I N D I A’ S F O R E M O S T H O S P I TA L I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N ER ST W H I L E E X PR E S S H O S P I TA L I T Y •
F O R T N I G H T LY I N S I G H T F O R T H E F O O D A N D H O S P I T A L I T Y T R A D E
March 1-15, 2014 Vol 2 | No. 12 | Pages 144 | `50
EDITOR’S NOTE
Organic awakenings
T
here is a lot written, said, debated and delved upon, on the lifestyle and living of the urban Indian soul. Fast paced and stressed the urban Indian is running on life’s turf to meet and keep a deadline. Quick fix foods, ‘heat it and in a minute you eat it’ style of foods fit in perfectly for ‘on the go’ people. The word ‘fresh’ when related to food has lost its true essence as what looks fresh may not be as what is promised. Good looking polished and neatly manicured food products may be surely appealing to the eye but whether it is safe to be consumed is yet another premise that needs some serious thinking. Interestingly so, urban India today is slowly but surely waking up to the unpleasant repercussions of packed, processed food. The call for going organic is getting stronger, which is a welcome signal as an organic approach to food consumption brings with it a positive chain reaction from health to harmony with one's environment. We need to think local along with being organic as going local helps the local farmers, though organic food is not necessarily local.
HEAD OFFICE Food & Hospitality World MUMBAI: Rajan Nair, Dattaram Kandalkar, Manish S. Global Fairs & Media Pvt. Ltd 2nd Floor, Express Towers Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021. India Tel: 6744 0000 / 22022627 Fax: 022-22885831 E-mail: rajan.nair@fhwexpo.in; datta.kandalkar@fhwexpo.in manish.shringarpure@fhwexpo.in Branch Offices : NEW DELHI: Pranshu Puri, The Indian Express Ltd, Express Building (Basement) 9 & 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110 002 Tel : 011- 23465670 Fax : 011 - 23702141 E-mail: pranshu.puri@fhwexpo.in Our Associate: Dinesh Sharma Mobile: 09810264368 E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com
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“The call for going organic is getting stronger,which is a welcome signal as an organic approach to food consumption brings with it a positive chain reaction from health to harmony with one's environment”
Uttarakhand, and North East are growing as strong organic hubs. If one goes by a survey undertaken by ASSOCHAM, there seems to be a rise in demand for organic products, especially fruit and vegetables in the cities as about 62 per cent of metropolitans buy organic, which is an increase of around 95 per cent in the last five years. From health to higher disposable incomes the reasons to go organic can be diverse. The Indian hospitality sector has also witnessed an increase in demand for organic menus and foods that are authentic and certified as organic. The south of India, especially Bengaluru and Kochi, have welcomed totally organic restaurant experiences and this trend is predicted to spread its wings in other cities of India. The organic trend is not only restricted to brick and mortar but has taken off well even in the online space. Websites catering to the supply of organic foods are also gaining popularity. Enough reasons for the Indian hospitality sector to get onto the organic bandwagon. REEMA LOKESH Editor
Tel: 040-23418673/23418674/ 23418675 (Tele-fax)/66631457 Fax: 040-23418678 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in
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CONTENTS Vol 2 No.12 MARCH 1-15-2014
INTERIORS & DESIGN
Chairman of the Board
Viveck Goenka Editor
Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor
Steena Joy Associate Editor
Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai
Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee
36
Kolkata
Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN National Art Director
Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director
MIX AND MATCH FURNITURE TREND REPORT FROM IMM COLOGNE 2014 SAYS THAT COMBINING DIFFERENT THINGS IS THE DOMINANT TREND
Surajit Patro Chief Designer
Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer
Rushikesh Konka Layout
Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination
Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor
Sandeep Patil MARKETING General Manager
Sachin Shenoy Marketing Team
Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Manish Shringarpure Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Pranshu Puri Yoginder Singh Ajanta Sengupta Marketing Coordination
GROWING ORGANIC India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic regions.Currently,India ranks 10th among the top ten countries in terms of cultivable land under organic certification.In this AAHAR 2014 special,we feature India's leading organic food producers to get their insights on the challenges that layahead (41)
Chandra Shekhar Sasi Kumar G Keshav Barnwal INTERNATIONAL FOOD & HOSPITALITY SALES
Soumodip Ghosh Rahul Bisht PRODUCTION
The Towers, Chennai
P32: PRODUCT TRACKER Clay Craft India
Practising sustainability
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ONLY PARATHAS AND BOMBAY MAGIC TO OPEN IN OVERSEAS MARKET
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AWK STEEL WARES OPENS SHOWROOM IN DELHI NCR
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EXPRESS TRAVELWORLD LAUNCHES THE EXPLORER
P82: MOVEMENTS Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum
B R Tipnis Bhadresh Valia
MARKETS
P78: LIFE
General Manager Manager
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BATHED IN HISTORY EUROPE’S FINEST DESTINATION SPA, VILLA STÉPHANIE, READYING TO OPEN ITS DOORS IN SPRING 2014 WILL ADD TO ADEN-BADEN’S SPA HERITAGE
P30: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Darshana Chauhan NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES
SPA & WELLNESS
P139: WEEKEND Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista
EDGE
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EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE TO ENSURE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ITS GUESTS, LA MARVELLA'S MANAGEMENT TEAM CHOSE AXIS'S SOLUTIONS
Food & Hospitality World Published for the proprietors, Global Fairs & Media Private Limited, by Vaidehi Thakar at Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, and printed by her at Indian Express Press, Plot EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai. Editor : Reema Lokesh* (*responsible for selection of news under PRB Act). @ 2012 Global Fairs & Media Private Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher's permission is prohibited.
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Only Parathas and Bombay Magic to open in overseas market Plans for pan India expansion as well Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai ONLY PARATHAS and Bombay Magic will soon be entering into the overseas market. Outlets under these two brands are expected to open by end of 2014. The expansion will be in the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia through master franchisees. Speaking about the reason for expanding overseas, Anil Singh Arora, a Mumbai-based restaurateur and owner of the three brands – Only Parathas, Bombay Magic, and Amritsari Tadka stated, “My products are vegetarian and vegetarian products are doing well in overseas markets. Canada has the Punjabi community, while UK has Gujarati and Sikh settlements, who are going to be our main customers.” The two brands will be mainly focusing on the Indian diaspora in these four international markets. “Right now we are in talks with some master
Anil Singh Arora
franchisees in the UK and the US and in three to four months we will enter the developmental phase and by end of this year, the outlets are expected to come up,” revealed Arora. Apart from entering into the overseas market, plans are also on way for expanding Only Parathas and Bombay Magic pan India. There are plans to open 20 to 25 outlets by mid 2016 through a new master franchisee. “We are looking at Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kar-
nataka, Bengaluru for this expansion. In six to eight months I will be opening seven to eight outlets in the Northern region,” stated Arora, adding, “The concept of fine-dining is going down in India because of exces-
sive taxation from the government. In fact, no one is keen to open a fine-dining restaurant. Hence the outlets under the Bombay Magic brand in north India, will be somewhere between 300 to 400 square feet of
space, non-air conditioned and will be located in every threefour km. The restaurants will be in QSR format.” Presently, Only Parathas has outlets in Mumbai, Raikot, Raipur, Chandigarh and Sangli.
Grover Zampa to open two restaurants in India this year Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai GROVER ZAMPA, a wine making company formed as result of a merger between Grover Vineyards and Vallée de Vin, is planning to open two casual dining restaurants serving international and Indian cuisine in India in 2014. The restaurants will be located in two of its vineyards in Bengaluru and Nashik. Speaking about their foray into the
restaurant segment, Sumedh Singh Mandla, chief executive officer, Grover Zampa stated, “As of now, we offer food to people who come and request for meals since we have a tie-up with the Taj Group. We want to experiment more with the cuisine, get the pairing done for some of the wines. We have over 28 products in our portfolio so the idea would be to pair the signature wines with food so that the whole experience is enhanced. The restaurants will
10 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2014
Sumedh Singh Mandla
not only serve international cuisines but will also have Indian cuisine.” Currently, Grover Zampa is in talks with two international groups to open a spa hotel in its Nashik vineyard which is expected to become operational within the next three years. The spa hotel would have rooms anywhere between 60 to 100.“Once we have the hotel project coming up, we will definitely have one more restaurant there to ensure privacy for
people staying in the premium hotel. Whereas the other restaurant can be open for anyone who is experiencing the vineyard tours. The hotel will have mood recreation facilities, premium spa, interesting rooms because of the location and the rooms will be facing the lake. So anybody who comes for a weekend trip can experience wine tourism, avail the spa facilities, spend time with family and friends,” opined Mandla.
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
AWK Steelwares opens showroom in Delhi NCR FHW Staff Mumbai AWK STEELWARES recently opened its showroom in Tronica City, Delhi NCR. The company has been engaged in the manufacturing and export activities of a wide range of stainless steel cutlery, kitchenware, bar accessories and tableware in India since 1977. The showroom showcases more than 1,000 products like cutlery, bar tools, trolleys, table tops, chafing dish and bathroom accessories. The company has its own designing, productions and marketing set up.
The business model is OEM and the vertical addresses all segments from product conceptualising to sales delivery under one roof In sales and marketing segment, it owns brands called AWKENOX and SOLO. The business model is OEM and the vertical addresses all segments from product conceptualisation to sales delivery under one roof. The company exports its products to Europe, USA, Middle East and all major Indian hospitality chains like the Taj , Maidens Hotel, Golden Tulip, Lords Hotels, Park Plaza, Radisson, Pride, Moca, Sagar Ratna, Grand Bhagwati , Seven Seas and companies like NTPC, WIPRO, etc.
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AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Express TravelWorld launches The Explorer
Global Panorama Showcase (GPS-2014) held in Nagpur witnessed the launch of the coffee table book titled 'The Explorer' brought out by Express TravelWorld
STATEMENT ABOUT OWNERSHIP AND OTHER PARTICULARS OF FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD, MUMBAI, AS REQUIRED UNDER RULE 8 OF THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS (CENTRAL) RULES, 1956 FORM IV (SEE RULE 8) 1. Place of Publication
: Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021.
2. Periodicity of its publication
: FORTNIGHTLY
3. Printer’s Name Whether citizen of India Address
: Ms. VAIDEHI THAKAR : Yes : Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021.
4. Publisher’s Name Whether citizen of India Address
: Ms. VAIDEHI THAKAR : Yes : Express Towers, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021.
5. Editor’s Name Whether citizen of India Address
: Reema Lokesh : Yes : Express Towers, 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021.
6. Name and address of individuals : Global Fairs & Media Private Limited who own the newspaper Regd. Office: 9 & 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi 110002 AND Shareholders holding more than : The Indian Express Limited One per cent of the total capital Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021 : Hannover Milano Fairs India Private Limited 13/16, Vatika Business Centre, “B” Wing, 7th Floor, Supreme Business Park, Hiranandani Gardens, Mumbai 400076 I, VAIDEHI THAKAR., hereby declare that the particulars given above are true and to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Date : 1/3/2014
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FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
March 1-15, 2014
sd/VAIDEHI THAKAR Publisher
Vegit to increase product portfolio in 2 years Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai VEGIT, an agro-division of Merino Group which offers ready-to-cook packaged foods, is planning to expand its product portfolio in two years. Presently, Vegit has nine mixes – aloo mash, aloo bonda, cheese balls, veg cutlet, burger patty, soya roll, aloo tikki, shammi kebab, and hara bhara kebab. The company recently launched their 10th product in the India market – the pav bhaji mix and is planning to expand their product offerings from 10 to 14 or 15 by end of 2015 or beginning of 2016. Vegit will be launching one or two more vegetarian mixes this year. All these products will be available in the retail segment and across the HORECA sector. Madan Singi, regional head, Merino Industries stated, “Presently Vegit has 10 mixes in the India market and our desire is to take our product portfolio to 14 or 15. We will be launching one or two more vegetarian mixes this year. However, the products to be launched this year are going through the preparation stage and haven't been finalised as of now. ” Vegit is also look-
Madan Singi
ing at exporting their products from next year. The distribution at the initial stage will be through the retail segment. “We are trying to export our products to countries where a lot of Indian diaspora is settled. The process has already started, permissions are to be taken and testing is to be done. We will be starting with the end consumers, and depending on the response, the product range will be taken to other segments as well,”stated Singi adding that, “We are looking at the US, Australia, since we are familiar with these markets.”
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Yatra.com focuses on hotel and holiday business Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai YATRA.COM is aggressively focusing on increasing its hotel bookings and driving its holiday packages this year. Until last year the company had about 6,000 bookable hotel inventory. Presently this inventory has been increased to 14,000 hotels in over 500 cities in India and about three lakh hotels internationally. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Sharat Dhall, president,
We are now looking at introducing apps for tablets and windows software mobile phones Yatra.com said, “The appetite among travellers to do hotel bookings online has increased significantly and we have been increasing our inventory seeing the growth potential in this segment. We have seen over 200 per cent growth year-on-year in this segment.” Apart from the hotel segment, Yatra.com is also significantly investing into introducing new products for mobiles. “We launched applications for android and IOS platform in the last quarter of 2013. And we are now looking at introducing apps for tablets and windows software mobile phones. For 2014, the focus of the company is going to be on driving their holiday packages and hotel bookings.” Elaborating on the market trends, Dhall opined, “In the short haul travel space, Thailand has taken a slight beating due to the political scenario, and the focus has shifted to Singapore and Dubai. Domestic tourism has also been on a steady rise. Last
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year though travel to long haul destinations took a dip, with the rupee maintaining its position of about `62 per US$, travellers
have now accepted the change. Having said that, our Europe destination bookings have been good and destinations like Aus-
tralia and New Zealand are seen picking up.” With 2014 likely to witness the start of new carriers in the Indian market, Dhall is op-
timistic that this will stimulate travel growth which will in turn benefit domestic tourism growth as well.
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Heinz India looks at strengthening distribution network Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai HEINZ INDIA is aggressively targeting towards strengthening its distribution network in rural areas after witnessing an increasing demand in the market segment. Presently, the company's brands such as Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil, and Heinz Tomato Ketchup are available in about 12 lakh retail outlets on pan-India basis. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Mohan V, director/VP-business development, corporate and legal affairs and company secretary, Heinz India said, “The FMCG segment is one of the largest sectors of the Indian economy and it continues to grow in size driven by favourable demo-
graphic distribution, increasing aspiration and awareness about quality branded products, convenience and ease of use and changing lifestyles. Interestingly, we have been consistently noticing a trend wherein rural demand is also set to rise due to increasing disposable income and greater brand awareness.” As of now, the company has no definite plans to introduce any new categories of food products in the Indian market. Heinz India recently roped in Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan as the face of its health drink Complan, repositioning its brand- 'Taaqat Ka Naya Plan – Naya Complan', coinciding with the celebrations of 50 years of the brand in India. “A significant portion of
Complan’s sales more than a third, are from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Northern India is the fastest growing market for us. While remaining committed to these markets,
we continue to strengthen our distribution network in rural areas,” he added. When asked about the sales ratio through retail and institutional, he mentioned, “Our
products are available in about 12 lakh retail outlets on pan-India basis. We also have a good presence in the canteen stores department. But we have limited presence in certain luxury hotels and specialty restaurants driven by Heinz tomato ketchup.” As most FMCG companies faced a slowdown in business growth in CY 2013, the company is cautiously strategising to gain a bigger market share. “In terms of further expansion, we are always looking to grow and meet the needs of as wider market as possible. Going forward, we want to reiterate our commitment to our consumers and endeavour to exceed their expectations through consistently delivering on quality, taste and nutrition,” he mentioned.
India Grape Harvest & Wine Festival to be a multi-cityevent in 2015 Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai WITH AN AIM to bring Maharashtra, India's wine capital on the global map, the next edition of India Grape Harvest & Wine Festival will be a multi-city festival in 2015. The festival will be held from mid January or end of February to mid March, 2015 across major grape producing regions in India including - Nashik, Pune, Sangli, Solapur, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bengaluru, Mysore, Ratlam, Anantapur, Mizoram to name a few. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Jagdish Holkar, chairman, Indian Grape Processing Board (IGPB) stated, “We want India to become an integrated country for wine. We will publish a calender wherein there will be a different plan for a different region. We are seeing whether this festival can be held every year or once in two
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Jagdish Holkar
years. We want to make India Grape Harvest & Wine Festival a globally known brand for which we will be joining hands with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the department of commerce, Government of India to attract international tourists and buyers.” The second edition of the India
Grape Harvest & Wine Festival – 2014 was held in February in Vinchur, Nashik. The three day event showcased 200 unique wines from India’s top 40 wineries including Sula Vineyards, Grover Zampa, Good Drop Wine Cellars, Vallonne Vineyards, Chateau d'Ori, Four Seasons Wines, York Winery, Vintage Wines to name a few. All India Wine Producer's Association (AIWPA) in association with IGPB organised the three-day festivities. Also supporting the festival was Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) with the aim to promote fresh grapes, grape processing, raisins, Indian wines, wine tourism, food pairing, cooking in wine, wine and art and wine accessories.
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
AVIAREPS to triple India portfolio by 2020 Looks to open office in Bengaluru Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai
so different. According to me, the biggest challenge in India
AVIAREPS is looking at tripling its growth in the India market in the next seven years as part of its 'Agenda 2020' plan. The company is going to focus on building its aviation portfolio in India as well as look at representing hotels. The company has 46 offices in 38 countries worldwide and 12 clients from India, ranging from attractions, airports, airlines, including Dallas Airport and Air Nambia. AVIAREPS is a global leader in tourism, aviation, hospitality and trade promotion representation. Speaking to the media during his visit to Mumbai, Michael Gaebler, chairman and CEO, AVIAREPS said, “The India market is growing every year by more than 50 per cent and there has been a sustainable trend in outbound travel. As part of our 'Agenda 2020' plan we are working towards tripling our India business by 2020. The company will try and push its IBCS and Avianet service for airlines and airport, as well as work with GDSs to grow its hotel business in India. The IBCS programme provides an opportunity to profitably participate in marginal market BSPs with negligible capital risk.” Gaebler also stated that it could be a good idea to sign MoU's with FICCI, IMC in India. Presently, the company has its offices in Mumbai and Delhi, and hopes to soon have an office in Bengaluru to have a strong pan India presence. “We are also studying Sri Lanka and Bangladesh markets with the intention of handling clients from these countries from our India office,” informed Gaebler. Elaborating on the Indian market business scenario he opined, “India is a special market in some way, but the marketing techniques are not
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is that it is a more price-centric market which is looking
for a bargain, but this scenario is almost the same in
any other market which is looking for better prices.”
