Express Food and Hospitality (Vol.1 No.12) March 2020

V0L 01 NO. 12 PAGES 60

MARCH 2020, `80

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EDITOR’S NOTE

March forward

T

he month of March in India has always been associated with the financial year ending procedures, filing of taxes and closing of company account books. But it also means that a new accounting year is starting and for some companies, new horizons and forward looking plans.

Bengaluru-based Barbeque Nation Hospitality has filed IPO papers with Sebi for the second time, backed by private equity investor CX Partners and investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's investment firm Alchemy Capital. The company recently acquired a 61.35 per cent stake in Red Apple Kitchen which owns Toscano, a casual dining Italian restaurant chain which currently has 10 outlets operating across Bengaluru and Chennai.

Hospitality chain Hyatt which recently opened the Hyatt Regency Thrissur in Kerala is on expansion mode in India and is reportedly commissioning at least 10 more properties during 2020, mostly new locations in tier II and tier III cities. The Odisha government's approval of hotel projects in the state is further proof of why these cities are where the growth is going to come from. Even Angad Singh Gandhi, brand ambassador, Glenfiddich India, agrees, “We went to 30 tier II cities in India to promote Glenfiddich because that is where major growth in numbers is coming for us.”

At our recently held Atithi Devo Bhava in

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY NATIONALFOOD,HOSPITALITY& BEVERAGE SALES WEST Datta K +91 9821580849 | datta.kandalkar@indianexpress.com Satish Dange +91 9821876620 | satish.dange@indianexpress.com Ziyad Tungekar +91 9820512718 | ziyad.tungekar@expressindia.com

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March 2020

“In our country there is no dearth of skilled labour and especially if the fairer sex is included in the workforce”

Venkatesh Subramaniam +91 9892512644 | venkatesh.subramaniam@expressindia.com NORTH Prabhas Jha +91 9899707440 | prabhas.jha@expressindia.com EAST Debnarayan Dutta +919051150480 | debnarayan.dutta@expressindia.com Ajanta Sen Gupta +919831182580 | Email: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com

Ahmedabad, general managers of leading hotels in India's first World Heritage City, agreed that the last ten years have been phenomenal for the hotel industry in Ahmedabad and opined that the government is tradefriendly and provides the great infrastructure needed for the industry at large. This is in direct contrast to the reactions from the UK, where industry feels that EU's new immigration policy is disastrous for the hospitality industry as it is too dependent on EU for skilled labour.

In our country there is no dearth of skilled labour and especially if the fairer sex is included in the workforce.

In a tribute to the women in the industry, we feature two women who have made their mark as leaders in their field and as Kerrie Hannaford, VP - commercial, Accor India & South Asia says, “most people have enormous talent; they just don’t know how to harvest and harness it.”

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister Food Processing Industries, Government of India, would have been an excellent addition to our section on Women in Hospitality but she was out of the country representing India at a global trade event. May this tribe increase!

STEENA JOY Editor Express Food & Hospitality editor.efh@gmail.com

SOUTH Sreejith Radhakrishnan +91 88675 74257 | sreejith.radhakrishnan@expressindia.com OPERATION AND SALES Satish Dange +91 9821876620 | satish.dange@indianexpress.com FOR PARTNERSHIPS,TIE-UPS,SPECIAL EVENTS Anishi Khetan +91 9930915221 | anishi.khetan@indianexpress.com

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.

Global Fairs & Media Pvt Ltd cannot be held responsible for such contents,nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies,associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

CONTENTS TECH BYTES Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Sr. Vice President Neil Viegas Asst. Vice President Harit Mohanty

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Editor Steena Joy*

OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS TO HOSPITALITY 4.0

Correspondent Akshay Nayak DESIGN

CHEF'S PLATTER

Assistant Art Director Pravin Temble Chief Designer Prasad Tate Senior Designer Rekha Bisht Graphics Designer Gauri Deorukhkar Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani Photo Editor Sandeep Patil DIGITAL TEAM Head of Internet

India's food processing sector: Coming of age India's move to allow100 per cent FDI in food processing,has alreadyattracted US$ 463.44 million in the first half of the current fiscal and is expected to reach upto US$ 1200 million by end of the year.In this AAHAR Special,we take a lookat some of the growing players in this sector (28-32)

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I TOOK A WEEKEND JOB AS A COMMIS CHEF AND IT ALL STARTED FROM THERE: CHEF GARY FOULKES

Viraj Mehta SCHEDULING & COORDINATION Arvind Mane MARKETING / SALES

P25: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK The Fern Residency, Sarnath

Ziyad Tungekar Dattaram Kandalkar

P24: PRODUCT TRACKER

Satish Dange

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MARKETS

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CCI WILL ACT IN FAVOUR OF HOTELIERS AGAINST THE PREDATORY DISCOUNTING PRACTICE FOLLOWED

BY OTAS: NIRAV GANDHI

16

I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WOMEN ARE RISK-TAKERS: SABA DHANANI

14

WE STILL NEED MORE FEMALE LEADERS ESPECIALLY IN INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA: KERRIE HANNAFORD

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CANADIAN MAPLE SYRUP HAS EVOLVED TO MORE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS

Venkatesh Subramaniam Sanjay Kumar Sreejith Radhakrishnan Ashish Damania PARTNERSHIPS, TIE-UPS Anishi Khetan CIRCULATION

P48: MOVEMENTS Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport

P55: WEEKEND Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista

Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION

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Editor: Steena Joy* (Editorial & Administrative Offices: Express Towers, 1st floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021) * Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act. Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or

Production Co-ordinator Dhananjay Nidre

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March 2020

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CCI will act in favour of hoteliers against the predatory discounting practice followed by OTAs: Nirav Gandhi Akshay Nayak Ahmedabad IN THE RECENT past, many articles surfaced covering the ongoing tussle between hotels and OTAs, claiming the latter's predatory discount on room tariffs which has been hurting the industry at the national level. Relieving the members of the fraternity with some positive news in favour of the industry, Nirav Gandhi, jt hon secretary, HRAWI and executive committee, FHRAI, at the recently concluded Express Food & Hospitality's Atithi Devo Bhava Ahmedabad said, “We have taken up the matter of deep discounting by OTAs with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and it is going to go on and we will win. Unfortunately, the government ignored the fact for so many years. Although the

tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava is centuries old, the OTAs are disrupting the way hotels have been traditionally functioning and the warm culture that we disseminate.”

Although digital platforms have been contagious and more and more people are getting benefited by the ease that it offers, OTAs shall not take the hotels for granted, just like e-commerce has done to retail chains by attracting traffic through deep discounts that make them rethink upon their purchase decisions, the traditional way, informed Gandhi. “We stand here to avoid or stop this disruption,” he reiterated. Mentioning about how the functioning of OTAs has negatively impacted the hotel industry, especially the standalone hotel business, Gandhi said, “The biggest challenge in the OTA business with hotels is the

Nirav Gandhi

commissions. The disparity in the rates charged to hoteliers was set to suit their convenience, irrespective of what rates the hoteliers are charging to the consumers. This has added an unfair burden on us hoteliers. It was seen as a trend that some of

the hotels were listing room tariffs on their websites lesser than those listed on the OTA websites. Our fellow hoteliers need to know that we have the inventories of rooms and the OTAs are dependent on it. So they will try to threaten to stop business if we play with the rates, but in the end, they will have to agree.

They are not in any position to dictate terms where the rate of your inventories is concerned.”

Decoding about the issues taken up with CCI, he explained, “The few problems that we have taken up with the OTAs are the unfair and unbiased listings as per their convenience and not the consumers' convenience. If you see, there would be the first 20 listings that a consumer doesn't want, and despite the filters added, it still doesn't give them what they want. The CCI has taken this issue up. The commis-

sion has given an order against their predatory pricing on rooms too. A lot of hotels have resisted the predatory discounting practice, and now they have grown in ARRs very well. The independent hotel business, over 80 per cent in India, still suffers due to predatory pricing by the OTAs. Furthermore, the OTAs, most of the times, completely change the views of the consumer about a hotel by categorising it in a 4-star or another category while the hotel is actually not operating in that category. Category approvals are only looked by the government, and hence the commission is also probing this issue with the OTAs. Also, out of 50,000 hotels that they have listed, 40,000 hotels were charged with a service charge. So actually the consumer is paying 17-22 per cent of the room tariff to the OTAs.”

'BIRYANI BYKILO WILLHAVE 250+ OUTLETS TILL2025' A diehard foodie with vast entrepreneurial and scaling up expertise, Vishal Jindal, director and co-founder, Biryani by Kilo, speaks to Steena Joy about the unique concept and how the brand is going places What is the BBK pipeline to 2025? How many outlets will you open?

Biryani by Kilo will have 250+ outlets till 2025, including at least 50 international locations. With 250+ outlets BBK will have Rs. 800 - 1000 Cr. topline with healthy EBITDA. How will you fund BBK's expansion plan?

We are looking to raise Series B Fund around USD 15-20 Million by mid 2020 which

should be sufficient till 2025 as BBK is quite capital efficient.

lion market and this will grow by at least 20 per cent a year.

having great potential in growth & generating jobs.

Your insights on India's foodservice segment? How has it evolved and where is it headed?

India's food service segment has seen a continuous increase in the number of orders across all metros & Tier I, II cities.

From less than 0.8 orders a month in 2013 it has gone up to two orders a month in 2018-19 which has made it a US$ 70 bil-

India needs a separate ministry for the F&B segment. Do you agree/disagree?

Agree. F&B industry is currently at US$ 70 billion and growing by 20 per cent+ CAGR. With factors such as urbanisation, rising income levels and improved investment climate, the foodservice sector has a huge opportunity. F&B segment has also been identified as

Any new product diversifications being planned for BBK? The Biryani and kebab category is huge in India and worldwide. BBK plans to be pan India and worldwide leader in these categories mainly.

10 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

Vishal Jindal

Sustainable initiatives in the BBK kitchens?

To support the environment, BBK uses the earthen

Handis to cook. All our packagings are bio-degradable and environmentally friendly.

EXPRESS EXCLUSIVE

'WHEN YOU USE DESIGN THINKING TO WORK ON A CONCEPT,YOU TAKE ADEEP DIVE INTO THATIDEA' Designer, hotelier, entrepreneur, adventurer and developer. Jimmy Mistry is a man with many hats. He founded Della Group in 1991 with a core belief that anything “we design or create should be unique and should improve the lives of as many people as possible.” In an exclusive interview with Steena Joy, he elucidates on how design can be used to create experiential spaces From college dropout to entrepreneur, what made you opt for hospitality rather than any other sector?

The calling has been there right from childhood. To try and take a product or a given environment and improvise it.

That has been ingrained in me since my school days. After I finished school I enrolled for a diploma in mechanical engineering. Those days I was very fond of automobile and motorcycle modifications and motorcycle racing. That took me on to the next level of my life and I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I dibbled

in contracting, furniture imports, manufacturing, interiors, architecture, designing offices that stood out from the crowd – the idea was better and better environments for people. In interiors when we reached a stage in our careers when we realised we have designed enough across the length and breadth of the country, we wanted to design hospitality for ourselves. But I wanted to do hospitality with a difference or what was not available in the country. We started off with a very humble 30 room resort, an adventure park, a small cafeteria that

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was made into a restaurant. The beginnings were very very humble and even today we are very close to the ground and listen to what the guest wants. We always put ourselves in our guest’s shoes and understand what is it that they would want.

How is Della different?

I wanted to have a place where I can have fun with my family, friends and which is different. Not the same mundane menu and the same mundane restaurant with nothing else to do. How much can you attract people with only food or only ambience? You need something much much more than that. Hence we decided to do experiential hospitality - the whole experience, not just food or the décor. And experience needs to be theme based so that’s how Della Adventure was born. We are the pioneers in this space- there was nothing like extreme adventure in the country. We started the adventure park, restaurants inside it so that when someone is doing dirt bike riding they can come and sit in the restaurants on the edge of the racetrack. And all this comes from my personal experiences while working and growing up. Same is with interaction with animals. I am very fond of dogs, pets, horses, and activities like milking cows, etc. simple things that give tremendous sense of satisfaction to the soul within. Buying a cow is not that costly, doesn’t need much investment but the experience of milking a cow is not available. So my job as an entrepreneur has always been to identify the missing gap - what is not available and then recreate those experiences.

From the heritage styles of the Taj and the Oberois to hotels with contemporary design, how has hospitality design in India evolved over the years?

