289@gmail.com

King Metal Works has introduced a stainless steel g.n. pan, which can be useful for the hospitality industry. KMW brand’s stainless steel g.n.pan is made from 18/8 grade stainless steel and hence is totally rust free.

The product is endowed with heavy thickness of 0.8 mm to avoid handling dents, and also with anti jam function. The product has NSF {American Food Safe Grade Certificate} duly marked on each pan. The stainless steel g.n. pan of King Metal Works is available in all sizes, with & without perforation.

Besides it has international standard matt finish, and thus it has good resistance to scratches on use. Succinctly, the product has great value for money.

King Metal Works sales@kingmetal.com

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Seafood Delicacies

Steel of Substance

The foundation of MM Fisheries dates back to 1964 when the then pioneer and now leader of the fishery industry marked a niche for itself. They take pride in unveiling themselves as a leader of the seafood market that has paved way for their success. The interesting and gripping history of MM Fisheries was initiated by being associated with the Oberoi Hotel in 1964. Inviting more business by being true to the business and services they render, got a chance to proudly associate their company with Hotel Taj Mahal since its inception in 1977. Later, with best-proven services, they entered a permanent contract with Hotel Taj Mahal for the next seven years which continued until the late 80’s. Expansion of business is necessary to the company as blood is to the body.

The firm belief in this statement has led to the repercussion of expansion of its operations and services in consideration to the sky-rocketing demand of fish and seafood in India. To complement this, company imports best quality of Norwegian Salmon Fish and its portions in addition to various other varieties of Fish and seafood. The company added another feather to their cap by also dealing in import of Basa Fillet (Pangasius Fillet) from one of the renowned company of Vietnam. To facilitate its customers to enjoy the delicacy of fish and other seafood, they have inaugurated its wholesale outlet and six retail outlets to deliver the extra-ordinary quality of products they deal in high quality fresh, frozen and ready to eat sea food.

MM Fisheries Pvt. Ltd. mmfisheries@hotmail.com

METINOX India is a budding, dynamic company specializing in the manufacture and distribution of kitchenware and tableware.

Headquartered in Delhi and with a state-of-art manufacturing and distribution facility,we are setting new standards in quality and design with our extensive range of kitchenware and tableware.

We are dedicated to providing professional chefs and restaurateurs with quality products and flawless services. All our products are pleasing to the eye, high in utility, practical in maintenance, and manufactured to the highest quality to ensure durability.

From our distribution office in Delhi, we are setting new standards in customer service. We value each order – whether large or small – and ensure that our products exceed customer expectations and meet their needs on a timely basis.

We are committed to servicing our clients not only through our comprehensive range of high-quality kitchenware and tableware, but also through competitive edge in costs.

We have surely and steadily added to our nationwide coverage through our exciting range of products, matched by an equally efficient customer service. Our efforts to go the extra mile have earned us an outstanding reputation amongst our clients.

We always keep our customer needs in mind as well as the expectations of the end-users to oprtimize our product range, design and service. A focus on market research is integral to our activities to keep pace with the times and achieve excellence.

Metinox India sales@metinoxindia.com

Crafting Impeccable F&B Equipments Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial kitchen, refrigeration and bakery equipments in India. Its product range includes hot and cold equipments, bakery equipments, bar equipments, beverage equipments, dish washing equipments, cake pastry and ice-cream displays,

KEI specialises in providing consultancy, designing, layout plans with complete technical details of F&B equipments for commercial kitchens, canteens, bakeries & messes, etc. on turnkey basis as well as on individual product basis. The company’s services also extend to designing, layout and

salad display, racks, storage equipments among others. Kumar Equipment (India) is a certified ISO 9001: 2008 and a ‘Trust Passed’ accredited company.

installation of exhaust and fresh air systems as well as LPG pipeline, for facilitating the safety and economy of the projects.

KEI has been associated with kitchen equipment industry for well over two decades, and has been successfully providing its expertise to hospitality industry, residential schools, learning institutes, hospitals, messes of Armed Forces, industrial canteens, clubs, cafeterias, etc. Its operations not only spans across India but is also extended abroad. KEI has two manufacturing units in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan well equipped with latest state-of-the-art plant and machinery. Robust infrastructure, highly skilled and dedicated workforce, and sound R&D are the company’s strengths.

Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. info@kumarquipment.net, kumar_ equipments@yahoo.co.in

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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A d v e r t i s e r ’ s Company

Page No.

akasa international 69 aksai BC allied metal works 53 ani glass corporation 24 apple bakery machinery pvt. ltd.

12 archii 67 aries acryware 21 asia fruit logistics 2016 81 BMS ENTERPRISES 15 bunge india pvt. ltd.