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Kerzner focuses on promoting One&Only brand in India Looks at showcasing Maldives, Mauritius and Dubai properties Sudipta Dev Mumbai KERZNER International Holding's flagship brand Atlantis, in particular Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai is well known in the Indian market, now the company is focusing on creating awareness of the One&Only brand here. “For our hotel group, moving forward we see India as a very important source market. Till now for the One&Only we've not really had a strong presence in the Indian market, what we are trying to do now is position the One&Only brand as a unique property, a new experience for Indian travellers,” said Brett Armitage, senior vice president, global sales, Kerzner. Armitage acknowledged that the company has had a huge success with Atlantis, The Palm in the Indian market and this has been an integrated effort over many years. “When we were opening Atlantis, one of our key pillars for our global strategy was to have a very strong Indian programme. We engaged with Bollywood stars, we had a deep programme with our trade partners and did a lot of marketing and PR in the Indian market. Over the last five years we have seen year-on-year growth, and now the India market is one of our top six source markets for Atlantis,” stated Armitage, adding that, building on this success and taking the learning from the experience with the Atlantis, the company wants to create the same enthusiasm and interest for the One&Only brand that it has been able to achieve for the Atlantis. “We started in earnest in July 2013 to bring One&Only to the forefront in the Indian market,” mentioned Armitage. One of the key strategies is to engage with the right distribution partners - the whole sellers and travels agents, and un-
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derstand in detail what is required by the trade partners in each destination. One&Only properties are present in many destinations, but the current focus for the Indian market are few destinations - Maldives (One&Only Reethi Rah), Mauritius (One&Only Le Saint Geran and, Dubai (One&Only Royal Mirage and The Palm). “We are focusing first and foremost on these three destinations. In the second stage we will be pushing for our Cape Town and Hayman Island, Australia properties,” stated Armitage. “While building the market for Atlantis in India I realised that you have to do your homework and go step by step to build the distribution network - getting engagement from the whole sellers, then pushing it out to the travel agent and simultaneously engaging with the consumer. You need to have a multi-tier approach, in detail. And also recognising that what the Indian traveller is looking forward to in Maldives is very different from what he is looking forward to in Dubai and totally different from what he wants in Mauritius. We have to understand within each destination whom we are competing against in the Indian market,” mentioned Armitage. According to Armitage what distinguishes the One&Only brand are the experiences, “We just do not only focus on having great villas and water bungalows, we focus on what we offer in the resort which is experiential, which distinguishes us from the competition. One of the things that we pride ourselves on as One&Only as a management company is empowering our general managers on the properties to have a lot of entrepreneurial spirit so what we create in these resorts in very unique, specific to that destination.” In Maldives, Reethi
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Brett Armitage
Rah has 130 villas, including 32 water villas. "Reethi Rah is a unique resort. For One&Only it is our jewel in the crown. In Maldives Reethi Rah stands out as the best island resort and in order to maintain that we need to develop and introduce new elements to wow our guests to make them come back - from F&B to spa or activities like diving. We are continuously evolving and that is what is distinguishing ourselves from other properties,” he asserted. The marketing strategy for
each destination is aligned according to the target audience. When asked about the plans for setting up a One&Only in India, Armitage replied, “We have an aspiration. If the right hotel/ resort opportunity arose we would definitely be interested to look at that.” The third brand of Kerzner is Mazagan, in Morocco. “There have been very few Indian guests as accessibility from India is difficult. Our recent Hayman Island property will however be interesting for the Indian market," added Armitage.
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Garcha Hotels to foray into India market Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai GARCHA HOTELS is looking at entering the India market as part of its long-term expansion plans, once the properties across Singapore and Santiago are fully operational. The target markets for the company include Tier I cities like Delhi and Mumbai. The company is likely to open its first property in India by 2017. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Satinder Garcha, founder, Garcha Hotels said, “The room inventory at the property could range anywhere from 50-200 keys, as long as the structure and design of the property is in accordance with its individual theme, as well as the over-arching brand
The global economic downturn notwithstanding, the Indian outbound travel industry has defied odds to earn the distinction of being one of the world's 'fastest-growing', and we expect this trend to continue in the coming year Satinder Garcha
ethos and philosophy.” Elaborating on the investment that the company is looking at for its expansion plans, he informed, “The total investment within the Singapore market has been US$ 250 million. For the India expansion, we are looking at investing up to US$100 million, as long as we can procure the
right land/building in the right area.” On the growth trend in the hospitality business, he opined, “Since the hotels being opened by the group in the next couple of years will be in Singapore and Santiago, we have great expectations from the outbound tourism market. Fears of backlash due to the
global economic downturn notwithstanding, the Indian outbound travel industry has defied odds to earn the distinction of being one of the world's 'fastest-growing', and we expect this trend to continue in the coming year. Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. (short-haul des-
tinations) are emerging as the leading outbound destinations among Indian consumers. Within the outbound market, the luxury or high-end segment is expected to grow consistently due to the increasing number of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) in the country, which is what Garcha Hotels aims to provide them.”
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
MARKETS
Absolute Hotel aims for 50 hotels in India in five years Expansion strategy planned across all three hotel brands Sudipta Dev Mumbai BANGKOK-HEADQUARTERED Absolute Hotel Services has four brands - U Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Hotels, Eastin Easy and Eastin Residences. In India the company has a number of projects lined up for the first three brands. While Eastin Easy is a budget three-star, full service business hotel, Eastin Hotel is a four- star deluxe business property, and U Hotels & Resorts are deluxe properties with personalised services. The company is about to launch its 156 keys Eastin Hotel in Ahmedabad. “Eastin Easy has already been launched in Ahmedabad. From RoI point of view we are looking at B & C class cities to ensure that the ownership companies make good business,” said Sameer Dharkar, MD, Absolute Hotel Services
Sameer Dharkar
India. He pointed out that the company is looking at opening 50 hotels in India in the next five years. “We are already working on close to 20 project,” added Dharkar. Pointing out that U Tropicana is the second international property in Alibaug, Dharkar said that the next U Hotel & Resort is coming up in Lonavala in August 2014. Eastin Kolkata is also coming up in 12 months and so will Eastin Easy in Kurseong, Darjeeling. “This is the first time
we have done an experiment of deviating from our international policy. We believe that India has a great potential for a budget resort brand. While Eastin Easy will be a business hotel in cities, in hill stations and resort destinations, it will be a three-star resort. U Hotels & Resorts will be the four-star deluxe property in these destinations,” informed Dharkar. Goa and Varanasi are among the U brand destinations. While the Goa project will take two years for completion, the Varanasi property will be operational after 15 months. Eastin Residences are serviced apartments. Dharkar disclosed that while the hotel company has plans to bring the brand in India and discussions are on, nothing concrete has come up as of yet. Absolute Hotel Services also provides consultancy and asset management services. In Thailand the group owns eight properties,
including a 400 keys hotel in Bangkok and another 280 rooms property. According to Dharkar within a few years the company might invest in a few Indian projects. The company distinguishes itself with its focus on
Neemrana Hotels founder Francis Wacziarg passes away FHW Staff Mumbai LATE FRANCIS WACZIARG was a forward thinker and a visionary who always made it a point to connect with his team at Neemrana Hotels. Even though he was battling with blood cancer for the last eight years, and passed away on February 19, 2014, he always kept encouraging the team and talking about the future goals of the company. His will-power and positive attitude towards life is what kept him going and he never com-
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plained about anything, which was a unique quality and an inspiration, is how his team members' fondly remember him. After completing an MBA in France, Wacziarg came to India in 1970. Initially, he was the commercial attache at the French Consulate in Mumbai. Subsequently, he headed the representative office of the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) in New Delhi. On gaining Indian citizenship after an active 20 year affair with India he joined Aman Nath, with whom a book had been coauthored, to found Neemrana
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Hotels. Francis Wacziarg was a founding member of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and a trustee on IFA (India Foundation for the Arts). He was president of the Alliance Francaise of New Delhi. He actively was involved in promoting arts and culture with an emphasis on building bridges between different people and cultures. As the founder of The Neemrana Music Foundation, he was working to put India on the world map of western and Indian classical music.
Francis Wacziarg
'personalised service' including anytime anywhere breakfast, room for 24 hours, etc. “All three brands have different target audiences, there is clear distinction between the brands and there are no conflicts,” mentioned Dharkar.
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Elanpro to showcase newproduct at Aahar 2014 Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai ELANPRO, a company offering refrigeration solutions for professional kitchens, retail and pharma businesses, will be launching a complete range of kitchen refrigeration for the India market this year. This range will be showcased at the 29th Aahar International Fair 2014 to be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from March 10 to 14, 2014. The range will consist of salad counters, pizza tables to name a few and will be available across the HORECA segment in metros and Tier II and Tier III cities. “The focus will be more on the Tier II and Tier III cities because that is where the refrigeration market is evolving right now,” stated Sanjay Jain, executive vice president, Elanpro. Recently, Elanpro introduced the sub-zero display cooler and sub-zero draft/drought beer dis-
Sanjay Jain
penser for the bar and beer segment in India through the retail segment. “Generally the coolers that are used in India range in the temperature between two to eight degrees. We have introduced coolers which will be maintaining temperature at – 4 degrees. The subzero display cooler will be used for storing bottles and cans and the sub-zero draft/drought dispenser will be dispensing draft beer at sub-
zero temperature. We will also be introducing a new concept in the retail segment where an LCD panel will be installed on the sub-zero display cooler so that brand promotion can be done through live advertisement being displayed on the LCD panel,” revealed Jain. These products will also be showcased at the Aahar International Fair. The company is exporting to Sri Lanka, and some African countries, and are in talks with Italy, South East Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia to name a few to expand their export markets. Speaking about the growth of the company, Jain opined, “We are the largest and fastest growing refrigeration company in the HORECA segment catering to five-star hotel chains to small hotel chains in India. We are experiencing 40 per cent year-on-year growth. We are hoping to touch a turnover of `100 crore by 2015 or 2016.”
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HRAWI demands for industryfriendly Budget FHW Staff Mumbai AHEAD OF the upcoming budget session, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has sought assistance from the Maharashtra Government for revisiting and revising key areas in taxation and licensing policies for the hospitality and tourism industry. In the last few years, the hotel industry has been gripped by several financial burdens brought about by both the central and state governments that include Service Tax – charged by the Central Government, Luxury Tax – charged by the State, Value Added Tax (VAT) – on Food and Beverage, Excise Duty – on Beverages and Octroi Duty - on items imported into the state, among others. D S Advani, president, HRAWI, said, “The hotel industry has been engaging with the Maharashtra government at
various levels for a revision in the luxury tax. Presently, any hotel room with a tariff of above `750 and up to `1199 attracts a tax of four per cent and those above `1200 attracts 10 per cent. We have been repeatedly requesting for an increase in the threshold limits. Since, a mere `750 does not justify being called luxury in today’s scenario, we are proposing that the limit be raised to at least `2000. Also 10 per cent tax is exorbitant, so we have proposed that the next applicable tax slab be six per cent for a room tariff of above `3000.” Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, vicepresident, HRAWI, said, “Hotel and tourism related industries were accorded the status of an industry by the government over a decade ago, however the accompanying benefits in subsidies were never passed on to us. For instance, electricity duty charged to hotels and restaurants is at the commercial rate of 13 per cent as against the rate of six per cent
levied on industrial units. Power and water are the major cost of operation in hotels and restaurants. If the government gives us the due benefits, not only will the hospitality industry grow, but tourism in Maharashtra will also see a big surge.” Talking about the entertainment duty, Kohli said, “Every year there has been a new amendment to the policy and it
comes with an additional burden to the industry. The existing entertainment duty (pursuant to the amendments three years back), is exorbitant, unreasonable and prohibitive. On the other hand, to encourage tourism activities during off season Government of Goa reduces the tax rates up to 50 per cent.” Kamlesh Barot, immediate past president, HRAWI, said,
“The states of Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala are considered to be tourist havens, not because they are more beautiful than Maharashtra. It is because these governments proactively promote tourism, allocate necessary funds and legislate tourism friendly policies. If Maharashtra has to feature on the tourism map, it will have to pull up its socks and give tourism the much-needed support. Affordable lodging is one of the primary requisites for a vibrant tourist state.” “The adjoining states have been spending significant funds on the promotional campaigns and resultantly are witnessing a robust growth in terms of travellers. On the contrary, in our state, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) as well as domestic tourists have decreased steeply in the last few years and we urge the government to take necessary step to curb this trend before the damage becomes irreparable,” added Barot.
Foodpanda.in collaborates with OpenRice FHW Staff Mumbai FOODPANDA.IN, online food ordering platform has announced a strategic partnership with OpenRice, a food and restaurant review website across the South East Asian region to assimilate key elements of both websites to enhance customer experience while ordering food online. Foodpanda users can check out food reviews for each listed restaurant they wish to order from. Meanwhile, OpenRice users will be able to order food directly from their
preferred local restaurant by accessing the Foodpanda delivery widget on each restaurant profile’s overview tab. Rohit Chadda, managing director and founder, Foodpanda.in said, “Great cus-
OpenRice has gained repute as a comprehensive online platform for restaurant details, user-generated reviews and more
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tomer experience has always been our strength. This partnership between Foodpanda and OpenRice is an exciting step forward towards improving that even further. This collaboration will enable our cus-
tomers to make a more informed choice thus making the process more transparent, convenient and customer friendly.” OpenRice has gained repute as a comprehensive online platform for restaurant details, user-generated reviews and more. It has steadily built its customer base across South East Asia in the past 15 years. It now extends its services to include food reviews in India to help Foodpanda users choose their favourite delivery restaurant. Jan Wong, managing director, OpenRice, elaborated,
“The fact that we can now integrate our individual expertise and extend our services through each other's online presence means that we are looking at offering an online food and restaurant experience in a more credible manner. Foodpanda’s growth across Asia has been commendable so far and bringing our services to India through this partnership is an exciting development for us.” Besides India, this partnership will also be extended to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia in the near future.
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IRCTC to develop new consumer-friendly website Plans to start budget category hotels near railway stations Akshay Kumar Mumbai THE INDIAN RAILWAY Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways that handles the catering, tourism and online ticketing operations, is planning to launch a new website, which would be operational by the last week of April 2014. This website would be easily accessible and more user-friendly. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Pradip Kundu, joint general manager, public relations,
IRCTC, said, “We are launching a new website which would be more user-friendly. The capacity of the website would be increased drastically, from 2000 tickets per minute to more than 7000 tickets per minute.” In September 2013, according to a PTI report, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had directed IRCTC to make its website more consumer-friendly, observing that it was “inaccessible” most of the time and needed “drastic improvement”. This new development is a positive step towards improv-
ing the efficiency of the IRCTC website. Also, IRCTC has plans to start new budget category hotels in the country. This plan is still at a nascent stage as IRCTC has proposed this new venture to the state governments and is awaiting their replies. Kundu said, “We are planning to start new budget hotels, but still there are no concrete talks. We have already spoken to the state governments, and are waiting for their response.” These hotels would be opened in close proximity to the railway stations.
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Unique India partners with Wyndham to bring Howard Johnson to India Plans to open 35 hotels in the next six years FHW Staff Mumbai UNIQUE MERCANTILE INDIA has announced its partnership with Wyndham Worldwide to bring its famous American hotel brand Howard Johnson, popularly known as HoJo, to India. HoJo hotels in India will be positioned as a mid-market hotel chain, following the brand’s philosophy 'Smart Choice for the Smart Traveller'. The brand will make its entry into India through an agreement between Unique Mercantile India and Wyndham Worldwide. Under the agreement, Unique India will develop 35 HoJo properties by 2020 across different parts of India, with the first property opening shortly in Bengaluru. The property in Bengaluru will open in Hebbal, close to many large corporate houses. The self-sufficient hotel will have high speed WiFi connectivity in all rooms and public areas, along with well appointed amenities like digitally secured laptop complaint safes, personal mini bar and refrigerator, tea and coffee maker, working table with ergonomic chair and many more. To add to this, guests can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool on the 5th floor that gives a panoramic view of the city, a spa and a high-tech fitness centre. For high powered meetings and business visits, the property hosts a 3,500 square feet confer-
ence and event space and it also offers a range of scrumptious gourmet that makes its guest’s stay more enjoyable and self-sufficient. Set to strengthen its presence in India, the Wyndham Worldwide Group presently has hotels in places like Agra, Alleppey and Ghaziabad. The partnership with Unique India, will witness a phased expansion plan, across the country in states like Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi NCR region, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Goa. Talking about the partnership with Wyndham Worldwide Raj Kumar Rai, chairman and managing director, Unique India said, “We are happy to announce our partnership in the hospitality sector with the prestigious Wyndham Worldwide Group. Unique Mercantile India will invest `2000 crore on various business models for growing brand HoJo in India. We chose Bengaluru as the destination to open the first property, as this city has warmly accepted all global brands. The first property will house 117 rooms and suites.” Speaking about the group’s expansion Eric A Danziger, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotel Group said, “ We are excited with the tie-up with Unique India and look forward to expanding the HoJo brand in India, with their expertise.”
CastaDiva Resort & Spa to hold pop up gourmet initiative for India market FHW Staff Mumbai LAKE COMO’S luxury resort CastaDiva Resort & Spa located on the east side of Lake Como, Italy is scheduled to hold an exclusive pop up gourmet experience for the India market with an aim to promote and position its presence in this region. The gourmet experience will roll out at the The Ambassador Hotel, Mumbai from February 8-13, 2014 headed by Chef Alessio Mecozzi of CastaDiva Resort & Spa. The team of CastaDiva will be in Mumbai for six nights and will share their Italian specialities at The Ambassador’s Society Restaurant. German born, Chef Mecozzi has worked in some of the finest five-star hotels from St Tropez and Tuscany to New York. Focused on his art for food, he marries traditional Italian with modern twists effortlessly. Speaking on this gourmet initiative, Andrea Luri, general manager, CastaDiva Resort & Spa stated, “Chef Mecozzi, known for his quality Italian cuisine, will bring his culi-
Focused on his art for food, Chef Mecozzi marries traditional Italian with modern twists effortlessly
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Alessio Mecozzi
Andrea Luri
nary experience from around the world, and expert knowledge of fresh seasonal ingredients to Mumbai. Diners will be offered a five course menu, signature dishes such as ‘Eggplants parmigiana style with parmesan fondue’ and ‘Red cow parmesan cheese creamy risotto with duck ragú’, followed by a home style Tiramisu to provide a sweet finale. A winepaired menu will also be offered and recommended to enhance the experience of CastaDiva Resort & Spa.” Culinary consulting firm Cellar Door Hospitality, will also share their domain expertise for the event. The resort was inaugurated on May 29, 2010 and is considered to be the first resort of Lake Como, the only ecofriendly resort in the area.
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Apeejay Institute offers 'Hunar Se Rozgar Tak' FHW Staff Mumbai APEEJAY INSTITUTE of Hospitality (AIH), an initiative of the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels in Navi Mumbai, will now offer ‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ programme by India Tourism Development Corporation, ministry of tourism, and Government of India. The ministry of tourism (MoT) launched a special training initiative titled ‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ in the year 200910 for creation of employable skills amongst youth belonging to the economically weaker strata of the society.
The trainees with minimum attendance of 90 per cent will be required to appear in an end-of-thecourse test Recently AIH received approval from India Tourism Development Corporation, MoT to conduct full time training programmes in trades of Food and Beverage Service (six weeks), Housekeeping (six weeks) and Food Production (eight weeks). Each course will also have a built-in emphasis to help improve the behaviour and attitude of the trainees, in order to enhance their market acceptability. There will be no application or course fee chargeable to the applicant / trainee. A trainee with a minimum attendance of 90 per cent will be paid a lump sum stipend of `1,500 for the six weeks course and ` 2,000 for the eight weeks course. Besides stipend, uniforms and lunch shall be provided free of cost to all the enrolled trainees. The training programmes
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will be open to 8th standard pass youth in the age group of 18 to 28 years. Admission for the courses will be on first come first served basis. The
trainees with minimum attendance of 90 per cent will be required to appear in an endof-the-course test and those who pass it successfully will
be awarded a certificate jointly by Apeejay Institute of Hospitality, Navi Mumbai and India Tourism Development Corporation, MoT, Govern-
ment of India. AIH will make efforts to facilitate employment of the pass-out students from this programme.
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ATDC to open agri tourism centres across India in next five years Sudipta Dev Mumbai AGRI TOURISM Development Corporation (ATDC), has been established by Pandurang Taware, who himself hails from a farming family. Today covering as many as 200 villages in rural Maharashtra, the concept has been catching the attention of farmers and tourism practitioners who have come from Bangladesh, Africa, and the United States, UK, almost 14 countries to learn from him. “In many regions across the globe, farmers are recognising the need and desire to diversify their farm products and supplement their agriculture income, with an agriculture economy that has decreased to just two per cent or remained stagnant for last 10
years, farmers across India have tremendous opportunity to diversify their list of products and service offerings with agriculture tourism. Agri tourism increases the potential for higher margins on farm sales of value added products and services,” said Taware. In the next five years, that is 2014- 2019, ATDC has plans to establish Agri Tourism Centres throughout India. “Starting with village Palshi in Baramati, we will establish local Agri Tourism Guiding Centres as extension centres for our organisation. Within two to three years, the staff and systems for these centres will be established enough to function as independent agritourism centre of that particular state,” he stated, adding that, Agri Tourism India acts as an
umbrella organisation that clusters and represents 113 so called Agri Tourism Centres, which are operated by local farm entrepreneurs and employees, and promotes their products in the target markets. “The initiative provides train-
ing and capacity building for farmers, local guides and communities in the areas of small enterprise establishment and tourism product development. Since the year 2005 training was provided to over 1,500 farmers,” added Taware.