Hospitality design has gone through a sea change. It was an organised seg-

Jimmy Mistry

ment so to speak but it was old world.

We were lost in an bygone era. I think there was a time in 80s and 90s when we didn’t keep up with the world. And that was the time when international hotel brands were just entering India.

By 2000, most of the brands had entered and they came in with their international designers, their contractors, their standards - that standardisation really took the country by storm. So the hotel avatar you see today is very different from the one say 20 years ago. We being in the world of design, we were keenly observing the entire change. And our designs were always more motivated and inclined towards international designs and the standardisation therein. When we set up, we made sure all the customer touchpoints are the same, like the safes, door locks, phones etc. decor and design was contemporary because we were always on the cutting edge of design and this is our forte.

At the same time using deeprooted design thinking, getting into human centric design and trying to give consumers

EXPRESS EXCLUSIVE what they are NOT getting in a Taj or Oberoi - this is where we specialise in, creating a small niche for ourselves. We have installed aeration knobs in all our washrooms, we use VOC free paints, no use of wood, we don’t even promote wood from recycleable forests, we do not use melamine polish - we were the first in the country to launch water-based paints in our factory. I firmly believe that we must leave this planet a better place for our children. This is not a corporate mantra, not a management philosophy - it is deeprooted in me – love for Nature, love for environment and love for plants and animals - that’s who I am.

Your resorts have design themes all across from

grenade shaped and gun shaped door handles to animal shaped lampshade bases.

How do you source these elements?

When you use design thinking to work on a concept or an idea, you take a deep dive into that idea. And you spend a lot of time at the listening stage asking a lot o questions and ideation stage and keep doing the exercise again and again. It has to be deep rooted. So when we came up with a military theme concept, a first in India, arms are not available so we would sit hours doing research and drawings of an AK 47 or assault rifle recreating it in a one to one scale, making a diecast or mould in aluminium and finishing in our factory.

Similarly with the grenades

and the military look throughout the resort, keeping to the theme but at the same time giving it an ultra luxury look. I keep looking for the vaccum, what others are not doing and where I can stand out. Of course I idealise the Taj, I am hard core fan of theirs, and I love the Four Seasons, but I try to use design to give my guests that core element of surprise and we do it deliberately. So we have guests coming out of our washrooms smiling, they are floored when they visit D.A.T A and then they become your brand ambassadors.

Future roadmap for the group?

After 25 years, I have realised that I am tired of designing. And came up with the

idea where I design the products and then let the designers do their interior designing using my products. So this gives me an opportunity to collaborate with interior designers.

That's the idea behind Della Concept Stores or Experience Centres. Where I design products and concepts that are truly global. We have got about 2,500 products designed and manufactured by Brand Della. Our factories in Daman have been upgraded for luxury furniture. We have finest of tiles, very unique and different from other tiles available in India. We have decorative lights, a range of sanitaryware manufactured in China, faucets, so anything that is upmarket design will be showcased here - architects and in-

terior designers needn't travel across the world to source these products. We always try to price our products at an 'optimal' level. We are not cheap but we are not super expensive either. Just like Della, every product is value for money. We are putting up our first store in Lonavla, of 50,000 sq ft and it's going to redefine the user interface and experience of interior shopping completely, that's why it's an Experience Centre rather than a Store. Later we plan to set up a little smaller format in Delhi Gurugram and Bengaluru as well. Once we set up these three company owned stores, we are open to give out our franchise to about 30 cities across India that we have identified.

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March 2020

WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY

'WE STILLNEED MORE FEMALE LEADERS ESPECIALLYIN INDIAAND SOUTH ASIA' Being well versed with Accor’s processes and systems in sales, marketing and distribution, Kerrie Hannaford, VP- commercial, Accor India & South Asia, strives to integrate and capitalise on the current team strengths to Accor in the best interest of their hotels network in India. In an interview with Akshay Nayak, Hannaford reiterates that the Indian hospitality industry still needs more female leaders How has the hospitality industry changed over years in terms of inclusivity of women in leadership roles?

It has changed considerably since I started years ago. A female general manager was unheard of and the best a female executive could hope for would be an area or regional director of sales and marketing. Now we have women who are CEOs, SVPs & VPs of operations, finance, development, legal and commercial units – with global and country responsibilities. We still need more female leaders especially in India and South Asia.

Being VP Commercial, what challenges and opportunities do you face looking at such aclarge market?

Opportunities are boundless if you think definitely and behave with courage.

Being part of Accor gives me global strength but also the autonomy and authority to act locally. One challenge to overcome is the vast size of the country and multiple cultures - to be able to respond quickly to changing markets in different regions.

Also, responding to unanticipated setbacks like Coronavirus – we are lucky in some respect India has its own domestic economy - we hope to weather this global storm with national pride and Indian’s conducting

14

business at home and supporting local business.

How do you manage worklife balance?

Like most new executives in their first 90 days, its hectic but then after if you plan well, life finds its rhythm again, you can start to balance work and home life. It’s important for me to switch off completely, recharge and then bounce back in again. It does require discipline though.

What steps have you considered to break the glass ceiling?

Be authentic and be you, have the courage to position yourself as a leader, do the hard stuff but always keep learning and step out of your comfort zone.

Your mantra to keep yourself motivated and empower more women to join the hospitality force.

Clichéd but my motivation comes when I see potential in people, that they can’t see, encourage them to do better, be better and then succeed. Most people have enormous talent they just don’t know how to harvest and harness it. Helping them do that is most rewarding – it’s like when your favourite team or player wins the World Cup, it is exhilarating.

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

March 2020

Kerrie Hannaford

Most people have enormous talent; they just don’t know how to harvest and harness it. Helping them do that is most rewarding - it’s like when your favourite team or player wins the World Cup, it is exhilarating

WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY

Sakha Consulting Wings at IGI Airport launches women-driven cab service for women travellers EF&H Staff New Delhi IN A FIRST SUCH initiative at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Sakha Consulting Wings has tied up with GMR at the IGI airport to provide women driven cab service for women travellers. Women passengers travelling alone now have a safer commuting option from the airport.

The initiative has been launched by Sakha Consulting Wings under its brand name ‘Women With Wheels’. All the

women drivers are experienced and have been extensively trained in driving and self-defence by its strategic partner Azad Foundation. The cabs are available for hire 24×7 from Sakha “Women With Wheels” exclusive booth at Arrival Forecourt T3, opposite Gate no: 6near Pillar no: 16.

Travellers can also book a cab online. Women passengers can head over to the company’s website to pre-book the cab before arrival. There are two helpline numbers which will take bookings from the travellers.

The fares are similar to other taxi services, which work on a distance-travelled model, along with a 25 per cent additional charge for night hours (10 pm to 5 am) Commenting on the occasion, Arvind Vadera, CEO, Sakha Consulting Wings, said, “It is one of the biggest milestones in the journey of Sakha yet. A dedicated space at the Indira Gandhi International Airport not only assures women travellers of their safety, it will also go a long way in generating bigger employment opportunities to the women from

marginalized communities. We are thankful to the airport authorities for the opportunity.”

“We are also deeply grateful to NHFDC (National Handicapped Finance and Development) Foundation for financing vehicles through a partnership that will also generate returns for persons with disability,” he added.

Sakha works together with Azad Foundation to ensure “livelihoods with dignity” for resource poor women. Azad delivers professional driving and chauffeur training to margin-

alised groups of women. It creates support ecosystem needed for these women to enter the world of work as professional drivers and undertakes research and advocacy for the same.

Sakha Consulting Wings has been providing women driven cab services for over a decade and has managed to provide employment to over a thousand women as professional chauffeurs and also provided more than 1.5 million safe rides to women clients through its cab hire services in Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Kolkata and Indore.

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March 2020

WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY

'I BELIEVE THATTHE MOSTSUCCESSFUL WOMEN ARE RISK-TAKERS' Saba Dhanani - a daughter, a wife and a mother is the director of operations at Sayaji Hotels a chain of leading hotels in tier-II and III cities founded by Raoof Razak Dhanani. Her achievements bring to the life the meaning of woman power in the hospitality sector in India.

In conversation with Akshay Nayak, Dhanani highlights how she is breaking the glass ceiling How has the hospitality industry changed over the years in terms of inclusivity of women in leadership roles?

In an industry that used to see women being restricted to roles in the front office, spa operations and communications, the hospitality industry supports equal opportunity for everyone. Hotels all over are now making diversity an integral part of their hiring strategy and are giving out specific mandates for hiring women at senior level management.

What challenges and opportunities do you face holding the leadership role?

With changing times I realised the potential of the digital platforms and decided to introduce it in our company. Initially, it was quite a task to bring out the transition in the thought process of the workforce while working with Gen X and Gen Y. From catching up to the pace along with guid-

ing them parallel to gaining their trust, digital marketing is here to stay.

How do you manage worklife balance?

My family is my strength and having a very supportive husband really helps in maintaining that balance.

Passion for work helps one truly be the best version of themselves and that in turn helps you to be the best at work and home.

What steps did you take to break the glass ceiling?

I believe that the most successful women are risktakers. Rather than waiting until everything is perfectly aligned, I embrace my mistakes and turn them into learning experiences. Understanding the potential of the digital platform was the stepping stone my career demanded.

Your mantra to keep yourself motivated and empower more women to join the hospitality force.

My sons are very

Hotels all over are now making diversity an integral part of their hiring strategy and are giving out specific mandates for hiring women at senior level management

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Saba Dhanani

important factors for keeping me motivated as I want them to see my work to achieve something substantial so that they are aware that gender does not play a

role in success. It gives me the utmost satisfaction to see my team and my vision go hand in hand. The fight is always a bit harder for the women as breaking the

glass ceiling is an ongoing battle. Indian mentality has stemmed from patriarchy. We are here to change that and we are here to stay!

WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY

Hotel Zena, an art-infused tribute to female empowerment, to open in Washington, D.C EF&H Staff Mumbai VICEROY HOTEL GROUP announces the launch of Hotel Zena, a bold new cultural hub celebrating female empowerment through provocative art, design and exciting and relevant programming. Situated in Logan Circle, at the beginning of Washington, D.C.’s vibrant 14th Street corridor and adjacent to the bustling downtown business district, Hotel Zena will be an ode to feminine strength, celebrated by all genders, races and sexualities, and a haven for the liber-

ated forward thinker. Set to open spring 2020, the 191-room Hotel Zena will be one of two Viceroy properties to debut in our nation’s capital in 2020.

Acquired as the Donovan Hotel by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in late 2018, Hotel Zena will emerge following a complete renovation and transformation as the latest to join The Viceroy Urban Retreats portfolio, a collection of high-style boutique hotels with edgy, eccentric personalities and contextual, culturally significant vibes.

“Hotel Zena will be the first hospitality establishment solely

dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of women,” said Jon Bortz, president and CEO, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust.

Following the incredible success of Hotel Zetta, Hotel Zelos, and Hotel Zeppelin in San Francisco, Hotel Zena will be the seventh ‘Z’ hotel in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust’s “Unofficial Z Collection”.

Dawson Design Associates, the same interior design awardwinning firm that brought Hotel Zetta, Hotel Zelos and Hotel Zeppelin to life, will cultivate an atmosphere of strength and femininity at Hotel Zena.

FRESH

Apple

Coconut

Sugarcane

Carrot

Amla

Lime

Karvand

Orange

Pomegranate

Grapes

Watermelon

Pineapple

KEY FEATURES

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MARKET

Canadian maple syrup has evolved to more value added products

EF&H Mumbai CANADA produces 76 per cent of the world's maple syrup. With forests brimming with majestic red, black and sugar maples, the country has just the right mix of cold spring nights and warm daytime temperatures to produce an abundance of the clear-coloured sap used to make maple syrup.

Although delicious and sweet on its own, Canadian maple syrup has evolved beyond the traditional pancake and waffle markets and can now be found in value-added products as a natural flavouring. The industry continues to innovate by introducing fruitflavoured maple syrups, maple

18

syrup and liqueur blends, organic products and leadingedge packaging.

Canada's maple syrup producing regions are located in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Maple syrup has long been part of Canada's cultural fabric. The country's Aboriginal peoples taught the early settlers how to harvest sap and boil it to make maple syrup.

Maple sugar was the first kind of sugar produced in eastern North America and remained the standard sweetener until 1875, when cane sugar became available.