27 CERRAGLOBE 18 chandra engineers 26 cremica food industries ltd. fic dkg sales pvt. ltd.

43 ds spiceco pvt. ltd.

09 fcml DISTRIBUTORS PVT. LTD. 61 FOOD SOLUTION INDIA LIMITED 05 fortune gourmet specialities pvt. ltd.

11 hindustan refrigeration Stores 73 HOSPITALITY APPLIANCES PVT. LTD. 77 hostech tusid 2016 79 ifb industries ltd.

23 india hospitality + bakery expo 2016 85 inquve business development 31, 38, 39 kalka metal udyog 18 kanhaiyalal tandoor pvt. ltd.

37 king metal works 13 makrey exports 65 MANISHA INTERNATIONAl BIC

* F I C - F RONT I NSI DE COVE R

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I n d e x

Company metinox india mm fisheries pvt. ltd. mod kitchen equipments pvt. ltd.

MOSAIC HOUSEWARE PVT. LTD. m.p enterprises munnilal tandoors pvt. ltd. neena enterprises pl & sons rajkiran kitchen equipment rans technocrats (india) pvt. ltd. remington steel arts shamsons foods sial paris solutionz consulting PVT. LTD. STEC hotelware suresh kumar & co. impex pvt. ltd. symega savoury technology ltd.

The new india electric & trading co. the scs agribusiness consultants pvt. ltd. trafs 2016 tropilite foods pvt. ltd.

T&S Brass unitas foods pvt. ltd. venus industries vkl seasoning pvt. ltd. winterhalter india pvt. ltd.

PRODUCT PREVIEW business opportunity

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* BIC - BACK INSID E COVE R * BC - BACK COVE R

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intervie w

The Manager with Vision

By Sharmila Chand

Murali Krishna Parna is currently the CEO of Sagar Ratna Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., a leader in the realms of South Indian food in India. The restaurateur is the alumnus of one of India’s most prestigious business schools – IIM, Ahmadabad.

With more than twenty years of rich corporate experience, Murali has proved his mettle in a bevy of industries, in top executive positions.

Over the years, he has garnered rich knowledge and experience of retail, advertising, communication, brand management, category management and merchandising while serving top brands.

Murali Parna is well-equipped with people management skills which help him splendidly in developing a motivated as well as customer-focused team to deliver desired results. He has a good understanding of the consumers in various geographies and territories of India.

His key strengths are the fact that he works with a customer-focussed business approach, has solutions oriented mind and has a strategic and people-centric approach.

Forming business strategies to achieve targeted growth, leading a team of 3000 plus people on the right course and direction, and improving organisational productivity through optimal resource allocation are among his key responsibilities in his present tenure.

At Sagar Ratna, he can be credited with successfully managing the transition from proprietorship to a professional organisation with highly empowered associates at all levels. He shaped the organisational structure of Sagar Ratna and made its personnel capable of managing growth.

He has also created a clear and viable business vision for Sagar Ratna and has successfully aligned various systems and processes in line of vision and mission of the organisation. The excerpts of the interview follow: What do you enjoy most about being the CEO? Getting things done, engaging different kinds of people, and making decisions are the things I enjoy the most as the CEO.

What do you dislike the most, in your professional capacity?

I dislike time wasters and in dealing with unethical people, especially those who say something but don’t mean it.

Is your job challenging? Can you point out five challenges in your job?

Yes, my job is challenging. The challenges of my job include listening to all points of view with equal patience; the challenge of being decisive and courageous enough to back one’s decision completely; the challenge of keeping the team engaged positively in the direction of the pre-agreed goals or vision; the

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challenge of ensuring some level of innovation despite repeated failures; and the challenge of managing interpersonal conflicts in the team in a very constructive way.

How are you managing stiff competition?

By keeping the team focused on improving its own performance continually, guided by the agreed goals.

Can you suggest any tips or insights to people managing restaurants or a chain of restaurants to strengthen their team?

Hire people better than you for the job at hand and then leverage their strengths to the best.

Finally, how is your experience at the present job? What are the challenges of working here? How is

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

it different from other places? What excites you the most here?

My present tenure has provided me with the opportunity of great learning on various fronts; both in terms of hard skills and soft skills. The job here has been highly engaging which tested myself and my team on all aspects of managing the business, both internally (eg. managing employees and their aspirations) and externally (eg. managing aggressive competition in the market).

What is the USP of your brand?

The USP of Sagar Ratna is freshly prepared South Indian food, which is light on the stomach... and on the pocket too.

What is your take on the hospitality business in general?

I think it is a very engaging, detailoriented and people- driven business.

June-July ’16

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