He pointed out that agri tourism attracts urban tourists to rural villages for a form of relaxation that follows the growing trend of tourism that is both educational and recreational. It is another option for farmers wanting to diversify their farming operations that will help bring more economic activity to rural areas of India. ATDC’s system includes training and capacity building service to farmers making it easy for rural villagers to start and operate the agri tourism centre in their village. In addition to helping people replicate his idea, Taware has set up Baramati Agri & Rural Tourism Training & Research and Development Centre at village Palshi, Baramati, in Maharashtra.
Konkan to get agrotourism boost Akshay Kumar Dahanu MAHARASHTRA TOURISM Development Corporation (MTDC) in association with Global Konkan Pratisthan had organised the second edition of annual Chikoo Festival at Dahanu recently. Dahanu, a small coastal town which is located around 141 km from Mumbai, has abundant production of chickoo. This festival attracts a number of tourists from nearby major cities like Mumbai and Pune. This year the festival also witnessed a good number of visitors from Ahmedabad. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, Sanjay Yadavrao, president, Global Konkan Pratisthan, said, “Chikoo Festival has seen excellent footfall this year. Dahanu is
a destination which has a great potential for agro-tourism, and Chikoo Festival plays a major role in attracting tourists.” Apart from promoting the different varieties of chickoo and its by-products, this festival also promotes the local culture, traditions and cuisines. Warli paint-
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ings, local handwoven baskets and sculptures made by local artists were among the highlights of this festival. Dr Jagdish Patil, managing director, MTDC, said, “Tourism can transform the socio-economic dimensions of Dahanu. Chikoo Festival is an ideal plat-
form to promote tourism fraternity. With over 50 per cent land under fruit orchards, forests and mangroves, this region has a lot to offer through agro-tourism. We want tourists to get a flavour of the indigenous culture of Dahanu.” Also, the Global Konkan Pratisthan is all set to promote the entire Konkan coast and improve various facilities for village tourism. With an initial plan to develop 22 villages, the government has sanctioned already `50 crore for the development of these Adivasi villages and boost village tourism. Speaking about the latest development plans, Yadavrao, said, “Konkan always had a great tourism potential, but no one took the initiative to develop it. The government of Maharashtra is very helpful and we
have received `50 crore to develop 22 villages. Mumbai is a destination which attracts around 48 lakh foreign tourists and more than three crore domestic travellers, we are promoting village tourism so that the tourists from Mumbai can also come to enjoy the beauty of Konkan.” Global Konkan Pratisthan has also put forth a proposal to the government for creating a tourism corridor from Dahanu to Vengurla. The proposal includes development of infrastructure and providing basic necessity to the tourists. Creating new attractions like museums, developing beaches with international standard infrastructures apart from 15 to 20 tourist attractions would increase the tourism inflow in this region.
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Kerala announces major tax concessions for hotel sector in state budget
FHW Staff Mumbai KERALA IS POISED to become a ‘round-the-year destination’ for travellers and an important centre for international conferences with the Kerala government announcing major tax concessions for the state tourism industry in the state budget 2014. The budget, presented in the state assembly on January 27, 2014 by finance minister K M Mani, offers several tax concessions to the tourism industry. The major announcement includes a reduction in luxury tax to five per cent on hotels from June to August to promote off-season tourism. The step is expected to help reduce tariff in hotels and resorts in the state's major backwater and hill destinations. AP Anilkumar, tourism minister, Kerala, said, “The tax concessions announced in the budget will certainly help the tourism industry, which plays an
important role in the state’s economy. The concessions will give a new fillip to the tourism industry in Kerala and help the state discover new avenues of growth for the important sector, which has received several international awards and recognitions.” The government has also reduced luxury tax on convention centres and auditoriums with a daily rent exceeding `20,000 to 10 per cent from the existing 20 per cent, in a bid to promote MICE tourism, a niche category for facilitating national and international conferences, conventions and seminars. Other announcements for the tourism industry relate to substantial increase in allocation for marketing destinations and implementing special tourism projects. The cut in luxury tax in the off-season is expected to increase the number of tourists arriving in Kerala during the off-season months from June to August. Suman Billa, secretary, Kerala Tourism,
said, “Kerala has always been a destination for travel throughout the year. By making luxury tax on hotels and resorts during June-August only five per cent, the government is helping the state tourism sector in a big way to promote monsoon travel.” The luxury tax cut for convention centres and auditoriums is expected to directly help the tourism sector in Kerala through MICE tourism will be a big money spinner for tourism abroad. Billa added, “The reason quoted by many companies for not coming to Kerala for organising international conferences, seminars and conventions was the high tax. Now with the reduction, we are expecting a major boost to the sector by attracting more travellers and companies from abroad.” Recently, Kerala Tourism won the UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in recognition of the department’s initiatives in ‘Responsible Tourism’ unveiled in Kumarakom.
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Pan Pacific Starwood rolls out Twice as Nice offer for Hotels Group announces SPG members
four pipeline projects across Asia Pacific
FHW Staff Mumbai STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS has announced an exclusive offer for members of Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) loyalty programme. SPG members residing across India can now enjoy more benefits even when they are not travelling by registering for SPG Twice as Nice allowing them to receive double Starpoints when dining at any of the participating restaurants in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Coimbatore. Members who register between February 1 and April 30, 2014 will enjoy destination dining at their doorstep with the additional bonus of collecting double Starpoints each time they enjoy a meal at any one of the many establishments. With more than 1,500 participating restaurants around the world, SPG Twice as Nice offers an extensive choice of world-class culinary venues. Starwood properties in India that are giving the offer include the following: ● The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi ● The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa, Gurgaon ● The Westin Mumbai Garden City ● The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace ● The Westin Pune Koregaon Park ● Le Meridien Kochi ● Le Meridien Jaipur ● Four Points by Sheraton Ahmedabad ● Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai, Vashi ● Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway ● ITC Sonar, a Luxury Collec-
FHW Staff Mumbai
Sheraton Bangalore Hotel
The Westin Pune Koregaon Park
Combining the opportunity to earn additional Starpoints without booking into a hotel means our members can benefit from SPG tion Hotel, Kolkata. Steven Taylor, vice president - marketing, Starwood Hotels & Resorts – Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, “We know our SPG members have an appetite for new experi-
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ences. Combining the opportunity to earn additional Starpoints without booking into a hotel means our members can benefit from SPG even when they are not actively travelling.”
PAN PACIFIC HOTELS GROUP has announced the signings of four management contracts to add three PARKROYAL and one Pan Pacific hotels to its portfolio across Asia Pacific – namely in Australia, China and Myanmar. With these additions, the group now owns and/or manages 38 hotels, resorts and serviced suites with close to 12,000 rooms in Asia, Oceania and North America, including those under development. “With its prevailing global economic and tourism influence, Asia Pacific is a key growth region for the Group and we are delighted to be making headway in our target markets where we have already established iconic hotels,” said Bernold Schroeder, chief executive officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group. “Our four latest management contract signings will complement our existing properties to strengthen the Group’s presence across Asia Pacific and win over more customers to our PARKROYAL and Pan Pacific brands,” he added. The fourth PARKROYAL hotel in Australia and second in Melbourne – PARKROYAL Melbourne – will open in 2016 in the Digital Harbour Precinct of Melbourne Docklands, a premium waterfront development
that is part of an on-going project to renew the city’s Central Business District. Located along the iconic Sha River and within the oldest cultural district in Chengdu’s city centre, the group’s first PARKROYAL hotel in China – PARKROYAL Chengdu – is scheduled to open in 2017. PARKROYAL Chengdu will mark the debut of the PARKROYAL brand in the country and the extension of the group’s footprint into inland China. One of China’s premier tourist destinations, Zhuhai will be home to Pan Pacific Zhuhai – the sixth Pan Pacific property in China. The group will open its second PARKROYAL hotel in Myanmar this year with PARKROYAL Nay Pyi Taw. Pan Pacific Hotels Group is a wholly-owned hotel subsidiary of Singapore-listed UOL Group, one of Asia’s most established hotel and property companies with a portfolio of investment and development properties. The group comprises two brands - Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL. Pan Pacific is a leading brand in Asia and the Pacific Rim with hotels offering premium accommodations and services. PARKROYAL is a collection of comfortable leisure and business hotels and resorts located in the heart of cities and interesting locales across Asia Pacific.
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Best Foods segments products demographically FHW Staff Mumbai BEST FOODS, amongst the largest rice companies in India, has moved away from the traditional approach of focusing on rice varieties to a consumer centric approach. The company has segmented the market along demographic lines and have products for each economic segment. This has received a tremendous response and with a short-span of the launch the products are available across 200 cities and are amongst the top recalled rice brands.. The company in its endeavour of being close to the consumer and markets both in India and globally is now participating in the Gulf Food where it is
In a short span of the launch, the products are available across 200 cities & are among the top recalled rice brands expecting and has active interest from over 100 buyers. The company is an integrated player of rice, health and wellness products, ready to eat meals and ready to cook pastes & sauces. Speaking about the company's participation in Gulfood 2014, Dr Aayushman Gupta, CEO, Best Foods said, "Gulf Food fair has always been an enriching experience. We not only get an opportunity to interact with the industry and our partners, but also showcase our portfolio and distinctiveness to a diverse group of participants, who have always accepted and appreciated our innovations. We eagerly look forward to exhibiting and attending this
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major event." The company is an integrated player of rice, health and wellness products and re-
cently ventured into the ready to eat meals and ready to cook foods segment. Best Foods has been awarded the APEDA
Golden Trophy for being the largest exporter of Basmati Rice in the year 2010-11 and the Silver Trophy for being
the second highest exporter . All plant facilities located at Karnal are HACCP, BRC and ISO 22000 certified.
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DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore attracts long-stay guests FHW Staff Mumbai DOUBLETREE SUITES by Hilton Bangalore has announced a long-stay offer especially for guests in search of extended stay options in the city. Valid on stays of seven consecutive nights or more, the offer includes complimentary internet, daily breakfast and two-way airport transfers in addition to a 15 per cent discount on dining and laundry. For guests travelling with family, the offer also includes complimentary accommodation in the same room and food and beverages for up to two kids (10 years and younger). Guests can stay in a spacious
studio that is purpose-built to include distinct living, dining and work areas, a fully-equipped kitchenette and private balcony. Special rates are also available for accommodation in the one, two or three bedroom suites at the hotel. In addition to the complete range of dining, business and recreational facilities and services provided by the hotel, extended stay guests will also be able to enjoy exclusive long-stay services like customised menus, assistance with the purchase of essentials and insights into clubs, educational institutions and other facilities in the city. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore is located on
Sarjapur – Outer Ring Road, in the south east corridor of the city that stretches across
Whitefield, Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur and Koramangala. The hotel is near several IT /
ITES Technology Parks, commercial and business hubs, entertainment and shopping centres, educational institutions and sports facilities. A distinctive feature of the hotel is the guest accommodation, which includes 172 studios and one, two and three bedroom suites that are purpose-built to meet every guest’s needs, from transient travellers to long stay guests. Dishwashers and washers/dryers are additionally provided in the suites. The property has Asia Alive, an all-day restaurant, trendy Equinox bar, a 24-hour business centre, outdoor swimming pool, steam and sauna rooms and a 24-hour fitness centre.
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MARKETS
Tata Elxsi redefines St James’Court, a Taj Hotel's visual identity FHW Staff Mumbai TATA ELXSI, one of India’s leading design companies, worked with St James’ Court and Taj 51 Buckingham Gate, Suites and Residences to redefine the visual identity of the hotel. This involved developing the brand identity for both the hotels. St James’ Court, a Taj Hotel is a Victorian masterpiece complete with its famous Shakespearean Courtyard, located in the heart of London adjacent to Buckingham Palace and Green Park. The hotel earlier managed by Crown Plaza will now be oper-
ated and marketed by Taj Hotels and is rebranded as St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel. Commenting on the rebranding Nick Talbot, global design head, Tata Elxsi, said, “We are proud to have worked on such an iconic hotel which is known for its classic English heritage and grandeur. The challenge while rebranding was to not just retain the legacy of the hotel, but to also portray the service excellence of the Taj Group by making it look contemporary and relevant for both business and leisure travellers. We believe that the rebranding would help the Taj Group to continue to redefine hospitality and de-
liver the quintessential Taj service in future.” Over 100 collaterals were designed including stationery,
promotional collaterals, amenities, service and communication collaterals amongst others. This is the
first project delivered through Tata Elxsi and Brash Brands (a leading brand consultancy) collaboration.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata
The Towers, Chennai THE TOWERS, an exclusive residential facility, has opened at the Sheraton Park Hotel & Towers, Chennai. The 125 tower rooms features a lounge with a patisserie – Atrium. For resident guests, the Towers Club, houses a lounge and bar. Accommodation at The Towers comprise of the Grand Presidential Suite with an outdoor terrace; the Luxury Suite and 19 Corner Suites. Other features include the ‘Kaya Kalp’ spa. In addition, The Towers gives easy access to the Sheraton Park Hotel allowing one to avail a variety of accommodation options, meeting rooms, banqueting and conferencing facilities, and a choice of three restaurants, bar, nightclub and an international grill.
Ginger Chandigarh GINGER HOTELS has launched Ginger Chandigarh, its first hotel in Punjab. The 102-room hotel is equipped with features like a smart space, safe zone, self-check-in kiosk, gymnasium, parking facility, meeting room accommodating 35-pax. Other features include - an in-house multicuisine restaurant and bar Red Salt. The rooms of the hotel are equipped with technologically advanced locking system for safety and privacy. All rooms are furnished with wellappointed amenities such as a minifridge, LCD TV, self-controlled airconditioner, tea and coffee maker, and a telephone.
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THE LALIT Great Eastern Kolkata has opened after renovation. The hotel is an amalgamation of three styles of different eras of history – Victorian, Edwardian and contemporary reflected in Heritage Block I, Heritage Block II and the New Block respectively. The Heritage Block I is still under restoration and will open by the end of the year. The hotel offers 195 aesthetically designed rooms and suites - 100 in the New Block and 95 in Heritage Block II. For dining and entertainment, the hotel offers - The Legacy Lounge, a multi-cuisine buffet; Tea Lounge; The Bakery; Wilson’s – the pub; and soon to be opened Alfresco. Conferencing facilities include The Great Ballroom; Quorum and a business centre and recreation facilities comprise of Rejuve – The Spa, a unisex salon; state-of-the-art gymnasium and an outdoor swimming pool with juice bar.
The Pratap Palace,A Keys Resort, Pushkar – Ajmer
KEYS RESORTS has launched its first five star luxury palace property - The Pratap Palace, A Keys Resort, Pushkar – Ajmer. The property comprises of 80 well furnished palace rooms including three suites with one Royal suite, two conference halls, a 24 hour global cuisine restaurant, a fine dining restaurant with bar, large swimming pool, gymnasium, business centre, beauty shops, spa, meditation room, several engagement activities, courtyards, parking space, water fountains along with a vast banquet hall with a 40 feet high entrance.
InterContinental Davos INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP has opened InterContinental Davos. The hotel offers 216 rooms and suites – each with its own private balcony – and a 1,200 sq m spa, Globini Kids Club and Sixteenhundred Teens Club, sports outfitters, in-house Angerer Sport Shop and more than 1,500 sq mt of state-of-the-art conference facilities. The dining options include the Brasserie Capricorn, the restaurant Matsu with its fusion of Asian alpine cuisine, and the lounge bar Nuts&Co. In Studio Grigio on the top floor, guests are served culinary specialities.
Smoke House Deli SMOKE HOUSE DELI has opened in Bandra, Mumbai. Spread over three levels, the eatery can host up to 90 guests and double up as a commune and has a special access bar on the second floor that has been designed to resemble a living room. The eatery also offers its signature dishes along with dishes for health conscious gourmand. To accompany the fare, their cocktail menu features combinations of fruit, herbs and liquor.
JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul MARRIOTT has expanded its portfolio of hotels in South Korea with the opening of the 170 room JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul. The hotel offers a range of dining options which include - BLT Steak of the internationally renowned New York steakhouse; Tavolo 24 - a casual all-day dining restaurant featuring live cooking stations; The Lounge specialising in artisan chocolates, martinis and afternoon tea, Seoul Baking Company, serving fresh cakes and pastries from its open kitchen, and the roof-top Griffin Bar, overlooking the East Gate. Other facilities include - a 10,570 square feet of meeting space and a Grand Ballroom accommodating up to 750 guests.
Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London SHANGRI-LA will expand its global portfolio of luxury hotels with the opening of Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London. As the tallest hotel in Western Europe and the first high-rise hotel in London, the Shangri-La occupies levels 34- 52 of the 72-storey Shard. The hotel’s 202 guestrooms and suites will open from levels 36 to 50. Because of The Shard’s spiral shape, each of the spacious guestrooms and suites, which range from 30 to 188 square metres, is individual in layout and design. The Shangri-La Suite, situated on level 39, provides a 180degree view of London.
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PRODUCT TRACKER
Clay Craft India
Le Creuset LE CREUSET offers a range of kettles made of enamelled steel with black phenolic trim. The kettles come in a variety of colours and save on space as they sit on the hob. The kettles are available in two shapes – traditional kettle with whistle and kone kettle with whistle; both have a capacity 1.6 litre and are suitable for all heat surfaces including induction.
Kaltenberg CLAY CRAFT INDIA will be launching a wide range of tableware for hotels, restaurants and caterers. This new range will include 22k gold-based designs, coloured crockery and crystal-studded crockery. The crockery can be customised with the hotel's logo or artwork. The company will also be launching its Hotelware Catalogue that will showcase its complete range along with details relating to the products.
MJ BREWERIES in association with Konig Ludwig International will introduce the German beer - Kaltenberg in India. The first beer to be launched is Kaltenberg Royal Lager, followed by Kaltenberg Royal Strong. Kaltenberg will be brewed at the CMJ brewery in Meghalaya. The ingredients for this beer comes from Germany and are produced as per German purity laws.
Sky Enterprises SKY ENTERPRISES has re-launched a variety of apparel for the hospitality and corporate sectors which include: suits for executives and captains; coats and trousers for stewards and chefs; uniform/suits for front desk; uniforms for the concierge section, chauffeur, volunteers; waist coats; aprons; caps; napkins to name a few.
OSIM India OSIM INDIA has introduced the uDivine App Massage Chair, which comes with 13 professionally crafted massage programmes. The uDivine App Massage chair comes equipped with an uDivine Application supporting all Apple gadgets. The uDivine application, massage advisor provides - healthcare information on all its professionally crafted massage programmes with a choice of three OSIM music. The massage chair is priced at `14, 99,000.
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Riedel RIEDEL has announced the newest addition to its stemless O Series with the introduction of the Big O collection which comes with three varietal specific glasses for three red wines – Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Sold in sets of two glasses by grape varietal, the collection will be available for US$ 29.90. Riedel will also integrate
Metal Avenues
METAL AVENUES offers a large collection of Indian and imported furniture for all segments of the hotel – restaurant, banquet hall, pool side, guest room and hotel carts. The company has stateof-the-art manufacturing and warehousing facilities with a pan India presence. Metal Avenues exports their products to seven countries including – the US, UK, Dubai and South Africa.
Puratos India PURATOS INDIA has launched a varied range of cake mixes. Under the layer cake range there is Tegral Satin Moist Cake Dark, Tegral Satin Moist Cake Dark Egg Free, Tegral Satin Red Velvet Egg Free and Tegral Satin Wholegrain Cake Mix. The crème cake range includes Satin Crème Cake and Satin Egg Free. The sponge cake range consist of Tegral Sponge Egg Free, Easy Sponge Egg Free, Easy Sponge Cocoa and Easy Sponge Cocoa Egg Free.
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these designs into the Riedel Restaurant under the Restaurant O and Degustazione lines and will also introduce the Big O Red Wine Set, featuring one each of the collection’s three red wine glasses. The Big O Red Wine Set will be available for US$ 43.50. Riedel is marketed for HORECA by Oscar Hospitality Concepts – Goa.