Now enjoyed in 58 countries around the world, Canadian maple syrup products range from traditional maple syrup to

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

March 2020

maple sugar, maple butter, maple candy and a full range of products containing maple syrup, such as cereals, yoghurts and more.

Between January and July 2019, world exports of Canadian maple syrup had already reached Can$ 240.4 million, of which Can$ 209.6 million went to five main markets – USA, UK, Japan, Germany and Australia.

As maple trees grow, they accumulate starch, which converts into sugar during the spring thaw and mixes with the water absorbed through tree roots. Maple sap contains about 97 per cent water, plus minerals, organic acids and maple taste precursors. It takes 40 litres of sap to make

one litre of syrup.

Canada's maple syrup producers take great care to ensure the long term survival of their maple sugar bushes. They collect only enough sap for one to 1.5 litres of syrup from each tree - or less than one-tenth of the tree's sugar. Collecting too much sap would rob trees of nourishment. Canada's producers are committed to safeguarding the health and longevity of their trees.

Historically, sap was collected in buckets and then poured into a large gathering tank that was pulled by a team of horses or a tractor to the evaporator house. In the early 1970s, the industry was reborn when scientists developed new gathering and production

methods. Today, producers use tubing systems, reverse osmosis and high-performance evaporators, all of which have made the industry significantly more efficient. In fact, Canada boasts some of the most innovative systems in maple production in the world.

The safety and quality of Canadian maple syrup is monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which ensures producers meet high federal standards.

The CFIA is also responsible for the federal classification of maple syrup within the following categories: * Canada No. 1 (extra light, light, medium) * Canada No. 2 (amber) * Canada No. 3 (dark)

MARKET

'Low-flow doesn’t mean low efficiency or productivity' Installing low-flow faucets or spray valves, historically meant low-pressure and lowperformance. But the truth is that you shouldn’t feel a loss of cleanability or spray force with low-flow water accessories. In an interview, Rajesh Chowdhury, head of business development - India and the subcontinent, T&S Brass, explains how it can be surprisingly easy for businesses to go green and function efficiently, particularly if you’re using T&S products with the latest technology What exactly is low flow?

The first thing to understand is that low-flow doesn’t mean low efficiency or productivity. Low-flow faucets and components use less water per minute than older models so you’re able to use less water to perform everyday tasks like cleaning.

On pre-rinse units, a highly designed spray valve creates the same or better cleaning force (equal or better cleanability or cleaning efficiency) while using less water than other, less efficient models. They create the same water force as older models but use less water.

And it’s backed up by testing.

Having the same water force means the dried- and cakedon food on your plates, pots and pans will be rinsed off

better and with less scrubbing - and less water.

For faucets, using aerators to restrict the amount of water that is used for frequent activities can save significant amounts of water over time.

For example, low-flow handwash sinks can save up to a gallon of water per wash.

Why should hotels switch to low-flow faucets?

The decision to switch to a low-flow faucet depends on the type of usage. For a faucet that’s used to fill pots and pans, a higher flow rate may actually be a better choice since the amount of water used will be the same.

It would simply take more time to fill the pot at a lower flow rate. But for a sink that’s used for handwashing,

Rajesh Chowdhury

switching to low-flow devices. Here’s how to do it in four easy steps: 1. Place a bucket - marked in gallon or litre increments under your faucet.

2. Turn on the faucet at the normal water pressure you use.

3. Time how many seconds it takes to fill the bucket to the one-gallon (3.8 litre) mark.

4. If it takes less than 20 seconds to reach the one-gallon mark, you could benefit from a low-flow faucet from T&S.

rinsing produce or similar tasks, a flow rate of 20 l/min is excessive and wasteful.

Measuring your current flow rate is critical to understanding and calculating how much can be saved by

Does it require a lot of investment to change to low-flow?

Once you’ve determined a need for a low-flow faucet, making the change is easy.

You will not need to replace

the entire faucet, which keeps the cost for retrofitting with low-flow devices down.

To reduce the water flow of a faucet, simply install a T&S aerator at the end of the nozzle. This inexpensive and quick update can save enough water (and corresponding energy and sewer costs) to pay for itself in a matter of days.

Going low-flow doesn’t mean giving up performance, and being conscious of the water you use is the right choice to make. T&S’ lowflow products such as spray valves, aerators, metering cartridges and electronic sensor faucets can yield particularly large savings for years to come - all for a relatively small upfront investment.

Government of Odisha approves tea blending and packaging facility,hotel projects EF&H Staff Mumbai THE GOVERNMENT of Odisha has approved eight more investment proposals worth Rs 1,649.49 crore at the 89th State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) meeting.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of chief secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy in Lok Seva Bhawan conference hall recently wherein Hemant Sharma, commissioner-cum-secretary, Industries outlined the project proposals for consideration.

These proposals will create

20 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

employment opportunities for 1450 people. The projects were approved in food processing, chemicals, plastics, tourism, steel downstream and infrastructure.

The SLSWCA approved the proposal of Tata Global Beverages, to set up a tea blending

and packaging facility with annual capacity of 36,000 metric tons, at a total investment of Rs 83.53 crore providing employment to about 294 people.

In the tourism sector, a project by Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels for expansion of its 5-star hotel with an investment of Rs

150 crore, has been approved which will provide employment for 150 people and another proposal by Kamat Hotels India for expansion of its 5-star hotel, with an investment of Rs 52 crore has also been approved and it will provide an additional employment to around 160 people.

MARKET

Food safety a key topic at Atithi Devo Bhava Ahmedabad Akshay Nayak Ahmedabad EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY’S “Atithi Devo Bhava Confex Series” in its second edition marked the participation of hospitality stalwarts of Gujarat state coming together to share their invaluable views about the booming HoReCa sector in the city of Ahmedabad. The event was graced by keynote speaker Dipika Chauhan, deputy commissioner, Food and Drug

Control Administration (FDCA) - Gujarat who gave a presentation on the state government's efforts to monitor the quality and standard of food safety and handling in the foodservice industry in the state. “Regulated

by FSSAI at the central level, we as regulators at the state level bring into action both enforcement and opportunities for the food handling businesses. At FDCA Gujarat, we aim to safeguard public health. As an industry, we as authorities along with

the businesses sail in the same boat. In the food sector, with the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 coming into force from August 5, 2011, Gujarat was the first state in the country to reduce the age-old PFA cases - wherein irrespective of the intentionality of food adulteration, everybody was dragged to the court of law.

Gujarat was the first state in the country to move over 35000 cases from the High Court to lower courts. With the payment of a penalty issued, the

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March 2020

MARKET resolution became streamlined and fast.” She added, “Also, as we all love to savour street food but subconsciously a feeling of precaution of the poor food handling by street vendors is present in the back of the mind. Hence, we at FDCA Gujarat recognised and awarded certificates to the street vendors who followed food safety and handling with utmost diligence keeping the public health in focus. This, in turn, led to more vendors seeking training programmes in hygienic food handling, which we offered to them and hence a clean street food hub was presented to the masses. Out of the country's 15 clean street food hubs, Gujarat has nine of them.”

Chauhan concluded, “I do not say only enforcement of regulatory actions can improve the quality of production, but the increasing competition has kept people on their toes now to offer only good quality right from ambience to food. We as regulators do not intend to swindle money from the industry, but our efforts are to increase the quality of the product and service day by day.

We saw it as a pattern that many international visitors stayed only at branded hotels and consumed food there. We encouraged them to have food from the streets vouching on the safety measures that the street food vendors were taking. They too appreciated this initiative.”

Expert speakers Speaking on Indianising the Hospitality Experience in India, our plenary speaker Param Kannampilly, CMD, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, said, “India has traditionally welcomed people with Atithi Devo Bhava. India's hospitality scenario reflects that of the country's ancient way of greeting the guests by treating them like God. However, it is not made an everyday habit in our day to day operations. It happens out of a chance rather than a systematic decision to make it happen.

In the hospitality industry, be it hotels or restaurants, a guest is not bound to get angry at the staff, but it only happens for some misbehaviour or unexpected body language that provokes a guest to think that they are not getting what they are

paying for and decide to take it up with the seniors. Here, the onus of responsibility of the brand image is on the junior staff, be it the restaurant waiter or front desk manager. For them the job is important but dignity has a value too.” He felt that this is where the role of the supervisor comes into play, for they are at the helm to train and educate the staff to counter situations in a calm and composed manner.

“The industry needs supervisory level of staff who are enablers and enable their juniors to completely take care of what is required and plan for the future course of action. If this happens it will be much smoother. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done.

I hope people will put it into practice,” he opined.

Making a presentation on OTAs v/s Hotels: Need for a Level Playing Field, Nirav Gandhi, jt. hon. secretary, HRAWI and executive committee, FHRAI, observed that the hotel association’s voice against predatory discounting pattern followed by OTAs has been considered by the Competitions Commission of India, for which decisions favouring the hoteliers would soon be taken.

Speaking on the increasing potential for hospitality business in tier II and III cities in India, Kunal Katoch, VP - Operations, Sayaji Hotels observed that as most of tier-I cities are pretty well developed and with many players already present there, tier II and III cities are the next big hotbeds for hospitality companies. “Sayaji Hotels predominantly started with tier II and III markets and we can proudly say that we as a company still believe in these markets as they are the ones from where we have seen most of the return on investments. The four major points that have increased more and more national and international brands to explore these markets, of which first remains the growing affinity towards brands; followed by business enhancement in these markets; capital investments v/s the return on investments, and lastly the low operating costs. The tier II markets have been popular for the past 5-10 years. When it comes to brand affinity, the dy-

22 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

At the GMs Conclave (L to R): Umesh Tiwari, VP - Operations, Royal Orchid Hotels; Ridul Deka, GM, Novotel Ahmedabad & Residences; Niraj Kumar Sinha, GM, The Grand Bhagwati Ahmedabad; Ajit Singh, GM, Lemon Tree Premier The Atrium Ahmedabad; Rakesh Dogra, GM, The Fern, Ahmedabad; Rachit Goel, GM, Fairfield by Marriott Ahmedabad and Nagendra Singh Rathore, GM, Fortune Inn Haveli Gandhinagar

namics in tier II markets are slightly different as compared to that of tier I markets. The former vouches for more on F&B offerings than keeping the asset room-heavy, which isn't the case with tier I cities. The growth rate and sustainability grounds for corporates in the new markets are showing up. To give an example, we have our hotel in Indore. Indore in 2011 was sitting at a population of 31 lakhs, whereas presently it is seeing seven million population. That is the sort of catchment that is increasing in these markets. Irrespective of hotels or retail outlets, in the smaller markets these players, have larger horizons to tap,” he explained.

Dipika Chauhan

Param Kannampilly

GMs Conclave The event also saw the presence of general managers of leading hotels in Ahmedabad participating in a GMs Conclave panel discussion on the hospitality dynamics in the city. Panelists included Umesh Tiwari, VP Operations, Royal Orchid Hotels; Ridul Deka, GM, Novotel Ahmedabad & Residences; Niraj Kumar Sinha, GM, The Grand Bhagwati Ahmedabad; Ajit Singh, GM, Lemon Tree Pre-

Nirav Gandhi

Kunal Katoch

MARKET mier The Atrium Ahmedabad; Rakesh Dogra, GM, The Fern, Ahmedabad; Rachit Goel, GM, Fairfield by Marriott Ahmedabad and Nagendra Singh Rathore, GM, Fortune Inn Haveli Gandhinagar.

The panelists were quite positive about Ahmedabad as a booming market for both international and homegrown hospitality brands. According to Deka, “The last ten years have been phenomenal for the hotel industry in Ahmedabad. The government is trade-friendly and provides the great infrastructure needed for the industry at large. Also, many other brands both international and domestic are present here in the city, which shows that there is demand in the market.”

Dogra remarked that Gujarat in itself is a developed state in

the country. “Likewise, it is not a surprise that the demand and supply of rooms have been growing exponentially in Ahmedabad. The scale of events has been increasing too which has prompted more and more hotel brands to come in. We are the first World Heritage City in the country, hence more and more tourists are pouring in. Also, the other attractions are easily con-

nected to the city,” he said.

“With Leela, Taj and ITC coming here, and so many developments happening within the city like the opening of Statue of Unity in the last year and the upcoming visit of Donald Trump to the city, all this shows that the hospitality industry in Ahmedabad will only keep growing in the years to come,” noted Goel.

Sinha felt that though there

is a significant increase in international hotel brands, there is a fair share of business for all the homegrown as well as local players. “Every brand plays an important role in the location. Demand varies from patron to patron, as some might prefer staying in homegrown/ local hotels, hence ensuring a fair share of the pie for everybody.”

Tiwari pointed out that the city is attracting a lot of investments. “In 2011, the city saw 1348 room nights, whereas today we are sitting at 3348 room nights.

That showcases the increasing potential of Ahmedabad as a destination.” It is not just Ahmedabad, but the adjoining cities too that are seeing growth, highlighted Rathore. “Vadodara, Rajkot and other cities are also picking up with many hotel brands there. investors are coming from

all over to invest in these cities,” he added.

Ahmedabad is not just popular as a business destination but also attracts a lot of the leisure traveller segment, Singh voiced.

“The leisure traveller market in the city has grown up to 30-35 per cent. We do get travellers coming to explore the city and its attractions. Ahmedabad is a stopover destination for both international and domestic clients.

Also, Ahmedabad attracts domestic travellers from down south to patrons from the east and extreme north too,” he added.

The panelists unanimously agreed that 2019 was sluggish for them. However, , they were positive about the future timeline.

The partners for the event were Elanpro and Oriqa.

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March 2020

PRODUCT TRACKER

iComfort mattress by Serta

Clocks by Hermle

SERTA, the pioneers in sleep comfort products and the number one mattress brand in the United States has launched its newest iComfort mattress collections in India – “Cool Solace” and “Cool Sense”. Every iComfort mattress features Serta’s Cool Action Gel, an advanced material infused with millions of gel beads that responds to the body's individual needs for comfort, support, durability and temperature regulation.

Heat build-up during the night can cause uncomfortable and restless sleep.

HERMLE CLOCKS, the 96-year-old German familyowned clockmaker, has launched its range of clocks in India. Hermle means precision German engineering and all the clocks are hand-crafted.

The Iconic German clockmaker Hermle has entered the Indian market with a range of exclusive table clocks, wall clocks, regulators, masterpiece, floor clocks, ship clocks, mantle pieces, and Tellurium.

India’s first wildlife wine Kadu by Sula Vineyards SULA VINEYARDS, India’s largest and most awarded wine brand brings Kadu–‘India’s first wildlife wine to Maharashtra. Kadu is India’s first wine for a cause, is dedicated to supporting tiger conservation in the country. As one of the most sustainable wineries in the world; the brand brings this ‘cause worthy’ wine to Maharashtra. Karan Vasani, senior VP & chief winemaker, Sula Vineyards crafted Kadu from the choicest premium wine grapes to produce beautiful easy drinking varietals. Offered in 3 roaring options – the Kadu Chenin Blanc has notes classifying as slightly sweet, floral and fruity, while those preferring lush, medium bodied and peppery notes with subtle oak can opt for the Kadu Cabernet Shiraz. Kadu Shiraz Rosé, an absolute favourite, is light, fruity and full of luscious berry flavours.

24 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

New range of nutrition products

by Myprotein Myprotein, Europe’s leading sports and nutrition brand, recently launched range of new nutrition products including Essential Omega 3 supplement, Orange Flavored Creatine Monohydrate, Pre-workout blend – Peach Ice Tea and Myprotein Impact EAA. Omega3 is an essential fatty acid that supports heart health. Creatine Monohydrate is a scientifically proven supplement which increases one’s physical performance by improving strength and power. Pre-workout peach flavoured Ice Tea blend gives the healthy caffeine kick one needs to energise and start their day. Myprotein Impact EAA gives the ideal blend of essential amino acids for muscle development.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK MARKET

The Fern Residency, Sarnath

T

he Fern Hotels & Resorts has opened The Fern Residency Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh.

This is the second hotel which the company is managing in UP. The company also manages Howard Plaza The Fern in Agra. The Fern Residency, Sarnath is a 44-room hotel situated close to Lord Buddha’s sermon site. It offers contemporary rooms in three categories viz. Winter Green, Fern Club and Hazel Suite. All the rooms are equipped with the modern facilities such as high speed wi-fi internet, LED television, complimentary bottled drinking water in-room, complimentary in-room tea & coffee facility, digital in-room safe, etc. The rooms are also fitted with eco-friendly room lighting besides having eco-friendly bathroom amenities.

Veeksar The Fern, Kolhapur

T

he Fern Hotels & Resorts has opened Veeksar The Fern, Kolhapur in Maharashtra. This is the 13th hotel which the company is managing in the Maharashtra. Overall with the opening of Kolhapur property, the company’s count has extended to 72 hotels across the country and Nepal. Veeksar The Fern, Kolhapur is an upscale 97 room hotel offering a finely designed coffee shop, a multi cuisine restaurant, rooftop resto-bar, swimming pool and state-ofart banquet halls. The hotel is situated in the heart of the city, with easy access to the major sightseeing attractions in town and to public transport.

SelfCookingCenter® XS. It‘s simple to use, saves a lot of time and requires minimal space.

Discover SelfCookingCenter® live in action.

Find out more: rational-online.com +91-124-483-9333

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March 2020

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK MARKET

Sky Greens, Sayaji Hotel Kolhapur

S

ayaji Hotel Kolhapur celebrated the commencement of Sky Greens, an all-new premium event space for social and corporate events on February 1, 2020. Located in the heart of the city, Sky Greens by Sayaji Hotel Kolhapur brings a rare combination of high-quality, designer banqueting experience under one roof. Sky Greens promises to provide grandeur for all customised services that will redefine the standards of celebration for everyone. The occasion was graced by the crème de la crème of Maharashtra. Sky Greens can house up to 120 guests at a time and is spread over 3000 square feet built-up area includes and climate-controlled glass gazebo. The rooftop terrace space at Sayaji Hotel Kolhapur has been created as a premium banquet space overlooking the horizon of the city at the 8th Floor level.

Marasa Sarovar Premiere, Bodh Gaya

S

arovar’s first Hotel in Bihar, Marasa Sarovar Premiere has recently opened. Marasa Sarovar Premiere is Bodh Gaya’s first and only thematic design hotel inspired by the five wisdoms of the Buddha Abhaya, Dharmachakra, Varada, Dhyana and Bhumisparsha. This is Sarovar’s 86th hotel, which is in line with the company's aim of operating 100 hotels by 2020. Located on the bank of the river Falgu, the architectural style of the entire hotel draws inspiration from the historical presence of Buddhist structures in the area – the Mahabodhi Temple, the Buddhist Monasteries and the Stupas.

Hyatt Regency Thrissur

H

yatt Hotels Corporation recently opened Hyatt Regency Thrissur in the cultural capital of Kerala, India. With 77 well-appointed guestrooms, this contemporary hotel aims to bring the Hyatt Regency brand’s signature hospitality to business and leisure guests travelling to the region. The hotel marks the continued growth of the Hyatt Regency brand in India and joins more than 195 hotels under the brand, including 12 locations across the country.

26 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

COVER STORY

INDIA'S FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR:

COMING OF AGE India's move to allow100 per cent FDI in food processing,has already attracted US$ 463.44 million in the first half of the current fiscal and is expected to reach upto US$ 1200 million byend of the year.In this AAHAR Special,we take a lookat some of the growing players in this sector

28 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

the main focus

'BOTH FOR FARMER WELFARE AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION,THE FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITYSTATUS' Dr Prabodh Halde, chairman - West Zone, All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA) speaks to Steena Joy about the growing FDI in the country's food processing sector and why the industry needs priority status because of its potential to improve farmer welfare and employment generation India has received foreign direct investment (FDI) of USD 463.44 million in the food processing sector in the first half of the current fiscal. Your comments.

Yes, India has already received US$ 463.44 million as FDI in the food processing sector in the first half of the current fiscal year and this amount is up 40 per cent compared to the same period last year. During last fiscal year India received a total of

US$ 904.90 million and thus it is expected that this year the inflow will reach upto US$ 1200 by end of the year.

This is very good news since when other sectors are not performing, food processing sector has received such a great investment and which will help overall growth of the sector and farmer’s welfare. This has happened due to positive step of the Indian government to allow 100 per cent FDI in this sector. It will

help in capacity development, infrastructure development and employment generation in the sector.

The role of the government in driving investment to the sector?

The government has rolled out several initiatives to drive investment to this sector, like the flagship Scheme for Food Processing & Preservation Capacities (CEFPPC) under the

Dr Prabodh Halde

GOVERNMENTINITIATIVES National Horticulture Board scheme for cold storage Setting up of cold storage (of capacity above 5000 MT and up to 10000 MT) and their modernisation are eligible for assistance under the NHB Scheme of capital investment subsidy for construction/ expansion/ modernisation of cold storage for horticulture products (a sub scheme under MIDH). It is open ended credit linked scheme with scale of assistance @ 40 per cent of capital cost of project limited Rs 30.00 lakh per project in general area and 50 per cent limited to Rs 37.50 lakh per project in case of NE.

of hilly and scheduled areas.

chain projects with mechanised handling system.

Small Farmer Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) assistance to cold storage Setting up of cold storage as a part of a integrated value chain project are eligible for subsidy provided the cold storage component is not more than 75 per cent of total financial outlay. The scale of assistance as subsidy to projects is @ 25 per cent of capital cost and maximum ceiling to Rs 2.25 crore in general area and 33.33 per cent and maximum ceiling up to Rs 4 crore in case of NE, hilly and scheduled area.

Food Processing Unit Under Horticulture Mission For North Eastern Region and Himalayan States (HMNEH) a sub scheme of MIDH, food processing units for horticulture products are extended credit linked back ended capital investment assistance of 50 per cent of project cost (ceiling amount of project cost is Rs 8 crore) in J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

National Horticulture Mission (NHM) Cold storage (long term storage and distribution hubs) up to 5000 MT capacity are eligible for assistance under the open ended scheme of NHM/ HMNEH (a sub scheme of MIDH). The assistance is extended as subsidies to credit linked projects @ 35 per cent of capital cost of project in general area and 50 per cent in case

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) assistance for cold chain Setting up of cold chain are assisted by APEDA as a part of strategy to develop the industries relating to the scheduled products for export. The scale of assistance as 40 per cent subsidy subject to a limit of Rs 75 lakh for cold

Venture Capital by Small Farmer Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) SFAC extents venture capital assistance in form of equity to agribusiness projects. The quantum of SFAC support is 26 per cent of promoter’s equity or amount of Rs 50 lakh whichever is lower in general area and 40 per cent of the promoter equity or amount of Rs 50 lakh whichever is lower in hilly and NE regions. This venture capital is repayable to SFAC after the repayment of term loan.

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COVER STORY

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY). The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of AgroProcessing Clusters) with an allocation of Rs 6,000 crore for the period 2016-20, is a comprehensive package which will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.

It will not only provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also help in providing better returns to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers income, creating huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of

agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

The following are implemented under PM Kisan Sampada Yojana: ● ●

●

● ● ● ● ●

Mega Food Parks Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing/ Preservation Capacities (Unit Scheme) Infrastructure for Agroprocessing Clusters Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure Human Resources and Institutions Operation Greens.

30 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

The need for upgrading India's cold chain infrastructure.

As we know post-harvest fruits and vegetable losses in India are in tune of 20 to 30 per cent and cold chain infrastructure is a must for reducing the wastage and for value addition of products. The government has many schemes to promote cold storage development and it's very important for product value addition.

processing. We are also supporting FSSAI for various eat right initiatives for consumer safety. Organic, natural, traditional food are some key trends and areas which our association is focusing on. We are also focusing on innovation development and students participation. We believe that the Indian food processing sector should focus on more value addition and that this sector can solve many problems relating to farmer welfare.

New initiatives by All India Food Processors Association?

All India Food Processors Association is helping the Ministry of Food Processing (MOFPI) to make their various schemes popular and also helping our members in resolving various issues in area of food

Apart from promoting the food processing sector in the North East, which other regions have the potential to be developed as food processing hubs?

Apart from the North East, all hilly regions like Uttarakhand, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir are po-

tential areas due to raw material availability. Actually entire India needs to set up food processing hubs since processing should be close to market and many small and medium processing units should be encouraged for more employment generation. As said earlier, the more we process, the better it is for the farmer and for employment generation. This sector creates over 10 jobs per one crore invested. For other sectors, job generation per one crore investment is less than two. So for a populous country like India, both for farmer welfare and employment generation, the food processing sector should be given priority status and the government should bring more schemes all across the country.