CLEAN & HYGIENE SOLUTIONS
A MARKETING INITIATIVE
Importance of hygiene in kitchen back areas Backend activities in a restaurant or catering establishment determines the quality of safe food, says Mousum Roy
V
ery often we visit different Hotels, restaurants to enjoy different kind of food, keeping in mind that the place is clean and safe. It is important to understand that good decorative establishment does not signify “safe food”. It clearly depends on the backend activities, which determines the quality of safe food. Food prepared in restaurants and catering environments can easily get contaminated if handled in an improper way. This can put customers at serious risk of food poisoning. Not only is food hygiene important in ensuring that food is safe, personal hygiene also plays an important role in limiting the risk of contamination of food with harmful bacteria. Cross contamination of harmful bacteria can develop as a result of inappropriate cleaning of food preparation areas, or from using the same chopping board or knife for raw and ready-to-eat food without cleaning or disinfecting in between. Importantly, failure to adequately wash hands after touching raw food or visiting the washroom plays a very important role in food contamination. For most healthy human adults, most food poisoning incidents “merely” causes diarrhoea and/or vomiting. A single food poisoning outbreak can result in the closure of a business through fines and loss of
Mousum Roy
customers. Consumers are now demanding higher and higher standards of food hygiene. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible for a food provider to overcome “bad press” associated with a food poisoning outbreak, particularly if the consequences prove fatal.
effective at killing them, without being hazardous to the materials used to construct the kitchen and its fixtures and fittings or the cleaning operator.
Cleaning systems Essentially, there are four frequencies of cleaning within a
Sources of contamination When contaminated food is consumed, that contamination can be from a number of sources including: ● Contaminated “in the field” ● The activity of pests ● Inappropriate food handling ● The food handler himself.
Hygiene control by cleaning and sanitation It is important that not all of the pathogenic micro-organisms need to be destroyed to
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make food safe, as ‘small’ amounts of consumed microorganisms are dealt with by the body’s immune system. That is why there is no requirement for sterilisation in food handling/preparation; there is only a requirement for disinfection/sanitisation. When the bacteria are reduced to a level not
harmful to health, then the food/surface is considered to be safe. Micro-organisms are unseen enemies in the kitchen. It is important that the products used in the kitchen are
kitchen: ● After each use ● Daily ● Weekly ● Monthly. Frequencies are determined on the base-type of soil
and the acceptance of controlling the soil level and micro organism to acceptable limits. Some surfaces need to be cleaned at all four frequencies and/or utilising different products at each frequency. For example, Dishwasher machine needs to be cleaned after use and de-scaled weekly/monthly. Daily cleaning is required to upkeep the kitchen, to visually look clean and to control the microbes. However, monthly deep cleaning is needed to control pest infestation and food poisoning. Following are the general rules of cleaning: 1. For deep cleaning, work in the direction from the ceiling to the floor. 2. Clean from ‘clean’ to dirty, e.g. for a preparation table, work from the top surface to the floor. 3. Dismantle equipment as far as possible e.g. remove
Implementing a cleaning programme A clean and sanitary environment is a prerequisite to an effective HACCP based food safety program. A cleaning program will give a system to organise all cleaning and sanitizing Job of a kitchen. There are some basic steps to design doors, trays/shelves, gas rings, cooker knobs, filters, mixing paddles etc. 4. Be aware of legislative requirements, such as age limits for handling meat slicers. 5. ‘Drain’ items such as deep fat fryers, ice-cream makers etc. 6. If possible, pull out large items, such as ovens and refrigerators for cleaning behind/under these items. 7. Look for signs of infestation such as droppings and nests. 8. Remove gross debris ‘by hand’, for example by brushing. 9. Check that all electrical equipment functions prior to and after cleaning. 10. Ensure that all electrical equipment is isolated during cleaning. 11. Use products in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions. 12. Take great care with blades and sharp edges. 13. If necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment. 14. Use the correct dilution of product to aid cleaning/achieve required sanitisation. 15. Ensure that sanitiser is in contact with surface for the required period to ensure sanitisation standards. 16. Soak heavily soiled items to loosen dirt and aid cleaning. 17. Pay particular attention to corners, ledges/rims, wheels, runners etc. 18. Ensure that ‘hidden’ surfaces, such as under preparation tables and oven doors and the seals of refrigerators and freezers are not overlooked and cleaned/sanitised. 19. Ensure that pilot-lights, refrigerators etc are relit/switched on after cleaning. 20. Report and repair/replace damaged items/surfaces.
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and implement the cleaning programme. Identify cleaning needs, by walking through each and every area of the facility. Look at the current process of cleaning, estimate the amount of time and skill needed to complete those tasks. Create a master cleaning
schedule, by defining the followings; What should be cleaned; Who should clean it; When should it be cleaned and How it should be cleaned. Choosing cleaning materials would be as per the cleaning needed and master cleaning schedule. It is important to choose the correct cleaning
chemicals and appropriate tools & PPE. Training the employee, on master cleaning program, different applications and its consequences, and motivating them to get the high quality job. (The author is Regional Sales Manager, Diversey India Pvt. Ltd)
You focus on making great food. Leave the cleaning to us! Trust Diversey to provide you with a complete range of cleaning products and hygiene solutions to ensure spotless food hospitality areas ...keeping your customers coming back for more of what you do best.
Diversey provides a complete range of cleaning solutions for: • Fabric Care • Rest Room Care • Facility Hygiene • Carpet & Floor Care • Infection Control • Personal Care • Pest Management • Mops & Tools • Tissue Papers & Dispensers and a variety of Cleaning Machines.
Sealed Air India Pvt. Ltd. 501, 5th Floor, Ackruti Centre Point, MIDC Central Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400 093. INDIA • Tel.: +91 22 6644 4222 • Fax : + 91 22 6644 4223 • www.diversey.com • Toll Free Helpline : 1800 209 2095 Please write to us at : enquiry.in@sealedair.com
INTERIORS & DESIGN
Mix and match Furniture trend report from imm cologne 2014 says that combining different things is the dominant trend
T
he current trends in the furnishing sector seem contradictory. On the one hand there is a continuing, strong demand for natural materials - and especially for wood: oak and vividly grained varieties supplemented by light woods such as ash or birch. Felt is also in great demand, and leather is enjoying growing popularity as well. On the other hand, people are in the mood for more colour again. And because anything goes these days, it is precisely this penchant for combining different things that is the dominant trend: wood is being contrasted with strong colour accents, different types of wood are being used together and the natural look is being pepped up with brightly painted occasional furniture and with blatantly artificial elements and materials such as high-tech textiles, plastic chairs and futuristic structures. This clash of design cultures can even be seen in one and the same piece of furniture, the elements of which appear to have been fragmented and then put back together again in a different way. Connections, joints, material collages and individually selectable combinations of various upholstery, textile and colour qualities e.g. chairs are the distinguishing aesthetic features of many products - including (and especially) high-quality ones. Those who like things even more original or use regular trips to the flea market for trendoriented forays will soon sur-
round the dining table with a series of totally different chairs, armchairs and stools - it doesn't matter, as long as it's a change from the usual monotony. Wall units are also coming up with striking colour accents, which can sometimes even be positioned at will. Mix and match is the magic principle of individual and customisable furniture. Who wants to tie himself down to one style for decades?
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That might have been fine for our parents, but it's not for us. Modern life is eventful, dynamic and changeable. Every few years, we are seized by the desire to give our lives and homes a good shake up. But does that mean getting rid of those lovely pieces? No, we're not into that any more, it's neither cool nor politically correct now that we have tired of the throwaway society (at least in certain areas)
and are convinced of the importance of lasting and sustainable products. So how, in a fast-moving society, are we supposed to reconcile the desire for consistency with the urge to go with or against the flow? Caught in this quandary, the consumer reaches for anything that can help him with his stylistic balancing act: individual pieces of furniture like re-editions or things with signs of wear
and tear - whether they are genuine originals or simply have a "used" look for a faux-vintage effect - promise to create a story of their own or at least tell a few stories; wooden stools with crochet covers or steel chairs with cushions sporting folkloric patterns look as if they've been hand-made or inherited from Granny and are easy to change around as well. Puristic dining tables made of old wood
INTERIORS & DESIGN
Lacquer and LEDs, stencil and brush, or just some snazzy new drawer knobs can all be used to give character pieces a helping hand salvaged from demolished buildings or old barns exude the charm of authentic history; mounted on a filigree iron base, they look old and modern at the same time. Furniture like this can be rearranged in new combinations time and time again; it can be contrasted with new colours - as in the "colour blocking" trend that is so popular right now - and even be given a different function. Do-it-yourself furniture and accessories are also extremely hip right now. Lacquer and LEDs, stencil and brush, needle and thread or just some snazzy new drawer knobs can all be used to give character pieces a helping hand. Handmade web portals help turn the dream of a self-crafted original into reality be it a coat rack or a dresser. But it is also possible to buy furniture that leaves the factory fully equipped for individualisation and change. The customising principle is virtually almost a standard feature of upholstered furniture, which is offering an ever-wider choice of legs and coverings. Covers that can be replaced further down the line make it even easier for customers to indulge their desire for an update now and again. But shelving systems and cabinets with modules that can be reconfigured in next to no time are also offering an increasing range of variants and expressive options. Chairs with upholstered parts that can be selected in dif-
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ferent colours and coverings open up new possibilities for individualisation and adapt readily to individual interior designs. And even lamps can be turned into individual structures by combining several modules. It seems as if there is no
limit to the possibilities. With the international furnishing show imm cologne leading the way, this year's trade fairs will be demonstrating how much the furniture industry has already adapted to consumers' conflicting desires. The spectrum of fur-
niture styles, materials and functions will be one side of the coin, customisation options the other. The high number of re-editions and re-designs based on classic role models from Aalto to van de Velde is certainly grounds for optimism that the trend towards
furniture with character and quality will continue. Experience has shown that classics like this can present themselves in a new light time and time again, even years down the line. That's what today's consumers dream of things that never really get old.
SPA & WELLNESS
BATHED IN HISTORY Europe’s finest destination spa, Villa Stéphanie, readying to open its doors in spring 2014 will add to Baden-Baden’s spa heritage
highly individualised approach to health and wellbeing,” adds Marrenbach.The new spa, housed in the historic Villa Stéphanie adjacent to the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, will offer an integrated approach to health combining beauty, wellbeing and medical needs.
Setting spa standards
O
VER THE last two years, Brenners has embarked on a project to create Europe’s most refined spa concept for the 21st century. The most impressive and innovative new destination spa Villa Stéphanie will open in spring 2014 on the grounds of Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden – the flagship property of the Oetker Collection. “With the opening of this superlative spa we are linking yesterday with today. We are proud to announce that we are
continuing the grand tradition with innovative concepts to further cultivate and redefine the spa philosophy, “ says Frank Marrenbach, managing director, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa and CEO, Oetker Collection. The new ultra deluxe extension to Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Villa Stephanie will focus on four distinct areas combining beauty, detox, emotional and medical care. The new spa will comprise a 500 sqm sauna, kneipping baths, plunge pool for recovery, private fit-
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ness center, physio and spinal treatments, hammam, ladies spa, private park and sunken garden. ‘Le Salon’ will feature an impressive library, and as an ‘encore’ a beautiful private terrace facing the Brenners park. Villa Stéphanie also will be connected to ‘Haus Julius’, a 1700 sqm complex dedicated
solely to Brenners Medical Care. “Brenners is one of the founders of the spa movement in Europe and we have carried the name ‘Spa’ in our name since 1983. With over 30 years of experience, we feel it is the right time to bring the subject to a completely new level. Addressing the character of a big private house, we will create a
The main partner of Villa Stéphanie is Paris-based Sisley, a well established brand that stands for innovation and superior quality. In 1976, the year Sisley was founded by Hubert d’Ornano, no one in Europe spoke of aromatherapy or phytotherapy. Phytocosmetics is the fine art of integrating natural plant extracts into cosmetic products and d’Ornano led the way. Sisley selects the most suitable plant species in each category and takes the most effective parts from it for the problem being treated. Attention is also paid to the country of origin, the region and the harvest time. “The Oetker Collection and the Sisley brand are ideal partners as both companies stand for quality, innovation and implementing their corporate philosophy,” explains Philippe d’Ornano, director general, Sisley and son of company founder Hubert d’Ornano. Spa manager Hans-Peter Veit sums up, "My dream of the perfect spa will come true in 2014. The successful combination of breathtaking design and high functionality will set new standard for spas. Our individual treatments, each an art in its own right, embracing the finest of products and surrounded by the spectacular natural setting of the Lichten-
taler Allee places the focus of attention on spa guests at all times. It is a pleasure and a privilege for me and my team to lead Brenners Spa into another dimension." In addition to Sisley cosmetic products, Veit has also put his faith in the exclusive spa line products of Anika Organic Luxury. Also featuring in the Villa Stéphanie will be the excellent medical products from Skinceuticals, developed by world renowned dermatologist Dr Sheldon Pinnell. Connected to Villa Stéphanie, ‘Haus Julius’ will offer a variety of services from some of Germany’s top experts including dermatology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, multifunctional dentistry, a laboratory, GP, cardiology, psychology, physiotherapy and nutritional coaching. The medical partners will work closely with top national practices to assure after care and recuperation as well as health checkups for those guests who seek to maintain optimal well-being. The twelve oversized double rooms and three impressive corner suites are designed for guests who wish to remain in this unique and timeless atmosphere for an even more intense spa experience. Villa Stéphanie will be de-
Villa Stéphanie will be designed in an elegant and contemporary style by Bergit Countess Douglas, who is also responsible for the continuous refurbishment of Brenners for over the past 25 years signed in an elegant and contemporary style by Bergit Countess Douglas, who is also responsible for the continuous refurbishment of Brenners for over the past 25 years. “The design of Villa Stéphanie will be seeped in history. The colours will be fresh, the room furnishings distinct, the wooden panelling light, the atmosphere young and the art modern. In terms of quality, the furnishings will be consistent with the standards set by Brenners Park-Hotel, yet the atmosphere of the spa will be one step more contemporary,” comments Countess Douglas.
Tryst with the past In the 19th century, Anton Brenner, hotelier par excellence, built the 'Stephanie-les-
tablishment’s name is a tribute to a great personage, whose radiance and beauty is still admired today. It bears witness to a woman whose name still stands over the house like a guiding star: Stéphanie de Beauharnais, grand duchess of Baden and adoptive daughter of Napoleon I. The history of this building is just one aspect of the 2,000 year heritage of the spa town
of Baden-Baden. Known for centuries as ‘Europe’s summer capital’, this is where royalty came to take the waters for months at a time to ensure good health. Located in the foothills of the Black Forest, the town is also famous for its opera house, parks and garden - the ‘Lichtentaler Allee’ – where both Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa and the Villa Stéphanie are located.
Bains', presenting the internationally-famed cultural town with an establishment that would go down to history. It was to be the crowning glory of hotels: a symbiosis of hitherto unseen bathing environments with architectural elegance. Its maxim: luxury as a matter of course. Further expanding the sanctuary in harmony with nature, his son Camille’s ambition was to create an ensemble of extreme opulence; with health, beauty and well-being at the heart of a great concept, which still applies today. Villa Stéphanie is an historic place leading in a future corresponding to its roots. Originally erected in 1890, Villa Stéphanie was created as a residence for royalty. The es-
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cover
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
GROWING
ORGANIC
India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic regions. Currently, India ranks 10th among the top ten countries in terms of cultivable land under organic certification. In this AAHAR 2014 special, we feature India's leading organic food producers to get their insights on the challenges that lay ahead
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INSIDE
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42 | Poised for growth 45 | From traditional Italian farmhouse 46 | A burgeoning boon 49 | Wines of Lombardy 50 | Reinventing a proud heritage 52 | Organic goes online
THE MAIN FOCUS
54 | The organic mission 56 | The organic way of life 58 | Shaping the organic future 60 | Global organic market, the producers, and the area 62 | Metros go organic
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Poised for growth From practising contract based organic farming to providing a diverse product portfolio to the Indian consumer, Kisan Food Products is also focusing on introducing different and unique organic products to the middle class segment at affordable prices By Rituparna Chatterjee
T
he increasing number of health conscious consumers coupled with rising disposable income is boosting the demand for organic food in India, which is growing year-on-year. This growing demand along with India's diverse agro climatic conditions is leading to an increased focus on organic
farming. According to Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India produced around 1.34 million MT of certified organic products including all varieties of food products namely sugarcane, cotton, basmati rice, pulses, tea, spices, coffee, oil seeds, fruits and their value
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added products. This production isn't limited to the edible sector but also involves production of organic cotton fiber, functional food products, to name a few. Among all the states, Madhya Pradesh has covered the largest area under organic certification followed by Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Responding to this growing demand for organic food in India, Kisan Food Products, started manufacturing organic food products by practising contract based organic farming since 2008. “We realised over the years that the use of agro chemicals like pesticides and chemical fertilisers have affected the soil health
and has lead to declining of crop yields and quality of products and we thought that it was time to make people aware of these facts by producing and manufacturing organic products,” states Anshu Garg, head – marketing and research, Kisan Food Products. With this focus on creating awareness, Kisan Food
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
Products, has been manufacturing and packaging spices and herbs like red chilli, turmeric, coriander, fennel, cumin and many more; pulses like moong dal, arhar dal, chana dal, masoor dal, urad dal, rajma; edible oils such as sesame oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, sunflower oil; oil seeds and cereals like seasame seeds, castor seeds, cotton seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, barley, bajra, honey; animal feed like soybean, guar, mustard cake, sesame cake, yellow corn, cotton cake, coconut cake, sunflower cake; and others like sweets, pickles, seasoning, tea,
Organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, composting, and biological pest control sugar, and many new products. “We are known for producing superior quality products. The company has a vast experience of doing traditional business activities and produces the best quality of Indian conventional and organic commodities,” he asserts. Organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, composting, and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilisers and pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides) if they are natural (such as bone meal from animals or pyrethrin from flowers), but excludes or strictly limits the use of various methods including synthetic petrochemical fertilisers and pesticides;
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plant growth regulators such as hormones; antibiotic use in livestock; genetically modified organisms; human sewage sludge; and nanomaterials, for sustainability, openness, independence, health, and safety
reasons. “Organic food have been accepted due to their perceived health benefits over conventional food. The organic industry is growing rapidly and has caught the attention of farmers,manufacturers
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THE MAIN FOCUS
and, above all, consumers. Organic food protects us from heart disease and cancer, as they contain Phenolic compounds. Organic food ensures high food quality, which other conventional foods cannot
give,” explains Garg. Optimising packaging Apart from taking precautions while growing organic products, special attention is required for having a sustain-
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able package design. “At Kisan Food Products, the packing is done as per the packing standards, which involves vacuum packing or nitrogen flush packing, depending on product to product. Food storage and distribution is at the core of our business and we have put in place an efficient and comprehensive infrastructure for meeting these needs. Storing and distributing organic products requires meeting certain standards. At Kisan Food Products, we have an organic certified food warehouse. This means that we abide by stringent guidelines and equipment tests to ensure that we maintain the quality of the organic products. Transportation of organic products are done efficiently to ensure that the organic integrity of the product is maintained,” asserts Garg. Kisan Food Products has received several certifications like Biocert India, India Organic and USDA Organic for its products. India Organic is a certification mark for organically farmed food products manufactured in India. The
certification mark certifies that an organic food product conforms to the National Standards for Organic Products. These standards ensures that the product or the raw materials used in the product were grown through organic farming, without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or induced hormones. The certification is issued by testing centres accredited by APEDA under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) of the Government of India. Every country has its own certification standards - like EU for European market, NOP for the US market, JAS for Japanese market, NPOP for Indian market. Future focus Though the demand for organic food is growing in India, the high cost of organic food poses a challenge to the growth of this market. To tap the middle class segment in India, Kisan Food Products is looking at the option of franchisees and home delivery fa-
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In the domestic market, products like pulses, spices, cereal, ghee, edible oils, dry fruits, flours are in demand, whereas in the international market, food and feed both are in demand. But most important is milk and dairy products cilities to make organic products available to the customer at an affordable price. “Our growth plan for the future is to produce and manufacture different and unique organic products. We want to reach the middle class section of the society by making organic products available to them at a lower cost as compared to the market, by dealing with them directly,” reveals Garg, adding that, “In the domestic market, food products like pulses, spices, cereal, ghee, edible oils, dry fruits, flours are in demand, whereas in the international market, food and feed both are in demand. But most important is milk, dairy products, wheat flour
and cereals. Olive oil is very much in demand in the oil section.” Despite the price factor, the organic market is showing potential growth internationally and domestically as well. The world market for organic food is predicted to exceed US$ 88,000 million by 2015, according to MarketLine, a near 50 per cent increase in five years. Fruit and vegetables represent the leading segment, representing over 30 per cent of the overall market. TechNavio's analysts forecast that the organic food market in India is to grow at a CAGR of 21.34 per cent over the period 2012-2016. “India
has emerged as one of the largest potential markets for organic food consumption globally, owing to the fact that organic food or products are healthy, contain no chemicals or preservatives, and are completely natural. With growing awareness towards healthy food, surging income levels, and shifts in consumer behaviour, the country’s nascent organic food market is fast transforming into the world’s fastest growing organic food market. In addition, increasing export market coupled with government’s support has driven the market that will further boost the demand for organic food products in the country,” states Garg.
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From traditional Italian farmhouse Masseria Coppi operates like a traditional Italian farmhouse with focus on producing high quality products including a range of 20 organic pastas By Sudipta Dev
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asseria Coppi in Italy produces wide ranging products including extra virgin olive oil, wine, preserves, pasta and cheese. Currently the company is looking at introducing its organic pasta range in the India market. Leonardo Morosini, managing director, Interwine, who was in India recently at the Food Hospitality World, Mumbai exhibition is promoting the products for Masseria Coppi. “The company revived the history and traditions of the authentic 'masseria', the classic Italian farmhouse where people lived in the countryside and produced healthy natural products at home,” he says adding that like good 'massari' farmers the owners select the best Italian agricultural products maintaining the centuries-old traditions of the Mediterranean diet. The company produces 20 types of organic pasta and is currently exporting organic pasta to many countries including the USA, Canada and Brazil. “In India we represent organic pasta and extra virgin olive oil and are looking at creating a market. This is the first time we came to India at Food Hospitality World exhibition,”
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states Morosini. Explaining how organic pasta is different from the regu-
lar varieties available in the market, Morosini informs that the wheat for organic pasta is
more expensive that the traditional non-organic pasta. Consequently, the price of organic
pasta is on the higher side. However, the taste of the pasta is the same.
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A burgeoning boon Realising the growing demand for organic products in India, more and more farmers are adopting organic farming, with assistance from state governments and various associations. However, organic farming entails several measures ranging from proper harvesting techniques to sustainable packaging By Rituparna Chatterjee
E
mbracing the demand for organic food products in India, more and more farmers are turning to organic farming. The benefit of organic farming is felt in the economic return it yields and cost reduction during production. According to Macedonian Organic Producers Federation, researchers have found that by following organic farming methods, conventional farmers can reduce production cost by over 25 per cent. This is accomplished by eliminating the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, minimising soil erosion by up to 50 per cent and increasing crop yields by up to five-folds within five years. Organic crops yielded 95 per cent of crops grown under conventional, highinput conditions. “Realising this potential, farmers are upbeat about adopting organic farming as it gives them an opportunity to enhance their profitability and at the same time the fertility of their land is maintained,” states
Ajeet Gautam
switch to organic farming methods. The association has been receiving support from the Government of India, other official bodies, private organisations and foundations both in India and abroad. Apart from associations, the government has also realised the potential of organic farming and is taking active steps to promote it among farmers. “Respective state governments have set up their own agencies which promote organic farming practices and Sikkim is one state which will convert into a totally organic state by 2015,” predicts Gautam.
While harvesting an organic crop the equipment used should be different. If the same equipment is used it may contaminate the organic crop and eventually lead to certification agencies refusing to give the organic produce certificate
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Ajeet Gautam, owner and director, Supra Organix. Currently, India ranks 10th among the top 10 countries in terms of cultivable land under organic certification thereby producing more adequate space to practise organic farming. Furthermore, a few associations in India are supporting farmers to help them practise organic farming. For instance, the Organic Farming Association of India was formed with the objective to promote natural, organic, sustainable agriculture in India and elsewhere. The association seeks to enable more and more conventional farmers to
Storage and packaging However, organic food products entails a list of precautions which range from the method of harvesting the produce to packaging the product. “While harvesting an organic crop the equipment used should be different and not the one which has been used previously to harvest conventional crops or if you are looking to use the same equipment make sure it is thoroughly cleaned. This is because if the same set of equipment is used it may contaminate the organic crop and eventually lead to certification agencies refusing to give the organic produce certificate,” opines Gautam. When it comes to storage and packaging equal precaution needs to be taken, he asserts. “When it comes to storage of organic produce it depends on the nature of the commodity. Fruits and vegetables need extra care and protection as they are highly perishable goods and require a specific temperature which is
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provided through proper refrigeration. Grains need a different approach. It is very important to store organic grain at a proper temperature and moisture to keep disease and pest problems away. A very popular and effective approach for storage of grains is SLAM i.e., Seal/Sanitise - Load- Aerate- Monitor,” explains Gautam adding that, “While packaging a number of factors have to be kept in mind. It has to be environment friendly, in accordance with the norms set by the respective agencies, should preserve the
In India organic food is grown under the norms set by National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) original nature of the food, protect the product from external threats like breakage, theft, spoilage, pilfering. Products with short shelf life should not be overstocked.” In India organic food is grown under the norms set by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). It involves the promotion of organic farming, accreditation programme for certification bodies in different states, setting standards for production of organic food among other activities. “The Indian government has been highly successful in making our organic produce accepted worldwide and as of today our methods of production and accreditation system are recognised by USDA, European Commission as well as Switzerland,” states Gautam. “There are a variety of organic food products which are quite popular ranging from regu-
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lar food like organic basmati rice to power foods like organic horse gram and buckwheat. There are a lot of products for which there is a high demand both in domestic and international markets some of them are basmati rice,
organic buckwheat, himalayan red rice, maize, pulses specially horse gram and soyabean,” states Gautam. Reacting to this burgeoning demand, Supra Organix which offers a diverse range of organic products like
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organic pulses, organic rice, organic wheat, organic maize, organic spices, organic condiments and organic millets, will be offering imported organic super food products in their portfolio as well. “We have received quite a
positive response in this field right from farmers to the consumers and it is this positivity which acts as a motivating factor for us. Talking about our future plans we are soon going to include imported organic super
cover ) foods in our portfolio which are not yet available to consumers in our country and launch an online platform so that our consumers can enjoy healthy food anywhere in the country,” reveals Gautam.
Rapid growth The organic food market is growing at a very rapid rate and there is lot of awareness in today's generation about what they eat and what effect it has on their body as well as on the environment. “Also the general perception that organic food is very highly priced as compared to conventional food and is meant for the very rich is slowly changing, which is good for the whole industry as it is helping in increased demand,” opines Gautam. Apart from increasing do-
mestic consumption, India is also witnessing tremendous increase in exports. According to Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India exported 135 organic products for the period (2012-13) with the total volume of 165262 MT including 4985 MT organic textiles. The organic agri export realisation was around US$ 374 million including US$ 160 million organic textiles registering a 4.38 per cent growth over the previous year. Organic products are exported to EU, the US, Switzerland, Canada, South East Asian countries and South Africa. Oil seeds such as soyabean (41 per cent) lead among the products exported followed by sugarcane (26 per cent), processed food products (14 per cent), basmati
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rice (five per cent), other cereals and millets (four per cent), tea (two per cent), spices (one per cent), dry fruits (one per cent) and others. “The growth potential is tremendous. 2012-13 saw a
growth of over four per cent in exports and also a very positive growth in the domestic market as well. A lot has been done but still there is a lot left to be done, with resources at hand and ac-
tive involvement of the government, NGOs, companies and farmers, India can prove to be a single point of purchase for all organic commodities in the near future,” predicts Gautam.
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Wines of Lombardy In Italy As Co Vi Lo promotes the wines of Lombardy region around the world and are looking at entering the Indian market By Sudipta Dev
A
s Co Vi Lo (Associazione Consorzi Vini di Lombardia) is a nonproft association that was formed in 1977 to develop and promote the wines of Lombardy regions - Valtellina, Moscato di Scanzo, Valcalepio, Franciacorta, Garda Classico, Botticino, Lugana, Garda Colli Mantovani, Capriano del Colle, Lambrusco Mantovano and San Colombano. “All of our production is not organic, just a little part of it is. We are not bottling any organic wines but are sending to other wineries that are exporting organic wine,” says Gianluca Cittadini of As Co Vi Lo. The biggest market for the region is the USA. “We are also organic certified for the US market. Most of the organic grapes we grow go to wineries that are shipping the wine to the US and northern part of Europe,” informs Cittadini. He points out that in Italy the organic wine tradition is something new. Traditionally the Italian market is not organic oriented, however companies in this segment are looking at growing it. “Most people in Italy think that production of vegetables and fruits, including grapes is quite controlled and the quality level is quite high so organic is a plus. But demand for organic wine is growing in Europe,” states Cittadini. The culture of organic in Europe is mostly limited to the north part Germany, Finland, Sweden. The
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people in these countries are more aware of the benefits of consuming organic products, including wine. Italy is exporting more organic food products than
what is being consumed in the country itself. While the association is interested in promoting Lombardy region wines in India they are
aware that the wine market here is quite limited. “Most people are yet not aware of wine. First it is important to create a market for wine and then talk about organic
wine. This is the second step. In India people seem to have a liking for sweet wine, probably because it goes well with spicy food,” mentions Cittadini.
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Reinventing a proud heritage For a wine-making company that has a proud history of 200 years, Valle dell' Asso in Galatina, Italy reinvented itself about two decades back when it started organic wine production. Today along with preserving its traditions the company is looking at selling its wines in new markets By Sudipta Dev
THE HISTORY
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uigi Vallone's agricultural company Valle dell' Asso symbolises the continuity of a long tradition of wine production that started two centuries ago by Donato Vallone (1796-1867), who since 1820 owned the vineyards in the field of Cutrofiano. In 1881 the wine of Galatina was much appreciated by the famous Italian poet Giosuè Carducci (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1906), who drinking 'La Lacrima' (Rosato) offered by Pietro Vallone exclaimed, “If Galatina has got these tears, it should always cry”. Since 1920 the wine is being produced in the restored wine cellar of Guidamo Street. The company went completely organic from 1994, since Elio Minoia took over as the enologist.
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eadquartered in the picturesque little historic township of Galatina in Puglia, Italy, Valle dell' Asso has a history that dates back to the year 1820. Today the vineyards owned by the company are spread across 80 acres around the towns of Galatina, Cutrofiano and Sogliano Cavour. The whole wine production is completely organic. When Elio Minoia took over as enologist in 1994 he initiated organic production processes. Since then the company has been running organic production of grape and wine. The important question is - why organic wine ? “It is not just to have the label but because we really believe in organic production. It was very important to start from the earth. Before organic production of grapes, the chemicals were ruining the nutrients of the earth which impoverished the soil of important minerals,” says Elio Minoia, who takes
care of the vineyard as well as the production of wine. Minoia mentions that in the last two decades the company has not used any chemical for the production of grape, only manure is used to create the right balance and give plants new strength. He compares the vineyard to a human being - a healthy man and a healthy plant both have strong immunity. He asserts that the objective is to produce excellent grapes with exact maturation then only one can produce excellent wine - it is the second step. The grape juice is stored in underground cisterns and tanks which are very important because in summers the external temperature can go up to 40 degrees. The underground storage keeps the wine naturally in the right temperature. All the cisterns are temperature controlled, there are channels inside through which cold water passes for cooling effect. While the liquid (mosto) is fer-
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It was important to start from the earth. Before organic production of grapes, the chemicals were ruining the nutrients of the earth which impoverished the soil of important minerals
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vineyards in the surrounding areas. Minoia rues that this is down from the 1980s when there were almost 60,000 hectares of vineyards. “The reason why vineyards have reduced is that people sought to use the land for other purposes menting it needs the cooling system. Mosto is non-fermented grape juice. After fermentation it becomes wine. According to Minoia the grapes of Puglia do not need to be matured in wooden barrels, like that in France. “In case the bottles have to be consumed within four/five years the grape juice is fermented from five to eight days, otherwise in case of old vintage (beyond five years), then it needs fermentation with skin for 15 days,” informs Minoia. The typical grapes of Sorrento region in Italy are Negramaro and Primitivo, but primarily Negramaro. Because different grape types have different times for fermentation, while making wine each type is fermented separately and then blended.
Export potential Contrary to popular belief, organic wine is not necessarily more expensive. “If you compare the prices of Apulian wines with Tuscany wines, then we are cheap, but it is not cheap in quality. It is some brands who keep the prices high, our quality is very high. Organic wine is not more expensive. We need to sell and so are competitively priced,” states Minoia. He adds that in Germany the market for organic wine is growing and stresses on the need to create more awareness across the world. The company exports its products all over Europe, the US and Canada. In Asia the clientele is limited to two countries - Japan and China, in particular Hong Kong. About four years ago they had tried to enter the Indian market, but nothing has come up so far. The company exports mostly red wine, based on Negramaro. In fact, 90 per cent of the wine the company produces is Negramaro wine. There are 14,000 hectares of
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due to low yields. We however have maximum level of production in our field. We are now trying to get into more markets to popularise organic wines,” he adds with optimism. Some of the popular wines produced by the company are - Dracma,
Galatina Negroamaro, Fiano, Piromàfo, Il Macàro, Negramaro da uve Biologiche, Galatina Rosato, Salice Salentino Rosso, etc. Besides vineyards, the company also owns 40 hectares of olive groves.
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Organic goes online The increasing demand for organic products in India has led to the foray of many online organic retailers who are not only catering to the demand within the country but also exporting their offerings to foreign countries. Farm2Kitchen, Organic Shop and Organic India are harnessing this burgeoning demand By Rituparna Chatterjee
T
he organic food industry in India, though at a nascent stage, is growing at a fast rate. Pegged at `1,000 crore (US$ 184.43 million) in 2012, as per a Yes Bank report released in August 2012, the market for organic food products in India is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 20–22 per cent. The growth in this market is also being contributed by the foray of several retail giants and online retailers entering the Indian organic food market. Though the retail organic segment has already established itself in India, the online platform is also gaining prominence. “Over the last few years, several players have started to offer organic food products through the online channel. With growing health awareness among the people coupled with rising disposable incomes and support from Indian government, organic food will surely secure a permanent place in Indian households,” opines Manuj Terapanthi, founder and CEO, Organic Shop. The growing population of working women, the need for more convenient purchase and higher cost involvement in the retail segment are some of the factors contributing to the surge of the online platform for selling organic products. “The population of working women increased significantly in recent years compared to the 1990s. In-
Seema Dholi
Manuj Terapanthi
creasing proportion of working women means kitchen getting redefined as well as increasing demand for more convenience seeking pre-mix, quality and healthy foods and so on. Also, working women value time, space and privacy. All these are taken care when you shop with an online platform. Long queues for billing, too much rush, no attendants, frequent announcements, price, distance, and extra transportation cost seem to be major problem areas with the organised retailers. But when you shop online, all these issues become redundant for end consumers,” states Seema Dholi, founder and CEO, Farm2Kitchen. The company, Farm2Kitchen, is one of the first online organic food stores in In-
dia and to offer social shopping of farm produce. The company is also promoting and selling their products through the popular social media platform - Facebook. Organic India, a company engaged in growing organic produce, manufacturing and distributing organic products in India and abroad was formed in the 1990's by a small group of people from around the world who met in Lucknow. Apart from their retail presence, they have also ventured into the online platform for expanding their reach.
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Distribution base Presently, Organic Shop retails more than 6000 organic products across India. The com-
pany's inventory and distribution is managed by the respective vendors of the regions. “We have a vast distribution network of 45 vendors across India and currently, we only deliver in India unless there are bulk orders. By keeping inventory with the vendors we save on carbon foot print, fuel and offers products fresh to our customers,” opines Terapanthi. The company distributes and sells organic products that have been certified by 11 inspection certification bodies recognised by APEDA. “We retail these products across India once we are sure that these products are 100 per cent organic. What we bring to the table is a transparent, seamless and a much simplified offer of more than 6000 products under one e-
commerce platform which not only delivers these products in the best of its condition but also markets them through spreading awareness about the life transforming advantages of using these products,” he adds. Farm2Kitchen has collaborated with Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company (SFPCL), a farmer producer company based in Nashik (Maharashtra), to meet their distribution needs and also assist them in organising farmers into clusters or groups to aggregate produce, bring in scale effect and increase bargaining power; help in basic infrastructure at the place of produce for grading, sorting and cleaning; assist in storage and cold storage infrastructure. “Sahyadri Farms is currently
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tors' route and the online platform. The company's focus is on educating the customer on organic food for which their sales teams have been actively engaged for the same. In addition, the company also participates in different forums to create general awareness.
Growth plans
developing world class infrastructure which will focus on the best food safety and traceability practices in India. This facility can handle 500 tonnes of farm produce per day and has a separate section for handling organic produce. For domestic operations, we will be using this facility for distribution of our products all over India. We are
working on the export aspect but at this moment our main focus is the domestic market,” reveals Dholi. Presently, Organic India is distributing their organic products to more than 42 countries including – the US, Europe, Asia, Africa to name a few. Their distribution is through the retail chain, exclusive outlets, the doc-
Responding to this burgeoning demand for organic food in India and abroad, Organic Shop is currently focusing on establishing their presence in the European market. The company recently signed a contract with Europe based company - TrdaeFormAir to look after the marketing and distribution of organic products under the brand Online Organic Mart Europe (www.onlineorganicmart.eu). “An extremely critical aspect of venturing into the Europe market first is that Europe has evolved as one of the leading markets
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and producers of organic products worldwide and this sector has not fully been tapped by the global players in the industry. This gives Organic Shop an opportunity to bring the best organic and green products to end consumers and vice versa,” opines Terapanthi. Apart from Europe, Organic Shop also has plans to venture into the US market, for which the company will talk officially after April, 2014. Furthermore, the company is also focusing on developing their own brand - Itsorgic.in. “This endeavor is again to reiterate our belief in showing our concern and gratitude for our mother nature. The brand Itsorgic will offer 100 per cent organic products that would have gone through all the requisite standard verifications so that consumers are not misled by substandard products in the country,” he adds. As for growth plans of Or-
ganic India, Krishan Gupta, MD and global CEO of the company states, “We are growing at a rate of 40 to 50 per cent yearon-year and we should be a `500 crore company in the next five years. As of now we are a `150 crore company.” Farm2Kitchen is also widening its base but in the India market by opening retail stores. “Farm2Kitchen organic food and lifestyle stores all over India very soon. In fact, we have already launched the first company owned organic food and lifestyle retail store in Pune at Seasons Mall, Magarpatta City. In 2014-15, we plan to have our presence in major cities and by 2016 we plan to be the largest organic food and lifestyle retail store chain in India,” opines Dholi. The company is also working with organic farmers in Maharashtra and will be launching organic products under their brand this year.