COVER STORY

CREMICAFOOD INDUSTRIES AKSHAYBECTOR,CMD

Evolution of food processing industry in India The industry has grown exponentially over the last 20 years. The quality of processed

food has seen a significant improvement in these past 20 years. Starting from raw basic commodities like sugar, oils and wheat, all these foods are coming

processed these days with quality control systems in place to check and maintain highest nutritional standards of the product. The process is getting more streamlined and error-free year on year.

Also with the changing needs of the consumer, the producers are tweaking their products accordingly. What has indeed been revolutionary is that more and more food processing companies are able to process food products suiting the Indian market, considering the palate of the consumers and also packaging keeping in mind the tropical climate of the country. Homegrown companies have been able to bring in packaged products that keep all the extreme conditions of the climate, temperature, and humidity in mind. It is evident by the fact that the processed milk sector is dominated by homegrown

brands despite the presence of international brands here. Noting that the products are going to be stored for a long period of time in the kitchens, the sauces and mayonnaise need to be prepared in a way that their shelf life longevity is fair enough. Companies like ours have been able to answer that need.

USP of your products Our foremost USP is that all our products are well suited for the Indian palate and climate conditions. We have been the pioneers in the global market to research and develop vegetarian variant of mayonnaise back in 1996. Over a period of five years, the product was designed to suit the local markets. The ketchup has also been designed keeping the Indian palate and shelf life in mind.

Future roadmap We are the market leaders in sourcing liquid condiments to the restaurant space in India.

Last year we launched many products in association with foreign companies. We launched a range syrups while in association with a French company for bringing the best flavours in the world. We have also recently launched flat breads and pastas.

We also developed solutions of ready made sauces for specialty Chinese restaurants. Cremica over the years has developed a wholesome range of products.

Every year our portfolio becomes bigger and bigger. We have already crossed 300 crore in turnover and are looking to continuously grow in this year by 20 per cent despite of the tough conditions in the market.

INTERGROWBRANDS ASHOK MANI,MD & CEO Evolution of the food processing industry When disposable income increases, our allocation of spends tend to show a steep increase towards the different types of foods that we are wanting/willing to try. This need to try new tastes, flavours and palate is being one of the reasons why the food industry has evolved so much over the last decade.

While the industry was grappling with distribution challenges, shelf life was the main focus. But, as customer got conscious of health, products with high preservatives, etc., were looked down upon. This forced the industry to look for options to have shorter time lag between production date and customer. This evolved into

products made with newer technology of retorting, hot filing, sterlisation, etc. As distribution efficiency increased and cold chain improved, the ability to produce products of higher quality further increased. High pressure pascalisation and other such technologies made possible fresh juices to be sold in FMCG packs. The consumer no longer wanted pulp or synthetic flavour. so with consumers wanting newer tastes, distribution formats changing, evolution of packaging, we have seen a shift in food processing. All of these work hand in hand to drive the industry to new innovations.

USP of your products Technology

is

at

the

forefront of all that we do. We are the first company to launch tea extracts in powdered and soluble form. We process tea leaves within six hours of plucking them and through our unique cold crafting process, convert it into soluble powder.

Not only is the product more convenient and tastier but retains maximum goodness that’s present in tea leaves.

Future roadmap We intend to give new experiences and tastes to the Indian consumer. People are looking for a change but brands haven’t taken the leap of faith. We hope to be different and drive this as the core fundamental behind which we will launch all our products.

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COVER STORY

LAVAZZAINDIA JAI GANESH RAMNATH,MANAGING DIRECTOR Evolution of the food processing industry The Indian food industry has developed as a profit-making sector due to its enormous potential, particularly within the food processing industry. Earlier, food processing was largely restricted to preservation, packaging and transportation.

However, over the years with emerging trends and technologies, the sector has broadened its possibilities. It has started producing many new items like ready-to-eat food, beverages, processed and frozen products.

In terms of coffee, the industry has been growing steadily. The trends show that millennials are

becoming accustomed to fresher trends in coffee. The per capita is still low, but we at Lavazza India focus more on educating people on coffee and believe in giving the best coffee experience.

ples of environmental sustainability which has been our key USP. This indeed helps us to stick to our commitment towards the environment and make conscious efforts to achieve it.

USP of your products We have mastered the art of blending and continuously attempt to satisfy every profile with varieties of coffee. Additionally, due to a great pull from the market for organic and sustainable blends, we launched Lavazza Alteco which represents a blend of origins from uncontaminated mountain plantations that practise organic farming and respect the princi-

Future roadmap We mainly emphasise on the HORECA segment. In a low coffee penetrated country, it plays a big role in creating appeal in this category. We will be in the forefront to cultivate this through consistent coffee education. We plan to invest more in our training centres to spread knowledge associated with coffee.

KAGOME FOODS INDIA ROHITBHATLA,MANAGING DIRECTOR

Evolution of food processing industry in India The food processing industry is one of the largest industries in India. It ranks fifth in terms of production, consumption, and exports. Food processing has a key role to play in linking Indian farmers to consumers in both

domestic and international markets. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is making huge efforts to encourage investments across the value chain. The industry engages approximately 1.85 million people in around 39,748 registered units with fixed capital of US$ 32.75

32 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

billion and aggregate output of around US$ 158.69 billion. Major industries constituting the food processing industry are grains, sugar, edible oils, beverages, and dairy products.

Focusing specifically on tomato processing, India is the second largest producer and consumer of tomatoes in the world with a production of 20 million tonnes. It is ready for large investments across food supply chains. Processed tomato products account for less than one per cent of India’s total consumption of tomatoes, presenting a huge opportunity to Kagome Foods India, while in the US the processed tomato consumption is in excess of 75 per cent.

The food processing sector has enormous potential to propel all round development, given its entire footprint across agriculture, industry and services. It can lead to gainful employment opportunities and put purchas-

ing power in the hands of the people in both rural and urban regions.

USP of your products ● Seed to table value chain - Only company with a presence in the end-to-end value chain, from seed to table. Kagome’s wholly owned subsidiary (seed) company, supplies specialised, tested and approved seeds to farmers in Nashik, who grow them under the expert guidance of our agronomy teams. Our agronomists impart guidance to farmers to grow high yield, high-quality tomatoes at a low cost. These juicy tomatoes are harvested only when they are fully ripened, sorted and crushed in state-ofthe-art plants customised for processing tomatoes. ● Global quality at local prices Our rigorous quality controls, ensure safety and reassurance, enabling us to offer global quality products at local prices. ● Preservative free portfolio - Our

entire product range is preservative free, with no artificial flavours or colours. ● Japanese technology - In India, the norm is to process tomato products on the mango line.

However, Kagome has made significant investments in factory infrastructure, to customise our processing line for tomato-based products, to make them better suited for use in restaurants.

Future roadmap ● Increase farmer partners under our Contract Farming Program, from 200 (presently) to 1,000 ● Expand our distribution reach from our existing markets of Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Pune, to cover the top 10 foodservice markets in India ● Expand our product range, to focus on a wider range of tomatoes and onion-based products ● Further investments in value chain and factory infrastructure.

SPOTLIGHT - HOLISTIC DINING

'THE MAXIMUM PRODUCE WE USE ATVEDIC IS PURELYORGANIC AND THE INCLINATION IS FOR THE SUPPORTOFLOCALFARMERS' Vedic, the new restaurant at Westin Rajarhat Kolkata offers guests an holistic dining experience that supports local farmers and introduces the palate to ancient grains and home style cooking. Chef Vivek Kalia, executive chef, Westin Rajarhat Kolkata, explains the USP of the restaurant and how the menus are curated

What was the inspiration behind Vedic?

Vedic can be said to be the backbone to the F&B at Westin Rajarhat Kolkata. We find the essence of the vedas in the inscriptions and shlokas on each floor of the hotel from the 11th to the 31st. The thought process of the owner Mr Kanoria has been on the basics and thought process of the vedas, and signifies the real essence of back to the roots. The menu has been curated by celebrity chef Ajay Chopra bringing in the four pillars of Seasonality, Regionality, Home Food and Tradition through a fusion of flavours and modern presentation aiming at the overall holistic wellness.

What is the USP of the restaurant?

The USP of the restaurant is the whole experience which has been thoughtfully articulated keeping in mind the ingredients and the evolution of the plated Indian food - the regionality, seasonal produce, homestyle cooking and back to the roots principles.

How are the menus curated?

Where are the ingredients sourced from? Tell us about the hydroponic garden inside the restaurant?

The menus are carefully designed keeping in mind the regional amalgamation of various Indian cuisines,seasonal produce keeping in mind a very sustainable

Chef Vivek Kalia

approach, home style fundamental of cooking techniques and back to the roots principles. The idea is the evolution of food keeping in mind these

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SPOTLIGHT - HOLISTIC DINING

DINING WITH THE GMS Recently Westin Rajarhat Kolkata and Express Food & Hospitality hosted a dinner for general managers of leading hotels in the City of Joy at Nori, the hotel's Pan Asian restaurant. Esteemed guests included Debashis Brahma, DOSM, Holiday Inn Kolkata; Sandeep Basu,Area GM, Cygnett Hotels & Resorts; Shubhash Sinha, GM, Westin Rajarhat Kolkata; Abhishek Sachdev, Hotel Manager, Faifield

by Marriott Kolkata; Jameson Solomon, GM, Swissotel Kolkata; Mukesh Verma, GM, Lemon Tree Premier - Kolkata; Michael Hawkins, Counsellor (Agriculture & Agrifood) & Senior Trade Commissioner, High Commission of Canada; Chef Michael Swamy; Chef Gautam Chaudhury and Chef Uttam Gomes.

34 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

principles. The sourcing of ingredients is local, sustainable and organic and as fresh as possible. Straight from the farm to the table, regional organic produce to give the best available seasonal vegetables and offering unheard grains to the customer, all these principles are always in our minds.

The hydroponic garden at the highest point in the city is a addon asset to the restaurant. The produce is used in the menu to add aroma and health benefits to the carefully curated selection.

Why choose Kolkata for Vedic?

With growing interest in vegetarian cuisine Kolkata is the perfect place for the a

restaurant as unique as Vedic.

What has been the response from guests?

We have received a spectacular response from our guests for the experience and the moments we create at Vedic. It's a combination of food ,style, presentation and drama.

Sustainability at Vedic The maximum produce we use at Vedic is purely organic and the inclination is for the support of local farmers.

Be it ghee or cold pressed oil or vinegar or the grains - the idea is to support the farmers and bring the best produce straight to the customer's plate.

SPOTLIGHT - HOTEL DESIGN

D.A.T.A by design Nestled deep in the woods of the Sahyadri Range, Della Adventure Training Academy (D.A.T.A) by the Della Group is a one-of-its-kind military themed luxury camping resort aiming to converge military self-defence awareness with exuberant hospitality. Akshay Nayak checks out the design elements that make it an experiential hospitality product

W

orld over, international hospitality companies vouch on providing money-can't-buy experiences to their patrons by increasingly striving to thin out the predominant line distinguishing "in-house" and "outside of the hotel" experiences. One such element that enlivens the spirit of the hotel/resort are the sleek brushes of design, inevitably kindling a “tale to tell� in every inch, from artefacts to installations.

Not restricting only to the hospitality industry, design plays a crucial role in defence for various activities. Right from natural navigation techniques by locating constellations, to sending SOS alerts seeking help using design, to formation of sublime regiments at national events, etc.

Marrying the application of design in hospitality with defence, Jimmy Mistry, chairman & MD, Della Group, conceptualised the country's maiden military-themed glamorous camping resort Della Adventure Training Academy (D.A.T.A) in Lonavla, Maharashtra.

After what he had faced during his brief visit to The Taj Hotel in Mumbai just a few hours ahead of the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, Mistry had one aim - to keep the citizens of the country informed and trained to deal with any unforeseen natural/man-made crises like terrorism. The resort pays homage to the martyred soldiers of the country and offers self-defence training to the guests at D.A.T.A.

Luxury amidst the woods Nestled deep into the woods of Sahyadri Range, D.A.T.A is an hour-long dirt track drive from Della Resorts in jeeps with military camouflage, giving guests a feel of the experience that awaits them. This is followed by a 10-minute pontoon ride across the Shirota lake, manned by retired Indian Army personnel. On arrival, there is a welcome by horse salute and a memorial service for martyrs. Each villa in the 27-villa property offers bestin-class amenities with a hint of military-themed artefacts placed throughout.

Showcasing glass table tops resting on machine gun replicas, to the artificial bullhead taxidermy and grenadestyle doorknobs, a villa at D.A.T.A can accommodate four pax and comes equipped with a jacuzzi pool and twin king-sized beds, ensuring absolute opulence.

Keeping in mind the nittygritty of the military touch while ensuring sustainability in the property, D.A.T.A is built by refurbishing cargo containers stacked and designed to blend in with the backdrop of mountains and forests. Salaam Manekshaw the multi-cuisine restaurant at the resort named after India's famous field marshal, has pictures from Indian Army's various regiments across the walls. Chef Shahnawaz, heading the culinary operations at D.A.T.A ensures that the guest's tastebuds are satisfied, be it over the Indian succulent fish preparations in the night, or the wholesome

Continental breakfast in the morning. The guests can also keep gazing at the stars while immersing in the outdoor pool right under the sky, or watch the chefs preparing dishes live from the Gurkha Lounge next to the souvenir store and spa.

Ideal for corporate events, D.A.T.A offers an indoor banquet space - Maratha, which too comes equipped with modern equipment.

The centrestage The

military

obstacle

Jimmy Mistry

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SPOTLIGHT - HOTEL DESIGN course in the property along with the team of Lt. General Raymond Noronha (Retd.) past Chief of Staff Southern Command and Col. Milind Patwardhan, take the centrestage wherein men of valour from the various defence verticals, who served for the country, share real-life experiences and techniques with guests to prepare them for unforeseen calamities.

The team of these experts ensures that each guest returns with dynamic learning about survival, endurance in extreme conditions and a sense of patriotism deeply embedded in their psyche. For this, they have devised interesting activities like Hell Night, nature walk, flag hoisting ceremony, knowledge sessions, and obstacle course drill. The Hell Night includes practical sessions of locating directions with the help of heavenly bodies like the Sun, Moon, Constellations, etc.

"We also train the guests for survival like identifying edible and non-edible flora and fauna in the woods, creating SOS signs using fire lit in a particular design/ pattern, etc. Flag hoisting every morning, with the guests dressed up in uniform in itself kindles a sense of patriotism in them.

The obstacle course is thoughtfully planned to get the guests accustomed to how to put their muscles to do the thinking subconsciously when faced with any situation,� informed Col. Patwardhan.

Bringing many other experiences such as designing special types of knots using battle ropes for various rescue operations, to creating makeshift containers and cooking vessels from bamboo, the men of action at D.A.T.A ensure that 'design' as a keyword is exuded in its best iteration at every nodal point of the guest experience.

The rightful convergence of military skills with opulent hospitality, based on design as the tasteful element makes D.A.T.A an ensemble of the country's one-of-its-kind experiential hospitality product.

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HIGH SPIRITS

'IN 2019,WE WENTTO 30 TIER II CITIES IN INDIATO PROMOTE GLENFIDDICH BECAUSE THATIS WHERE THE MAJOR GROWTH IN NUMBERS IS COMING FOR US' Claiming to be one of the most preferred Single Malt Whisky labels across the world by value and volume, Angad Singh Gandhi, brand ambassador, Glenfiddich India, speaks with Akshay Nayak about the brand's focus on future experiment-driven drinking experience to increase its popularity in the country What does the current pattern of whisky consumption in India show?

People are getting increasingly choosyt when it comes to their drinks nowadays. In terms of whisky, the trends in the markets are slowly changing wherein over the past two years, people are slowly showing a leaning towards Single Malts now, over the long-existing Scotch Whisky. The growth has been in double digits and we expect the same growth this year as well irrespective of the impact of the economic slowdown. Also, old charms are claiming their name of honour again, like an Old Fashioned, about five years ago was obsolete, but now is the leader in the art of cocktails. India as a market still wishes to pay an extra buck when it

Glenfiddich to us through these collaborators. We did the programme in India from 2015 till 2018, but we are devising a new dynamic bartending programme for the country which shall be unveiled in the second half of this year.

Angad Singh Gandhi

comes to new experiments with their drinks.

With many competing labels brewing in India, how does Glenfiddich keep its name high as the go-to whisky in India?

The market will always have too many options.

Even in a restaurant, there are different categories of spirits that are offered in cocktails which predominantly used the only whisky. However, the choice remains with the consumer depending on their palate. For Glenfiddich, we know that our consumer is well-educated in whiskies. We are going to create an experi-

ential series for our consumers.

We are experimenting a lot when it comes to looking at the pattern of consumption of whisky for all age groups. We are finding ways to promote how Glenfiddich is versatile in its palate suitability to all the age groups right from millennials to the young at heart. We are of course pairing cuisines from the world over for the same, but we are also creating music and art evenings, to evolve our consumers to enjoying whisky on all occasions. In 2019, we did the Glenfiddich Experiments, in which we had noticed in India as a pattern that here, still, people have their Single Malts stiff. For this, we had sourced specially made elixirs using local ingredients from the

length and breadth of the country and paired them with 12year-old Glenfiddich, which turned out to be excellent.

How does Glenfiddich promote the artists behind the bar?

Since the last five years, Glenfiddich has been conducting its bartenders' challenge called the World's Most Experimental Bartender. We also believe that experimentation is the way ahead. We believe it is our responsibility to evolve the consumer. In the programme, the bartenders collaborate with a collaborator who can be anyone like a chef, magician, designer, so on and so forth. The bartender then presents his signature cocktail made with

What is the potential in tier II and III markets for Glenfiddich?

We have seen huge growth and increasing numbers of Glenfiddich aficionados from the tier II markets, but not as much from the tier III cities as yet, which is subject to the distribution of our products there.

Glenfiddich is very renowned and well known when it comes to consumer awareness. In 2019, I had flown to 30 tier II cities in India to promote Glenfiddich because that is where major growth in numbers is coming for us. In 2020, our key focus would be on further spreading out our distribution avenues to these markets. Reiterating that as a brand we believe in experimenting, we have proven it to be successful with more feminine and younger audiences opting for Single Malts, especially Glenfiddich now. We have recently launched the Glenfiddich Grand Cru which is specifically for celebratory occasions. It is a 23-year-old Glenfiddich finished in French casks - which are used to age sparkling wines and champagnes.

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TECH BYTES

Overcoming the barriers to Hospitality4.0 As the world moves towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution, more advanced technologies are being utilised today with the goal of improving productivity across industries. However, revolutionary change does not occur overnight and there remain barriers in ensuring the smooth transition to Industry 4.0, says Martyn Cox, event director, FHA - HoReCa

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TECH BYTES

W

ithin the hospitality industry, there is still uncertainty among businesses due to the perception that the move towards Industry 4.0 could undermine the value of human interactions which forms the foundation of exceptional customer service.

Furthermore, many businesses struggle to utilise the right technologies where it truly matters, thus leading to greater insecurity towards the benefits Hospitality 4.0 could bring.

While such concerns are valid, there is potential to mitigate them to allow hospitality players to methodically find its footing in the new digital age, rather than diving head-first without the proper preparation and understanding.

Harnessing digitalisation to boost employee value Digital transformation has made an already crowded hospitality industry even more competitive, with businesses constantly jostling for position in an ongoing battle to win loyal customers and market share by adopting the latest technologies.

But can machines replace humans in the hospitality industry? Will digitalisation render human interactions – core to a positive customer experience – obsolete? The key difference between surviving and thriving in the new era will come down to how new technologies are adopted to provide support to employees in providing personalised services to customers.

For instance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help to elevate businesses’ understanding of their customers as it allows them to collect relevant information and gain valuable insights from the vast amount of data that is created throughout one’s lifetime.

Insights can range from customers’ ideal air conditioning level to their food allergies, and by having real-time access to such data, employees are in a better position to deliver highly personalised service levels that today’s guests are increasingly

Martyn Cox

demanding. These new technologies can also add value by automating common processes, which in turn, improves overall efficiency as employees are freed from performing time-consuming, repetitive tasks. This is particularly evident in restaurants as the integration of automated systems in their daily operations make tasks like taking and processing orders, and creating bills and payments more efficient. This then allows them to serve more customers while providing staff with the opportunity to spend more time providing exceptional, personalised service and thus, encouraging higher spend and customer loyalty.

Tailoring solutions for employees and customers The proliferation of new technologies can often overwhelm businesses, and the hospitality industry is no exception. From the use of Augmented Reality (AR) to recognition technology, there is a wide variety of ways such solutions can be applied. But if they are not executed appropriately, it may create friction and dissatisfaction among employees and customers alike.

Therefore, hospitality businesses need to focus on investing in the right solution for all stakeholders, instead of spreading themselves too thin.

Another challenge faced by the hospitality industry is the

But can machines replace humans in the hospitality industry? The key difference between surviving and thriving in the new era will come down to how new technologies are adopted to provide support to employees in providing personalised services to customers broad set of requirements it needs to take into consideration due to the various consumer segments and demographics it targets. While the implementation of innovative technologies may improve the experience for some, it could also create inconveniences for others.

A case in point is the use of a self-service check-in kiosks in hotels, which allow guests to skip the reception altogether and save time. While business travellers may want to do so due to the enhanced convenience, leisure travellers may prefer to be welcomed by a staff, who will not only process their check-in but also provide recommendations during their stay.

Therefore, it is crucial that hospitality players evaluate if the new technology is able to solve a common pain point or exceed current guest expectations, before they are implemented.

In the same vein, busi-

nesses also need to give thought to which forms of technology their staff need the most and the potential value it will bring to their operations.

Factors to consider include the ease of integrating the new technology into existing processes and infrastructures, and whether it will empower employees to offer more personalised services to guests.

Knowledge-sharing is key to maximise gains As the spotlight continues to shine on the benefits of Industry 4.0, there is a growing number of hospitality players who are willing to take the leap into new technologies.

Nevertheless, the industry needs a greater push to drive mainstream adoption of these advances, especially as we approach the next phase of digital transformation.

The immense potential of Hospitality 4.0 cannot be realised without increased awareness of the opportuni-

ties presented by these technologies across the industry.

This can only be achieved through knowledge-sharing.

Furthermore, in the labour-intensive hospitality industry, workforces need to be upskilled to be better prepared.

An effective way to do so is through industry events.

These events provide a conducive platform for professional interactions to take place and for industry players to test out their innovative solutions.

In an industry where success is defined by customer satisfaction, it is essential that hospitality businesses continue to meet the growing demand for personalised services by using digital technologies to free up human workers for critical tasks and complex customer interactions.

In future, customer experiences will be defined by the impeccable blend of technology and human talent.

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TECH BYTES

HowIndian hospitalitysegment can achieve the best satisfaction score with AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most trendiest topic across the world and has immense potential to empower India’s promising hospitality segment with ultimate guest satisfaction score. By Jaal Shah, managing director, Travel Designer Group

O

ne of the most interesting thing to notice in the hospitality segment is the ever evolving preferences, behaviours and expectations of the New World Guest. Be it a group traveller, business traveller, fine diner or a bag packer, this new world customer is constantly looking for exceptional and authentic experiences. Those who are able to achieve best guest satisfaction score with impeccable services, authentic experiences and customised innovations can stay in the game for a long run. Right from prebooking to post-stay, exceed-

ing guest expectations to newer heights is the key.. Hospitality is one segment where AI can proudly take the charge of complete transformation.

Travel is a compound activity, physically as well as emotionally, hence customer satisfaction is a key aspect in the hospitality industry. A busy day at a hotel concierge can cause inconvenience to an individual who is at the verge of being delayed to a meeting, an airport or an appointment.

This is a common concern faced in the business travelers’ segment. On the other hand, families with children, group travellers encounter

42 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

crowded check in counters, long wait for a room key, submission of personal details which puts the guest on a long wait. These are the common concerns while travel plans are made. In this scenario it becomes extremely crucial for hotels to enhance operational efficiency at every step of guest journey. With this efficiency transformation they can achieve the desired guest satisfaction index. Introducing AI in the hospitality segment can drastically boost the operational efficiency and can bring in much ease to these concerns.

Powering seamless booking

experiences: Indian hospitality has moved to a new era with the massive digital conversion happening in the country. This has revolutionised reservation system and booking experiences. Pre-booking phase and addressal of booking enquiries is the stepping stone of a smooth customer journey. Here chatbots can play a significant role in transforming the way hotels handle enquiries and reservation.

Conversational bots have no language barrier and can interact with a guest in his native language, assuring the most efficient interaction with utmost guest satisfaction.

Jaal Shah

TECH BYTES Now hotels can deliver automated customer support, content and interactive experiences through chatbots. An efficient means of fueling direct bookings in form of a reservation channel, chatbots can facilitate error free ease of booking. This can further bring in greater brand loyalty and improvise guest satisfaction.

Enabling a controlled, concise and efficient interaction at Front Desk: With chatbots assistance reception or reservation staff can efficiently address a customer.

Right from hotel bookings and customer service inquiries to pre/post-stay inquiries and general travel advice, customers can get instant and accurate information related to their queries through AI enabled tools. While saving on staff costs, hotels can deliver better guest experiences.

With the aid of chatbots, guests can check-in or checkout on the go. A check in facility by facial recognition, iris scanner or thumb scan can take stay experiences to new heights. Mobile and voice-activated assistants can interact in the intuitive manner with the guests as we are slowly getting used to of digital and machine interactions.

Automating personalisation with AI: New world guest’s craving for exceptional and personalised experiences has created a huge scope for AI enabled solutions. AI can be effective in delivering exceptional and memorable stay experiences powered by personalisation. AI has immense potential to speed up the entire process with utmost accuracy. Chatbots and other AI tools can take care of the smallest customer choices and preferences making their stay memorable. They can order meals or drinks, control room environment etc on voice command. Guests can access hotel room in exciting ways through mobile apps or wrist bands. Bots can manage evening reservations or recommend interesting sightseeing and visits, taxi booking and itinerary planning.

Chatbots and other AI tools can take care of the smallest customer choices and preferences making their stay memorable.

They can order meals or drinks, control room environment etc on voice command

Chatbots and conversational bots can provide accurate information, solve guest’s inconveniences, attend room service orders and offer recommendations in real time.

Enhancing customer services: Customer service can reach to a new satisfaction zone with robotic concierge.

Robotic butlers, concierges and luggage handlers are no more part of sci-fi movies. Designed for perfection, these robotic concierges can learn from every insight, offer realtime recommendations basis in-depth research and analytics, facilitate travel, carefully assist visitors minute service requirements and can become a unique experience in itself for guests.

Consumer insights to exceed future expectations: AI can also play a critical role in getting consumer insights of smallest choices, preferences, behaviors, travel patterns etc.

AI’s ability to learn and understand customer by using data analytics can help hotels in preparing for future guest satisfaction scores. Indian hospitality sector can create a robust framework basis these predictive and analytical tools so as to exceed expectations and ensure unmatched experiences. With in-depth insights of guest choices, customer purchases, reservation preferences, rating inquiries, payment methods etc., hotels can create a better experience framework for their new world guest.

Since Indian hospitality has already witnessed a great digital transformation and the customer is well accustomed of digital platforms, shifting gears to AI is going to be a smooth journey for guests. In their endeavour to offer exceptional experiences to guests and enhance operational efficiency, hotel chains across the world are now taking help of next gen technologies such as AI. Automation of personalisation is the future trend supporting disruption at every stage in the hospitality segment. It is time for Indian hospitality to ride on AI and drive ultimate guest satisfaction scores.

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CHEF'S PLATTER

'I TOOKAWEEKEND JOB AS ACOMMIS CHEF AND ITALLSTARTED FROM THERE' Starting his career under the guidance of Gary Rhodes, Michelin star Chef Gary Foulkes has since worked with a whole series of acclaimed chefs including John Campbell, The Vineyard at Stockcross; Richard Neat and also William Drabble at the Aubergine in Chelsea. During his twocity tour of India with All Things Nice to host a dinner in Mumbai and Delhi, Chef Foulkes spoke about his timeline of career in the culinary arts sphere By Akshay Nayak

What inspired you to pursue a career in the culinary arts field?

It just kind of happened. I went on a week's work experience when I was at school

and spent a day with the different departments - my final day was spent in the kitchen there was so much energy in there and everyone seemed to be having a great time and

44 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

enjoying themselves whilst they worked. I liked the look of it and thought, let’s give it a go, I took a weekend job as a commis chef and it all started from there.

What were the initial challenges and opportunities that you faced while pursuing a professional career in the same?

I think the initial challenges

for young chefs remain the same as when I started cooking... a lack of sleep, a new pressured environment, in many cases moving away from home, working evenings when your

CHEF'S PLATTER

Chef Gary Foulkes

friends are out having a good time - a lot of people struggle with it and decide to do something else. I have a lot of respect for people that see it through and go on to forge great careers for themselves - as I know how hard it is to get there.

factors can affect it like the weather, suppliers, maybe some of the staff are having a bad day, etc., and none of this can affect the customer - that is where the pressure is - having to deliver on expectation day in, day out.

How does it test your mettle to keep the consistency in maintaining the status of Michelin-star chef, year on year?

It’s tough but very enjoyable at the same time. Consistently producing the same quality food is hard as so many

What culinary skills and experience are you showcasing during your visit in India?

I have already visited India before but thanks to Nikhil Agarwal and All Things Nice this is the first time I am cooking here. I’m just aiming to cook delicious food for people

in my own food style which many people have not tried before and different flavour combinations that they may not be used to but using the local ingredients. Planning the menu around those local ingredients to fit in with my own food style was really interesting.

Your mantra for aspiring chefs?

Find yourself the best possible kitchen to cook in that you can and take it all in. Listen, keep your eyes and ears open and enjoy it, it’s going to be tough but don’t give up.

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CHEF'S PLATTER

'MYPRIME AIM IS TO SPREAD INDIAN CUISINE ABROAD THROUGH VARIOUS EVENTS AND DINNERS' Chef Sultan Mohideen recently joined Signum Hotels and Resorts as the grand master chef. He has also won many awards including the National Tourism Award in 2014 from Ex-President of India, Pranab Mukherjee and has also served Superstar Rajni Kanth in 1996. In conversation with Akshay Nayak, Chef Mohideen highlights his efforts in revisiting and promoting Indian cuisine

Chef Sultan Mohideen

What inspired you to pursue a career in culinary arts?

I wanted to become a Genetic Engineer and do research on Human DNA. But during my graduation, I found this is possible only from the USA, for which my financial status didn't allow me to go ahead. At the same time I read a couple of articles on French culinary history, and some of the globally popular chefs' lives, wherein at that time, almost 35 years ago, Indian culinary history was not even documented and chefs we not doing that great in their profession. As I got admission to three-year Diploma in Cater-

Nalli Gosht Qualiya

ing Institute – Chennai, I was delighted and started to focus on developing my basic skills.

Later it was Oberoi Hotels Management Training Pro-

46 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

gramme and the exposure in the kitchen that made me focus completely on the culinary profession.

I learned if you control the

art of food taste; through the tongue, one can achieve the best in his life.

It is a chef who can make the impossible possible by

means of honest creativity on food and present it with love to human mankind. This is my inspiration to pursue culinary arts.

CHEF'S PLATTER

Having served the likes of known celebrities and VVIP dignitaries, what challenges and opportunities did you face in excelling in your art in food?

First - one should be perfect in his subject. For me, it is my art of cooking with love and it’s both scientific and technical knowledge of blending the selected spices and ingredients to create a 'wow' factor in each and every dish that I prepare.

Before any VVIP visit to my hotel, I take the entire history of the VVIP and his likes and dislikes, food habits, etc. Then I plan the menu in line with his country's food with our ingredients and taste. Our food is presented with a pinch of an interesting element to it. This makes the VVIP feel that they are in their own circle of food likes.

Moreover, I take the time and opportunity to explain to them our Indian food and its heritage.

How to relish the menu course by course and how to compare his food to ours, etc, etc. This makes my life easier and the maximum mileage of happiness from the VVIP. During my regular days, I do a lot of research on heritage cuisines of India and check the different combinations and presentations and record the same with historic reasons. Read the historic books and get the recipes from them. Do trails by means of festivals and I develop my repertoire on the particular cuisine and which is presented to VVIP after a fine selection and presentation.

I keep benchmark and standards for myself by exceeding guest expectations from time to time.

It is also very important to check the leftover and return food from VVIP’s table for all sorts of tests to ensure if I was successful in my commitment to him in all directions.

Every creation for me is a masterpiece of art in cooking because cooking is a department of performance of art. My first success in handling a VVIP or Head of The state spread among the hoteliers that I can handle any type of events of for-

Gosht Badami Quorma

mal events for Heads of states.

Even the biggest sports events such as the Commonwealth Games, SAF Games. My other great confidence developed when I planned the Army Day Celebrations for three years consecutively with the national themes and exceeded their expectations, with a professional and personal satisfaction of serving the Army Chiefs.

Indian cuisine, though vast but majorly undocumented, how do you plan to bring the lost delicacies back to spirit?

It is by continuous research and traveling to different places of historic importance and reading the manuscripts, stone cuttings, books, etc. to develop the menus then present it to food connoisseurs so that all comments are recorded following which the final menus are

devised.

Indian food differs from state to state, district to district, and even place to place, equally from season to season.

According to me, ours is the only country to have summer, winter, spring and other seasonal cuisines apart from the distinct festive cuisines, which is like an ocean.

If we go step by step and dish by a dish we can reproduce the history in this field. There is no limit, which stops one’s enthusiasm.

Our country had hundreds of rulers - Maharaja’s and their kitchens, which is still existing, if they all come together and help me to present the Indian food in one platter, it is possible to make our Indian cuisine achieve great recognition. The many states' tourism department and historians need to

come together and help the chef community so that we can reproduce the forgotten cuisine of India.

As the Grand Master Celebrity Chef, how are you aiming to leverage the F&B offerings at Signum’s portfolio of hotels in India and abroad?

First I would like to make a standard and highly acceptable menu with balanced cuisine selection for the entire chain. A standard of food should be served in all my outlets in India and abroad. Our food standards cannot be compromised. I have my production operations policy - POPs for the chain which is the bible for all Hotels to follow.

Our monthly, yearly festivals are designed and executed as per the set procedures in India and abroad. My prime aim to

spread our Indian Cuisine abroad through various events and dinners. Our F&B will have the same standards all over the chain. We have set timings for all the services and service recovery systems in place from the day we start an outlet. A well-trained team of chefs will travel all over the world and in India to train our food standards.

Your guiding tips for the budding chefs while pursuing culinary arts.

There is an excellent opportunity for youngsters in this field. If they are committed and work with positive thoughts, the sky is the limit to achieve accolades. Both health and wealth can be created in this profession with the highest regard for respect from everyone. as my first lo

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March 2020

MOVEMENTS Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, part of InterContinental Hotels Group has recently appointed Shital Sethi as the director of sales & marketing. In her new capacity, Sethi will play a pivotal role in driving and overseeing all aspects of sales and marketing strategies at Holiday Inn Mum-

Shital Sethi

bai. Sethi comes with a rich experience of over 20 years in the sales and marketing industry, a stickler for perfection and attention to detail, she has motivated her team at all times to achieve targets and has been responsible for business growth in her previous roles.

Prior to this, she has worked with reputed brands such as Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, Radisson Hotels, Hotel Grand Sarovar Premiere, Orchid Group of Hotels and more. She plans on bringing path-breaking ideas and concepts which will have a compounding impact on sales of the property.

The St. Regis Mumbai The St. Regis Mumbai has appointed Nicholas Dumbell to lead ‘The Best Address’ as the new deneral manager. A veteran hotelier, driven by passion and creativity, Dumbell, (Nick, as he is better known) is a multi-cultural global citizen

Nicholas Dumbell

Allen Machado

with 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Having commenced his career in London with leading international hospitality chains, he soon became a part of Marriott International’s myriad brands spanning the last two decades. At The St. Regis Mumbai, he will lead the dynamic luxury team to sustain the hotel’s positioning as one of the most awarded hotels and as the preferred destination for those with refined taste. He will focus on steering the team to drive revenue and maintain the property’s reputation of having the highest turnover in South Asia while ensuring guest voice scores remain a priority for the The St. Regis Mumbai.

tel operations and strategic revenue management as well as delivering a high level of quality. His strengths lie in prime guest orientation, driving revenues by, focused implementation of sell strategies across hotel business verticals, providing top quality service with consistency, development of colleagues, problem resolution and attention to detail.

Niraamaya Wellness Retreats Allen Machado has been appointed as the chief operating officer at Niraamaya Wellness Retreats. He has a successful career spanning over 20 years in luxury hospitality. He has specialised in working with exciting trendsetting luxury hotels in India and the Middle East, strategically developing profitable business models within his scope of work. He has was associated with brands such as The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; The One & Only Hotels & Resorts (Kerzner International); The Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts; The Holiday Inn Club & Graviss Hospitality.

He specialises in complete ho-

48 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

strength lies in being able to manage a team consisting of diverse departments and he possesses the mental alertness to find solutions to issues in diverse nature. With considerable experience and a healthy forward vision he can bring a big change for Crowne Plaza Pune City Center, a statement by the hotel read. His new role encompasses responsibility for the entire hotel operations and will center on contributing calculated input to attain the deep rooted goals for the hotel. He is known for his unique style of managing people and his ability to motivate his team to deliver the IHG commitment of true hospitality to all guests.

Fino Babu

Pride Hotels Kushal Ranjan has been appointed as the corporate revenue director of Pride Hotels.

Ranjan has eight plus years of work experience with the hos-

Sarovar Hotels Akshay Thusoo has been appointed as the VP – Sales at Sarovar Hotels, Corporate office, Delhi. An industry adept professional, Thusoo brings

Kushal Ranjan

Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre has appointed Fino Babu as its new general manager. He has been part of the IHG family for more than two years, having previously carried out the role of executive assistant manager. Ever since he has been employed in this hotel, Babu has demonstrated leadership and efficacious, structured management in all aspects of the hotel’s functions. His

group, where he worked as a manager for international media vertical and lead to addition of new business segments for the group especially from African and Middle East market.

pitality industry working in the revenue vertical. Prior to joining in the current role, he has worked as director of revenue cluster for Marriott International based in Pune. He had worked in a similar capacity with Accor Thailand & with Zuri Hotels too in his earlier assignments.

Akshay Thusoo

with him almost a decade of experience across hospitality, media and automobile industry. In his new role, he will be responsible for conceptualising and implementing sales strategies at both corporate and regional level and will contribute in further strengthening the group’s efforts in driving more business from existing as well as new markets. Thusoo commenced his career with ITC as an assistant sales manager, where he successfully roped in new clients for the company from tertiary markets. He also had a brief stint with Times of India

Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences has appointed Atul Dhonde as their new director of events. Dhonde brings with him a rich 11 plus years of experience in the hospitality industry and he has done his Diploma in Hotel Management IHMES, United Kingdom. He has varied experience in different industries. Starting his career with an International Fund Management company, his first hotel assignment was with Hilton Hotel – Isle of Man in UK. He has since worked with renowned hospitality

MOVEMENTS

Atul Dhonde

Chef Merajuddin Ansari

Chef Danish Khan

brands like Hilton, Ramada, Marriott and Hyatt in India & abroad. Prior to joining Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences, he briefly ventured into setting up a catering business capitalising on his insights as the associate director of events at Grand Hyatt Goa. He brings with him varied experience & a wealth of knowledge. In his new role at Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences, Dhonde will be responsible for managing operational and administrative functions to ensure the projects are delivered efficiently along with monitoring the progress of the planning and execution of each task that has to do with any event at the hotel.

in his kitchen. He has a strong fan following in India and around the world; the list also includes some well renowned Indian celebrities. Prior to joining Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai, he worked as executive chef for brands like Marriott International, Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, The Hilton - Mumbai International Airport and Park in by Radisson, Muscat Oman. He started his journey as demi chef de partie at Marriott International in 2003. From a demi chef de partie to someone responsible for turning around under-performing restaurants into award winning gems, he has indeed come a long way.

work with other brands such as Shababik International, Jeddah Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and JW Marriott Hotel, Bangalore.

Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai has appointed Chef Merajuddin Ansari as the new executive chef. With more than 15 years of rich experience in the hospitality industry, his goal is to bring fresh experience on the table for the guests by applying his expertise in enhancing the craft and serving tantalising dishes by adapting new trends and innovative techniques. His passion and creativity are fuelled by his love for fresh, organic and sustainable food, which he not only sources but also grows it in his backyard or even his balcony.

This is where he gets his inspiration from and creates magic

Hyatt Regency Pune Armed with a rich experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Danish Khan joins Hyatt Regency Pune as the pastry chef. With nearly six years of experience in the field of all things bakery, Chef Khan brings a dynamic perspective and accomplished skill set to the hotel. Chef Khan's key responsibilities at Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences will bring innovation into the bakery and also enhance the gastronomical experience for all guests. He will also be refreshing the bakery menu with his unique recipe ideas. Chef Khan started his stint as a pastry chef with Hotel ITC Maratha Mumbai, India and then moved on to

several leading positions within the sector. Her most recent association was at Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru as the executive housekeeper. At her new role, she believes to adopt a mindset that establishes high standards for herself and the staff which will enable the property to grow consistently.

Deepak Thakur as the general manager. He kicked off his hospitality journey in 2009 and has worked with various brands like Hotel President (Jalandhar Punjab), Saffron Spice Restaurant, Poptates /Urban Tadka (The Yellow Banana Foods), Meluha The Fern and Kamat Hotels.

The Fern Hotels and Resorts

Manish Kumar Jha has joined as the general manager of The Fern Residency, Bhopal.

Having a rich experience of 20 years in hotel operations. Jha

Amrendra Karn has been appointed as the general manager of Howard Plaza The Fern, Agra. He has two decades of rich experience in hotel management with expertise in strategic planning, client relationship & fiscal leadership. An IHM Lucknow alumnus has developed his ex-

Conrad Bengaluru Conrad Bengaluru has appointed Ladyna Lepcha as the executive housekeeper. With over 14 years of experience in the luxury hospitality sector, Lepcha brings with her a new perspective on the innerworkings of housekeepoing and room operations. Her new position at Conrad Bengaluru will initiate a positive outcome and will catapult the already stellar services provided by the hotel. With a degree in Bachelor of Arts from Loreto college, Darjeeling from North Bengal University, she started her career at ITC Sonar Bangla Shreton and Towers Kolkata as a Guest Service Valet - housekeeping. She then paved her path towards success with hardwork and sincerity by landing

Ladyna Lepcha

Manish Kumar Jha

has worked with various hotel like Clarks, ITC, Hotel India, The Citi Residency, HHI group of hotels, before joining The Fern Hotels.

Amrendra Karn

pertise through his tenure with leading brands like Taj Hotels, IHG, Hyatt & McDonald’s International across Nepal, UAE, Oman & India.

The Fern Residency, Bharatpur has appointed

Deepak Thakur

Abhishek Gaur has joined The Fern Residency, Sarnath (Varanasi) as an operations manager. Having 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Gaur has previously worked with leading hotel brands like Intercontinental Hotel Group (Crowne Plaza), Radisson Hotel Group, Jaypee Group and Clark’s Group of Hotels.

Abhishek Gaur

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BOOKSHELF

Winning Hospitality: Practical advice for sustainable success

By Giovanni Angelini

I

n the book Winning Hospitality, awardwinning hotelier Giovanni Angelini, former CEO of Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, has compacted around 60 years of his international hospitality experience into tips and advice for hotel operators and owners, senior and young executives, students, etc. The book serves as a ready reference and dives deep into the fundamentals of hospitality and service.

Giovanni delivers a comprehensive and essential guide to the inner-workings of this fascinating industry and what it takes to achieve success. Over 28 carefully crafted chapters, Giovanni examines the characteristics of effective leadership, underscores the impor-

tance of distinctive branding, discusses the challenges and opportunities posed by technology, emphasises cutting-edge decision making with a clear objective to enhance profitability and business development; and provides plenty of food for thought for those striving for excellence in a world of everchanging consumer tastes and continuous disruption.

Throughout the book, Giovanni reflects this good humour by interspersing his advice with stories and anecdotes. Winning Hospitality serves as an inspiring and informative guide to creating an innovate mindset and building the skills necessary to meet the challenges in hospitality today, while anticipating the additional complexities of tomorrow.

The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done

By Peter Drucker

A

commemorative edition of Peter F Drucker’s timeless classic work on leadership and management, with a foreword by Jim Collins.

For decades, Drucker was widely regarded as "the dean of business and management philosophers" (Wall Street Journal). In this concise and brilliant work, he looks to the most influential position in management - the executive.

The measure of the executive, Drucker reminds us, is the ability to "get the right things done." This usually involves doing what other people have overlooked as well as avoiding what is unproductive. Intelligence, imagination, and knowledge may all be wasted in an executive job without

50 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY March 2020

the acquired habits of mind that mold them into results.

In the book, Drucker identifies five practices essential to business effectiveness that can, and must, be mastered: ● Managing time; ● Choosing what to contribute to the organisation; ● Knowing where and how to mobilise strength for best effect; ● Setting the right priorities; ● Knitting all of them together with effective decision-making Ranging across the annals of business and government, Drucker demonstrates the distinctive skill of the executive and offers fresh insights into old and seemingly obvious business situations.

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WEEKEND

Scene and Heard With Marcellus Baptista

Poolside panache

O

heka at C’est la Vie was the happy venue for The Wedding Show presented by The Look Book, a curation by Aastha Jain and Heena Raj. It was a two-day wedding affair inaugurated by Sangita Jindal. Guests admired the floating ramp across the pool, created by Raj Mallik and Dharmesh Raj of Brandsailors. The Oheka team of Chirag Wadhwa, Nijal Shah, Ashish Mehta, Rishi Panchan and Sachin Kalra were present. It was time for wine and appetisers and a view of the fashion show featuring 5X by Ajit Kumar, Aartivijay Gupta, Amalin Dutta, Babita Malkani, Bubber Couture, Chalk Studio, Mandira Bedi Designs, Natasha J, Jewels by Ravi, Jaipur, Jhoomer Jewels, Rebecca Dewan, Sharbari Studio, Sonaakshi Raaj and Zuri. Anchor of the event Pritee Kathpal looked good in an ensemble

by Zuri.

Chirag Wadhwa, Nijal Shah, Ashish Mehta, Rishi Panchal and Sachin Kalra at The Wedding Show at Oheka

High on talent

Royal repast

P

T

opular Indian whisky brand Blenders Pride made its presence felt at the second edition of The Magical Runway, part of the Blenders Pride Magical Nights. It was a celebration of the concept of ‘pride’ as an inner sense of achievement, of uniqueness and of individuality.

The action was at Luna Nudo at St Regis with upcoming designers and models getting a chance to showcase their talent. Eight shortlisted designers and 16 shortlisted models were seen along with a jury comprising celebrities Rhea Chakraborty and Nupur Sanon, industry veterans like designers Gaurang Shah, Ridhi Mehra, Subikha PDP, Shriya Som and Akshat Bloni, model and VJ Alesia Raut, film producer, fashion choreographer and show director Ravneet Goraya, and influencer Shereen Sikka. The event was ably anchored by model Candice Pinto.

he Cameo Kitchen at Flea Bazaar Cafe located at Kamala Mills, followed the successful first edition with Meiphung Oriental, a rustic Naga kitchen from Goa, with the second edition featuring chef Anuradha Joshi Medhora, founder of Charoli that celebrates the royal cuisine of the Malwa plateau.

Riyaaz Amlani, MD & CEO of Impresario Handmade Restaurants, happily hosted a lavish lunch of tasty and traditional Malwa food. It was an exciting afternoon of slow-cooked, ghee-laden and melt-in-the-mouth moments with guests relishing the super selection of veg and non-veg items served on a shiny thali. This Malwa menu includes non-veg starters like Shikampuri Kebab, Shammi Kebab, mains of Murge Ki Kadhi, Methi Murg, breads and rice, assorted papad and a dessert halwa.

Anuradha Joshi Medhora and Riyaaz Amlani at The Cameo Kitchen at Flea Bazaar Cafe

Calendar cheer

A

Rhea Chakraborty at The Magical Runway at Blenders Pride Magical Nights at Luna Nudo

sparkling time was had by all the guests as Rio Fizzy Wine, the anytime-anywhere bubbly, launched its debut calendar at Razzberry Rhinoceros. The calendar girls made their presence felt as they walked the ramp by the beachside. You heard that the calendar was pictured in Goa and only candid images were selected for the 12 months. The talk was that the models represent the true essence of the Rio brand - powerful and strong-minded, independent and modern, those who do not conform to traditional expectations, empowering them to live life to the fullest on their own terms. You also heard that the calendar aims to imbibe the spirit of vivaciousness with the calendar acting as a launchpad for models across the world. And cheering the models on the ramp was Ashwin Rodrigues, founder, Good Drop Wines, producers of the range of Rio Fizzy Wine.

Ashwin Rodrigues and the Rio calendar girls at Razzberry Rhinoceros

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March 2020

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