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The organic mission Joe&Co from Italy showcased its organic extra virgin olive oil in India for the first time at the Food Hospitality World, Mumbai exhibition. After popularising its range of organic oils in many Asian countries, the company is looking at partnering with a distributor in India who will share the same ideology for organic products By Sudipta Dev
J
oe&Co from Montecchio Maggiore province of Veneto, Italy was established with the aim of producing extra virgin olive oil and cold pressed seed oils. It is one of the first companies in Italy to produce organic food products, in particular extra virgin organic oil, seed oil, sauces
and dressings. “Organic means without chemical products. In oil business there is a problem of GMO, organic producers are against this kind of raw materials. So we started in 1990 to produce olive oil without pesticide and the extraction without chemical products. We just do cold pressing of the seed. Cold
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press means mechanical squeezing (pressing). This is a traditional way of taking out oil from the seed. The oil is then filtered and bottled,” says Giuseppe Matticari, CEO, Joe&Co, who was in India recently at Food Hospitality World, Mumbai exhibition. The company mainly produces its own brand
Crudolio. In the beginning in Italy there was very little demand for organic olive oil and though the market has grown slowly the main demand is mostly from countries like Germany, Switzerland and north European nations. “People in those countries of Europe remember the tradition
of this kind of cold pressed oil,” remarks Matticari. He points out that the only crude olive oil in Italian tradition is extra virgin crude oil. “You take the olive, press it for extracting and the oil which is ready to use. With the same system we produce other types of oil from flowers like canola, flax seed, aniseed,
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sesame, corn and all ranges of oil. At the beginning we marketed these oils in traditional shops, now we sell these in supermarkets. All the supermarkets have organic food and in Italy this segment has been growing continuously,” informs Matticari.
Focus on Asia
Our idea is that our Indian partner should have a strong focus on organic, as we have a mission in organic products
Apart from many European countries Joe&Co is also exporting its products to China, Japan, Korea, Israel, Saudi Arabia. “We are keen to market our extra virgin olive oil in India. This is the first exhibition we are attending here,” he says. He acknowledges that in Europe there has been a lot of awareness regarding organic products for more than a decade now. Talking about how this market is evolving in Asia, Matticari points out that people are looking for organic products all over the world. He
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informs that organic extra virgin olive oil is the best of edible oil – both for cooking and as a condiment. “We have done studies and have compared the regular products with organic ones, generally the products got from organic farms are more nutritional, but the level of antioxidant in olive oil is the same, there is no difference,” he mentions. The company has been exporting its products to Asia from sometime now. Its products have been certified by Chinese organic certification. “We are a small company, but we export our products to many countries. We are looking for a distributor of organic products in India. Our idea is that our Indian partner should have a strong focus on organic, as we have a mission in organic products and our organisational ideologies should match. We would not
like to engage with a company that distributes non-organic products. In some countries it is very easy to find organic distributors for food while in other nations there are no distributors who handle organic products. Then we have to cooperate with these organisations. But we always try to engage organic distributors,” mentions Matticari. The company has 150 acres of olive plantation for its extra virgin olive oil. For seed oil other companies and facilities are used. Interestingly, Joe&Co also buys from India organic sesame seed. “India produces a lot of organic products, our certification company has an office in India to certify raw materials in India,” informs Matticari. Crudolio products are marketed in the major organic retail chains as well as in the HORECA sector.
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The organic way of life Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms India (WWOOF India) is an eco-activism project that covers 16 states and union territories in India. A member of International WWOOF Association, it encourages volunteers to live and work in organic farms By Sudipta Dev
W
orldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms India (WWOOF India) was established in 2007 to facilitate cultural and educational exchange between more than 160 member farming communities and volunteers from all over the world. These volunteers can work in host member farms or do internship/ volunteer at WWOOF Global Village in India. “Spanning 16 of India’s 35 states and union territories, all farms in our network are associated with organic gardening, orchards, spices, tea and other sustainability projects. They can learn local organic farming procedures and issues while helping with farm duties,” says Harish Tewari, director, WWOOF India. The volunteers can live with the farmers on the properties/farms and get involved in the process of organic cultivation. “It brings together hosts and volunteers ("WWOOFers") helping each other to make a healthier world . WWOOF India promotes cultural understanding of the many diverse peoples and cultures around the world through the intercultural exchange that takes place while sharing in the daily life of others,” informs Tewari, adding that WWOOF India focuses on sustainable livelihoods and addressing issues of poverty, through community mobilisation around income-generation activities. He believes that these activities
have great potential for both income generation and enhancement of the basic quality of life in the rural areas. The WWOOF India list includes biodynamic and organic farms, small holdings and sustainable land use projects. The aim of WWOOF India ranges from enabling citydwellers to experience living and working on a farm to help improve communication within the organic movement. Explaining in detail the purpose of the movement, Tewari says, “We want to create an interest and understanding for organic and biodynamic ways of living. We do this by producing a list of suitable destinations and making this list available worldwide to volunteers, thereby encouraging people to travel to other countries and increase their knowledge and understanding of other cultures, peoples and ways of life. We operate on the basis of exchange, board and lodging for help, and allow our members to accomplish this as economically as possible.” In return for four-six hours of work per day, the volunteers are offered free food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles by the hosts. And how do they mobilse volunteers from different countries? “Interested people contact us through our website. They fill the membership form and send us the fees. It is US$ 25 for single person and US$ 40 for couples,” states Tewari. He adds that WWOOF hosts provide
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healthy meals and a safe, clean place to stay. “In year 2007 we had 14 organic farms in our fold and now we have 186 farms as hosts. There are many NGOs too in our network,” mentions Tewari. WWOOF India has farms in different states: Andhra Pradesh (five); Bihar (two); Assam (four); Goa (four); Gujarat (eight); Haryana (seven); Himachal Pradesh (16); Jammu & Kashmir (Ladakh, one); Karnataka (29); Kerala (17); Madhya Pradesh (five); Maharashtra (13); Manipur (one); Odisha (two); Punjab (five); Rajasthan (19); Tamil Nadu (18); Uttar Pradesh (seven); Uttarakhand (18); West Bengal (three).
Beneficial for farmers The project is a win-win situation for organic farmers. Tewari explains how, “Organic farmers registered with us get free volunteer help. The team of consultants associated with WWOOF India Organics come from a wide range of disciplines and possess in-depth knowledge about agricultural production chains and provide farmers, growers, processors, packers and retailers with cost effective expert advice and technical support relevant to local, regional, national and global markets.” As a national coordinator of WWOOF-India Tewari gets enquiries from potential buyers / traders for sourcing organic products from India. These enquiries are forwarded to the hosts periodically. “We market
TRAINING COURSES PROVIDED BY WWOOF-INDIA ■ Fundamental Training Course on Organic Farming ■ Training of Trainers on Organic Farming ■ International and National Standards of Organic Agriculture ■ Certification Principles and Procedures ( NPOP/ IFOAM/EEC/ CoopEX/ SAS) ■ Marketing of Organic Products, two days ■ Organic Cultivation of Off Season Vegetables ■ Organic Farming and Organic Pest Management ■ Organic Processing Technologies ■ Bio Dynamics Advance in Organic Farming ■ Value Addition and Organic Processing ■ Post-Harvest Handling of Organic Agricultural Produce ■ Training of Trainers on Certification and ICS ■ Training on Group Certification
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information time to time and facilitate market linkage of our network farmers with such potential buyers,” he adds. In recent years corporates have also entered into organic farming sector. WWOOF-India offers consultancy to interested companies and also provides free volunteer's help to carry out field activities related to project work. “There is lot of potential in export of organic tea, coffee, spices, rice and cotton. These corporates are focusing in these sectors,” states Tewari.
Many challenges
Farmers only have vague ideas about advantages of organic farming. There is also lack of knowledge and awareness about of bio-fertilisers and bio pesticides, modern techniques
Despite the vast potential in the country, there are several challenges for the organic farming sector. “The constraint felt in the progress of organic farming is the inability of the government policy making level to take a firm decision to promote organic agriculture. Unless such a clear and unambiguous direction is available in terms of both financial and technical supports, from
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the Centre to the Panchayath (Village Councils) levels, mere regulation making will amount to nothing. We wish to work on awareness raising on following issues in future for promotion of organic farming,” says Tewari. Shortage of bio-mass is another concern area. “The crop residues useful to prepare vermi-compost are removed after harvest from the farms and they are used as fodder and fuel or burnt by farmers. There are difficulties in getting the organic manures,” states Tewari, adding that there is high input costs the groundnut cake, neem seed and cake, vermi-compost, silt, cow dung, other manures, etc, applied as organic manure are increasingly becoming expensive making them unaffordable to the small cultivators. Marketing and distribution remains a key issue because the retailers are not interested to deal in these products since demand is low. “There is also absence of an appropriate agriculture policy
for promotion of organic agriculture, both for export and domestic consumption,” mentions Tewari. Other challenges include increasing costs for the farmers which is not backed by commensurate prices for their organic produce. “Farmers only have vague ideas about advantages of organic farming. There is also lack of knowledge and awareness about of bio-fertilisers and bio pesticides, modern techniques of compost making,” says Tewari. The state governments are also yet to formulate policies and a credible mechanism for organic produce. Pointing out that there are only four agencies for accreditation and their expertise is limited to fruits and vegetables, tea, coffee and spices, Tewari rues that green markets are non-existent, the trade channels are yet to be formed and the infrastructure facilities for verification leading to certification of the farms are inadequate.
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Shaping the organic future Biofach 2014 presents a study on the next level of the organic food sector, Organic 3.0
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ome 42,000 trade visitors from 134 countries were determined not to miss the 25th anniversary of Biofach and the eighth edition of Vivaness. The exhibition duo thus shows a continuously high level of attendance from Germany and abroad. 2,235 exhibitors presented their products to buyers from the food and cosmetics sector. The top five visiting countries were Germany, Austria, Italy, France and the Netherlands. Petra Wolf, member of the management board, NürnbergMesse says, “The past four intensive and inspiring days at the exhibition have confirmed it once again: Biofach in its 25th edition is still the organic exhibition highlight at the start of the year. An impressive sector that constantly inspires with its ecological view and with its economic and innovative power. The mood in the halls – at Vivanes too – was positive, and exhibitors and visitors were highly satisfied. We are already looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2015 and to the Netherlands as Country of the Year.” Over 93 per cent of the trade buyers were satisfied with their visit, according to the result of a survey by an independent institute. More than 90 per cent already know that they will travel to the international organic sector’s first event of the year again in 2015. The anniversary edition of the congress at the Biofach and Vivanes exhibition duo attracted 6,530 participants to 74 individual events. The professional audience was particularly interested in the key theme Organic 3.0. The sector met on the four days of the exhibition to discuss core issues like ‘In which direction does organic want to and should develop?’ and ‘What are the goals and challenges?’ The nine
presentations on this theme reached almost 1,000 people. The most popular of them was the congress paper on the Organic 3.0 Trend and Potential Study by future researcher Hanni Rützler, which was attended by 260 participants.
Organic 3.0 provides inspiration If organic is to play a more important role in people’s lives in future, organic producers, trade and gastronomy must recognise in good time in which direction the lives of the (potential) customers are developing in order to be able to respond to people’s changing needs with suitable offers, according to Rützler. The future cannot be forecast, of course, so the study presented sees itself as a source of
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HIGHLIGHTS ■ Main trends: vegan, milk substitute drinks and convenience ■ Focus on: consideration of food intolerances ■ Popular: organic coupled with native regional products
inspiration for continuing the successful development of the sector. From the six megatrends – i.e. the major globally effective social drivers – that researchers classify as particularly relevant for the organic future, namely individualisation, connectivity, neo-ecology, globalisation, health and mobility, the trend study derives three clusters that
are given special attention: Global culture, organic health and everyday organic. The study comes to the following eight main conclusions: 1. The clearer the quality profile of organic products, the greater the symbolic impact. 2. Organic should move away from concentrating exclusively on the product and towards even stronger orientation to the needs of customers. 3. Besides service in the sense of providing a service, aspects such as the right design, sensible simplification and support through technical innovations in labelling and during shopping, cooking and preparation will play an ever increasing role in future. 4. The holistic philosophy of organic agriculture must be con-
tinued for the whole product cycle in future. 5. The sharing concept brings dynamic to regional cooperations. This development promotes the use of synergies between rural and urban spaces and consumers are linked more closely with production and develop into prosumers (= consumer who becomes a producer at the same time). 6. Organic should rely on a soft health strategy instead of wearing itself out in the absurd competition for 'healthy food' with 'better nutritional value' against conventional or even adapted products (functional food). It is a matter of moving away from monocausal health promises and steering towards systemic contexts of general lifestyle, food and health.
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In future, organic producers, trade and gastronomy must recognise in good time in which direction the lives of (potential) customers are developing 7. A return to old varieties and their cultivation in organic agriculture must go hand in hand with intensive research in order to score by also proving the supposed health potential and not just with the culinary alternatives. 8. Consumers do not see organic products only as products. So opportunities and places should be created to perceive them in a comprehensive, cognitive and multisensory way and in communicative exchange with others. They then become part of their own complex self-image. “The trend to vegan products is uninterrupted and is also
shown by the ever larger variety of milk substitute drinks,” says Michael Radau, long-standing insider and trade expert. “It is also noticeable that people want products that suit different situations in life – whether for everyday work or leisure. Should it be something quick or should I take more time for enjoyable cooking in company – like I do at the weekend? The demand for high-quality organic products that are still quick to prepare explains the continuously growing range of products from manufacturers in the convenience segment.” A separate trend category
for vegan was devoted to this popular style of eating on the Biofach Novelty Stand for the first time. For the long-standing insider it is also noticeable that, in addition to the trend to vegan food, milk substitute drinks and convenience products, considera-
tion is increasingly given to a wide variety of food intolerances – such as lactose or gluten. The manufacturers are arranging their products to suit the needs of these customers. Today more and more people are reaching for products with regional or native components. “Organic and
regional are not competing concepts, but complement each other in an ideal way,” says Radau. The organic sector meets next in Nürnberg from February 11 – 14, 2015. Photos credit: NuernbergMesse/Thomas Geiger
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Global organic market, the producers and the area The market research company Organic Monitor estimates that the global market for organic products in 2012 reached almost 64 billion US dollars (ca. 50 billion euros)
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he leading market for organic products is the United States with 22.6 billion euros, followed by Germany (seven billion euros) and France (4 billion euros). The countries with the highest per capita spending were Switzerland (189 euros) and Denmark (159 euros). Moving from consumers to producers, according to the FiBL-IFOAM survey, approximately 80 per cent of a global total of 1.9 million organic producers (up from 1.8 million) are located in developing countries. As in previous years, the countries with the most producers are India (600’000), Uganda (189’610), Mexico (169’707), and Tanzania (148’610). From a farmland perspective, a total of 37.5 million hectares were organic at the end of 2012. An increase of almost 200’000 hectares was reported compared with 2012. In Africa, organic land increased by seven percent and in Europe by six per cent. One third of all global organic agricultural land is in Oceania (32 per cent; 12.2 million hectares), followed by Europe (30 per cent; 11.2 million hectares), and Latin America (18 percent; 6.8 million hectares). Australia is the country with the largest organic agricultural area (12 million hectares, with 97 per cent of that area used as grazing), followed by Argentina (3.6 million hectares) and the United
States of America (2.2 million hectares). The countries with the largest share of organic agricultural land of all farmland are the Falkland Islands (36.3 per cent), followed by Liechtenstein (29.6 per cent) and Austria (19.7 per cent) and further European countries. In ten countries more than ten percent of agricultural land is organic. The most significant expansion in organic area as well as solid market growth noted in recent years has been in Europe. More information is available from a recently published study by the European Union Group of IFOAM, FiBL and the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (CI-
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HEAM-IAMB) that shows the potential for further growth in Europe based on a supportive public policy environment and increasing consumer demand.
Glasgow 2014 Food Charter Glasgow 2014 unveiled its Commonwealth Games Food Charter that all appointed caterers to the event will be required to sign up to. The legacy of the Food Charter will see it act as a blueprint for major sporting and cultural events held in Scotland beyond the Games. Glasgow 2014 has worked in collaboration with Scottish Government partners, the Food
Standards Agency - Scotland, and the food industry to develop the document. As well as showcasing the Scottish larder, it outlines a commitment to the ethical, safe, and healthy-living standards for all food served across the Games, including traceability. The provenance of food, where it comes from and how it has been produced, is central to the Charter which will establish Games-time food sourcing standards. Glasgow 2014 seeks to showcase Scottish produce to help contribute to the wider industry ambition to grow the value of the sector and develop Scotland’s reputation as a Land
of Food and Drink. The Food Charter has been developed with advice from a range of stakeholders, including government agencies, educators, health agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and communities. Scotland is a land of food and drink with some of the best natural produce in the world. The food reared, grown and made here stand for quality – a value which people around the world attach to ‘Scotland’s larder’. One of Glasgow 2014’s obligations is to stage a Games with responsible environmental and sustainability standards. It aims to minimise its impact on the environment and seek opportunities that will enhance the environment. One way of doing this is to adopt a strategy of sourcing local food, where possible, from sustainable and traceable sources. Glasgow 2014 has produced this Food Charter to demonstrate its commitment to taking proper account of the sustainability in the food provided at the Games. Glasgow 2014 also aims to promote healthy living, and will do this via the provision of a variety of authentic food, including healthier options. The Food Charter will contribute to a key objective of both Glasgow 2014 and the Scottish Government’s Legacy 2014 programme: to improve the health of Scotland’s population, with a particular focus on the
( prevention of obesity. Glasgow 2014 has developed a sustainable procurement policy for the purchase of goods, services and sponsorship. This policy highlights the importance of sustainable, ethical and socially-aware resourcing; factors that were also recognised by Scotland’s achievement of Fair Trade Nation status in 2013. Glasgow 2014’s challenge is to deliver a catering programme that meets the needs of many stakeholders while remaining on time and on budget; and within space, security and supplier constraints. It will strive for best value and encourage open and transparent procurement of catering services and food supplies from businesses in Scotland, the EU and beyond. Glasgow 2014 will publicise its successes, knowledge and good practice to emphasise the message that its Food Charter demonstrates commitment to sustainable procurement and to achieving good outcomes for athletes, for people working or attending the Games, and for food suppliers. David Grevemberg, chief executive, Glasgow 2014 , says, “Scotland’s food and drink is among the world’s finest, so it’s fitting that Glasgow 2014’s Food Charter should set a new benchmark for the country’s major events. This Charter is the result of a great partnership between the Games and Scotland’s food and drink industry and demonstrates our shared ambitions for the highest standards in the sourcing of produce consumed during Glasgow 2014 by everyone from athletes to spectators. The Commonwealth Games is an opportunity to showcase Scotland’s outstanding produce and the values behind it to our visitors from across the globe.”
ASIA
ORGANIC PRODUCERS BY REGION 2012
35%
AFRICA
30%
EUROPE
17%
LATIN AMERICA
NORTH AMERICA
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16%
1%
OCEANIA
1%
TOPTEN COUNTRIES WITH ARGESTNUMBER OFORGANIC PRODUCERS 2012 POLAND
ETHIOPIA
25,944
PERU
47,211
1,34,626 TURKEY
57,259 ITALY
43,852 SPAIN 30,462
TANZANIA 1,48,610
INDIA Mexico 1,69,707
6,00,000 UGANDA 1,88,625 (2010)
Source: FIBL-IFOAM survey 2014
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 2014: KEYINDICATORS AND LEADING COUNTRIES
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Metros go organic Rising awareness of healthy food apart from increase in disposable income has ensured that nearly 62 per cent of households in the upper end segment choose to have organic products, says an Assocham survey
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here has been a major shift in for organic products, especially fruit and vegetables in the cities as about 62 per cent of metropolitans buy organic, an increase of 95 per cent in the last five years, according to a survey undertaken by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The report on "Rising demand of Organic products in Metropolitan cities" is based on a survey done on 1,500 lead re-
tailers selling non-organic and organic products. In the survey, about 1,000 retailers cited that health and environment grounds are the main reasons for purchasing organic products by customer. The spending pattern on organic products jumps three folds in the last five years, highlights the ASSOCHAM paper. Major cities in which respondents were interviewed by ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF) include Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kochi,
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Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, Pune, Chandigarh and Dehradun and it was observed that there has been a surprising rise in the demand of organic products in the Indian market. Patterns of monthly spending give a good picture of consumer behaviour like Mumbai (65 per cent) spend the most on organic products followed by Delhi-NCR (61 per cent), Bengaluru (58 per cent), Ahmedabad (55 per cent), Hyderabad (52 per cent), Chandigarh (51 per cent) and Indore
(50 per cent) etc. D S Rawat, secretary general Assocham says, "Organic farming is one of the fastest growing industries in the last year, thanks to higher disposable incomes, rising health consciousness level have increased demand for organic food. The majority of the respondents said that parents are more concerned about the health of their children and willing to spend more to ensure they get better and safer food, adding that organic products are 30 per cent
to 40 per cent more expensive than usual food." Among the various types of food categories offering organic options, vegetables (68 per cent), fruits (52 per cent), pulses (51 per cent), food grains (50 per cent), milk (45 per cent) and fruit juices (51 per cent) are the most regularly purchased items by Indian consumers, the Assocham said. It further added that packaged food, tea and beverages are amongst the other products for which Indians prefer the organic option, adds the
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Organic farming is one of the fastest growing industries in the last year, thanks to higher disposable incomes, rising health consciousness level have increased demand for organic food survey. Currently, most of the organic farmers in India are still in the transition phase and hence their costs are still high, according to Assocham. As these farm-
ers continue with organic farming, the production costs are expected to reduce, making India as one of the most important producers of organic food, adds Rawat.
Organic fruit and vegetables have the highest uptake by organic consumers. The average weekly expenditure on organic food is estimated at 50 per cent of the weekly food budget,
points out the survey. With all the bad publicity and alarm generated by poor diet, junk food and rising levels of obesity, the boom in the organic sector must provide most welcome relief for a food industry, adds Rawat. The vast majority agreed with the statements: 'organic food is healthier to eat than conventionally grown food because it generally contains no pesticide residues' (98 per cent); 'organic foods are better for the environment than conventionally grown foods (97 per cent) 'the amount of pesticide residues remaining on conventionally farmed produce are not likely to be harmful to health' (five per cent). Around 62 per cent said that health related concerns influenced their decision to consume organic foods and 65 per cent said that scientific evidence had a moderate or strong influence on their beliefs about organic food. The majority of people said they would eat more organic food if it is 'more available in convenient locations'(74 per cent); if it is 'less expensive (85 per cent)'. Other factors that influenced purchasing decisions included: where the food was grown (90.5 per cent), the amount of processing (89.4 per cent), the amount of packaging (87.5 per cent), whether the food was in season (86.2 per cent) and the distance it had travelled (79.1 per cent). The government is also promoting production of organic crops, fruits and vegetables etc. through various schemes viz National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSHF), National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), Network Project on Organic Farming under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and various schemes of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
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SPOTLIGHT
Sustainable living Adopting the approach of 'talking less and doing more', The Tamara Coorg creates a unique niche for itself in the space of luxury hospitality. Senthil Kumar N, director and CEO, The Tamara talks about the company’s strong commitment to sustainable hospitality and future expansion plans in other destinations By Kahini Chakraborty
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SPOTLIGHT
N
estled in the Western Ghats, covering 170 acres estate of coffee, cardamom, pepper and honey plantation in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, The Tamara Coorg, which is situated approximately 4,000 feet above sea level, stands for its pristineness associated with the forested hills of Coorg. This 56key luxury resort has many meanings to its name attached, while in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu it means 'lotus', in Sanskrit it means 'spice'. As it is one of the few places in the world to be built inside a functional coffee plantation, the resort is also home to rosewood, nandi, wild fig, mahogany trees. The property also leverages on its unique experience of providing guests with a different coffee experience 'from blossom to brew' as they say- wherein guests can create their own signature coffee blends. Coffee Experience at ‘The Verandah’ is the newest addition to the resort. This heritage building creates the perfect backdrop for guests to indulge themselves whilst they stay over at the resort. The Tamara Coorg has come up in its own unique way, opines Senthil Kumar N, director and CEO, The Tamara, stating that the primary reason for visiting the coffee estate was initially with a different agenda. Apart from the terrain and its steep topography which makes the working quite difficult during the monsoons, it was the abundant natural flora and fauna that attracted them to build their first property 'The Tamara Coorg'. “Through the property we wanted to showcase the beauty of the landscape to others. As far as the company is concerned, we want to create good quality five-six properties in the future. We will be expanding our properties to Kodaikanal and Trivandrum. The Kodaikanal property will be a unique restoration project of a 138 year old church building which could be converted as one of our restaurant or sitting rooms of our property. While in Trivandrum, it will be a city-hotel which we will build and operate and we are also open to operatorship, hence it might be a different brand name. The Tamara
Senthil Kumar N
Kodai will be approximately 5052 key property which will be built with an investment of `4045 crore. While for the Trivandrum property, we will invest `75-80 crore and it will be a 100 room inventory which will have a massive wedding hall which will be able to accommodate 1200 people,” mentions Kumar.
Embracing nature The property has been built keeping in mind the local elements and rests on two inspirations- -cues taken from Travancore palace and temple architecture and Balinese architecture, which rests on the 'Tri Hita Karana' which is a traditional philosophy for life-harmony among people, harmony with God, and harmony with nature. “N Mahesh, who is the principal architect for the property has built the property using
soft architecture and he always leaves his signature style in each of his creations. The very idea of conceiving something as unique as this property speaks a lot of how he has applied his mind and built the cottages on bamboo stilts. If this property would have been built without keeping in mind the elemental forces then it would have not worked for us. And hence it is important to be in sync with nature which Mahesh has aesthetically executed,” strongly believes Kumar. For The Tamara, 'sustainability' and 'organic' is the way forward. And Kumar has made it clear that the company will follow a strict policy of 'talk less about their work and continue working to achieve more'. Today, there are many hotel companies that claim to have eco-friendly properties, but according to Kumar, the company has not ven-
tured into the hospitality industry and built their first property to score some marketing brownie points. “We have done this as a sense of responsibility and it is not at the top of our mind to project our resort as an eco-friendly property. We are still not into renewable power which is a huge challenge and our commitment is that over a period of next four-five years we will work towards creating renewable energy sources,” he mentions. With a plethora of reasons available today on why should one choose organic products, Kumar highlights that, “Today the knowledge of what we are eating is slowly fading away. We are what we eat and hence it is important to know what we are consuming. Something tells us from within that organic is the way forward and that is sustain-
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SPOTLIGHT able. Organic food feels good in the mouth and digest well too, in turn leaving you with a positive energy. Hence for us going organic is of prime importance, and I think even though organic products costs 10-15 per cent more, luxury brands should adopt the same as that's one of the unique experiences you can provide your guests.”
Development strategy Construction of The Tamara Coorg has been quite challenging for the company, mentions Kumar, adding that, “It took us three and half years to build our maiden property. We spent quite sometime in getting approvals as it is a coffee plantation and to convert it into a land construction project took time.” As the bureaucracy structure is quite complex, the development challenges for any developer is more or less the same in any state. Quoting a tourism secretary to lighten the topic, he states that at one of the investor conferences which took place recently in Bengaluru, when it was highlighted that the single window created does not solve any industry issues, the tourism secretary replied, “Single window is there to open up many other windows.” Having said that, Kumar still chooses to believe that with the new Land Acquisition Act provided by the central government, project developments in the short run will become even more seamless in the future. When asked about the investment that the company has put into Tamara Coorg, he informs, “We have done the investment in three parts. The land, firstly, which is 170 acres of coffee plantation, we have approximately invested `seven crore. We have used approximately two acres (85,000 sq ft) for the resort and if you take an envelope around all this, it will be eight to ten
acres including land and cottages. Hence if you take the cost it will be much less than `seven crore of the investment that went into buying the coffee plantation estate. Maybe `20-30 lakh is the actual land costs. We have spent a lot of money on creating infrastructure like the roads (four and half km) to our resort. Those investment if kept aside our investment on our project is less than `50 crore,” he says. He believes that to simply create an experience is not enough to only have a service provider but also a person who can experience what has been created . “There has to be an interplay of these two components. I believe that the best paths are created by random people. Even in developing a property there is a lot which will happen through interaction with people,” he asserts. On the long term developmental strategy plan, he replies, “One thing that I have learnt in the last eight years is that it takes a lot of time to complete one project, hence we don't want
Today, unfortunately CSR activities has been reduced to a 'marketing' term. The genuineness of this activity is fading
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to think in advance. Right now, we want to focus on our two upcoming properties in Kodaikanal and Trivandrum which will take about four to five years to be developed. And the Kodaikanal property will be as challenging as the Tamara Coorg, as it is situated 6,500 ft above sea level.”
Seeing competition Even though there are brands like Orange County, Vivanta by Taj present in the destination, Kumar stresses that there is no competition for the company from the other brands. “In a resort destination like Coorg, there is a huge growth that has been taking place and the destination has been growing since the last four-five years. If you look carefully there are
not many luxurious products here. I think each one of us has different experiences to offer to our guests, and we would encourage our guests to experience different properties in the destination,” he mentions. So what sets The Tamara Coorg apart, he highlights by pointing out three aspects- place, architecture and design as well as the constant search to offer some new experiences. “The very important service differentiator for us is that we don't try to do services in a mechanical way.
Responsible approach For Kumar, taking care of his employees is of prime importance and this he sees as their CSR activity. “Today, unfortunately CSR activities has been
reduced to a 'marketing' term. The genuineness of this activity is fading. I think we have to make it as our core value to take care of our employees and conduct fairness to all stakeholders,” he feels. Since the owners of the company are into charity, he informs that they will soon be taking up serious issues pertaining to the local community. “We donate for the betterment of health and education, and we are working on a community and skill-development programme wherein we will be providing an opportunity to three-four local graduating students to intern with us and get hands on experience. “This is a substantial investment by us which we will be undertaking soon. For me this is CSR activity, as I will be spending about `fivesix lakh on one student to hone their hospitality skills for a period of one or two years and they can choose any other place to work or work with Tamara itself,” he says. According to him, instead of spending money on CSR activities, if the hospitality industry starts paying better wages to its employees then they will be able to attract and retain talent. Being serious about constantly creating new experiences for guests, Kumar reiterates that yoga is going to be a serious affair for them. “We are going to have a team of people who will educate guests on the benefits of doing yoga,” he asserts, adding that, “I see this as a responsibility to introduce this 2000 years old system which has picked up in the western world.” Another interesting addition to the resort will be the authentic Ayurvedic spa which will be opened in one year. On being asked about the direction in which the hospitality industry will head towards, Kumar strongly opines, “I think our country is going through a lot of chaos right now. These elections are very crucial and if we get a strong leadership then the hospitality industry will witness a boom in five years time. Everyone believes that India has a huge potential but how much it has unleashed is a question. I believe in the enormous potential of entrepreneurs. There is no dearth of potential here but there is only a need of good leadership and direction.”
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STRATEGY
Vision Vizag
The Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, goes beyond an archetypical definition of a hotel for which the credit must be given to its owner, who passionately and painstakingly created this cruise like MICE and leisure hotel in sync with Accor expertise. It aims to position Vizag as a tourism hotspot. Reema Lokesh, comes back impressed with this Vizag vista
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otels in India are built for different reasons, for some owners it is purely a business decision keeping in mind the profit and loss analysis, for some the decision is purely to satisfy their ego, while for few others it is passion that is their driving force and for the remaining few it is all this and more. They have a clear vision of building a hotel with a far fetched vision of building a destination. From myopic to majestic their vision seems all encompassing. The Tata Group with its iconic brand The Taj has had a history of building destinations and in the recent past the Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach
Prabhu Kishore
is doing more for the city than any tourism entity in the state. From its F&B portfolio to its mega MICE options, from its
well defined tour packages for families to its robust options for conferencing and beyond, the hotel is a destination waiting to be explored and experienced. Located at a strategic spot in the city, the hotel offers a splendid view of the vast Bay of Bengal, which interestingly is home to some naval splendours and warships, which seamlessly sail into the panoramic view. All 225 rooms overlook the ocean, offering a comfortable environment to business and leisure travellers with Wi-Fi access, three restaurants, an executive lounge, bar and spa. With over 3600 square metres of indoor and outdoor space, the hotel provides the largest banqueting facility in the
region, and is able to cater for business and social events of up to 4000 people.
A look within My journey into the hotel began with a welcome by a staff member from the team of B Madhav, GM and COO of the property. He proudly described the different elements of the hotel. From the architecture to that of the paintings in the lobby that promotes local talent and culture along with the work of design professional Ameet Mirpuri, the rooms were also designed with major emphasis on supporting the cause of the environment and sustainable and responsible buildings. The back of
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STRATEGY
the house journey especially into the kitchen region was indeed insightful, with state-of-the-art equipments being used for operations and service. A glass wiping and a cutlery wiping machine were few interesting add-ons in the kitchen. A jogging track on the rooftop added to its appeal of a cruise like concept. The hotel also aims to add new soft adventure offerings at the roof top for its guests, which is close to the classy rooftop all glass restaurant, named Infinity with alfresco seating options offering a breathtaking view of the Bay of Bengal. Zaffaran, the restaurant offers a five course 'Menu of the Day' with all seats overlooking the ocean. The elegant show kitchen is the focal point of the restaurant, which also has two private dinning rooms for special occasions. The hotel’s spa called ‘Dew’ has its own unique range of treatments and products in an ambiance that is warm and welcoming. The hotel seems perfect for a family holiday to explore a new region of India in the east that is untapped and waiting to be explored. With its elaborate MICE venue offering it can work as a well-defined venue for weddings and MICE. But more than the brick and mortar, it was the soft skills and the intangible human touch that was vividly noticeable across the property. While in conversation at the hotel’s coffee shop - The Square, there was something interesting I noticed at the table - a special
handle strategically placed below the dining table rim for the ladies to hang their purses or bags. Thoughtful to the core, I found this add-on an absolute winner, as we women always struggle to place our bags in safe proximity. The hotel had some character to its façade and there were these minute add-ons that was very interesting. I was curious to know the visionary of this hotel and was informed that the owner Prabhu Kishore along with the Accor team were behind building this mega property. Varun is the name of his son and he was clear the property would be called the Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach.
The Accor-owner connect I was told that it is not very easy to meet the owner as he is a man on the move. Fortunately for me he was present at the property during my visit and he graciously shared some insightful facts with me on what the property and Vizag as a destination truly meant to him. "I was clear of one fact about this piece of land that I owned (where the hotel stands today) that it is too good to be wasted for any other project. It was meant to be only for a premium hotel property and nothing else, that will offer world class MICE and leisure experience in Vizag," states Kishore proudly. In the hospitality space, we seldom find owners who deeply understand the hospitality business but the owner of Novotel Visakhapatnam
68 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2014
Janardhan Kasa
B Madhav
Varun Beach, Kishore is a man who knew what he wanted from his plot of land, giving his labour of love a well defined, detailed hospitality offering that stands
out as one of the finest in the region. The partnership between the owner and operator has always been a rather sensitive one. It’s a marriage that is based on
mutual understanding and faith and this project interestingly brought in two entities who were clear about their vision. The owner is a tough cookie who will
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
STRATEGY
not be taken for granted and he was clear that a management company will have to understand his vision and also his desire to position Vizag and not only the hotel as a valuable tourism option. “I did have other leading brands in conversation for tie-ups but it was Accor that truly understood what I wanted out of this place,” he adds. I did appreciate his keen observation on making his lady guests a bit comfortable by adding that little handle to the table, for which he says, "This is just my way to make things easy for the ladies in the hotel. I have always been an avid traveller and pickup interesting aspects from places across the world and use it effectively in my setup. I have noted that women felt inconvenienced especially when to came to placing their bags during a meal.” It was interesting to note that in his company which is into automobiles, he along with his staff wear a uniform to work. He also proudly mentions that his hotel is capable of hosting one of the best car launches in the country, as the venue is designed to suit the requirement of a mega car launch apart from other high profile MICE events and wedding destination offerings. He spoke in length about the challenges he faced in setting up his
dream hotel and how by the end of it the effort was worth it and to be proud of. Further, he insisted I try out their F&B offerings and introduced me to Jaidev Dutta, F&B director and Janardhan Kasa, executive chef, and restaurant manager to take me on a culinary journey. “My aim is to deliver delight to my guests and I hope you enjoy your stay with us,” signs off Kishore.
Creative culinary fusion The culinary journey at the property too has a story in itself. Kasa, cooked up some delights in the form of cocktail combos with food. Malibu spiked Thai style fish lollipops to crème de menthe scented tandoori lamb chops, to
the almond and citrus rabri cake to the Shrikand and dark chocolate bomb, the culinary experience was interestingly unique. The F&B outlets at the property have their own distinct look and feel. From indoor to outdoor options, there is something for everyone to choose from. Jaidev Dutta led me on an insightful journey on what the destination Vizag and around has to offer and how the hotel is working towards building tourism in the region along with the vision of the owner. “The city Vizag may not have arrived as of now, but we have surely arrived and will make every effort to build this place as a potential tourism zone,” aptly concludes Dutta.
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AAHAR 2014 DELHI
IN FOCUS
THE ROYAL CALL Predominantly drawing in international tourists, The Lallgarh Palace in Bikaner, is undergoing changes as new facilities continue to add to its repertoire of offerings to enhance guest experice with a simultanous focus to attract more domestic travellers through promoting the rich culture and heritage of Rajasthan
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B
uilt by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the memory of his father, Maharaj Sri Lall Singh in 1902 A.D, The Lallgarh Palace is a red sandstone palace displaying Indosaracenic style of architecture. The Rajput exterior of The Lallgarh Palace contrasts dramatically with the occidental décor within. The intricately dexterous carving on red stone is a hallmark of local craftsmen. Operational since 1974, the property is located in the city of Bikaner, Rajasthan and is spread across an area of eight acres having lawns and fountains with peacocks. “The property was under ITC Welcome Group from 1993-2003. However, the collaboration did not last and we also felt it’s best for us to run the hotel ourselves. This is the main reason that even today we have never felt of associating ourselves with any hotel group and we see this as an opportunity for us to maintain the heritage of our hotel,” says Govind Rathore, senior executive manager, The Lallgarh Palace. The property comprises of 60 rooms including presidential suites, suite rooms, deluxe room double and deluxe room single. The interiors of the rooms are beautifully done
with hand block printed floral fabrics inspired by ancient wall paintings and murals. The open corridors of the property run the length of the halls and rooms are lined with a rare collection of old prints and vintage copies of ethings. The corridors are decorated with pictures reflecting the life events of the royal family. Open courtyards host cultural programmes offered by the hotel. The property comprises of - The Padam Mahal restaurant serving multi-cuisine dishes, Sadul Niwas Courtyard, an open air dining space, a bar and the Durbar Hall, a royal venue which previously held state banquets, official functions and formal durbars is now used for conferences and banquets. To enhance the
guest experience further the property has undergone recent changes. “We have upgraded all the rooms to provide better facilities and comfort to our guests. We have also created an infrastructure for weddings and film shoots by allowing access to gardens and lawns which were not being utilised earlier. Our main focus has been on accomodation services but with these changes we plan to expand the services we offer,” opines Rathore. Offering guests with recreational activities, the hotel comprises of a spa, tennis court, badminton court, billiards room and an indoor swimming pool. Stained glass windows and carved white marble benches surround the
AAHAR 2014 DELHI
IN FOCUS indoor swimming pool. “ Plans to come up with an outdoor pool are underway and we are also working on the heating of the indoor pool” , says Rathore. The hotel also provides Camel Safari and guided palace and city tours.
Global attraction The property, which is under a charitable trust, has become one of the most popular choices of tourists in Bikaner today. According to Rathore, the property has always witnessed more of foreign tourists than domestic. However, now they are working to bring domestic tourists to their property which is en-
Stained glass windows and carved white marble benches surround the indoor swimming pool. Plans are on for an outdoor pool abling them to make people aware of what they have to offer. Their market strategy has been on focusing and promoting the rich heritage and culture of Rajasthan and enhancing the charm of the heritage property. “Today we have our sales office in Delhi and have our branches in Mumbai and Ahmedabad as well. We want to focus on domestic tourists as well since today we receive approximately 85 per cent of foreign tourists and 15 per cent of domestic tourists. The peak season lasts from October to April. However, today the trends have changed. We receive tourists even during the months of August and September but that applies more to the foreign tourists,” adds Rathore.
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AAHAR 2014 DELHI
EVENT TRACKER DATE
EVENT
VENUE
March 5, 2014
Essential Cafe Live
Esher (UK)
March 6 - 8, 2014
Cafe Asia – ICT Expo
Singapore
March 6 - 9, 2014
Natural Products Expo West
Anaheim, CA
March 7 – 9, 2014
Coffee Fest- New York
New York
March 8 - 12, 2014
INTERSUC
Paris
March 16 - 18, 2014
International Boston Seafood Show
Boston
March 23-25, 2014
Food & Drink Expo
Birmingham (UK)
March 25-27, 2014
International Pizza Expo
Las Vegas, NV (USA)
March 31 – April 4, 2014
Expo Coffee and Tea
Shangai
March 31 - April 3, 2014
Expo Finefood Shanghai
Shanghai (China)
April 2-8,2014
Wine & Gourmet Japan
Tokyo (Japan)
April 4 - 6, 2014
Salon Du Chocolat- Zurich
Zurich
April 4 - 6, 2014
Sugar Paris
Paris
April 8 - 11,2014
FHA Singapore
Singapore
April 8-10, 2014
China International Green Food & Organic Food Exhibition
Beijing (China)
April 11 – 13, 2014
Tea and Coffee World Cup Europe
Warsaw (Poland)
April 13 – 14, 2014
Natural Products Europe
London
May 6 - 8, 2014
Coffee fest- st.louis
St.Louis, Mo (USA)
May 22-24, 2014
BIOFACH China
Shanghai (China)
May 30 – June 1, 2014
Seafood Processing Europe
Brussel
June 1 – 30, 2014
Semana Verde de Galicia
Silleda (Spain)
June 12 - 14, 2014
Food Hospitality World
Bengaluru
June 24 – 27, 2014
Fispal cafe
Sao Paulo
August 14 - 16, 2014
Hong Kong International Tea Fair
Hong Kong
September 4 - 6, 2014
Expo Chocolate
Mexico City
September 7 - 9, 2014
Speciality Chocolate Fair
London
September 24- 26, 2014
COTECA
Hamburg (Germany)
Sept 28- Oct 26, 2014
BIBAC Expo
Antwerp (Belgium)
October 23- 25, 2014
Triestespresso Expo
Trieste (Italy)
November 1, 2014
Seoul International Cafe Show
Seoul
November 14 -17, 2014
Gluten Free Expo
Brescia (Italy)
January 8-11, 2015
Expo Natura
Istanbul (Turkey)
May 3 - 6, 2015
TuttoFood
Milan
October 2015
Organic Trade Forum
Cologne (Germany)
74 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2014
TECH TALK
Effective surveillance With an emphasis on ensuring safety and security of guests, La Marvella's management team chooses Axis's solutions
L
A MARVELLA, a luxury boutique hotel and part of the Best Western Premier group, prides itself for being an oasis of tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of a large city. Located in the Jayanagar suburb of Bengaluru, the hotel offers services to meet the varied demands for all segments, be it corporate or leisure. The hotel is focused on ensuring that its service and hospitality match up to the highest international standards. In line with this vision, the hotel's management team was keen on installing a surveillance system that would, at all times, ensure utmost safety and security of the guests. At the same time, the hotel required the surveillance installation to increase system efficiency by preventing pilferage at various staff and material movement locations and by better monitoring of utility areas such as electrical panel rooms and DG power rooms. The hotel deployed a total of 64 Axis camera models, a mix of PTZ and fixed network
Sudhindra Holla
cameras (AXIS M1011, AXIS 209FD, AXIS 215 PTZ, AXIS 216FD, AXIS M3202, AXIS M10, AXIS 5532, AXIS M3011, AXIS P1311). These cameras are installed at different locations at the hotel including corridors, lobby, lift, main entrance, restaurants and bars. They have also been installed in utility areas such as material movement locations, electrical panel rooms and DG power rooms for monitoring. The solution has been successful in ensuring safety and security of guests, which was the primary concern for La Marvella's management team. The network recording and storage provision has brought down the necessity of staff de-
pendency; thereby increasing efficiency while cutting costs. The superior image quality on IP has been acknowledged and appreciated by the hotel's senior management, which can now monitor the hotel from across the world. “We greatly value the safety and security of our guests and are extremely happy with the results achieved from the installation of Axis network cameras. We have found these
cameras to be smart in looks and discrete, thereby ensuring that we don't have to compromise on the aesthetics or comfort of our guests to ensure safety. Remote monitoring of the premises, including utility areas, has ensured that our senior management is also able to study the operations and ensure world class services,” says the La Marvella spokesperson. Sudhindra Holla, country
The network recording and storage provision has brought down the necessity of staff dependency; thereby increasing efficiency while cutting costs.The superior image quality on IP has been acknowledged and appreciated by the hotel's senior management, which can now monitor the hotel from across the world
76 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2014
manager, Axis Communications India states, “La Marvella was in need of a surveillance solution that would help the management to monitor the premises remotely. With our expertise in the hospitality industry, we have provided them with discreet and aesthetically relevant cameras that will suit their purpose. This has not just enabled them to curb unpleasant incidents but also helped them improve the overall customer experience by understanding the bottlenecks and challenges.” The Axis network cameras of varied models were chosen for their discrete size, superior video quality, performance in low light, wide area coverage as well as ease and cost-effective installation through Power Over Ethernet. These cameras are also equipped to handle intelligent video analytics features such as motion detection, audio de-
TECH TALK tection and tampering alarm along with multi-streaming in low bandwidth with tempering protection. The installation brings with it a number of benefits: Safety and security: As a world-class hotel, providing a secure and comfortable environment for guests was a priority for La Marvella. With this installation of Axis network cameras, the hotel has been able to provide security through discrete monitoring, without affecting the aesthetics or quality of customer services for guests. In addition, the network
Since the installation of the cameras has been via Power over Ethernet, it has led to considerable cost savings recording and storage provision has brought down the necessity of staff dependency to ensure flawless monitoring. Remote monitoring: With the Axis installation, the senior management of the hotel has been able to monitor the premises through superior image quality provided by IP surveillance. Cost savings: Since the installation of the cameras has been via Power over Ethernet, it has led to considerable cost savings through reduced use of expensive power cabling. Effective monitoring: The PTZ dome network cameras have offered network video functionality combined with pan/tilt/zoom capability, enabling wide area coverage and great details when zooming in. The camera's movement is
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easily controlled by an operator, or it can be run in preset mode, where the camera automatically moves between preset positions. This has made the monitoring process more effective than any other physical surveillance methodology that was earlier used.
CAMPUS NOTES
Practising sustainability From providing a diverse range of culinary courses with a focus on practising sustainability, to creating a platform for experiencing local and global cultures and cuisines, students at Kendall College School of Culinary Arts are exposed to myraid of opportunities in the campus itself By Rituparna Chatterjee
E
STABLISHED in 1985 in Evanston, by Dr Albert Furbay and a cadre of visionary chef educators, Kendall College School of Culinary Arts has grown to become one of the most premier culinarytraining institutes in the United States with its campus presently located in Chicago. The Kendall College School of Culinary Arts has come a long way since its establishment, attracting not only domestic students but also international aspirants. “We have 51 nationalities of students within the student body,” boasts Christopher Koetke, vice president, Center of Excellence in Culi-
nary Arts, Kendall College. The college has also been attracting a lot of Indian students who either have no previous culinary education or already have a bachelor's degree. “We have a number of Indian students in our college and by and large they do great. They are serious and focused. We have seen Indians applying for either the four year or two year course, but their choice of course is dependent upon the prior education they had in India. In some instances, the Indian students coming to our college are already equipped with a bachelor's degree from different levels of hotel schools,” explains Koetke. The
78 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2014
Christopher Koetke
college has 13 kitchens and three restaurants wherein one restaurant serves 400 people, the second serves 215 people an hour, and the third one is a
We have a number of Indian students in our college and by and large they do great. We have seen Indians applying for either the 4 year or 2 year course, their choice is dependent upon prior education they had in India fine dining restaurant. The college faculty consists of 22 full-time chefs, representing five to six nationalities, and six pastry chefs, one of whom is
an Indian. Kendall College School of Culinary Arts offers a range of culinary courses including Bachelor of Arts in Culinary
CAMPUS NOTES Arts, a four-year programme; Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts for seven quarters when attending full-time or 13 quarters when participating part-time; Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, Accelerated Programme, a five quarter course; Associate of Applied Science Degree in Baking and Pastry, six quarter programme, and The Kendall College Culinary Certificate of Participation which can be obtained in under a year. The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) has accredited the Culinary Arts Associate Programme since 1988 and the Baking and Pastry Associate Programme since 2008.
Cooking sustainably The Kendall College School of Culinary Arts adopted a sustainable approach in their culinary practice in 2005 and has been practising the same since then. The college has developed a sustainable curriculum to address everything from composting, recycling and energy conservation programmes to sourcing locally grown, organic ingredients. “We practice sustainability across the curriculum i.e. the students are taught sustainable subjects throughout their education both theoretically and practically. For instance, we have a class called Advanced Fish and Sauce. Years ago this class simply entailed how you cook fish and make sauces. But now in addition to that, when you cook with the fish, the focus is on where and how was the fish harvested, is the fish an endangered species. There are recipes that we have changed to use more sustainable fishes than others which are endangered,” he opines. The college also operates their own sustainable garden that grows produce for their restaurants and teaches students the basics of sustainable agriculture. “There is a large garden in front of our facility. We harvest somewhere around 3000 kg of vegetables a year. In addition, all of our trash is sorted into recycling compost trash and other trash. We send more compost garbage and
We have a class called Advanced Fish and Sauce.Years ago this class simply entailed how you cook fish and make sauces. But now in addition , when you cook with the fish, the focus is on where and how was the fish harvested, is the fish an endangered species clothes out of our facility than anything else which gets composted into soil essentially,” he mentions. In 2007, the college received the Green Award from the Food Service Consultants Society International (FCSI) and was also the first institution with an accredited culinary arts programme to operate Green Certified Restaurants. The college was also named the official educational partner of the National Restaurant Association Conserve Environmental Initiative in 2009. “We focus a lot on sustainability for it is all about preparing students for a future world where natural resources like energy and water will be-
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come scarce. We have to create that sense of responsibility, where increasing issues of food directly impacts the practices and operations of hotels and restaurants around the world. We recently built a kitchen and installed sustainable ventilation systems in it. Sustainability is comprised of a journey that never ends. We have to keep trying to become more sustainable,” asserts Koetke. Wide exposure Apart from adopting a sustainable approach, the college allows its students to actively engage with the local farmers. “In our fine dining class, students go to the farmer's market,
interact with the farmers and buy products from them. We also have guest speakers, involved in different parts of producing food, coming to the college to give lectures. Hence the student comes to know how the food grows,” explains Koetke. Furthermore, giving global exposure to students has also been an intrinsic part of the college's curriculum. “We take students periodically to other countries. For instance, we took them for a two week trip to France, Thailand, Mexico wherein a lot of times we pair up with a hotel or a culinary school so that they have the opportunity to cook with a local chef and can learn about the culture from their sur-
rounding. Food is ultimately an expression of culture so it is critical that students do travel,” states Koetke. The college has a Career Service Department to help students with internships. “We don't tell the students where they have to go. We help and guide students so that they get a good internship. We want them to take ownership of the process. We have 100 per cent placement at graduation level,” boasts Koetke. As for his message to aspiring chefs, Koetke states, “Passion, discipline and intensity are the qualities required to be successful. Have a big dream and never let go of it.”
MOVEMENTS Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum
hospitality industry across various formats, brands and locations spanning the Middle East, Nepal, Africa and India. Mata has worked with brands such as The Oberoi Group; InterContinental, Hotel Sahar International in Mumbai; Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel; Shangri-La Hotel and Resort Nepal, to name a few.
MANISH GARG has been appointed as general manager for Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum. Garg brings with him over 17 years of experience in the hospi-
Manish Garg
tality industry. Garg joined Hilton Worldwide in July 2011 as director of operations for Hilton Chennai. He successfully launched Q Bar, the rooftop bar and grill, and Ayna, the Indian restaurant, effectively positioning the hotel as one of the preferred F&B destinations in the city. CHEF ASHOK EAPEN K has been appointed as executive chef for Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum. Chef Eapen K will oversee
Karumariappan Sundarajan
Hyatt Pune
ing, Chef Sundarajan joined Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum in October 2013, as part of the hotel’s core pre-opening team. Previously, he was the pastry chef at the French bakery, La Boulangerie in Adyar Chennai.
VISHAL SINGH has been appointed as general manager of Hyatt Pune. Singh comes with about 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry. As the
Tux Hospitality MAYANK PANDEY has been appointed as head of sales at Tux Hospitality. Pandey has over 13 years of experience in operations/client servicing/sales and marketing in the hospitality industry. Prior to heading the sales for Tux Hospitality, Pandey worked with Kamat Hotels India holding the designation of head of sales. At Tux Hospitality, he will be responsible for planning, directing and driving the sales
Ashok Eapen K
Mayank Pandey
the hotel's F&B operations, which includes the all-day-dining restaurant, Garden Grille; the VBar and 24-hour in-room dining service. Chef Eapen brings with him over 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously he was sous chef at Vivanta by Taj - Malabar, Kerala.
and distribution strategies in its key markets, along with building relationships with potential clients.
The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg has appointed ADITYA MATA as its vice president and general manager. Mata comes to the resort with over two decades of experience in the
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CHEF ROBERTO ZORZOLI joins Hyatt Regency Chennai as chef de cuisine for the signature Italian restaurant Focaccia. Zorzoli brings with him an experience of over 15 years. After successful pre-opening assignments across Belgium, Italy and Malta, Zorzoli's last assignment before coming to India was in Shanghai at Ad Domus, a restaurant owned and managed by Antonio Donnaloia.
growth in Southeast Asia and China from the Singapore office. He sits on the valuation board of HVS for the region, which is responsible for establishing professional standards for property valuations. DAN VOELLM, managing partner of Hong Kong, Bangkok and Shenzhen, will now become managing partner, HVS Asia Pa-
Vishal Singh Manav Thadani
general manager of Hyatt Pune, Singh's key responsibility would be to ensure smooth functioning of the property. He will also be responsible for optimising the operations of the hotel along with training and working with the team to ensure total guest satisfaction.
The Tamara Group of Companies
CHEF KARUMARIAPPAN SUNDARAJAN has been appointed as pastry chef at the hotel. With 18 years of experience in baking, production and cater-
Hyatt Regency Chennai
The Tamara Group of Companies has announced the promotion of MAITHRI H to the position of vice president - brand and marcom with immediate effect. Maithri has been with the company since 2011. In this new role, Maithri will be responsible for the direction and strategic planning of The Tamara brand with focus on marketing communications, promotion and public relations. Maithri will represent The Tamara brand in all national and international forums.
cific region. MANAV THADANI, chairman of HVS South Asia since 2010, will lead the larger region in the capacity of chairman, Asia Pacific. In his new role, Thadani will provide the team direction and ensure that the HVS offices in the region operate cohesively and effectively. Thadani will also continue to serve on the HVS board of directors. KAUSHIK VARDHARAJAN has been promoted to partner
Kaushik Vardharajan
HVS HVS has announced four significant promotions in the Asia Pa-
and managing director, HVS Asia Pacific from managing director, HVS South Asia. Vardharajan will oversee HVS’s
Dan Voellm
cific. Working with Thadani and Vardharajan, Voellm will continue to assist HVS in the overall growth of the region. Prior to moving to Asia, Voellm was vice president at HVS’s New York office. ACHIN KHANNA, director, HVS consulting and valuation team’s New Delhi office, has been promoted to managing director, HVS South Asia. As a part of this vertical, Khanna specialises in undertaking exclusive buy/sell mandates for hospitality/mixeduse assets. Prior to joining HVS, Khanna spent a decade in the United States affiliated with Hilton, Homestead Studio Suites and Wyndham Hotel Group.
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Chennai & Hyderabad : Shukla : 09849297724 ■
Bangalore: Sreejit : 08867574257 ■
Kolkata: Ajanta - 09831182580
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weekend
Scene and heard
With Marcellus Baptista
Taste of Italy
Nikhil Desai, Dilip Parulekar, Neha Sharma and Jackky Bhagnani at the Goa Carnaval meet at Bungalow 9
Carnival cheer YOU GOT a taste of the Goa Carnaval if you happened to be at the quaint Bungalow 9. Live music was in the air and colourful masks added to the festive décor. In attendance was Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar who announced plans that the state has drawn up to celebrate this year’s carnival. You also learnt of the Cashew & Coconut Festival, Shigmo and the Goa International Travel Mart. Also present was Nikhil Desai, MD, GTDC, and Director of Tourism, Government of Goa. You learnt that the carnival would commence with a food and cultural festival and would include participation from other states. Jackky Bhagnani and Neha Sharma, who star in the upcoming movie ‘Youngistaan,’ were also present to support and celebrate the carnival.
THE FLAVOURS of Italy came alive at The Society at The Ambassador as travel specialists Amala and Karl Dantas hosted a sit-down dinner presented by CastaDiva Resort & Spa located on the banks of Lake Como in North Italy. In attendance was CastaDiva’s executive chef Alessio Mecozzi who cooks for celebrities like Robert de Niro, GM Andrea Luri, F&B manager Davide Rotondo and Geoff Magee, VP operations, Ambassador Group. It was a gourmet dining experience paired with Fratelli wines and piano music. On the charts were tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella, Parmigiana style eggplant with parmesan fondue and extra virgin olive oil bruschetta, to name a few.
Alesia Raut and Carol Gracias at the party at Pizza Express
Party time
CastaDiva Resort & Spa dinner at The Society
ONE OF the ways to popularise a restaurant is to throw a party and invite the crème de la crème of society. This seemed to be the case as Pizza Express roped in Malini Agarwal, Carol Gracias and Reshma Bombaywala to host a pizza party/game night at its outlet in Colaba. Chandon bubbly, Black Label and others spirits did the rounds along with piping hot pizzas and more. The action continued with guests trying their hand at Pictionary and other party games, while the quirky black-and- white props at the photo booth added to the excitement. It was a black-and-white themed party that saw the presence of the glamorous brigade of Shveta Salve, Manasi Scott, Sonali Nagrani, Deepti Gujral, Fleur Xavier and Hemangi Parte among others.
On a roll STRIVING to give guests the very best in gastronomy, design and culture – the three brand pillars of Sofitel, the hotel at BKC presented a performance by the UK all-girl band Tootsie Rollers in association with Ashvin Gidwani Productions and Deutsche Bank. It was a night filled with golden era classics with a contemporary twist. This was a fine follow-up to the hotel’s other international offerings like the Moulin Rouge and a rare photo exhibition on legendary actress Brigitte Bardot. After the cocktail hour it was time to sit back and listen to the six ladies who wowed the crowd with their voices and dance moves, followed by a delightful dinner spread. Spotted in the packed place were the likes of Arjan Bajwa, Nisha Jamvwal, Arif Padiath, Joe Rajan and Sofitel’s new GM Biswajit Chakraborty. Arjan Bajwa, Biswajit Chakraborty and the Tootsie Rollers at Sofitel Mumbai BKC
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E V E N T S
CREATIVE DISPLAY Association of Hospitality Professionals recently
PRESTIGE GAME Garha Hotels recently sponsored one of the most prestigious
organised the 'Young Chefs Challenge - 2014' event at Indian Hotel Academy, New Delhi
tournaments of India Polo Calendar, the ‘Northern India Polo Championship’, while the co-sponsors included Royal Salute and EFG Bank, held at the Jaipur Polo Ground
MEGA-BRAND ibis celebrated 1,000 hotels with simultaneous launches in Surabaya, Rio and Berlin
WARM GREETING L-R: Narendra Modi greeted by Philippe Charraudeau, VP West and general manager, ITC Maratha at the hotel
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GRAND WELCOME His excellency Joachim Gauck, The Federal President of Germany and Daniela Schadt, accompanied by a delegation of esteemed guests recently visited The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. The guests were received by Satyajeet Krishnan, general manager of the hotel
DISTINCT EXPERIENCE Honourable David Johnston, governor general of Canada and Sharon Johnston accompanied by a delegation of esteemed guests arrived recently at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi
REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2012/42381, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-383/2013-15,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 2, 3, 4 & 17,18,19 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE.