Food & Hospitality World (Vol.3, No.12, Part - I) March 01-15, 2015

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, 2015 Vol 3 | No. 12 | Pages 144 | `50

EDITOR’S NOTE

Change is brewing

A

s societies evolve so do tastes.

The humble cup of tea/coffee has attained a new flavour getting fashionable by the day.

As one of the world's largest tea growing nations and and the largest consumer, tea for the Indian palate is as familiar as water. The recent years have however seen a growing interest among the new age consumers, both the connoisseurs and commoners alike, who want to explore the many nuances of tea, beyond the ubiquitous chai.

The hospitality sector has been at the forefront of this change, creating awareness and interest by providing unique tea experiences to its guests, which also resonate with the local cultural and social influences.

Apart from tea, the coffee world is also fast changing. With increased income levels, favourable demographics, development of Tier II and III cities and the advent of many international chains, the cafe culture in India has been witnessing a phenomenal growth. According to ‘India Coffee Shops & Café Market Forecast & Opportunities,

HEAD OFFICE Food & Hospitality World MUMBAI: Rajan Nair, Dattaram Kandalkar, 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 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 Mobile: 09810841431 E-mail: pranshu.puri@fhwexpo.in Our Associate: Dinesh Sharma Mobile: 09810264368 E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com

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CHENNAI: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, New No.37/C (Old No.16/C), 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 Tel: Board: 28543031/28543032/ 28543033/28543034 Fax: 28543035 Mobile : 09849297724 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in BENGALURU: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express Ltd, 502 Devatha Plaza, 5th Floor, 131 Residency Road Bengaluru - 560025 Ph 080-22231923/24 Fax: 22231925.

Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in HYDERABAD: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, 6-3-885/7/B, Ground floor V.V. Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad - 500 082

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“Will the plea for infrastructure status be granted? Will the issue of land availability be addressed? Will luxury and service tax issues be tackled in an effective way? It’s anyone’s guess ”

2017’, the coffee shops and café market in India is expected to grow threefold and become a US$ one billion market by 2017.

With many international chains like Starbucks opening shop here, the coffee scene is also warming up.

Finally, by the time we bring out our next issue, the finance ministry would have sealed the fate of India's hospitality sector on February 28. Will the plea for infrastructure status be granted? Will the issue of land availability be addressed? Will luxury and service tax issues be tackled in an effective way? It’s anyone’s guess.

As the industry meets at AAHAR 2015 in March, there seems to be a sense of positivity in the air, especially after the super success of our show Food Hospitality World 2015 in Mumbai. The buyers are looking for refined solutions and products to delight the customers. Business is brewing quite literally!

REEMA LOKESH Editor

Tel: 040-23418673/23418674/ 23418675 (Tele-fax)/66631457 Fax: 040-23418678 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in

JAIPUR: Pranshu Puri, The Indian Express Ltd. C-7, Dwarika Puri,Jamna Lal Bajaj Marg, C-Scheme,Jaipur - 302001 Mobile: 09810841431 E-mail: pranshu.puri@fhwexpo.in

KOLKATA: Ajanta Sengupta, The Indian Express Ltd, National Highway 6 (NH 6), MouzaPrasastha & Ankurhati, P.H. Domjur, Dist Howrah Kolkata - 711409 Mobile: 09831182580 Email: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com

BHOPAL: Pranshu Puri, The Indian Express Ltd, 6,Vidya Vihar, Professors Colony, Bhopal - 462002, Madhya Pradesh Mobile: 09810841431 E-mail: pranshu.puri@fhwexpo.in

KOCHI: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express Ltd. Sankoorikal Building, 36/2248, Kaloor, Kadavanthara Road, Opp. Kaloor Private Bus Stand, Kaloor - 682 017 Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in

AHMEDABAD: Sachin Shenoy, The Indian Express Ltd. 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Nr.Judges Bunglow Bodakdev,Ahmedabad - 380 015.

Mobile : 09930050499 Email :sachin.shenoy@fhwexpo.in

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.The Indian Express Ltd cannot be held responsible for such contents, nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies, associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

CONTENTS Vol 3 No12 MARCH 1-15, 2015

SPA & WELLNESS

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Senior Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee New Delhi Archana Sharma Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury

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DESIGN National Art Director Bivash Barua Deputy Art Director Surajit Patro Chief Designer Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor Sandeep Patil MARKETING General Manager Sachin Shenoy Marketing Team Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Prateek Sahay Yoginder Singh Ajanta Sengupta NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES Sasi Kumar G Keshav Barnwal INTERNATIONAL FOOD & HOSPITALITY SALES Soumodip Ghosh Dhananjay Makharia PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis Manager Bhadresh Valia

AIRPORT SPAS ARE TAKING OFF A LOT OF SPA AND WELLNESS COMPANIES ARE OPENING OUTLETS AT AIRPORTS

INTERIORS & DESIGN

34 (36-59) MARKETS P22: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Sugar Rush, Bandra

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CARL’S JR TO ENTER INDIA BY APRIL 2015

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IFCA TO ORGANISE 6TH EDITION OF INTERNATIONAL CHEFS CONFERENCE 2015

BEAUTY ON THE WALLS HOTELS IN INDIA ARE INCREASINGLY MOVING AWAY FROM PLAIN AND SIMPLE WALL FINISHES

EDGE

P24: PRODUCT TRACKER VitrA

P74: LIFE Empowering culinary talent

P137: WEEKEND Scene and heard

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SUSTAINABLE REFRIGERATION INDIAN HOSPITALITY IS LOOKING AT IMPROVING ITS SUSTAINABILITY BY USING MODERN REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

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.

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Carl’s Jr to enter India byApril 2015 Archana Sharma New Delhi CARL’S JR, California-based burger chain, is looking at opening their first restaurant in New Delhi by the end of the first quarter of 2015. CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent company of Carl’s Jr, recently signed a development agreement with Cybiz BrightStar Restaurants, owned

by CybizCorp, to develop 100 restaurants in the initial phase.

Elaborating on the same, Samir Chopra, group chairman and founder, Cybiz Corp, stated, “Carl’s Jr will be targeting the development of Tier II and III cities after it's initial launch in the Delhi and NCR area and other Tier I cities.” He also mentioned that they are looking at

Samir Chopra

expanding through a companyowned-company-operated (COCO) model only, however, at a later stage they may venture into FOCO (Franchise Owned Company Operated).

To create a niche for themselves in the India market, Chopra believes that Carl’s Jr is not a mass appeal brand. “The brand is a premium quick service restaurant which offers partial services to customers, and is recognised for its premium products, centred on wide variety of fresh and delicious charbroiled burgers that lead the industry in taste, quality and innovation,” he stated. Based on their research, Carl Jr has also developed a vegetarian menu to

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be launched here, apart from their signature dishes. Talking about marketing and promotional strategies, Chopra added,

“Our target audience is the young and hungry which defines more than 50 per cent population of India and this audience is

engaged on different social media platforms, and hence initially we are keen on the new age social media strategies but defi-

nitely in the later run we will be following a parallel approach used successfully by Carl’s Jr globally.”

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IFCA to organise 6th edition of International Chefs Conference 2015 FHW Staff Mumbai THE INDIAN FEDERATION of Culinary Associations (IFCA), the apex body of culinary professionals in India, will be organising the sixth edition of the much awaited International Chefs Conference 2015 at Hotel ITC Grand Chola in Chennai from March 20-22, 2015. The conference is slated to have 650 delegates, nationwide and global, who will get live and

exclusive opportunity to connect one on one with top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, wine producers, photographers, food stylists, marketers, nutritionists, and academics, technocrats from hospitality, tourism, and media. The event will have informative seminars, forums and cutting-edge demonstrations, as well as will also feature a trade show where food and service exhibitors can showcase their latest offerings and innovations. The

International speakers from various countries such as USA, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, Dubai, Japan and other countries are being flown in conference will see a participation of culinary professionals including chefs

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, Ground Floor, 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, 2nd Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021 : Hannover Milano Fairs India Private Limited 102, 1st Floor, B Wing, Business Square, Chakala, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400093 I, VAIDEHI THAKAR., hereby declare that the particulars given above are true and to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date : 1/3/2015

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sd/VAIDEHI THAKAR Publisher

from 100+ hotels and 50+ hotel management institutions.

International speakers from various countries such as USA, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, Dubai, Japan and host of other countries are being flown in exclusively to deliberate on wide range of topics from wine tasting to food, hygiene and much more. Cookery demonstration and live Sushi making session (by Master Chef Hirotoshi Ogawa, director general, AJSA Sushi Skills Institute, Japan) are part of the conference.

Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah focusing on India market Sudipta Dev Sharjah RADISSON BLU RESORT, Sharjah is among the most interesting modern architectural edifices in the emirate of Sharjah. A unique feature of the property is that all the 306 rooms overlook the Arabian Sea. In the last one year the property has been fo-

cusing on the India market. “Our target is to continue to increase our network of travel agents and tour operators within India and introduce Sharjah to the travel trade in the smaller cities,” said Khamis Kazzaz, general manager, Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah, adding that, they had participated in India Road Show in September 2014 and have not looked

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back since then. The property had also participated recently in a few important travel trade exhibitions in India.

Radisson Blu Resort, Sharjah is well positioned to meet the needs of both leisure and MICE groups from India. The resort offers state-of-the art facilities for conferences and events, and can accommodate up to 800 delegates. “We have given the opportunity to our guests to experience our hotel via virtual tour on our website

nicipality of Sharjah in 2014 and of our organic gardens,” stated Kazzaz. The property has won many accolades over the years. The recent ones being the leading hotel in Sharjah in 2013 by World Travel Awards, and getting the Cer-

tificate of Excellence, 2014 by TripAdvisor. “This year, we earned the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award and have also been nominated again as Sharjah’s leading hotel by World Travel Awards,” mentioned Kazzaz.

Giving his views on the evolution of Sharjah as an important tourism destination in the Middle East, for both leisure and MICE segments, Kazzaz said, “Sharjah is a city which boasts of rich culture, friendly people and all year round sun-

shine. The emirate is an attractive and safe destination offering the right ingredients for leisure and business alike.”

Sharjah has earned the title of Capital of Islamic Culture in 2014 and Capital of Arab Tourism in 2015.

NO : HALL S AT 14/G IN U T I : VIS NO I, OOTH DELH 12A, B R 15,NEW A A H A MARCH 1 5 , 20 -14TH 10TH

Khamis Kazzaz

and we have also uploaded 3D images of our meeting rooms so that the MICE group has a realistic idea of what we are offering,” informed Kazzaz.

It is not only the picturesque vistas that the property offers that gives Radisson Blu Resort an edge over its competitors, but many other features. “The standard rooms are larger sized (38 sq m). Free wi-fi is available everywhere in the hotel. Our large recreational facilities include a private 300 m beach and four temperature controlled swimming pools, two for adults and children each,” said Kazzaz. The unique atrium atmosphere and landscaping adds to the beauty to the resort.

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of the broader commitment of Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah and the Rezidor Hotel Group. “We are proud to boast of winning the Best Garden in Sharjah, issued by Mu-

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Better with age Irrespetive of whether wine is bought by the bottle or glass, wine service cannot be compromised. Vickram Mederata, CEO, Benetta barscope elaborates on wine preservation and the options to maintain wine

W

ine bottles are more than a consumable drink, they are an asset that appreciates if you keep them becoming better with age. Yet with bars in India I rarely see them running a wine programme in the manner a developed nation's first class city should. Action speaks to me louder than words; thus dining at Italian restaurants with celebrity chefs is carefully balanced with these actions they do or do not undertake.

One can be celeb chef to the simple crowd, but to impress people who know the restaurant must behave like one.

The only restaurants that truly exemplify a class act in my experience have been those special five-star rated lead by a professional wine and beverage specialist who focus on the job of F&B over public relations and when wine by the glass is ordered, it is perfectly presented, served and enjoyed the first time.

At more than one occasion I can recollect in many restaurants, especially the city restaurants with my friends and wife they have ordered wine and sent the glass back for the lack of wine quality.

The bottle was open for long, the flavours were finished (flat), bouquet was non existent even though the bottle was half empty.

From a super luxury five-star brand to a casual diner and a well heeled city restaurant, most of them fail at wine by the glass in India.

For the enthusiasts whose Gods are Soma or Bacchus, and if they are looking at a fabulous wine programme you are considering the how of its potential and possibilities. A larger number of wine selling restaurants have

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Vickram Mederata

asked me this question and we end up discussing for two hours at time; they leave quite happy and enlightened. Most of them have a good idea on wine and what they want but not about the best option to apply. Then I have conversed with people who are simply following the diktat of corporate bosses buying products that fail or not meet their needs using them mindlessly, I would say with a mild success (better mild success than none at all).

To me wine serving and enjoying is a dining experience foremost. It must have the acts that create the event. Otherwise drinking wine is like a cola. The bottle must come in with server on a proper wine tray. The server must hold it by its bottom while a napkin may come between hand and bottle to insulate temperature. The label must be displayed. A short tasting swirl must precede the service. On confirmation, the glass must be filled in as the end reason of all the acts, then quick wipe the bottle mouth. The wine must release its bouquet, and retain its age, taste, body, life, temperature and freshness.

Whether wine is bought by the bottle or glass, wine service

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cannot be compromised. If we want wine preservation what are the options that will allow us in a great degree to maintain the wine serving process? Here are some systems available in the market for wine preservation and dispensing: Le Verre de Vin (LVDV) Technology: In this method the only part focused is the preservation of wines and champagnes.

The entire process of wine service is left to the restaurant's staff as trained. The server will open a new bottle and replace the original cork with the LVDV supplied 1-Way cork.

At a request, the server will as usual visit the guest, open the cork (with a puck sound) complete the six steps of serving, and then replace the cork back, fit the cork top into LVDV preservation nozzle that would de-oxidise by removing air from inside the bottle. Then leave a bit of it back for wine to age and breathe (just as a normal cork would).

The benefit of the system is continuous following of traditional wine serving method, connection to the served guest, completing the wine serving act that adds to the wine experience and also the ability to offer over tens of hundreds of wine by the glass.

There is no limitation just a time of 30 days. It says the wine will stay fresh as new till 21 days.

Thus I expect it will serve well till a round up of 30 days.

Nitrogen Pushed Wine Systems: My business has worked with these systems in past while we try to no longer push them much. I am not saying nitro systems are not worthy, but I just feel for a table service they kind of shortchange the guest on wine experience. I would consider them using at a backbar top maybe or a wine retailer's store for guests to try before they buy. If

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positioned correctly and made into a focal point in centre of a restaurant they could add to a different perspective of experience. Whatever they are used as, they do not hold good for traditional table service.

Nitrogen systems were created and expanded before the invention of vacuum type preservation systems therefore they came into the market and helped start up the wine preservation idea using nitrogen. As the vacuum (machined) systems made their visibility, a lot of luxury hotels and restaurants jumped to the LVDV (Le Verre de Vin) type of technology. Some reasons are: a)The smallest LVDV technology system can preserve as many as 100 wines. It starts with 20 bottles and can add more wines by adding only the spouts.

Nitro systems once purchased for an eight bottle will not add any more. You have to buy a new system then.

B) Maintenance is a bit more by constant need to buy nitrogen per glass. This is adding to the cost per glass of the gas and the need for maintenance of cylinder, gauges, refill of gas, storage solutions and gas tubing. All of these do not exist in vacuum technology of LVDV. Benefit of nitrogen systems is they have built in refrigeration and temperature control for the bottles stored inside. The bottles are on display and connected.

Once the bottle is stored, the server only needs to pull the valve to dispense beverage into glass and serve. Bottles are not loosely kept. The debate by LVDV is most wine bottles are kept in a refrigerator anyway and adding a nitro system with refrigeration will take up counter space, need maintenance of cooler, make it bulky, and really wine is not to be served as coca cola from the tap. A restaurant can select depending on their preference idea of wine service.

Draft Wine Systems: These wine dispensing systems using kegged wines are yet to make their impact in Indian restaurants but certainly have a different clientele and market, to be sold as purely an alternative to drinking hard liquor somewhat in the category of beer. Imagine a waterfront cafe serving draft

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beer by the tap, and wine on the same tower. Enjoy the sunset over blue waters sipping draft wine. Customers who will order wine on the tap will recognise its individuality. Draft wine is different from bottled wine, and it will be sold at a cheaper rate than bottled. It is designed for more

casual approach and I just think it's perfect for such a bar.

Where a restaurant may use it can be as an additional of draft beer and wine to a fine dining and casual dining cafe. Notable is the keg wines would last longer due to being kept inside a cold room. The wines will be pres-

surised using CO2 and nitrogen mix thus keeping wines in kegs far more fresher than through an open bottle.

Let us question ourselves again. Which wine preservation system will save your bottles?

The answer is if used well based on your personal prefer-

ence all of these will do a great job for the kind of business model you are. A table service, cafe bar, stand up bar club, poolside lounge, you can serve the glass by wine kegs, bottle service, or glass poured from backbar nitrogenised wine dispensers, or in a combination.

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Anupam Industries develops new concept in buffet

FHW Staff Mumbai IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1990s Anupam Industries, catering products services provider and manufacturer of stainless steel products, has created a designer range of food service products for the hospitality and catering industries. The new concept in buffet setups - Food Conveyor Service. The company has been providing latest models of chafing dishes, buffet – chaat – Chinese food huts –mocktail counters with pastry/puddingicecream stations, pots and pans, with other food service products, tableware and other allied products like polycarbonate food service platters, bowls, etc, and provides high quality food service, live burners in SS and fusion solutions to caterers, banqueters, farm houses, event organisers and star hotels across India.

The unit is located at the National Highway-1 G.T. Karnal road, Kundly Haryana.

Spread over 30,000 sq feet, a range of products for the hos-

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pitality and catering industry is available at the four-level showroom at A-26, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi in an area of 25,000 sq feet. More than 3,000 hospitality guests witnessed the grand opening of the showroom in March 2014. The company recently launched LED mocktail cum bar counters.

The company is inviting all hospitality product users and food professionals to visit the second edition of its annual hospitality event - a bigger showcase of 'hospitality products with vast range of buffet services' at their showroom from March 1014, 2015. The company will also be participating at AAHAR 2015.

The company is focusing on buffet setups as there has been a change in the food and beverage and banquet business in a competitive environment. The second annual event is not only to create new products but also develop concepts and offer a complete collection of products in the market catering to the customer's needs.

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Blue Fab expands business to corporates FHW Staff Mumbai ESTABLISHED in 1996, Blue Fab, is expanding its horizons and is emerging as a well known brand specialising in uniforms and linens. As per the market demand, the company analyses different aspects of material like quality of fabric, colour fasting, repeats of washing and the common problems in outsourcing laundry. Resulting in the company providing a good blend of vis-

Sanjay Mallick

cous and cotton. Sanjay Mallick, CEO, Blue Fab opined, “With increasing demand from the hospitality sector there is a need to improvise the services delivered and meet the expectations of the sector including hotels, restaurants and corporates.

When Blue Fab was started, the commitment was to cater only to hotels and restaurants but today the horizon has been expanded to cover the corporate sector also.” The company services some very reputed and big brands like T3 terminal at IGIA, ITC, Taj, Radisson, Country Inn, Ramada etc.

Further adding, he mentioned, that the main objective of Blue Fab is not only to earn profit but simultaneously to satisfy the client’s needs. The company always welcomes feedback/advice to improve services.

“We have developed fine

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textured VC matty which can last for more than 250 washes, no colour bleeding, no need of starch with every wash. For

uniforms, we provide solutions for problems like crease (crush free) with push button, triple stitching for all items. In

standard trousers, we provide elastic with drostings pants.

For coats and waistcoats, we create without fusing fine fin-

ished item in which there is no need of dry cleaning. It can take easy wash,” he elaborated.

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'WITH GLOBALWARMING AFFECTING THE WORLD,THE NEED FOR DEHUMIDIFIERS IS INCREASING' With a focus on having air treatment products, Mansoor Ali, director India & Dubai, AMFAH highlights on the benefits of using dehumidifiers and the rise in demand for the product in India What products does the company presently have under its dehumidifier category and any new product additions to be made under this category this year?

AMFAH INDIA, is a group company of AMFAH GENERAL LLC Dubai, established in the year of 2009 having focused on air treatment products. The company is known for introducing range of exclusive / new category of products in Indian market like domestic / semi - commercial / commercial de-humidifiers, air purifiers and portable air conditioner.

Which of your dehumidifier products have you seen a higher demand for in the India market? Who are your major clients?

With 'global warming' affecting worldwide including India, the need for dehumidifier is ever increasing in all sectors affected by high humidity and the awareness has been the challenge. We cater to all the three segments for dehumidifiers in residential, semi-commercial and commercial sectors. As our domestic models are being used by many reputed hotels for their guest rooms, the semicommercial dehumidifiers are being utilised by F&B department to preserve their food fungus / mould free all the time. Similarly, our commercial range of dehumidifiers are leaders in food manufacturing units of various reputed companies across India.

Some of our esteemed clients are Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, Aditya Birla, Wipro, Four Seasons Hotel, Jubilant Foodworks Limited (Dunkin Donuts / Domino's Pizza), Novartis, Cognizant, AIIMS Hospital Delhi, Emirates Airways, TATA Communication, Hyundai Motors, Mahindra Rise, ASUS, Siemens, Parle Agro, Yes Bank, RBS Bank, US Consulate and many more.

What are the benefits of using dehumidifier’s vis-a-vis air conditioners in terms of performance, longevity, cost, etc?

Air conditioners main objective is to cool the air and it cannot prevent the growth of mould, fungus, musty odour, dampness in rooms or different facilities. And all of them are very harmful and dangerous in their own way. A dehumidifier’s main job is reduce the humidity in a very controlled way and to protect you and your valuable from mould,

fungus, musty odour, malfunctioning of electronics equipment and dampness in room.

Keeping humidity at the right level (i.e. between 50 – 60 per cent) will protect a lot of things including food, electronics equipments, peeling of wall paintings from mold, fungus, mildew etc.

What is the present and future growth of the air purification market in India and what factors do you attrib-

Like the water purifier success story, the air purifier business is on the rise with many companies and brands entering the Indian market and it is expected to be a mature product category in next three-five years

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Mansoor Ali

ute for driving this growth?

The present growth of air purifiers in India is very slow due to lack of knowledge / awareness, where as the future of its market is very promising as India is under radar from the world community monitoring its air quality.

There are enough statistics to prove with reasons on rising air concerns and adverse health affects. Like the water purifier success story, the air purifier business is on the rise, with many companies and brands entering the Indian market and it is expected to be a mature product category in the next three-five years. The product air purifier is expected to occupy its position at home, offices across different sectors.

What has been the company's revenue growth y-o-y and what revenue target has it set for this FY? We are growing year-onyear with 30 per cent and the range has been expanded from one model of dehumidifier in 2009 to nine models by current year along with air purifiers (made in Taiwan) and extremely powerful portable AC. Any other significant factor.

After water the next concern area across the globe has been air and people in India have exposure majorly only with air conditioning, there is a big emerging world beyond air conditioners addressing air quality and rising humidity issues.

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Weaving hygiene with happiness: Embuer Health FHW Staff Mumbai ONE OF THE first signs of a healthy atmosphere — whether it’s your own house, a restaurant, hotel, airport, office or train station — is its level of cleanliness.

If the place isn’t clean, it is unlikely to impress anyone. This was the thought that gave birth to Embuer Health.

A first generation entrepreneur with more than 18 years of experience in the industry of paper and printing, Pranay Bhargava, CEO and founder of Embuer Health was the brain behind the very first multipurpose napkins in India. Bhargava started his career by trading in specialty papers from around the world. His experience unlocked new avenues for him as he learnt about the non-woven material, something which was hardly identified in the Indian market. With the country as the canvas, he saw great prospects for this material and was instrumental in some of the early application in Embroidery Backing, Wedding Cards, Filters and

Pranay Bhargava

Silica Gel packing and many more which has now become customary.

By 1996, Bhargava ventured into direct imports of the nonwoven materials from mills in USA, Europe and Canada. As a natural progression he partnered with a US company to manage the growing demand of the materials. While in USA, he realised the global nature of the business and started exporting specialty grades of paper and non-woven material to other places like Latin America,

Africa, Middle East and China.

After spending more than 10 years in USA mastering the trade, he returned to India with an aim to introduce hygienic, superior and versatile range of wipes, napkins and other FMCG products, thus Embuer Health was launched in the year 2011.

This is the first company to introduce the novel, non-woven range of fabrics to cater to the need for good quality, healthy and hygienic disposable napkins in the Indian market. The company celebrating its third year is

already a renowned and respected brand in kitchen and hygiene space along with multiuse fabric for exterior interior chix or blinds. Embuer multi use fabric can be used in different applications in apartments, roof top gardens farm houses, showrooms, restaurant, corporate multi storied buildings, hospitals, schools etc.

“Our passion for innovation and our zeal to maintain quality standards sets us apart from our competitors. We, at Embuer, recognise that there is a growing

Yo u r

R e l i a b l e

awareness and need for personal hygiene and hence we have introduced a wide range of wiping products that provide super smooth hygiene experience with value for money,” he added.

Embuer sells more than a million multiuse kitchen wipes and softkins serving napkins through its wide distribution of dealers. Regarding the company’s future plans, he plans to incorporate new and fresh talents who with their futuristic approach will ensure the company’s holistic growth. Currently located in New Delhi, the innovative industrialist plans to cover the entire country by 2015.

Embuer’s line of products ensure not only quality wiping, but are also quite handy and comfortable. “Embuer products have been designed for multiple applications and are meant for wiping needs of an individual as well as the industry. They are tailored to meet the need of households, hospitality industry, heavy automobiles, beauty parlors, salons, children, everyone, including you and me,” says Bhargava.

K i t c h e n

P a r t n e r

We provide complete solution for all kitchen equipment requirements Hotels ● Restaurants ● Corporate Canteen ● Bakery ● Bars Office address :- Thomson &Thomsons Unit No. 6, D’silva Baug,A. G. Link Road,Asalpha, Ghatkopar (W), Mumbai - 400 084Tel. : +91-22-25112130, 7208082013, FACTORY :Gilbert Compound, Durga Mandir Road, Near Sakinaka Police Station,Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400 072 E-mail : sales@thomsonnthomsons.com, Web: www.thomsonnthomsons.com ServiceCentres:-Ahmedabad,Bangalore,Cochin,Chennai,Delhi,Goa, Hyderabad,Kolkata,Lucknow,Mumbai,Pune,Vizag

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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March 1-15, 2015

AAHAR 2015

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

S P E C I A L

Sugar Rush, Bandra SUGAR RUSH, owned and run by Rushda Azmi Shaikh, has opened doors in Cater road, Bandra. French windows, pink doors, chandeliers, tall bar stools ad to the minimalistic and contemporary interiors of the outlet. Apart from coffee and desserts, the outlet also offers an array of sandwiches, tea loaves, croissants, muffins, quiches, puffs, cookies and lots more.

Six Senses Spa Marbella

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hyderabad Gachibowli

SET TO OPEN in early summer 2015, Six Senses Spa Marbella is located at Puente Romano Beach Resort situated in Costa del Sol on the southern coast of Spain. The spa has been created to complement the hotel’s Andalusia beachfront village character. Taking the cue from Six Senses’ philosophy, the spa’s design combines indigenous features such as whitewashed walls and hand-painted tiles together with natural stone and locally sourced materials, evoking a strong sense of place wedded to environmental commitment.

Resembling an Andalusian village, the 264 luxurious Mediterranean-style guest rooms are spread in 27 three–story villas amid lush, sub-tropical gardens, cascading down to the Mediterranean Sea. The resort features spectacular designs by acclaimed interior designer Andrew Martin, seven restaurants, including the two-star Michelin DaniGarcía restaurant, sea front and garden pools, a world-renowned tennis club, 18-hole golf course and an equestrian centre.

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP (IHG) has launched its first Holiday Inn Express in Hyderabad.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hyderabad Gachibowli is located in the heart of the city’s IT and financial district and close to Hitech City as well as the HITEX Exhibition Centre, making it the smart choice for business travellers. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hyderabad Gachibowli is the third Holiday Inn Express in India. The 232room hotel also includes 39 suites comprising of 30 Junior Suites with large living and bedroom areas and nine Executive Suites, with separate living and bedroom areas. To cater to business travellers on the go, the hotel also offers a self-service business centre, three meeting rooms and a 24-hour fitness centre.

St Regis Macao, Cotai Central THE ST REGIS HOTELS & RESORTS has announced that The St Regis Macao, Cotai Central is scheduled to open in the third quarter of this year. The St Regis Macao continues the legacy of the luxury brand thoughtfully built for a new generation of global travellers. Poised to become the best address in Cotai, The St. Regis Macao will set a new standard for luxury and bespoke service in the

22 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

popular tourist destination. The St. Regis Macao will offer 400 exquisitely styled and lavishly appointed guestrooms and suites ranging from 53 sq m to 477 sq m, providing the most discerning travellers with a unique luxurious respite from the hectic urban pace. Celebrating Macau’s reputation as a world-class gastronomic hub, the hotel will offer diverse dining experiences.

AAHAR 2015

MARKETS

S P E C I A L

Zanuff Industries to increase market presence in western India Rituparna Chatterjee Mumbai ZANUFF INDUSTRIES, a manufacturer of food service equipments in India, is aggressively focusing on increasing its market presence in the western region by expanding its sales and distribution network and scaling up its production capacity. The company already has a presence across major cities in Maharashtra and Gujarat like Mumbai, Baroda, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad, and will now be expanding

Shrenik Gada

into Tier II and Tier III cities such as Nashik, Nagpur, Jalgaon.

Speaking about the expansion, Shrenik Gada, director, Zanuff Industries, stated, “We want to have a presence in these small cities to cater to upcoming demand. We are already in the process of rolling out our expansion across these cities.” The company is also planning to expand its dealer network.

The company recently added a manufacturing plant to the existing unit in Vasai, Mumbai to scale up its production capacity.

“This year we are expecting a 50 per cent revenue growth. We have developed new, innovative products like introducing new shapes and sizes in the GN Pans range which were not available in India before,” he added.

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March 1-15, 2015

PRODUCT TRACKER

VitrA VITRA STRENGTHENS its presence in the India market with its new range of bathroom solutions like Istanbul, Metropole, Water Jewels, Nest, T4 and Memoria. For instance, the Istanbul series is inspired by Istanbul’s culture and traditions and yet belongs to the future. While the T4 series is a hygienic, functional, and innovative design that transforms bathrooms into integral living spaces. The Water Jewel series transport natures spirit to bathrooms.

Borosil BOROSIL HAS DESIGNED a new microwavable gourmet range. The gourmet range is a collection of products like cook and store, cook and store with lid and cook and serve.

All the products in this range are made of borosilicate glass, are 100 per cent flame proof and hot plate proof and are guaranteed to withstand temperatures of up to 350°C. The price starts from `400.

Diverse DIVERSE IS OFFERING its latest product 'GRUBES Urinal Screen' which is a waterless urinal. A single urinal in a workplace with a few dozen employees can save about 170,000 liters of water per year. The combination of this product along with Good Sense Odour Eliminator which is a blend of non-pathogenic bacteria and enzymes results in a clean and hygienic urinal. Widespread use of waterless urinals can produce a domino effect of conservation. Since no water is required, water utilities will not need to treat and pump as much water. Smaller quantities of pumped water lead to energy savings. Also, the absence of flushing means generation of less wastewater and so is its treatment.

Delta Faucet Company AS PART OF ITS latest bath collection, Delta Faucet Company has introduced the Sotria bath collection by Brizo, the fashion faucet brand. Influenced by soft contemporary design sensibilities echoing midcentury style. This suite of products also marks the launch of the brand's new Brilliance Luxe Nickel finish. With a distinctive, triangular silhouette, the Sotria collection is comprised of single-handle and widespread lavatory faucets featuring channel or closed spouts, a freestanding tub filler and a bidet. Custom shower options include Sensori® high-flow thermostatic shower.

OSIM OSIM HAS UNVEILED uAlpine, an ionised and fresh air purifier. The uAlpine’s multi-action tru-air purification process with the Ioncluster technology provides protection from invisible pollutants in the air and provides clean fresh air for easier breathing. OSIM uAlpine has been tested, proven and awarded. ‘The Seal of Approval’ by ‘The British Allergy Foundation’ for the effectiveness in the control of allergens.

The price range of OSIM uAlpine is `37,000 and `39,000.

24 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

AAHAR 2015

MARKETS

S P E C I A L

MGPRO to launch upgraded version of products at AAHAR 2015 FHW Staff Mumbai MGPRO has launched a range of bottle coolers and multi-deck (grab and go) coolers designed specifically to cope with the heat and can operate in ambient temperatures of upto 30 degree celsius. This new range will be launched at AAHAR 2015, which will be held from March 10-14, 2015 at Pragati Maiden, New Delhi. Developed from high quality stainless steel for a sleek classic look, both glass door and solid door versions are available. The annealed stainless steel interior and bright lighting gives a clear finish, creating the perfect backdrop for bottles and cans.

To withstand heat, the new coolers have a beefed up refrigeration system, extra insulation and double-glazed glass doors.

The bar coolers can also be made for higher ambient temperatures up to 40 degree celsius on special request. To accommodate different layouts and requirements, the coolers are available in two and three door versions. MGPRO also offers a matching glass froster with one front opening door.

The coolers are energy efficient and keep drinks at a steady temperature of two-six degree celsius. The lockable doors ensure security when the cooler is not in use.

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March 1-15, 2015

Bevrage Coolers That Beat The Heat New bar fridges from MGPRO are happy to work out in the midday sun.

AAHAR 2015: Stand 52 C and D in Hall no 10, Pragati maidan, New Delhi, 10th to 14th March 2015.

A big issue with bottle coolers in outdoor locations is that they just don't work - the sun is too hot. MGPRO has launched a range of Bottle coolers and Multi-deck (grab & go) coolers designed specifically to cope with the heat - in fact, they'll operate in ambient temperatures of up to 30째C.

d nte Wa s andlers e Sal e Dea c i v Ser

Hema House, Chandawarkar road, Borivali West, Mumbai 400092, Maharashtra, India.

Email: sales@hapl.co.in / mukeshganjawalla@yahoo.com | Tel. +91 22 28959893 / 9894 Visit us on WWW.MGPRO.IN, http:// www.indiamart.com/hapl

F&B FOCUS

AAHAR 2015

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

S P E C I A L

Looking good to eat New tools are available for chefs to present their dishes, so that they look as good as they taste, says hotelier Arjun Abbi

O

nce an ambiguous manufacturer and exporter of stainless steel tableware products for international metal ware brands, Skyra has become the latest style in banquets and catering. The company has ignited the market with trend-setting snack service, food presentation, live cooking and warming stations.

It has made the dull segment of buffet, suddenly very exciting. So what is the next big step for this New Delhi based disruptor? Skyra Professional is betting huge on the tableware market in the Indian hospitality sector. The company recently invested millions of dollars to upgrade their manufacturing facility in Faridabad, Haryana. They are using proprietary NASA space shuttle coatings on their chafing dishes to improve its durability and life. For 2015, they have prepared an exhaustive line of induction cooking and serving pans, mini tapas-style small wares, revolutionary vertical buffet setups, cordless food warming systems and other innovative dishes that will completely shake down the foodservice industry. Right from breakfast buffet to fusion fine-dining, the industry needs to carefully observe new product trends.

F&B service in India is in a confused place. Indian cuisine has a very strong identity. It is prepared in its own unique way, using traditional ingredients and techniques. Even other cuisines such as Chinese

Arjun Abbi

The company has ignited the market with trend-setting snack service, food presentation, live cooking and warming stations. It has made the dull segment of buffet, suddenly very exciting or Continental are tweaked ‘Indian style’ with some desi innovations. It is only natural that we Indians require food to be cooked to our preferred flavour and temperature, even if it may be served differently elsewhere. Now the confusion sets in when Indian hotels and restaurants attempt to use products from European and American brands for their food service. It doesn’t quite

26 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

work. For example, westerners eat a lot of their starters chilled or at room temperatures. They do not have the habit of being served snacks and generally walk over to pick them up from the cocktail tables. And the European tableware brands develop their products accordingly.

They do not have warm food display and snack servers in their portfolio. To create a

snack server, a banquet will generally throw a bunch of table top items such as a toothpick holder, napkin holder, name tag holder, platter etc. on top of a tray and serve.

In New Delhi area, something like this is called a ‘jugaard’.

Trying hard to connect arbitrary items and organise a temporary solution. It is awkward and really not professional. It has too many moving

parts and just does not come together like the favours of their food that is being served within. It does no justice to the delicacy of Indian cuisine and has no identity.

Skyra Professional Tableware has aligned with a number of F&B industry experts in India. Their consultation panel includes hotel, restaurant and catering entrepreneurs, F&B directors and celebrity chefs. The experts work with the Skyra design team to identify issues in professional foodservice and ideate on suitable solutions. The spectrum of discussion is large, from retaining food at the right temperature and texture, to breaking the monotony of tables and commercial gastronome dishes. The panel address’s back house related issues of maintenance, stack ability, logistics and real third world problems such as electric consumption, generator loads, labour training and ease of setup. Local F&B requirements and challenges are different from Europe and the products

F&B FOCUS

AAHAR 2015

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

need to be built accordingly.

The Skyra design team then initiates a six-month innovation programme to develop new collections of products that can address the gaps identified. The designs are aligned for practicality in manufacturing by Skyra R&D Engineers and the prototypes are created accordingly. The F&B expert panel reviews these initial models and suggests tuning in various ways. The process continues through the year until final versions are developed annually in December. The team prepares for large-scale manufacturing and launches the items with instock availability at the AAHAR Show each year.

While the practices to design products based on industry issues is good, Skyra’s greatest achievement has been in creating worldclass manufacturing processes and techniques. Skyra’s core business since the last 55 years has been in production of tableware items for major brands overseas.

These brands have worked with Skyra for over five decades to improve technology and systems by transferring knowledge of the latest in stainless steel manufacturing and hand-holding the company to new heights.

They do this so that Skyra can build world-class products for them. The partnerships have been very strong and it has enabled Skyra to have the best international understanding of high-quality manufacturing. For 2015, Skyra has incorporated state-of-art laser fabrication systems and PVD Coating technology, a finishing technology that has originally been invented by NASA for use on their spaceship reflective panels. Skyra is able to leverage these advantages in its own brand and create high-quality innovative products that are designed according to Indian cuisine and Indian behaviour.

The Indian F&B sector is in need of products that meet the requirements of local challenges that are unique to India. It is a fact that some-

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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March 1-15, 2015

times our banquet hall generator sets cannot take the load of over 50 induction heaters together, or that our labour does not have the necessary education to handle complex modular equipment. We cannot always make do with

S P E C I A L

items that are designed for western countries and we require innovations that meet our needs. Skyra Professional tableware has created such products that address our issues and they have used the necessary manufacturing

technology to make its quality world-class. Whether it is a bistro, bar or lounge, that is serving Indian, Chinese, Continental or multi-cuisine, Skyra Professional Tableware can meet their service requirements with style.

The author is a hotelier, restaurateur and caterer.

He owns and operates the Holiday Inn Jaipur and Vikram Hotel Group, 24hr Lounge and Cafe 1440, QSR outlet Wokstar and Catering service Asian Haus

BAKERY FOCUS

AAHAR 2015

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

S P E C I A L

TASTE VS TRADITION Indians, as a whole, are deeply rooted to the traditions of their families and their cultures. And nowhere is this more evident than in their palates. While they may be willing to push the boundaries of their gastronomic experience, the comfort food will continue to be home cooked traditional dishes served up in their kitchens over generations

T

he recently conducted Taste/Tomorrow survey by Puratos Global proved this to hold true across the world.

Traditional cuisines are future proof even though consumers are keen to try innovative techniques, nouvelle cuisines and sample new recipes, and try out different food variations.

Food variation takes on many different routes and one such route is food assimilation, which is copying food from other culinary cultures and trying to prepare it as authentically as possible.

Food variation is also about food adaptation, adapting a new or foreign product to produce an old favourite with a twist. Peanut butter macarons in the US is an example of this. The idea is that people like to be surprised, while visually the food looks familiar, the taste leaves them pleasantly surprised.

Food variation can also include food integration. It is about integrating and slightly adapting ingredients from other cultures, often leading to food fusion. It is that subtle twist in the preparation of

the food or in the introduction of new ingredients that makes people curious. And, that again, appeals to their hunger for variety in food experiences.

So depending on the food culture, the tradition and heritage of a country or a region, food will be adapted to local needs, integrated in country-specific recipes or assimilated without change.

People will adapt, integrate or assimilate new food based on where they live and their food traditions. Food innovation will lie in offering variation, pairing tradition with innovation, and respecting

28 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

the cultural food style of each country (assimilation, integration or adaptation). And Puratos India will be focusing on this very theme of Tradition vs Innovation.

Traditionally innovative The future of food innovation in terms of bread, patisserie, pastry and chocolate will lie in its variation. While consumers crave different flavours, different ingredients or different food structures, they are unhappy to move completely away from old favourites like chocolate or vanilla. In an effort to please consumers who are

BAKERY FOCUS

AAHAR 2015

A MARKETING INITIATIVE

S P E C I A L

craving that ‘something’ different, companies will now have to offer variations to their customers while keeping within the confines of something familiar.

Puratos has built a range of products that combine this need for something new with the nostalgia for the good old days. It has captured the idea that tradition is future-proof and that it provides a solid foundation for future innovation. In keeping with the theme of Tradition vs Innovation, Puratos has introduced a new category of products that allows bakers to innovate while holding that familiar taste of yesterday.

O-tentic Durum is a convenient solution for creating breads with a distinct taste of yesteryear in a secure easy package. O-tentic Durum finds use in all bread variations from the simple loaf to

the ciabatta, from the snacking to crisp bread-rusk. For the discerning Indian palate, Puratos has introduced Easy Curry Masala - a Bread Mix for snacking purposes which has a pleasant mouth feel.

The new Vivafil, fillings prepared with fruit puree contains more than 20 per cent fruit. These new generation ready-to-use filling is freeze – thaw stable and is bake stable as well. Vivafil can be used in products ranging from laminated doughs, cakes, sweet bakery products to soft biscuits. Vivafil is available in strawberry, mango and kiwi variants.

Decorfil, which are glazes with a combination of colour and flavour, offers a perfect finish and enhanced taste to mousse, cream cakes.

Decorfil comes in strawberry, orange, pineapple, blueberry, melon and neutral variants.

VIVAFIL

O-TENTIC

EASY CURRY MASALA

Enjoy the smooth Feeling

Authentic specialties, traditional taste

Enjoy the authentic Indian Spices

DECORFIL

HARMONY MOONLIGHT

TEGRAL CHOUX MIX

Colours that create magic

Dress your breads in shine

French perfection

In an effort to provide a bakery glaze without egg, Puratos has introduced the Harmony Moonlight - Glaze. This helps in giving a shiny finished look to bakery products such as croissants, milk rolls, etc. Tegral Sponge Cocoa & Tegral Sponge Cocoa Egg Free stays true to the Tegral tradition of providing a cost effective consistent premix.

These come with the light aerated texture, moist mouth feel and rich chocolate taste.

These premises find great use in innovative as well as traditional offerings like swiss rolls, cakes, snack cakes, etc.

As part of the renewed push in the fields of innovation, Puratos has also launched Tegral Choux Mix, that brings French connection on the table. As a base for creativity, it offers endless possibilities, giving chefs the freedom to innovate.

Puratos India brings in new launches for bakery, patisserie and chocolate applications

AND MANY MORE...

Visit us at our stand at Aahar, Images are for representation purpose only

Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

Date:10th -14th March 2015.

Hall No.:18 ; Stand No.: 18F - 01.

Email: info@puratosindia.com, Website: www.puratos.in

SPA & WELLNESS

Airport spas are taking off With travelling becoming a part of everyday life, the demand for leisure activities at airports is on the rise. Hence a lot of spa and wellness companies are opening outlets at airports to enhance the travelling experience for passengers

By Archana Sharma

I

N TODAY'S times, better transport accessibility and affordability as well as smarter planning tools and technology have simplified the process of travel for individuals. Existing and emerging technology such as

smartphones and biometric scanning can soon turn airports into well-designed, stress-free areas. Airports, especially in Asia and the Middle East, are more integrated into the fabric of cities and are therefore becoming more con-

30 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

textualised and reflective of the local environment. Airports from around the globe are now hosting civic events and entertainment as well as layovers and business meetings.

People are saving time

and money by taking advantage of services and amenities that airports have been adding in recent years. Facilities like salon and spas are no longer synonymous with hotels and resorts, as airports worldwide are increasingly in-

Mohan Limbu

SPA & WELLNESS

corporating sophisticated spa centres within their premises for passenger relaxation and rejuvenation. According to the SpaFinder Wellness 365 report, one of the spa and wellness trends for 2015 is that the new travel ritual treatments and other fitness and wellness experiences are done right at arrival, or en route at airports, to fight jetlag or to kick-start productivity. It also states that the spa and wellness explosion at airports will continue to take off. “Spa services at airports works quite different from other spas.

For instance, a traveller has very less time at hand while on the go, hence they look for quick relaxation to refresh themselves,� opines Mohan Limbu, country head, Plaza Premium Lounge, India.

Presently, Plaza Premium Lounges are present at 13 outlets among three Indian airport locations - New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and the company is actively looking at expanding its footprint in India.

Globally, it is present in more than 120 locations in 31 international airports.

Spa services at airports works quite different from other spas. For instance, a traveller has very less time at hand while on the go, hence they look for quick relaxation to refresh themselves FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

31

March 1-15, 2015

Relaxing quotient The Indian wellness industry has witness tremendous growth over the last few years and is estimated to grow at an annual average rate of 20 per cent. Apart from the traditional spa outlets in metros, the industry is expanding to Tier II cities as well and also

SPA & WELLNESS

other avenues like malls, airports, etc, which are all contributing to the growth of the industry. “With travelling becoming a part of everyday life, the demand for leisure activities at airports is on the rise.

Hence be it a leisure traveller or a business traveller, one is looking for relaxation and entertainment while travelling, hence a lot of airports are introducing spas to enhance the travelling experience for passengers,” mentions Limbu.

The spas at Plaza Premium Lounges offer various massages to tackle travel ailments such as Swedish massage, aroma therapy, foot reflexology, dry massage, to name a few, as they believe that it is important to develop therapies based on the traveller’s requirements and on the best way to serve them. “Spa is part of our ancillary service at our lounges as we want to create a cocoon for our guest to completely relax oneself. We get a considerable number of guests using the services and it is definitely on the rise since we first introduced the service,” adds Limbu.

Since spa therapists are well trained in human body anatomy which helps them understand the stress points of the traveller, it allows them to provide instant relief and relaxation to the guest. “When at Plaza Premium Lounge, one should definitely try our foot reflexology which soothes the jet leg feet instantly. Also the full body Swedish massage is for people who are looking forward to complete pampering,” suggests Limbu.

With over 42 outlets in India and an outlet in Fujairah, UAE, O2 Spa deals with over 500 customers on an average.

“There is huge demand of spas at airports. The offers at the spas may attract those who travel in flights regularly,” states Syed Adnan Pervez (Adnan), digital marketing head, O2 Spa. The company offers different massages and therapies like deep tissue, aromatherapy, Thai massage, candle

Spa has always been considered a woman driven indulgence, but, we see more men pampering themselves, maybe, it has to do with the fact that there are more male travellers than females massage, 4 Hands Massage, etc along with a welcome drink, hot shower, etc. Also, steam, salon services and couple rooms are available at a few select locations.

Believing in well trained

32 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

therapists, good infrastructure, great services Pervez says that the spa and massage rooms should be well kept as the traveller can only enjoy the services when the ambience is right.

Changing trends As Indian travellers are becoming more affluent, the demand for good service is definitely on the rise. Limbu believes, “As a result of increasing demand, a lot of spas

have opened up at various airports over the few years. When we first opened our lounges in India offering spas, we did not have many takers, but increasingly the numbers have doubled significantly. We can see a lot of growth in future.”

Talking about the recent change observed in the demographic for spa facilities, Limbu points out, “Spa has always been considered a woman driven indulgence, but, we see more men pampering themselves, maybe, it has to do with the fact that there is more male travellers than females.

Travellers above 25 avail more spa services then their younger counterpart.” Even Pervez believes that people above 25 frequent the spa more often and usually they are ones who avail the airport spa facilities.

The perception is that the more time one has, the more likely one will avail such services while travelling but Limbu observes that usually more business travellers avail spa services than leisure travellers at airports. Adding to the same, Pervez says that business travellers choose body massage services more often than leisure travellers.

Talking about the challenges faced by lounges and spas at high security areas like airports, Limbu mentions, “Since airport is a sensitive area, there are a lot of tools which are not allowed to be used which curbs the service offerings. Also the constraints on large space at airports doesn't allow for a lavish setup.” However, he believes that the spa setup is almost the same everywhere but its the maturity of the industry which comes to play in such facilities. “The spa and massage industry in India is still at a nascent stage and is not fully developed yet, hence it is considered a luxury product.

However, at the global level, it has become part of everyday life. And even here the trends are changing and there will be more demand in future,” he predicts.

INTERIORS & DESIGN

BEAUTY ON THE WALLS Hotels in India are increasingly moving away from plain and simple wall finishes to the bold and beautiful ones that are highly functional and environment-friendly

By Rituparna Chatterjee

W

all finishes have always been silent contributors to crafting the overall experience for hotel guests.

They not only elevate the guests’ mood but also provide a feeling of home away from home. In recent times many hotels are seen opting for bolder colours, textures, patterns and finishes. “In the past couple of years, we have noticed that the hotel industry in India has become experimentative and bold to a certain extent when it comes to having a feature wall or a brighter shade, etc,” mentions Yatnesh Pandey, chief manager - marketing, Kansai Nerolac. Interestingly, it is the local hotels in Tier II and Tier III cities who are seen experimenting more with bolder and brighter wall finishes. “International hotel chains yet prefer to maintain their standards for the décor, including wall finishes, while local hotels, especially in Tier II and Tier III cities are more creative with regards to textures, paints, etc since their focus is to ensure better footfall/check-in and better visibility in the market,” adds Prem Nath, principal architect and CEO, Prem Nath & Associates.

Yatnesh Pandey

Prem Nath

Geetha Sudesh

Rajiv Rajgopal

shades and hence the colour tones of reds and magentas combined with backdrops of golden, grey and browns are best recommended. As for the rooms, physically soothing colours such as pink, peaches and pale blues are still popular options for standard bedrooms,” mentions Pandey, adding that, orange is a colour that symbolises energy and fun. The more lighter the shades in orange like peaches and coral, the more soothing

they are; the more you move towards the brighter tones of orange, the more sensual they become and this is quite an attractive quality to have in select bedrooms. Coral, salmon and other versions of orange work well for a bedroom as well as for restaurants. Combined with its complementary colour blue, orange can create a very classy combination. Besides the traditional colours, metallic paints and textures, used selec-

tively in spaces, can add a rich quality to a room.

Apart from colour palettes, patterns and textures also need to work in synthesis to create a perfect visual experience for hotel guests. “Patterns tend to be large-scale and often geometric in urban areas and organic in resort areas. Less pattern, more colour and texture have become the norm for hotel brands.

Guests usually have more time for exploring their senses and

this is probably why hotel brands are easily letting go of visually upsetting patterns and embracing texture instead,” reveals Geetha Sudesh, director of services, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre and Courtyard by Marriott Hyderabad. To create a perfect visual ambience, the hotel's public spaces have been done up with spectrum paint, a textured wall finish which offers textures in myriad colours and are not just

Colour me bright Colour palettes are a significant part of wall finishes and it is important to choose the right hue and shade to create the right kind of mood. In a hotel, different colour palettes are applicable to different spaces. “For instance, for a soothing lush effect for spas, we recommend refreshing green hues, accents of warm deep greens, lush forest greens.

Whereas for spaces like bars and pubs, they need to have more vivid, bright, vibrant and peppy

34 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

INTERIORS & DESIGN decorative, but are also durable, economical and adaptable to diverse climatic and varied surface conditions. “For rooms and corridors we have used wall fabric as they are easy to clean and maintain and are also fire retardant,” adds Sudesh.

Technologically rich Considering the high amount of wear and tear hotel walls' experience, paint companies are increasingly focusing on new, innovative paints that offer beauty along with durability. For instance, Dulux Superclean from the house of AkzoNobel India. “This technological breakthrough innovation has been voted as the ‘Product of the Year 2014’ in the paints category.

Owning to its features of washability, superior stain protection and enhanced anti-fungal properties, this a fitting paint for high footfall places such as restaurants or hotels,” suggests Rajiv Rajgopal, director, decorative business, AkzoNobel India.

Last year Kansai Nerolac had introduced HD paints, the first range of premium interior emulsions in India. “It makes the colours on the walls look far brighter and cleaner than any other standard emulsion. The rich colours and fine quality of the paints beautifies the ambience of the room,” reveals Pandey. The technology behind the HD effect of Nerolac Impressions is the Micro Embedded Brightness Boosters (MEBB).

“MEBB are the finest grades of extenders which are achieved from careful processing of the solid constituent and are added to the paint base. On addition of colour pigments MEBB gets locked in the colour particles and produces visibly brighter and cleaner colours along with high opacity making the colours on the substrate look a notch above the colours produced by standard paints. It also enlivens the colours, thus, making it truly HD,” he adds.

Back to nature As guests become more environmentally and socially aware about their choices, hoteliers are incorporating many sustainable products including low VOC paints into their hotel

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decor. “We have eco-friendly products as a lot of hotels nowadays opt for them for their interiors. Our Impressions Eco Clean range is popular since the time it was launched in 2011.

Apart from being eco-friendly its key features include odourless paint with low VOC, superior stain resistance quality and excellent washability. As for exterior paints, we have Excel Total which has low VOC. It is a tech-

nologically advanced exterior paint that is specially designed for application in extreme tropical conditions of high rainfall, humidity and heat. It is formulated with Japanese technology of Weather Defense Formula, which delivers all the important consumer benefits of excellent dust resistance and high water repellency,” explains Pandey.

Though the price difference between standard emulsion and

eco-friendly paints is about 10-15 per cent, the demand for low VOC paints will continue to grow among hotels. “One of the trends that I see in the future is that hotels will move to more eco-friendly materials for wall finishes. There will also be a greater emphasis on using products or accents that are locally sourced,” predicts Sudesh. Giving a different perspective, Nath opines, “Contrary to the current

trends – the future is white. And by saying white one doesn’t mean dull and boring – but different finishes of white, with wash of coloured LED lights.

There is nothing as beautiful as a pearl, and the trend of pearl white has already started, with many products offering the whitest white shade in their product range, be it flooring, laminates, veneers, wall finishes, textures, and so on.”

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36 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

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THE MAIN FOCUS

AAHAR 2015 S P E C I A L

REINVENTING THE TEACULTURE Leading hotels across the country are offering exclusive tea experiences to both residential and non-residential guests, in an ambience that befits the special place that tea holds in most Indian hearts

By Sudipta Dev

A

S ONE OF the world's largest tea growing nations and and the second largest consumer, tea for the Indian palate is as familiar as water. The recent years have however seen a growing interest among the new age consumers, both the cognescenti and commoners alike, who want to explore the many nuances of tea, beyond the ubiquitous chai. The hospitality sector has been at the forefront of creating awareness and interest by providing unique tea experiences to its guests, which also resonate with the local cultural and social influences.

Unique experience Serving tea in many cultures is a ritual. It is both a craft and a sensory pleasure. Leading hotel companies have tried to reinvent the allure of a tea experience, not only by serving an extensive varieties of tea, but by creating an exclusive ambience and refined service quality. At The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata, the overall ambience of the Tea Lounge adds to the value of the whole experience for guests. “When we serve our tea we ensure that you

Chinese Tea at Golden Dragon, Taj Coromandel

Leading hotel companies have tried to reinvent the allure of a tea experience, by creating an exclusive ambience and refined service quality FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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Exclusive tea experience at The LaLit Great Eastern Kolkata

first drink it through your eyes, so we use see through cups, the strength of the tea is a personal choice so we offer a brewing timer with options of three, four and five minutes brew,” says Subhojit Sengupta, food & beverage manager, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata, adding that, for titbits the chefs have engineered ‘The Lalit Great Eastern Hi Tea’ which is the typical English HiTea, Kolkata’s ‘Jolkhabar’ the Bengali hi-tea and the most exclusive ‘The Lalit Great Eastern Champagne Hi-Tea’. The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata also promotes tea tourism. The property has tied up with Goomtee Tea estate and anybody who wants to experience life on a tea estate can stay there.

The tea served ranges from the property's very own The Great Eastern Darjeeling and The Great Eastern Assam to several flushes of single estate teas like Makaibari, Castleton, etc. "In total we serve 32 varieties of teas. We also serve the famous and mysterious Silver Needle white tea. For the flavoured tea lovers we have a range from Jasmine pearl, rose to our very own Indian Masala Chai," mentions Sengupta.

Pointing out that people in Kolkata have a passion for tea, Sengupta believes that it is not only the taste an experience for

Kamaljit Singh

Cutting Chai at Alila Diwa Goa

Alok Anand

them. "Our tea menu is unique where you can actually see the samplers of the teas in a wooden box. If they come up with something they don’t know, they will ask questions and try the differ-

38 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

ent flavours and gradually become familiar to the taste," he informs. He feels that Indians should be much more conscious and proud about the country's tea. “If the Scots are so proud about their Highlands, why don’t we take pride in mentioning about our own Makaibari Darjeeling. The Silver Tip Imperial from Makaibari was sold at US$ 1850 per kg at the world auction, costliest ever. We need to educate our people more by doing more tea tasting sessions,” states Sengupta.

Exclusive selections In Chennai, the exclusivity of the tea experience offered at the iconic Taj Coromandel is a great attraction for both residential and non-residential guests. The exhaustive Tea Bar at Golden Dragon and Tea Lounge at the lobby at Taj Coromandel offer the finest teas from across the world for tea aficionados in the city. “These teas are the most exclusive selections, stored, brewed and served with care and finesse. The charming Tea Lounge offers the finest blends of teas. Guests can enjoy their favourite pot of steaming hot tea or a cup of hot Coromandel blend and laze away the afternoons catching up with friends,” says Alok Anand, executive chef, Taj Coromandel, Chennai.

The high tea buffet includes Coromandel High Tea and Champagne High Tea. Adding more fun to the evening is a scrumptious spread of scones, pastries and savories.

Paired with authentic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine at Golden Dragon, the menu at Tea Bar is expertly designed to complement each course of the meal.

A tea hostess guides the guest to the bar and invites him or her to experience tea service. “The exhaustive list at Tea Bar includes appetisers for the culinary senses like Green Tea with

Pineapple and Apricot (bits of apricot and pineapple in green tea make this a unique blend) and Green and White Tea with Peach and Camomile (peach bits blended with Camomile flowers, green tea and white tea),” mentions Anand, pointing out that there is also Green Tea with Madagascar Vanilla (akin to sipping a vanilla-flavoured brandy with your meal!) and the enduring Chinese Green Tea with Sweet Jasmine accentuates the flavours of the meal and is best had with the maincourse. According to him, Green Tea with Franconian Peppermint makes for perfect meal companion, while High Grown Floral Oolongs are well known for their unique digestive and delicate crisp flavour.

Interestingly, for tea connoisseurs, Tea Bar offers the Monkey Pick, an alluring taste and fresh orchid aroma picked by monkeys in remote regions of China. Aromatic Pearls is a slightly heavier tea, with a golden brandy-like colour and smoothness of tea, which accompanies a lavish Chinese meal.

“Besides those that complement your meal, there are some specialised teas that are to be savoured after a meal. Chun Tea with Ginseng and Citrus is one such unique tea which does not allow the meal to tire you out,

( and is had as a post-dining beverage, as is Silver Needle Tea – a perfect finale to a satisfying meal, enriched with a delicate honey-like sweetness. And for the pure green tea lover, Green Silk Tea with its silk-like leaves result in a sweet brew – it is a good digestive, best had after the meal,” states Anand.

The Tea Bar also offers gourmet teas like the Aromatic White Tea and Fortune Ball with Lotus. There is also the Pu-erh, which is a mild earthy red tea grown in the Yunan province, with special fermentation and is one tea that, according to Anand, is highly recommended after a meal.

The Tea Lounge serves the quintessential high tea for `500, plus taxes, and is a welcome respite for many non-residential guests. Talking about the growing awareness, Anand mentions that guests can now discern between a plain Jasmine tea and an Aromatic White Tea. They are also more acceptable to pairing teas with different courses of the menu as it is done at Golden Dragon.

of teas in different flavours available through its beverage menu in restaurant and in-room dining menu.

Rahul Korgaokar, director, Food & Beverage, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa avers that it is usually the international trav-

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ellers (Indians and foreigners alike) who have a good knowledge of tea (having learnt through their travels) and expect to be offered fine quality tea. Goa Marriott offers the exclusive 'Dilmah T Series' - a fine hand crafted tea blend from Sri

Lanka. “Owing to the receptivity towards these teas, we are now also in talks with other companies to explore a better range of tea experiences for our guests,” adds Korgaokar.

Tea, feels Korgaokar, is now potentially gaining as much im-

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portance as wine. “A fine hotel is expected to have fine food, fine wine as well as a selection of fine tea and coffee. So yes, having a good selection of tea does indeed add value to the experience of a guest in our property,” he concludes.

30 YEARS 1984-2014

Destination experience In an effort to provide a differentiated destination experience, Alila Diwa Goa offers a high tea concept called the Chai Gaddo in the Main Wing of the resort and Chai Paani at the Diwa Club Wing. “Guests can experience a variety of chaats, home-made cookies like the Goan ‘Bolinha’ and other snacks made at the resort served with a cup of ‘cutting chai’ or coffee at The Vivo Lawns,” says Kamaljit Singh, executive assistant manager, Alila Diwa Goa. The experience is chargeable to the Main Wing guests and complimentary to the Club guests.

This experience is primarily for residential guests. “It provides a local destination experience to our international guests as they get to experience the much famed Indian street food whereas for our domestic guests, they are pleasantly surprised to find something close to home and heart in Goa,” says Singh. Only Masala Chai is served at the Chai Gaddo, though the hotel has a selection

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HOSPITALITY DIVISION

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THE PERFECTCUPPA The `15000 crore Indian tea industry has been steadily growing at 40-50 per cent, and as customers are becoming more discerning, tea companies are catering to their demands by introducing various flavours adding a twist to their tea preferences

By Kahini Chakraborty

A

HE QUINTESSENTIAL 'chai pe charcha' is one agenda that still continues to be an eagerly awaited session by Indians. First thought of as the drink of the royals, tea has indeed become the favourite of the common man as India leads the world in tea drinking. According to history, tea drinking culture in India which dates back to as old as 750 BC has its share of many milestones. Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri are the most famous Indian teas across the world, followed by Kangra and Munnar. At the macroeconomic level, as lifestyle preferences are changing rapidly among consumers, the demand for premium products in the market has increased. On retail shelves, the traditional kadak chai, masala chai and value pack CTC are making room for green and flavoured teas. While on the consumption side, the tea drinking culture has seen minor changes, both in the home and institutional spaces.

At home, the trend is towards increased use of tea bags and out of home, savouring the brew in tea lounges and swanky kiosks is getting trendy. Market leaders like Tata Global Beverages, Wagh Bakri, Hindustan Unilever have seen the demand and are either introducing new varients or operating tea lounges.

“The tea sector in India is a traditional zone where the production and marketing is de-

pendent on the auction system prevalent in different cities of India,” says Rishit Patel, director, Variety Foods, adding that recently, the marketing of tea has taken to the tea lounges/tea kiosks and though the market is nascent, it is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. According to the Tea Board of India, and as per an ORG India study report, the consumption of tea in India in 2012-13 was approximately 890 million kg. The total export of tea from

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India from January to December 2013 was 211.86 million kg which brought in revenue of `4211.49 crore. “India is the largest producer of black tea as well as the largest consumer of tea in the world. Currently, India produces 23 per cent of total world production and consumes about 21 per cent of total world consumption of tea – nearly 80 per cent of the tea produced is consumed within India. Over the last 20 years, India’s world ranking as an exporter has come down

Rishit Patel

Vikram Grover

( from number one to number four, in the face of stiff competition from Sri Lanka, Kenya and China,” says Ragesh Keisham, chairman and managing director, The SuiGeneris.

Tea, which has been traditionally paired with biscuits is also seeing some novel pairings - masala tea with bun maska, Chamomile tea with muffins, green tea with salads, Darjeeling tea with egg varieties/ creamy desserts.

Tea lounges India could see a trend of more tea lounges opening up in the future. Ahmedabad-based Variety Food Products Distribution is planning to open 50 tea lounges

by December 2015, with an aim to fill in the void of organised tea lounges and establish a major market share. Presently VarieTea lounges are present in Ahmedabad, Surat and Baroda.

For their expansion, the company is looking at Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Rishit Patel, director, Variety Food says, “The capital investment proposed for the tea lounges is `55 crore and `20 crore for setting up logistics, warehousing and back up support infrastructure. On an average the tea lounges would have 80-85 covers. The lounges will be principally owned in order to maintain consistency and quality. Franchising option will of course be considered, if they meet the criteria.” He opines, “There is definitely a trend for more number of tea lounges in the future, as India is traditionally a tea drinking nation. The growth is expected to be exponential. With newer varieties of teas entering the market, the consumer is now spoilt for choice. Tea is a beverage catering to all age groups and income groups.”

Elaborating on the current market size of the tea industry in India and the expected growth rate, Patel opined, “The current market size of branded tea is nearly `9500 crore. The expected growth rate for this sector is about five per cent. However, the lounge market, as per the consumer requirement 5,000 cafes/ lounges are re-

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quired to fulfill the current Indian market trend. There are currently 1500 cafes / lounges operating which are national/ regional, out of which 1250 cafes/ lounges opened within a period of last five years.”

After opening their flagship

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outlet of Tea Trails in Thane's Viviana mall and the second in Bandra BKC, entrepreneurs Uday Mathur and Kavita Mathur are scouting for more locations in Mumbai for expanding the brand. Tea Trails, a venture of Zone8 Tea World, will

soon open at Malad Hypercity and Bandra. Uday Mathur, proprietor, Tea Trails informed, “We are upbeat with the response from customers so far and are looking at establishing 15 outlets in Mumbai itself in the next six months and then will

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look at other locations across the country. We could open outlets in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi by next year. We will be expanding our reach in a controlled manner and intend to have different formats in Mumbai and then perfect ourselves before entering

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other markets. Currently we offer 50 varieties of teas in our menu along with food, pairing it with different tea varieties. This we think differentiates us from the other tea lounges in the market.” The capital investment done to launch Tea Trails in Mumbai has been approximately ` two crore. “Going forward we are looking at establishing 500 outlets in India. We will also look at adopting the franchising model for our expansion.

With our focus being on providing unique tea experiences, we will be continuously adding new offerings on our menu. Our target audience is customers in the age group of 25-35 years. As today’s consumers are open to experimenting tea, we see a huge scope for providing special blends to the market. Going further, we also plan to venture into retailing teas by next month,” he added.

When asked about the current tea market growth in India and estimated growth, he opines, “The tea production in India grew by seven per cent last year. The market for tea lounges, the space in which Tea Trails operates is nascent. If the coffee cafe growth seen in the last few

With the urban Indian travelling worldwide more, appreciation of different flavours of tea has developed and Indians are experimenting with exotic varieties like chamomile, white tea, etc years is to be the benchmark, the market is expected to double from the current levels by 2017 and reach a value of `2,000 crore.”

Growing market For Twinings, India is one of the top five growth markets. The company that has about 35 per cent market share in the premium and super premium teabag category in the country is looking at increasing its business in India five-fold in the next five years. India is the third largest tea sourcing country for Twinings, after China and Kenya. The company is a big buyer of Darjeeling and Assam teas and is increasingly buying tea from the Nilgiris. Twinings is part of Associated British Foods. The range of teas in the India market include Earl Grey, Lemon, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Green

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Tea, etc. “On the global scale at the moment if we measure the success through the annual growth rate then India will appear in the top five. If we assess the overall volume of business done here then it is not in the top five, yet. But our business is certainly growing here and India will move up the rankings very fast. We have introduced a good starting range of teas in India and we need to add to that,” mentions Stephen Twining, scion and the 10th generation descendent of the Twinings tea family.

Twining also believes that tea is the world's biggest drink after water but it is undervalued. “It deserves high prices. We don't apologise for our prices as we spend more money buying great tea,” he states adding that the company constantly looks at teas from around the world and

what flavours people want.

Twinings never uses any artificial flavours. “Tea is such a natural gift from nature. There are more natural flavours becoming available which means we have the opportunity to create more flavoured teas.”

Adding flavour If something is familiar even though it is new, then half the battle is already won. That could be seen as the reason behind why the new leaf has captured our attention faster than the coffee bean. “Different flavours of tea have been in use in different parts of the world. With the urban Indian travelling worldwide more, appreciation of different flavours of tea has developed and Indians are experimenting with exotic varieties like chamomile, white tea, flowering tea, organic tea etc,” opines Pa-

tel. The preferred flavours among Tetley's green tea range include: honey-lemon, aloe vera and regular green. Typhoo offers flavours like orange, moroccan mint, jasmine, lemongrass while Lipton offers jasmine, lemon, honey etc. Boutique blenders like Neetu Sarin of Tea Of Life use real fruits and flowers in their blends. Several brands and blenders have gone a step further, taking tea out of the equation, to offer herbal blends that you brew just like tea. Tea patriots have remained loyal to the beverage despite the emergence of cafes and coffee bars over the last decade. “India could see a trend of more tea lounges opening up in the future as India is traditionally a tea drinking nation. The growth is expected to be exponential. With newer varieties of teas entering the market, the consumer is now spoilt for choice. Tea is a beverage catering to all age and income groups,” affirms Patel. Seeing this potential in the market, his company, Variety Food Products Distribution is planning to open 50 tea lounges by December 2015, with an aim to fill the void of organised tea lounges and establish a major market share.

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CHARTING A'STRONG' GROWTH Presently holding the reputation of being one of the market leaders in the branded tea segment in India, Tata Global Beverages has almost 200 years of history and a heritage of consistent innovation and development

I

T ALL STARTED when Tata Finlay was set up as a joint venture between Tata Sons and the UK-based tea plantation company, James Finlay and Company in 1962. In 1983 ,Tata Tea was incorporated after James Finlay sold his shareholding to Tata. The company soon acquired Tetley in 2000 which was followed by a series of strategic acquisitions including Good Earth, Jemca, Vitax, Eight O’ Clock Coffee and Himalayan Water. Today Tata Global Beverages is an integrated beverage business that is strengthening its presence in the branded good-foryou beverages through innovation, strategic acquisition and organic growth. Tata Global Beverages unites the beverage interests of Tata under one umbrella. This step marked the next logical step of its evolution

from a history in plantations to becoming a marketing and brand focused organisation with a portfolio of strong consumer brands. Ajoy Misra, managing director and CEO, Tata Global Beverages, states, “We will focus on growing segments such as green tea, specialty teas, functional water and pods while continuing to strengthen our core markets and brands, based on key consumer trends. We remain committed to sustainable growth through innovation and strengthening our brands in key markets, in the face of a challenging market environment and economic volatility in some parts of the world.”

A green focus Tata Global Beverages contin-

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ues to strengthen its focus on the green tea category.

Presently, the company has a portfolio of green tea brands across consumer segments in India, with Tetley Green Tea and Tata Tea Acti Green. In the UK, the company recently launched a range of Tetley Super Green Teas in various flavours. They are the first functional green teas in the UK with proven health benefits. The range consists of Tetley Super Green Tea Immune with added vitamin C for immune system support and Tetley Super Green Tea Boost with vitamin B6 to reduce tiredness. The ‘Quality Cuppa’ campaign in UK showcased Tetley’s tea blending expertise and reinforced its credentials in delivering quality products.

In Canada, a premium line of specialty teas, called the Tetley Signature collection was launched in January this year.

This range is available in four flavours - High Tea ( black tea with vanilla), Keep Calm & Sip On (camomile, spearmint and orange), Mint To Be (peppermint, spearmint and apple mint), and Citrus Kiss (green tea with lemon and grapefruit).

Tetley is enjoyed in 70 countries worldwide and is the second largest tea brand globally. It is also the market leader in Canada. In the UK, Tetley is the brand leader in decaffeinated tea, and Tetley Green is the fastest-growing green tea brand. Innovations include the launch of Blend of Both in the UK, Infusions (a liquid real brew tea mix for water) in Canada,

and the latest product Chai Latte in Australia, which is an indulgent tea drink, made with real spices and is low in caffeine but high in taste.

Wide variety Tata Tea entered the India market more than 25 years ago and has now gained the reputation of being one of the market leaders in India with strong brands in its portfolio such as Tata Tea Gold, Tata Tea Premium, Kannan Devan, Chakra Gold, Agni and Gemini. Likewise, Good Earth has strengthened as a brand since its inception as a herbal and speciality tea business on the US west coast. It produces a wide range of premium teas, based on quality ingredients, and has a strong commitment to sustainability,

( brand in the Czech Republic with a strong portfolio of black, green and fruit and herbal teas.

Since 1945 Laager Rooibos, managed by Joekels Tea Packers has been one of South Africa's most popular rooibos

We will focus on growing segments like green tea, specialty teas, functional water and pods while strengthening our core markets producing a 100 per cent GM free range. The brand, which is synonymous with bold flavours, launched a marketing campaign that showcased the boldness of its products. The concept of 'Tea Untamed' was used to capture the essence of Good Earth by launching two tea flavors – Cocoa Tango and Sweetly Twisted.

Grand is one of Russia's leading beverage brands, known for its coffee and tea products. While Vitax is a wellestablished and well-recognised brand in Poland popular for its flavoured fruit and herbal teas, all blended with high quality ingredients. It is currently building market share in the green tea segment and strengthening its position in the fruit tea category. Jemca, started back in 1958 as a tea packhouse in the small South-Moravian town of Jemnice, 200 km south east of Prague, is now the leading tea

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(redbush) tea brands. It is the second largest selling brand in South Africa and recently launched their first Rooibos Cappuccino, and milk shake in instant form called Laager SHAKE4KIDZ.

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ASIPOFHEALTH Pegged at approximately `150 crore, the green tea market in India is growing strongly and steadily with demand coming in also from Tier II and Tier III cities and manufacturers increasingly focusing on launching new variants

C

H E A P, affordable and addictive – have been terms synonymous with tea from the time it ceased to be an elite drink of the royals to become an affordable drink of the common man. Green tea is one of the fastest growing segments of the global tea industry. It is prepared from the leaves of camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processes. The concept of green tea originated from China and later spread all over the world. Some of the popular Japanese green teas are sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, matcha, tencha, genmaicha and hojicha.

The journey of tea in India has indeed been fascinating and interesting. With rising health awareness, Indians who are majorly black tea drinkers, are now showing interest in green tea variants. Green tea is becoming an acquired cultural habit that is being driven by urban India's urge to stay fit.

Though presently green tea penetration in India is less than five per cent, however its demand is not just limited to metros and Tier I cities, but has also come to include Tier II and Tier III cities which have started consuming this drink on a regular basis. As a result of this growing penetration, the green tea market in India which is presently pegged at approximately `150 crore has been growing upwards 50 per cent year-on-year.

With urban Indian con-

sumers buying green tea for its many health-promoting benefits, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on making premium variants available in

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all retail channels, especially in modern grocery retail outlets.

For instance, consumers are spoilt for choice with tea products of companies such as Or-

ganic India, GAIA Herbs, Twinings, Typhoo, as well as big FMCG giants like Hindustan Unilever, Tata Global Beverages, who are either launch-

ing new variants or re-launching their green tea product range. Moreover, GAIA Herbs has also introduced green tea variants, namely cardamom, and honey and lime, to cater to an increasing number of health-conscious consumers in urban cities. International manufacturers are also expanding their presence in institutional channels, including hotels, to generate awareness of their premium brands.

Tetley, sold across 40 countries and a part of Tata Global Beverages, has six flavours in its green tea portfolio including ginger, mint, lemon, honey and lemon, citrus and spice, and aloe vera. The company enjoys a market share of 35-40 per cent. Though in the total tea revenues of Tata Global Beverages, green tea currently has a very small share vis-a-vis black tea, the company expects the green tea segment to contribute significantly in the coming years. And with the increasing emphasis on health and wellness, the potential for categories within tea is immense.

For Twinings, India is one of the top five growth markets.

The company, that has about 35 per cent market share in the premium and super premium teabag category in the country, is looking at increasing its business in India fivefold in the next five years. India is the third largest tea sourcing country for Twinings after China and Kenya.

The company is a big buyer of Darjeeling and Assam teas and is increasingly buying tea from the Nilgiris.

Twinings is part of Associated British Foods. Their range of green teas in the India market

( Asia Pacific contributes the largest market of green tea in the world. Apart from India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and China are growing markets of green tea in this region include green tea, green tea and lemon, green tea and mint, Earl Grey green tea, jasmine green tea and lemon and honey tea.

Also to stay ahead of the race, Wagh Bakri Tea Group has been offering one of the largest green tea ranges in India consisting of green tea, organic tea bags and regular green tea. The company also has different flavours across its green tea range like green tea mint and green tea tulsi and is currently working on expanding its green

tea range under its wellness category.

Apart from major Indian cities, Wagh Bakri Tea Group is also aggressively marketing its green tea products in Tier II and Tier III cities. Though at present, the company’s green tea revenue compared to normal CTC is negligible but in one to two years the green tea category is expected to comprise of 10 per cent of the company's overall sales.

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Global trend According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the overweight population is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2015 and growing healthcare costs in the US alone is expected to cross US$ 117 billion; all this is creating major opportunities for the growth in sale of weight management products such as green tea. Rising consumer awareness about the benefit of green tea in curing various diseases further triggers the global market of green tea.

Asia Pacific contributes the largest market of green tea in the world. Apart from India, countries like Hong

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Kong, Taiwan, Japan and China are growing markets of green tea in this region. Rising population and healthcare awareness is further expected to boost the green tea market in Asia Pacific. Europe is the fastest growing market for the green tea industry.

Major companies operating in the global green tea market are AMORE Pacific Corp, Arizona Beverage Company, Associated British Foods LLC, Cape Natural Tea Products, Celestial Seasonings, Finlays Beverages, Frontier Natural Products CoOp, Hambleden Herbs, Hankook Tea, Honest Tea, ITO EN, Kirin Beverage Corp, Metropolitan Tea Company, Northern Tea Merchants, Numi Organic Tea, Oishi Group Plc, Oregon Chai, PG Tips, Pukka Herbs, Qi Teas, The Kent Tea & Trading Company, The Republic Of Tea, The Stash Tea Company, Uncle Lee’s Tea and Yogi Tea.

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ON AGLOBALSTAGE A regulator for the tea industry in the country, the Tea Board of India is taking many initiatives for developing the sector in India and promoting it in the global arena

I

N THE WORLD after water, tea is the largest consumed beverage. India is the second largest producer and consumer of tea globally, after China and is also the fourth largest exporter. The history of Indian tea is marked by many key milestones.

Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri are the most famous Indian teas across the world, followed

by Kangra and Munnar. The Tea Board of India does many promotional activities in India and overseas for the promotion of Indian origin teas.

Indian tea has many competitors in the global tea market.

China, Kenya and Sri Lanka are the three main competitors.

Tea plantation is a vibrant industry and in India many families are dependent on the sector. Eighty per cent of the tea which India produces is consumed domestically while 20 per cent is exported around the globe. Out of this 20 per cent, 10 countries including Russia, UAE, Egypt, Japan, Germany and UK account for three - fourth of the exports.

Till the 1950s and 1960s, tea export used to be the biggest foreign exchange earner for India.

The industry is currently earning around `4000 - `4500 crore from foreign exchange. It is a labour intensive industry engaging more than 12 lakh farmers.

With head office located in Kolkata, Tea Board of India has 23 offices which include Zonal, Regional and Sub-Regional Offices located at Conoor, Jorhat,

New Delhi, Siliguri, Mumbai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Silchar, Kottayam, Guwahati, Darjeeling and other locations. It also maintains four Tea Bar/Buffets. The three overseas offices are located in London, Dubai and Moscow. These foreign offices take up various promotional initiatives to boost the export of Indian tea. These offices also act as a liaison office for interaction between importers of Indian tea and Indian exporters.

Darjeeling produces India's most celebrated tea. The world famous English Breakfast is blended from Assam tea. Tea in Assam is grown at almost sea level and is one of the finest black teas in the world. Nilgiri tea is aromatic and grows in the Blue Mountains of South India. It is also called the blender's tea. Kangra tea is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas. Tea is also grown in the tropical rainforests of Annamalai. In Wayanad, tea shares its habitat with wildlife.

Munnar is home to the highest growing tea in the world.

48 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

ABOUTTEA BOARD OF INDIA The Tea Board of India has wide functions and responsibilities under the direction of the central government. Briefly the primary functions of the Tea Board of India are: ■ Rendering financial and technical assistance for cultivation, manufacturing and marketing of tea.

■ Export promotion ■ Aiding research and development activities for augmentation of tea production and improvement of tea quality ■ Extend financial assistance in a limited way to the plantation workers and their wards through labour welfare schemes ■ To encourage and assist both financially and technically the unorganised small growers sector ■ Collection and maintenance of statistical data and publication ■ Such other activities as are assigned from time to time by the Central Government.

(Source: Tea Board of India)

cover )

SMELLTHE COFFEE With global exposure and changing Indian preferences, the ever increasing cafe houses in India are also transforming and providing varied offerings to their clientele

By Archana Sharma

W

ITH INCREASED income levels, favourable demographics, development of Tier II and III cities and the advent of many international chains, the cafe culture in India has been witnessing a phenomenal growth. According to ‘India Coffee Shops & Café Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2017’, the coffee shops and café market in India is expected to grow threefold and become a US$ one billion market by 2017.

Café Coffee Day is the biggest player in the coffee shops and café market in India, followed by many international chains that have also opened up.

According KS Narayanan, CEO, Pan India Food Solutions, coffee consumption in India is becoming largely commercial and cafe culture, a lifestyle for the young. “Coffee culture has taken India by storm and it will continue to do so because of higher incomes and greater urbanisation. It has become a hub for corporates, teenagers, couples, artists, expats and many others,” he said. Pan India Food Solutions holds the franchise in India for US chain, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) and has about 30 cafes across India, starting from major metro cities to other ones.

Expanding opportunities With increasing global exposure, people expect a distinguished or a gourmet coffee

Coffee culture has taken India by storm and it will continue to do so because of higher incomes and greater urbanisation. It has become a hub for corporates, teenagers, couples, artists, expats and many others. The coffee café market in India is expected to grow threefold

50 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

K S Narayanan

Ankur Gupta

cover )

experience, which many of the international brands are able to provide. However, even the Indian coffee house chains aren’t far behind. As per Ankur Gupta, director, Brew Berrys Hospitality, the rising per capita income, increased literacy and rapid urbanisation has caused tremendous growth and change in demand patterns for Indian café chains as well. “Brewberrys Cafés have comprehensive menu and are globalised to suit the tastes, preferences and demands of the ever growing family of Brewberrys Cafés lovers. As a result, Brewberrys has achieved better penetration rate in Tier II and III cities of India, developing a refreshed cafés culture,” he added. Brewberrys have over 50 cafes and 77 snack bars and is exclusively associated with TCS in all Passport Seva Kendra, with future intentions to reach 250 stores by the end of 2018.

Quoting a study, Gupta

stated that by the end of 2015, the Indian youth segment is expected to increase to 55 per cent, a major contributor to the growth observed in the cafe houses in India. “Coffee shops served as social hubs for the youth segment, particularly those with steady, disposable incomes. And now, coffee chains offer a basic emotional need - refuge, with brands acting as a place between home and office, complementing urban development, not just for the premium segment but becoming a necessity for all,” he added.

Also with the Indian middle class consumer ready to spend more and be a part of global lifestyle and culture, coffee parlours in the country are on an expansion spree.

“We have seen this trend increasingly

52 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

The current generation is not looking at having plain cappuccino, their choices have evolved and they prefer having new innovative flavours like hazelnut, mocha, caramel etc being popular in Tier II and III cities of India. The compounded annual rate of growth is expected to be 25 per

cent and will continue to grow with similar pace in the next few years,” added Gupta.

India is predominately a tea drinking country, however, Narayanan believes that tea consumption in India is more domestic than commercial.

Amongst hot beverages, our cappuccino and latte are most popular with customers appreciating their signature taste and aroma. The signature ice blended drinks

are exclusive to the brand as the most popular beverage,” he added.

Not just offering beverages, the Indian cafe houses also had to customise their menu according to the Indian tastes.

According to Narayanan, “Apart from the Famous Chicago Cheese Cake, Mascarpone Cheese Cake, some of our high sellers include Paneer Tikka and Chicken Tikka Sandwiches, Masala Aloo Wrap and Murgh Kaali Mirch Wraps, which have been specifically customised to suit the Indian audience. We also keep evolving our menu, keeping in mind the

( changing preferences of the Indian clientele.” Brewberry’s also offers a menu which is a mix of Continental, Indian and local preferences. “Our focus on the snacks menu is in line with the Indian snacking habits and hence a variety of freshly prepared snacks are included in it,” informed Gupta.

Market development Coffee consumption in India has rapidly increased over the years, with out-of-home coffee consumption in India fast growing, thereby contributing immensely to the growth of in-home consumption of coffee in the non-traditional markets. “India has cafes strategically located close to offices, colleges, high streets and shopping malls.

The current generation is not looking at having plain cappuccino, their choices have evolved and they prefer having new innovative flavours like hazelnut, mocha, caramel etc. The tremendous success of our flavour of the month programme is a testimony to this evolving palate,” stated Narayanan. CBTL develops and launches around 20 to 24 new products every year, based on seasonality as beverage of the month with the innovations bringing together international flavours.

Believing in potential for street cafes for India, Gupta stated, “There is a potential for a café in every street of urban India and with such potential, the café story has just begun in India. Café culture is more about creating a meeting place for people and providing suitable ambience for people to hang out and spend quality time.” Adding to the same, Narayanan stated, “The corporates or entrepreneurs typically hold business meetings and use the coffee shop as a meeting place given the ambience and thereby frequenting a café more than a casual customer for whom coffee is an ‘impulse’ category.”

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March 1-15, 2015

Many other international brands have also realised the potential of the Indian market, but are facing challenges while expanding further. Italian Coffee brand Lavazza sold its share of Barista Coffee Company, which it bought in

THE MAIN FOCUS

2007, to Carnation Hospitality, a subsidiary of containers and packaging firm Rollatainers, exiting the coffee shop business in India. Barista has over 170 outlets across India and now Carnation hospitality has announced to open

over 500 outlets by 2020.

Other chains like British coffee retail chain, Costa Coffee entered the India market in 2005, with Devyani International, and now operate over 100 outlets across India.

In 2012, the American Coffee

AAHAR 2015 S P E C I A L

company, Starbucks Coffee Company entered a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Global Beverages and has around 58 outlets across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad so far.

cover )

GETTING HIGH WITH HYBRIDS Sensient Flavors predicts eight Food & Beverage flavour trends for 2015

U

SING FORMAL and grassroots market research tactics, Sensient Flavors’ industry experts have identified four primary consumer interests - hybrid flavours, regional inspiration, creative sourcing and savory updates - that inform eight upand-coming flavour trends for 2015. The experts say that con-

sumers are seeking adventure in their food and see their choices as an expression of themselves. They are enjoying the ability to sample other cultures through food.

Hybrid flavours, or unconventional flavour pairings, will remain popular through the year ahead. Specifically, Sensient predicts the following two flavours will be on the rise: Smoked Chantilly: Food menus continue to feature smoked, roasted, toasted and burnt flavours. Pairing this profile with vanilla- or brandy-in-

54 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

fused Chantilly cream evokes a new level of interest by combining two unexpected, but harmonious flavours.

Maple Mirch (Mirchi): The popularity of Indian cuisine is growing as consumers learn the depth and breadth of this particularly rich heritage.

Mirch, Hindi for chili pepper, brings spice and heat from India and combines it with maple, a fan favourite in the Western world. This East-meets-West hybrid pairs the familiar sweetness with the exotic Indian flavour creating something

consumers will be eager to try.

Consumers are also becoming more curious about regionally inspired flavours as they look to food as a gateway to the world’s cultures.

In 2015, regional flavour trends take their cues from the equator: African Blue Basil: A perennial basil, this variety is a sterile hybrid of two breeds that yields an unexpected flavour with anise undertones.

Falernum: Falernum is a sweet syrup boasting hints of almond, ginger, cloves, lime,

vanilla and allspice. It’s often paired with rum in Caribbean and tropical drinks, but it’s popping up in non-alcoholic beverages like coconut water and is expected to hit the food market in the coming years.

Long winters and droughts are forcing manufacturers to consider alternative food sources and become more conscious of sustainable resources.

Specifically, desert plants are rising in popularity: Desert Wildflowers: Though polarising, floral

( flavours are on the rise for 2015, and the mild flavour of the desert wildflower makes it a popular pick that can be enjoyed by all.

Cascara Tea: Commonly consumed in Bolivia (where it’s called Sultana), cascara tea is made from the dried berries of the coffee plant and is often mixed with cinnamon.

Category-blurring flavour trends like “Savoury 2.0” are firing on all cylinders. As consumers take inventory of their pantries, savoury updates on traditionally sweet applications are proving to be viable alternatives as long term staples.

Whether it is sugar replaced

Savoury updates on traditionally sweet applications are proving to be viable alternatives with salt or repurposing more familiar flavours, this trend will include: ‘Everything Bagel’ Spice Blend: A longtime favourite, this versatile spice blend contains poppy seed, kosher salt, sweet onion sugar, sesame seed, garlic, onion and fennel.

Salted Satsuma – The perfect balance of sweet and savoury, the addition of salt elevates this summertime favorite.

Satsuma, a Japanese orange varietal, gained popularity in New Orleans in recent years. It is another citrus expected to appear in flavour undertones in 2015.

The consumer insights were developed utilising Sensient’s 'Trends to Taste' programme, a proprietary predictive process that filters trends from the broad, consumer, macro level down to finished concepts that best demonstrate each flavour profile.

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March 1-15, 2015

“The 2015 Trends to Taste programme centres around one consistent theme: ethnic exploration through flavours,” says Teresa Olah, marketing director, Sensient Flavors. “Consumers are seeking adventure in their food and see their

THE MAIN FOCUS

choices as an expression of themselves. They are enjoying the ability to sample other cultures through food.”

Sensient Flavors is a unit of Sensient Technologies Corporation and is one of the world’s leading flavour companies, oper-

ating in 30 countries. Sensient Flavors’ innovative technologies offer the optimal choice for complete flavour system development. Sensient Technologies Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of flavours, colours and fra-

AAHAR 2015 S P E C I A L

grances, employing advanced technologies to develop specialty food and beverage systems, cosmetic and pharmaceutical systems, inkjet and specialty inks and colours, and other specialty and fine chemicals.

cover )

FROM BEAN TO CUP The Coffee Board of India serves as the friend, philosopher and guide to the coffee sector in the country covering the entire value chain

T

HE SAGA OF Indian coffee began on a humble note, with planting of ‘Seven seeds’ of ‘Mocha’ during 1600 AD by the legendary holy saint Baba Budan, in the courtyard of his hermitage on ‘Baba Budan Giris’ in Karnataka. For quite a

considerable period, the plants remained as a garden curiosity and spread slowly as back yard plantings. It was during 18th century that the commercial plantations of coffee were started, thanks to the success of British entrepreneurs in conquering the hostile forest terrain in south India. Since then, Indian coffee industry has made rapid strides and earned a distinct identity in the coffee map of the world.

56 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

The Coffee Board During 1940s, the coffee industry in India was in a desperate state due to the World War II resulting in very low prices and ravages of pests and diseases.

At this time, the Government of India established the Coffee Board through a constitutional act - Coffee Act VII of 1942 - under the administrative control of the ministry of commerce and industry. The Board comprises 33 members including

the chairman, who is the chief executive and appointed by the Government of India. The remaining 32 members represent the various interests such as coffee growing industry, coffee trade interests, curing establishments, interests of labour and consumers, representatives of governments of the principal coffee growing states and members of Parliament.

After pooling was discontinued in 1996, Coffee Board serves

as the friend, philosopher and guide to the coffee sector covering the entire value chain. The core activities are primarily directed towards research & development, transfer of technology, quality improvement, extending development support to growing sector, promotion of coffee in export and domestic markets. The activities of the Board are broadly aimed at (i) enhancement of production, productivity and quality; (ii)

(

The Central Coffee Research Institute has grown as an internationally recognised, state-of-the-art research centre. CCRI is committed to introducing emerging technologies and sustainable package of practices to benefit the coffee farmers export promotion for achieving higher value returns for Indian coffee and (iii) supporting development of the domestic market.

Research and export promotion Organised research in coffee was initiated during 1925 by the erstwhile Mysore Government by setting up the Mysore Coffee Experiment Station near Balehonnur in Chikmagalur district.

After formation of the Coffee Board, the research station was brought under its administrative control. Presently the Research Department of the Board with its headquarters at the Central Coffee Research In-

AAHAR 2015

THE MAIN FOCUS

stitute and five regional stations has a sanctioned strength of 113 scientific personnel and is involved in development of improved varieties with tolerance to major pests and diseases and standardisation of technology for improving production, productivity and quality.

After liberalisation in 1996, the marketing functions were deregulated. The Coffee Board plays the role of facilitator and promoter of Indian coffee exports. However, registration of exporters is the responsibility of the Coffee Board. Under the Export Promotion scheme, exports of value added coffees in retail packs and export of coffee

S P E C I A L

to high value far-off destinations are incentivised to offset the transaction costs to some extent and enable the Indian exporters to be competitive in the export market. These incentives provide opportunities to expand the footprint of Indian Coffee in higher value destinations like USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc on one hand and reinforcing presence in traditional markets i.e., European Union/Russia and CIS etc.

Besides, the Board regularly participates in leading coffee trade shows/exhibitions held in major consuming countries to promote awareness about quality of Indian coffee to the overseas roasters, traders and consumers. The Board also conducts Flavour of India - The Fine Cup competitions to select fine coffees and expose them to the export market. It also promotes coffee consumption in the country through 12 India Coffee Houses located in major cities across the country.

In India, coffee is traditionally grown in the Western Ghats spread over Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Coffee cultivation is also being expanding rapidly in the nontraditional areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as well as in the North East states. Coffee is predominantly an export oriented commodity and 65 per cent to 70per cent of coffee produced in the country is exported while the rest is consumed within the country. Indian coffee industry earns a foreign exchange to the tune of about `4000 crore. In the international market, Indian coffees earn a high premium, particularly Indian Robusta which is highly preferred for its good blending quality. Arabica Coffee from India is also well received in the international market.

Arabica is a mild coffee, but the beans being more aromatic, it has higher market value compared to Robusta beans. On the other hand Robusta has more strength and is, therefore, used in making various blends. India is the only country that grows all of its coffee under shade.

Typically mild and not too acidic, these coffees possess an exotic full-bodied taste and a

fine aroma.

India cultivates all of its coffee under a well-defined twotier mixed shade canopy, comprising evergreen leguminous trees. Nearly 50 different types of shade trees are found in coffee plantations. Shade trees prevent soil erosion on a sloping terrain; they enrich the soil by recycling nutrients from deeper layers, protect the coffee plant from seasonal fluctuations in temperature, and play host to diverse flora and fauna.

Coffee plantations in India are essential spice worlds too: a wide variety of spices and fruit crops like pepper, cardamom, vanilla, orange and banana grow alongside coffee plants.

Training courses in coffee culture and management The Central Coffee Research Institute, popularly known as CCRI, has grown as an internationally recognised, state-of-theart research centre for carrying out research on all aspects of coffee cultivation. CCRI is committed to introducing emerging technologies and sustainable package of practices to benefit the coffee farmers. It plays an important role in the development and growth of the coffee agricultural sector. CCRI has 133 dedicated scientists working for the development of newer technologies in close association with a number of international institutes, reputed national institutes and pure science and agricultural universities.

The CCRI, apart from the development of new technologies, is involved in imparting training on scientific coffee cultivation to the benefit of all the stakeholders since 1953. The institute is recognised as an international centre of excellence for training in coffee culture by the FAO, Rome. Candidates from several coffee growing countries are being sponsored for these training programmers by the world organisations like UNDP, FAO or by their respective countries.

Coffee regions of India Anamalais (Tamil Nadu): Wildlife sanctuaries in this region are the abode of spotted leopards,while the plantations

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cover ) PRODUCTION OF COFFEE IN MAJOR STATES / DISTRICTS OF INDIA (IN MTS) State / Disrict

Post Monsoon Estimation 2014-15

Final Estimate 2013-14

Arabica

Robusta

Total

Arabica

Robusta

Total

Chikmagalur

38,300

41,335

79,635

38,250

30,640

68,890

Kodagu

18,855

104, 800

123,655

21,040

90,820

111,860

Hassan

18,850

14,200

33,050

19,150

11,200

30,350

Sub total

76,005

160,335

236,340

78,440

132,660

211,100

0

57,150

57,150

0

56,425

56,425

KARNATAKA

KERALA Wayanad Travancore

900

7,400

8,300

900

6,700

7,600

Nelliyampathy

1,175

1,600

2,775

1,100

1,550

2,650

Sub total

2,075

66,150

68,225

2,000

64,675

66,675

Pulneys

7,500

375

7,875

6,975

325

7,300

Nilgiris

1,550

3,850

5,400

1,800

3,950

5,750

Shevroys (Salem)

3,400

50

3,450

3,875

50

3,025

Anamalais (Coimbatore)

900

500

1,400

1,300

500

1,800

Sub total

13,350

4,775

18,125

13,950

4,825

18,775

Andhra Pradesh

7,490

60

7,550

7,250

70

7,320

Odisha

550

0

550

440

0

440

Sub total

8,040

60

8,100

7,690

70

7,760

North Eastern Region

130

80

210

120

70

190

GRAND TOTAL (INDIA)

99,600

231,400

331,000

102,200

202,300

304,500

TAMIL NADU

NON TRADITIONAL AREAS

are home to fine, high-grown Arabicas, including the exotic Kents.

Araku valley (Andhra Pradesh): Home to colourful parrots, it is not unusual to see a flock of chattering red and green birds, darting through trees in this scenic valley.

Bababudangiris (Karnataka): Bababudan brought seven ‘magical’ beans from Yemen and planted them in the lofty hills of this region.

Deer is often spotted, grazing alongside plantations abundant with full-bodied Arabicas.

Biligiris (Karnataka/Tamil Nadu): Besides full-bodied Arabicas, this region is noted for the sambar - the largest Indian deer with huge antlers.

Brahmaputra:The mighty Brahmaputra which flows through the North Eastern states is the lifeline of this region which is home to the onehorned rhinoceros. This sturdy animal is found in large numbers at the Kaziranga National Park in eastern Assam.

Chikmagalur (Karnataka): Chikmagalur’s forests and wildlife sanctuaries are abundant with beauti-

58 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

ful peacocks, India’s national bird. The peacock loves to show off its colourful feathers, especially during its elaborate courtship dance.

Coorg (Karnataka): Lush coffee plantations are bustling with honeybees which yield the delicious Coorg Honey, collected by nimble-footed tribals Manjarabad (Karnataka): Gentle sloping terrain with small streams and coffee plants provide a natural habitat for the jungle fowl. This yellow-headed bird with a red comb and multi-coloured plumage is generally seen in

pairs, close to the coffee plantations.

Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu): The plantations are home to fine, high-grown Arabicas, including the exotic Kents.

Pulneys (Tamil Nadu): A well-known feature of this region is the bright, bluebell-like Kurinji flower that makes a dramatic appearance, once in 12 years. The high-grown Arabicas however, are a predominant sight, year after year.

Sheveroys (Tamil Nadu): The magnificent Gaur or Indian bison is an embodiment of vigour and strength, much like

the boldsized Arabicas grown here. This massive animal with its huge head and sturdy limbs grazes on the lower hill tracts of this picturesque region.

Travancore (Kerala): The national flower of India, the lotus symbolises purity and beauty. These bright, fragrant flowers with floating leaves and long stems, grow in shallow waters in this region noted for its Arabicas and Robustas.

Wayanad (Kerala): Wayanad is home to the Indian tiger, India’s national animal a symbol of valour and courage.

(

AAHAR 2015

THE MAIN FOCUS

S P E C I A L

THE CALLOFCOFFEE Serving Indian and international clients its latest beverage equipment solutions, Vikram Khurana, CEO, Kaapi Machines, speaks about the company's strength and brands it offers

K

AAPI Machines, India’s first integrated beverage equipment solutions company, was started in 2007 as a joint venture between Mahlkonig GMBH, the master in grinding technology from Germany and McKinnon India, based in Coimbatore; an Indian manufacturer of green coffee processing equipment company to offer one stop solutions for coffee business. “We have earned a reputation for quality, reliability and professionalism,”says Vikram Khurana, CEO, Kaapi machines. He further adds, “Making a good coffee is a combination between good technology, quality coffee blend and the skilled hands of a Barista and we support our customers in achieving this combination right to serve a good cup of cappuccino at their cafes/restaurants/hotels.”

Serving our customers that include international and Indian hotel chains, café’s and QSR’s operating in Indian subcontinent, Kaapi Machines distributes and supports one of the largest range of coffee equipment brands available in India and the neighbouring countries.

“Our portfolio includes traditional and automatic coffee machines, espresso grinders, retail and industrial coffee grinders, shop and industrial coffee roasters, coffee brewers, ice blenders and barista tools. Our company’s strength is its ability to offer a complete coffee solution and at the same time provide the highest level of customer

service and equipment. the company has company sales offices/ demonstration centres in Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The company supports its customers with an effective after sales service that includes operational training and a one year warranty support followed by an AMC programme to ensure that the machines are always taken care by the right people. The company also supports customers in the following: ● Blend development for Italian coffees (House blend) ● Italian menu for hot coffees ● Barista training on the following: ❋ Understanding the grinder and your grind size ❋ Brewing the perfect shot of espresso ❋ Art of texturing the milk ❋ Art of pouring the milk ❋ Latte art techniques for making heart/rosetta/leaf on a cup of coffee.

Kaapi machines since inception has been actively engaged in coffee promotional activities including India international coffee festival, organising coffee programmes in different parts of India with coffee board of India to spread education on coffee cup quality using various brewing options. Kaapi Shastraa five day coffee education programme driven by coffee board of India in Bengaluru, organising and sponsoring the Indian Barista Championship under patronage of Coffee Board of India and recent achievement has been to set up India’s first dedicated Barista training academy for coffee lovers to learn professionally as how to make Italian espresso and cappuccino in 16

best performance to price ratio and the oldest Astoria machine installed in India is 24 years old and still operating well at an Italian restaurant in New Delhi.

Mahlkonig For over 80 years MAHLKÖNIG is the world's leading brand of quality professional grinders.

The MAHLKÖNIG logo stands for quality leadership and innovation. Just under 90 per cent of MAHLKÖNIG products are used in the field of coffee grinding. The aim is to grind the coffee gently without loss of flavour and homogeneous with the outstanding quality to achieve a long life.

WMF Coffee Machines

hours.

Kaapi Machines is the India exclusive distributor and/or service provider for the following brands: Probat, Astoria, WMF, Mahlkonig, Ditting, Anfim, Vita Mix, Bunn and Urnex.

WMF is the leading international manufacturer of professional coffee machines. This is due not least to the fact that even today they are only manufactured at the Geislingen site and thus can justifiably bear the 'Made in Germany' seal of quality. Certification of the WMF quality management system in accordance with DIN ISO 90012000 provides further proof of quality, efficiency and precision.

Astoria

Vita Mix ice blenders

Since 1969, Astoria is a historic brand in the Italian tradition of professional Espresso machines. It offers different technologies from single boiler to multiple boiler machines for precision on espresso temperature stability, eco-friendly options and the recently introduced hybrid machines that suits customers’ requirements differing in capacity and price.

Astoria has earned a reputation for delivering the machines with

Built by hand in Cleveland Ohio, US, the ice blenders produced are well accepted by all the leading F&B retail chains due to its reliability, product engineering, total cost of ownership and extended warranty. Kaapi machines offers different Vitamix models that includes blenders with sound proofing, auto programming suitable for both beverage and food applications powered by 2 HP and 3 HP motors.

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AAHAR 2015

SPOTLIGHT

S P E C I A L

A winning streak Providing a unique platform for budding chefs, where they can compete and interact with the best of talents in the world, Kolkata's International Institute of Hotel Management, part of IndiSmart Group gave them the chance to challenge one another, learn from one another and bring out the best out of them

By Joy Roy Choudhury

K

olkata's International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), part of IndiSmart Group recently hosted the first ever International Young Chef Olympiad 2015 (YCO) in the city. The three-day culinary event was officially declared open at an 'Olympic-like' inauguration ceremony held at Salt Lake's City Center in the presence of Scott FurssedonnWood, British deputy high commissioner in Kolkata and the chief guest for the occasion. Upholding woman power, the YCO flag was unveiled by Madhumita Mohanta, executive chef, The LaLit Great Eastern, MasterChef India contestant Payal Lohia, Siddhika Ghose Chaudhuri of Wise Owl and Priti Singh, culinary trainer, IIHM Hotel School.

The official anthem of the YCO was launched and the oath was taken on behalf of the participants by the Indian representative, Dhriti Verma from IIHM, Jaipur. The 'Olympic like' flame was ignited by Garima Poddar, winner of the IIHM Young Chef India Schools, 2014 at the glittering inauguration ceremony. A huge cake was cut by the participants to mark the opening of the mega event.

Students and budding chefs from culinary schools of 15 countries like Bhutan, Kenya, China, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, USA, UK, Switzerland, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, France, Myanmar and hosts India participated in the event.

The highlights of the

Students and budding chefs from culinary schools of 15 countries like Bhutan, Kenya, China, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, USA, UK, Switzerland, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, France, Myanmar and hosts India participated in the event

60 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

AAHAR 2015

SPOTLIGHT

second day were the semi-finals held at IIHM campus, where the countries were divided in two teams and each had to cook different dishes for the judges within a stipulated time. They had to prepare three dishes - the starter, main course and a dessert under the supervision of a panel of judges, headed by David Foskett, renowned author, chef, culinary arts expert and head of London School of Hospitality & Tourism, University of West London and other renowned chefs which included celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur of MasterChef India fame, Italian Master Chef Roberto Boggio of Le Meridien - Pune, writer and foodcritic Karen Anand and Chef Shaun Kenworthy, director (food services), IIHM Group.

The ministry of tourism, Government of India extended its support and partnership to the mega event by giving the permission to use its 'Incredible India' logo on all the marcoms of the event.

After the semi-finals, eight finalists selected were from Spain, Kenya, Switzerland, India, UK, France, Malaysia

S P E C I A L

and Thailand.

In, the semi-finals, the contestants were given three hours to cook a four-course meal. But in the finals the eight finalists were given one hour to do the same with four portions of each dish. For the finals, a list of 12 ingredients were shared with all the contestants but with a twist — everything was vegetarian such as one large aubergine, two large zucchinis, two large tomatoes, 400 gms puff pastry, four eggs, 250 ml vegetable stock, 250 gms broccoli, one red and one green pepper, 100 gms red lentils, 250 ml coconut milk, 500 gms fresh spinach and 200 gms cottage cheese. The contestants had to cook with the given ingredients, within a specified time. Apart from other factors, they were marked on creativity, hygiene, taste of the food and optimum utilisation of the ingredients.

Ashwin Nicholas Oon emerged as the winner of the first International Young Chef Olympiad. The 21-yearold from Taylor's College, Malaysia walked away with the prize money of US US$

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AAHAR 2015

SPOTLIGHT 10,000 along with the gold trophy, the gold medal and a certificate, besides being crowned the Young Chef global ambassador. 'Spinach and Cottage Cheese Chartreuse' prepared by Oon was adjudged as the winning dish.

“I am overjoyed at this whole experience provided

by YCO. Winning the competition was truly an unforgettable experience as strong bonds were formed in the midst of the competition. It was an honour and privilege to be able to showcase my cooking to the esteemed panel of judges and I shall return home to Malaysia with satisfaction and gratitude,” said Oon, after emerging as the first winner of YCO. The first and second runners-up were Marcin Maciej Maliczowski of Les Roches Marbella Spain - International School of Hotel Management (Winning dish: Vegetable Garden) and Tajinder Singh Sehdev of London School of Hospitality & Tourism, University of West London (Winning dish: Stuffed Money Bag), respectively.

Ian Joseph Iganza from Utalii College, Kenya walked away with the 'Most Outstanding Dish' Award for his dessert 'Mango Bavarois with Red Wine Poached Pear'.

Foskett, Chef Kapur, Chef Kenworthy and Dr Suborno Bose, chief mentor and chairman of IndiSmart Group made the announcements amidst thundering applause at Nalban Boating Complex in the city.

On the reasons for organising such events, Foskett said, "The YCO is a unique concept crystalised by Dr Bose of IIHM Group. It provides a unique platform for budding chefs, where they can compete and interact with the best of talents in the world. An event like this gives them the chance to challenge one another, learn from one another and bring out the best out of them. I feel that this is a real step forward towards promotion of culinary art in the country as

S P E C I A L

India is a land of varied culture and cuisine is an integral part of this culture.” He added that, India is now firmly on the global gastro map as the talent of its chefs has been admired in the west.

He felt that young Indian chefs working globally have broken the common myth of the West that Indian cuisine only means curry. Foskett said Indian cuisine is fresh, healthy, varied and rich in taste. But it has failed to promote itself as a 'food destination' inspite of these strengths. He said events like this will help India to promote itself as a 'food destination', attract connoisseurs of food from the world-over and bring in fresh talents.

“You need to have dedication and passion and it should reflect in your work. I think you have got to enjoy what you are doing and never give up, keep trying and you will eventually get there,” was his message to aspiring chefs.

Karen Anand too was very enthusiastic about this new initiative. She said, “Competitions like this not only help in bringing out the talent but also help in skill and entrepreneurial development as these budding chefs may become successful entrepreneurs in the years to come.”

Anand also mentioned that more and more young hospitality professionals and chefs should explore the new possibilities thrown open by the growing food and beverage industry. She lamented that inspite of so much variation in Indian cuisine, Americanised fast-food holds the sway in the QSR (quick-service restaurant) business in India. 'Why can't we have a pan-India 'Dosa' or 'Chicken Tikka Masala' brand?”, she asked.

The budding chefs should explore such possibilities, she added. Anand said that to succeed in this industry you have to work very hard and sometimes may have to compromise with your personal and family life.

While Kapur said that there is no short-cuts to success and a chef who on a day

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may have to satisfy the pallet of 1000-odd guests has to work very hard.

"The idea behind organising the YCO is to provide an opportunity to showcase world cuisine while breaking down barriers and at the same time highlighting among the Indian student fraternity the growing acceptance of hospitality as a sought-after career option,” said Dr Bose.

He added, “I dream to put India on the culinary map of

the world. I dream to create the awareness among million of Indian youngsters to realise that culinary and hospitality is the most promising and creative career. I dream of an 'INDIA' where like in IT industry the culinary and hospitality industry becomes a driving force behind our rising economy and I dream of an India who will produce thousands of celebrity chefs.

We promise to bring 100 countries in the 2nd International YCO in 2016.”

AAHAR 2015

IN FOCUS

S P E C I A L

Indian hotel industry to remain subdued in next 12-18 months: ICRA

T

he outlook for the Indian Hotel Industry over the next 12-18 months is expected to remain subdued given the gap between supply and demand.

However, measures by the GoI to drive tourism through several strong policy initiatives could bring in stronger demand, supporting the industry over the next 12-18 months.

Indian Credit Ratings Agency (ICRA) estimates Q3, 2014-15 revenues to grow by five to six per cent while growth for 2014-15 is expected to be in the range of seven to nine per cent, largely driven by

incremental rooms and food and beverage income. Growth is expected to accelerate to nine to 12 per cent over the next two years. Average Room Rates (ARRs) are expected to be largely flat while occupancies are estimated to improve by two to four per cent during 2014-15. Industry occupancy levels have witnessed improvement in the current fiscal however the same has been geographically concentrated in pockets like Mumbai. However, there continues to be lack of traction in Average Room Rates (ARRs)- even in markets like Mumbai, which has been

maintaining a steady INR100200 discount on y-o-y basis.

Domestic demand has showcased a growth of over 10 per cent driven by both business and leisure travellers during 2014-15. However, falling global economic sentiments have affected inbound travel and with a booking window of eight to 12 months for Western leisure travel, the impact is expected to be felt in 2015-16 as well. The drop in oil prices has also impacted inbound travel, particularly witnessed in the marked drop in Russian tourists visiting Goa’s beaches to escape the winter

conditions back home. However, ICRA expects easing of visa and policy norms to support inbound travel into India even as a weaker global economy curtails traveller budget.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals growth increased from 5.9 per cent in CY2013 to 7.1 per cent during CY2014.

As per ICRA Research, India has over 29,000 premium rooms under construction- to be launched over the next six years. Though there is a general perception of supply growth having eased, inventory accretion across the 12 key cities that ICRA’s premium room database

tracks estimates a 10 per cent increase for 2014-15, closely following the 11 per cent addition experienced in 2013-14.

As a result of this supply demand mismatch, industry players have been resorting to significant belt tightening by keeping a check on key cost drivers like payroll expenses which have gone up only by an estimated four per cent over the last three fiscals. Hotel operators have also heightened their focus on the F&B segment, revenues of which have been consistently increasing even as ARRs and room revenues have fallen.

AAHAR 2015

SPOTLIGHT

S P E C I A L

AThank You gesture JW Marriott Pune recently organised the Culinary & Bar Art Fest 2015 wherein a large congregation of chefs, mixologists and sommeliers gathered from around the world to create a unique dining experience for its guests

By Rituparna Chatterjee

C

onceptualised with the purpose of thanking its patrons, JW Marriott Pune recently organised the Culinary & Bar Art Fest 2015 from February 11 – 25, 2015 at its premises. The fest comprised of a series of food festivals, wine and food pairing sessions, to name a few, being held across the different F&B outlets of the hotel. Led by Chef Ajmal Salim, director of food and beverage, JW Marriott Pune, the fest witnessed chefs,

mixologists and sommeliers from across the world working alongside the hotel's team of chefs and bartenders to create an unique F&B experience for the guests. While Kashmiri Pandit, Italian, Lebanese and Turkish food festivals were organised at four of the hotel's F&B outlets - Shakahari, Alto Vino, Paasha and Spice Kitchen respectively; artisan chocolate creations were showcased by Chef Salim at Pune Baking Company along with wine tutorials, musical

64 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

evenings being organised at Paasha and Mi-A-Mi. Speaking about the idea behind the fest, Chef Salim stated, “We have been operational since four and a half years in the city, and within Asia Pacific and Australia Marriott International has 170 plus hotels. JW Marriott Pune has been the busiest Marriott hotel in terms of F&B for the past three years and in the last two years we have done one million covers every year. Usually we organise six to eight

AAHAR 2015

SPOTLIGHT

S P E C I A L

Chef Ajmal Salim

Chef Samuel Zucca

Chef Chadi Terro

Chef A Haleem

Millennials usually look forward to having beverages along with food so we brought in sommeliers to sell the wines and teach guests about wine and food pairings big-scale food festivals every year but this time we decided to merge all the festivals into one. Since Paasha offers North-West Frontier cuisine, we thought of organising a Lebanese and Turkish food festival there. We carried the same concept in Spice Kitchen where we have live stations and barbeques so as to attract families. In Paasha, apart from serving food we have bands playing Sufi and Lebanese music.” The fest also provided a platform for guests to taste a wide array of wines and learn about food and wine pairings.

“Millennials usually look forward to having beverages along with food so we brought in sommeliers to sell the wines and teach guests about wine and food pairings. In Paasha and Mi-A-Mi, we got in bartenders and mixologists. In Paasha we have showcased the top 20 most successful cocktails of the world. We have been catering to 3,500 guests everyday including breakfast, lunch and dinner,” added Chef Salim.

Wide variety As part of the Culinary & Bar Art Fest 2015, Chef Samuel

Zucca of Zucca International in Korea, had crafted a special menu for the Italian food festival organised at Alto Vino. A professional Italian chef with over 25 years of experience, Chef Zucca has worked in both small and large scale restaurants and hotels in Italy and other countries. In September last year he opened his first artisanal pastry and gelato shop in Korea and will be adding a second one in March this year.

There are also plans to open a third outlet in Japan in September and fourth in New Zealand by November end.

Speaking about the fest, Chef Zucca opined, “The dishes in the menu are from North Italy.

The response have been good and we have been busy from the first night itself. The hotel has decided to continue with the Agnolotti di zucca al burro e salvia su crema di parmigiano dish post the completion of the fest.”

When asked about the challenges of running a fine dining restaurant as opposed to a bakery shop, he mentioned, “Running a fine dining restaurant involves several challenges like selection of quality ingredients, the kind of preparation involved,

66 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

to name a few.”

A pre-conceived notion about Kashmiri cuisine is that it is predominantly non-vegetarian. However, the Culinary & Bar Art Fest 2015 focused on presenting the vegetarian delicacies of this cuisine by hosting the Kashmiri Pandit food festival at Shakahari, which on a regular day serves pan-Asian vegetarian fare along with iced teas and vegan wines.

“When we talk about Kashmiri cuisine, what comes to the mind is non—vegetarian dishes.

But the Kashmiri Pandit cuisine is purely vegetarian and through this fest we tried to showcase less known and signature dishes of this cuisine. We have also changed the menu thrice across the 15 days of the fest so that repeat guests get to taste a variety of dishes,” stated Chef A Haleem, business partner, Kitchenett-e-Awadh, a Lucknowbased food services and consultancy firm specialising in Kashmiri cuisine.

Another highlight of the fest was the Lebanese and Turkish food festival organised at Paasha and Spice Kitchen. “We have done the basics of Lebanese and Turkish cuisines at Paasha and Spice Kitchen.

But since both the restaurants are of different formats and cater to different clienteles, we had to tweak the menu and presentation accordingly. For instance, in Paasha, the clientele is young and well-travelled and since we had to pair the food with alcohol we tweaked the recipes by adding Indian spices to them and kept it a la carte.

Whereas in Spice Kitchen we have live kitchens and barbeques so as to cater to families,” pointed out Chef Chadi Terro, who was flown in from Barja Lebanon for this fest.

Some notable mixologists and sommeliers who participated at the fest included Zbigniew Zapert, celebrated international mixologist, bar trainer and beverage consultant and Diageo Reserve brand ambassador; Viraj Sawant, head sommelier at La Trompette restaurant, London and Keith W Edgar, Kolkata based freelance wine and beverage consultant.

AAHAR 2015 S P E C I A L

Luxury in the capital Aiming to become the luxury hotel of choice in Delhi and NCR, JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity offers a diverse range of services to cater to both leisure and MICE

By Archana Sharma

S

tyled with sophistication and elegance, the Marriott brand pursues excellence and is continuously driven to challenge the status quo and anticipate its customers’ changing needs with new brands, new locations and new guest experiences. “The JW Marriott Hotel

New Delhi Aerocity, launched over a year ago, upholds its history and core values; as at the end of it, it is only our principles which make us who we are,” believes Antony Page, general manager, JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity. Initially trained as a chef from London, Page had worked with many in-

AAHAR 2015

GM’S SPEAK

ternational brands and has been with the Marriott brand since 2005. In June 2014, he joined the Aerocity Marriott property.

Located at a seven minute drivable distance from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and between Central Delhi and West Delhi, with just 15-20 minutes drive from each side, the property enjoys its position as one of the most secure hotels. “Aerocity has its own advantages. There are some cities in the world where traffic can be a major challenge especially when you are rushing to the airport,” opines Page. He also believes that the symphony of services, measurable intuitive services delivered in a luxurious environment are some of the USPs that sets them apart from the rest.

With a room inventory of 480, which they achieved in June 2014, Page believes the hotel to be a special corporate hotel, when the need arises for it.

“MICE is making up for an enormous amount of our rooms and creating a revenue stream.

However we haven't lost sight of our leisure guests especially since we are also used as a drop off point by international leisure travellers opting for the Golden Triangle - finishing

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updating the systems,” informs Page.

Diverse offerings

Antony Page

with Delhi again before going to the next destination,” he adds.

Since its inception, the property has faced numerous challenges right from the construction stage to the post completion phase, with major security concerns being expressed.

“Due to the unfortunate incidents in the past years and the geographical location and close proximity to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, there have been some additional measures required to be fulfilled by us like bullet proof heavy glass. However, our security measures are in accordance with the global standards and we are constantly

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With a variety of cuisine being offered at JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, Page believes that the property is a great meeting place for groups as it provides more variety to people with different tastes and preferences. The Delhi Baking Company (DBC), a combination of bakery with a coffee house and retail store in one outlet, is a delicatessen as well as a meeting place with freshly baked products. “Apart from specialising in chocolates and high-end grab-and-go products, the cafe offers varied packaged gourmet products, baked goods, coffee and culinary products,” mentions Page.

K3, showcasing cuisines from Tuscany, Canton and India, with three kitchens in bistro style, enables live interactions with the chefs. At Akira Back, eponymous with its celebrity chef, one can enjoy a multitude of delicious Japanese and Korean cuisine. “This restaurant takes inspiration from the old back streets of Tokyo and repackages it into a contemporary design envelope for a delightful experience, which is healthy and contemporary with

AAHAR 2015

GM’S SPEAK

S P E C I A L

a collection of Sake to be served cold,” he adds. “Additionally, we offer several restaurants, bars and lounges on-site as well as a fully equipped gym, spa and outdoor pool. One can discover a sense of rejuvenation, tranquility and relaxation at the Quan Spa and enjoy world class facilities at the gym,” informs Page. The JW Lounge and Oval Bar, designed exclusively, offer an array of food and beverages items with high end whiskey and old world wines.

Highlighting the varied needs of different travellers, Page believes that the property is well equipped to handle both leisure as well as MICE. “Plush bedding, upgraded bath amenities and 40-inch TVs are just some of our distinct amenities, which can be enjoyed by both.

Spacious work areas and wireless high-speed Internet access facilitate business travellers’ needs as well. Having quick and

JW Marriott brand to provide a refined and user friendly environment,” he reasons.

Prospects and trends

efficient Wi-Fi also provides for the Gen Y's need to remain connected at all times, unlike the previous generations,” he says.

Also understanding the requirements, needs and demands of the guests, Page opines that JW Marriott as a

brand has given back space to its guests. “The hoteliers gave up designer furniture that took up space, and opted for far more sleeker, more refined, more user friendly furniture to allow guests feel more comfortable in the room. The size and finish of the rooms enables the

Aiming to become the luxury hotel of choice in Delhi and NCR, Page states, “Being only a year old, we faced some initial problems and delays, however, we are now hitting the space where we can put ourselves amongst the top five or six luxury brand hotels in Delhi.”

Looking at enhancing their business by over 45 per cent in the second year, Page states that even with all the issues faced by the property, the occupancy has been quite remarkable.

They are also planning to take the larger MICE groups in 2015 and hold lesser weddings in comparison to 2014. “We are looking at targeting the growing MICE segment by holding more international and pan India conventions and confer-

ences in the hotel and also having corporate ties as they are showing more traction. However, we will still be organising smaller functions as they are a major component of our catering segment,” he reveals. The property can host elaborate events with the help of their eight state-of-the-art function rooms totaling more than 24,000 square feet including the Grand Crystal Ballroom.

Speaking about the role of technology, Page states, “Social media plays a major role in almost all our interactions with the guests as we want to ensure that we communicate and answer all the queries coming in directly, apart from the ones which we receive via OTAs.” For instance, the Marriott mobile app allows guests to checkin according to their own schedule and informs the hotel about their arrival so that the guests can avail the pick up services without any delay.

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TECH TALK

Sustainable refrigeration With the advent of sustainable development, global trends are focusing on various techniques to encourage energy efficiency, and even the Indian hospitality sector is looking at ways to improve its sustainability by using modern refrigeration systems

By Archana Sharma

T

hough India is ranked first in the world for milk production, second in fruits and vegetables production, the most important segment for maintaining this growth and reducing food wastage, the refrigeration sector in India is still lagging behind. According to M Srinivas Reddy, general manager, business development, AC & R products, Blue Star, “The refrigeration industry, irrespective of user sectors, is in the nascent stages in our country compared to any developing economy and is just evolving. The country is faced with a serious challenge on account of food wastage, primarily due to lack of end-to-end cold chain infrastructure, even though, India is one of the largest producers and biggest consumers of food.”

He believes that the adoption level in sectors like pharma and hospitality is encouraging. “Starcategory hotels and QSR chains are leading the way owing to their quality standards and compliances, however, it may take a long time to reach 100

M Srinivas Reddy

per cent adoption given the challenge in the lower-end of the segment,” he adds.

Market requirements The refrigeration industry in India is relatively small and is a niche market in comparison to other countries. However, Reddy believes that since there is much awareness being built around energy savings in all walks of life, the hospitality sector is no different. “With energy being the most important component of Operating Expenses (OPEX), the clientele looks out for energy efficient technologies coupled

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with availability of robust installation and service back-up. And with all things being equal, the one with higher energy saver would be the winner,” he mentions.

Usually, the size and scale of operations decides the level and type of refrigeration systems to be deployed in the hospitality sector, be it a hotel or a QSR or dine-in restaurant. The key considerations are nature, temperature and duration of product being stored. Apart from walkin-cold rooms and walk-in-freezers, other plug and play commercial refrigeration products like reach-ins, refrigerated prep tables, under counters, display cases, beer dispensers, dualtemp cases, blast coolers/freezers, ice cubers, mini bars, etc are used in the hospitality sector. As per Reddy, “To begin with, the most critical factor is understanding specific customer needs, proper heat load estimation, system design and selection, a well-balanced installation design as per site feasibility, apart from periodic maintenance. A rightly designed system, if installed badly, may fail to deliver the optimum capacities.

Even a seemingly simple thing like number of bends in copper

TECH TALK

line between condenser and evaporator makes a lot of difference to energy consumption and trouble-free performance. The usage pattern is also an important factor.”

Industry trends The global refrigeration industry has been undergoing several changes for several years now. In particular, the global environmental impact of some refrigerants, such as the ozone depletion, global warming and the greenhouse effect, has changed the industry considerably. In an endeavour to retain a competitive edge, several companies including the hospitality sector are adopting best practices in pursuit of energy conservation and energy cost reduction. “We have recently launched water coolers with in-built purification systems for C & C segments like hospitality where there is a greater need for integrated cooling and purification of water at the point of use. This unique product has inbuilt purification system to ensure delivery of treated cold water and it is available with UV or RO option to suit respective purification needs.”

states Reddy. Blue Star offers modular walk-in cold rooms and freezer rooms, chest type deep freezers, bottle coolers, water coolers, bottled water dispensers and ice cubers.

The increased focus on reducing the use of refrigerants with an environmental impact has spread, so that it covers almost all refrigerants today, and is mainly focused on synthetic refrigerants like CFC, HCFC, HFC and HFO. However, Reddy believes that the basic refrigeration technology would remain the same. “But we can expect to see lot of developments in heat exchangers, remote controlling, temperature recording and tracking, precision controls, eco-

friendly thermal insulation, HACCP compliances, etc as part of overall demand for higher standards in energy efficiency. The regulatory compliances in the form of Food Safety and Standards Act would force stakeholders to adopt quality standards,” he adds.

Talking about challenges, Reddy says, “Currently, there is no energy labelling for commercial refrigeration systems like in case of air conditioners.

It may be a matter of time before the government begins to think about energy labelling for commercial refrigeration systems as well. Another challenge that the industry has to deal with is the shortage of skilled refrigeration technicians.”

As per Reddy, the Indian hospitality sector is at the tipping point of growth, owing to several macro-economic factors. “The QSR sector is growing at rapid pace with several MNCs and Indian chains announcing their expansion plans for the next three-five years. Therefore, going forward, there will be a lot of pressure on the hospitality industry to continue to seek ways to reduce the OPEX to stay competitive,” he says. He also believes that customers will increasingly seek 'Cost of Ownership' as the benchmark to evaluate options. “It is a holistic way of looking at the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and OPEX on a product life cycle basis.

In this context, the reliability of design, quality standards in installations, post-sales service assurance and post-warranty costs coupled with company’s ability to deliver on-time service during product life cycle are going to weight critically in the customer’s mind,” he states. Reddy believes that the refrigeration industry has changed a lot during the last years, however there is still a major potential to improve on efficiency and sustainability.

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CAMPUS NOTES

Empowering culinary talent Providing value based education and various career opportunities to aspirants of the Indian hospitality sector, Mohd Shahid Hasnain, principal, IHM Rohtak, elaborates on the hospitality segment in India, the institute and its offerings

By Archana Sharma

74 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

W

ith the hospitality sector gaining momentum, the State Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Rohtak, has been providing tailor made programmes to the hotels of Haryana Tourism Corporation (HTC). Established in August 2012, IHM Rohtak came into existence as an autonomous body under the department of tourism, Government of Haryana. According to Mohd Shahid Hasnain, principal, IHM Rohtak, “With the tremendous growth being observed in the Indian hospitality sector, this in-

Mohd Shahid Hasnain

dustry is moving towards becoming one of the most profitable segments in the country.

And with increasing prospects, the goal to provide quality and value based education to hospitality sector aspirants led to establishing IHM Rohtak under Haryana Tourism.� Affiliated to the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), Noida, IHM Rohtak is a new setup, the fourth institute of hotel management under Haryana government after Panipat, Faridabad and Kurukshetra. In the beginning the institute had 34 stu-

CAMPUS NOTES dents in its first year of operations for the degree course and now the has 127 students for the same.

Programmes and facilities Equipping students with all the required skills, knowledge and attitude to efficiently discharge supervisory responsibilities in the hospitality sector, IHM Rohtak, has various programmes running in the institute. The BSc Programme in Hospitality and Hotel Administration, offered jointly by the NCHMCT and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), is the most sought after programme. There are about 210 students in different years for this course. Apart from this, the institute also runs a one year Diploma in Food Production course, with 22 students enrolled in it so far.

“The hospitality industry is one of the largest segments under the services sector of the Indian economy and with tourism being a key growth driver and a significant source of foreign exchange earnings in India, providing direct contribution to the GDP which is expected to grow at 7.8 per cent per annum during 2013-2023, the government is pushing domestic and international tourism forward. However, this growth will require a large number of skilled workforces, therefore many skill development programmes have been introduced through the various IHM's,” Hasnain stated. And, being connected to the ministry of tourism, Goverment of India, IHM Rohtak also runs short term job oriented courses like skill testing and certification scheme and 'Hunar se Rozgar tak' scheme, wherein they have completed 14 batches and trained about 500 students till date.

IHM Rohtak emphasises on hands on training for students, supplementing the theoretical inputs given to them.

To facilitate this better, and provide proper practical training, IHM Rohtak has three state-of-the-art

The institute is also planning to start a new kitchen set up, exclusively for the skill certification courses, a canteen for students will also start soon and an auditorium and a new block for staff quarters are also proposed for the future kitchens, a bakery with confectionery and chocolate room, larder kitchen, all equipped with the latest equipment. “We also have a well-equipped laundry, three operational guest rooms, two restaurants of more than 60 covers, attached with mock bar, a front office lab and a state of art computer lab having all necessary software, for the various practicals,” Hasnain boasted. In addition to this, IHM Rohtak has well-furnished separate hostels for girls and boys, a library with a vast collection of books and regular periodicals and journals, dining hall of 125 persons taking care of student’s meal during the lunch hours. They are also planning to start a

new kitchen set up, exclusively for the skill certification courses, a canteen for students will also start soon and an auditorium and a new block for staff quarters are also proposed for the future.

Apart from on-campus training, every student has to undergo a six-month internship, an integral part of the curriculum, providing emphasis on the practical exposure for students. Talking about career opportunities, Hasnain said, “We are a new institute, where our first batch will pass out this year, yet we arranged many campus interviews for their placements.” IHM Rohtak recently hosted an HR summit and job fest in collaboration with Maharshi

Dayanand University.

Hasnain believes that the faculty of any institute is the key factor for providing quality education and keeping the same in mind, IHM Rohtak has a team of young and dedicated faculty with experiences from leading hotel chains. The Faculty is also sent for regular training programmes in order to keep pace with changes in the industry.

Regarding modifications in the hospitality academics and curriculum, IHM Rohtak follows the same syllabus which is followed by the other institutes of the country. However, Hasnain believes that the curriculum needs to be revised, especially keeping in mind, the modern scenario which is

changing at a fast pace at international level. “And the syllabus is likely to be revised very soon considering the fact that the module from Lausanne- Switzerland is to be adopted,” he added.

IHM Rohtak also undertakes promotional activities such as hosting theme lunches like Nirvana and Rajasthani cuisine celebrations and other activities, inviting eminent personalities from the local community, to discuss the hospitality scenario in India. “Such events and activities not only provide exposure and an almost work-like environment but also enable the students to handle work pressure better,” Hasnain added.

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MOVEMENTS JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar AYESHA BHALLA has been appointed as director of sales and marketing for JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. With an experience of 16 years in the hospitality industry, Bhalla began her career with Holiday Inn Worldwide as a sales executive and later went on to join Oberoi Hotels and Resorts and has worked across positions, responsible for property reactive sales, proactive account sales and seg-

Her vast portfolio includes prestigious brands like The Unison Hotels Group, The Leela Group and the InterContinental Hotels Group before she made her way into JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar.

rector of rooms at Hyatt Regency Delhi before moving to Hyatt Bangalore as general manager in April 2013. Before joining Hyatt, he held various positions in rooms in Canada and India.

Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

Sahara Star Hotel

VENUS PATNI has joined the team at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon as assistant housekeeping manager.

SACHIN MOTEE has joined Sahara Star Hotel as head loss prevention in the loss prevention department. He brings with him over 17 years of expertise in the hospitality industry, having

Ayesha Bhalla

Venus Patni

Sachin Motee

ment sales, local and social catering sales, business travel sales, reservation sales. Before her current aapointment, Bhalla was the director of sales and marketing at The Oberoi, Bangalore.

In this role, he will be responsible for managing all aspects of the housekeeping department to deliver impeccable services to its guests. Patni has been associated with Marriott International for more than two years. Previously he worked with The Oberoi Group and Jaypee Sports City.

worked as chief security officer at Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami and as duty officer at Cambata Aviation. He holds a BSc degree and has undergone various security training courses, ISPS code certification and courses in crowd management, crisis management, and human behaviour course and has other survival skill validations such as fire and safety certificates.

NEESHA MOHAPATRA has been appointed as director of human resources for JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Prior to this, Mohapatra was the director of human resources at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments.

Mohapatra holds an MBA in Human Resource Management.

Neesha Mohapatra

ANIL JHA has been appointed as director of catering sales and operations for Eastin Hotel Ahmedabad. In his new role, Jha will oversee the complete catering sales and operations. He will ensure smooth functioning of the department, systems procedures, revenue generation and banquet operations.

Jha started his career as a management trainee and has had tenures with Country Inn & Suites by Carlsons, Radisson Hotel, Gandhinagar, Fortune Inn

Group of Hotels and Resorts, Mumbai as security supervisor. He then moved onto The Park Plaza Royal Palms, Mumbai as security executive followed by Banyan Tree Group of Hotels & Resorts Seychelles as assistant security manager and then with Thunderbird Group of Hotels as assistant security manager.

Ahmedabad to name a few.

In his last role Jha was with Radisson Gandhinagar, as director of food and beverage

of Hotel & Tourism Management Studies from Mumbai University.

The Claridges, New Delhi

MADHAV SEHGAL has been appointed as general manager of Hyatt Regency Chennai. Sehgal joined Hyatt in 2010 as di-

PRAVIN GADEKAR has been appointed as assistant manager loss prevention in the loss prevention department.

He has 13 years of experience, starting his career with Taj

ANUPAM GODARA has joined the front office department as assistant front office manager and has five years of experience. He started his career at The Oberoi, Mumbai as front office assistant, then worked with Courtyard By Marriott, Mumbai International Airport as front office executive and then moved on to Hyatt Regency, Mumbai as assistant manager front office.

He holds a degree in Bachelor

SANDEEP VERMA has been appointed as director of operations at The Claridges, New Delhi. A career spanning over 18 years across the hospitality space, Verma will assist the leadership team in achieving the goals and objectives of the group and ensuring brand standards are maintained. An alumni of Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, he has previously worked with The Taj Hotels, Jet Airways, IndiGo and The Park Hotels. In his recent assignment Sandeep was the senior general manager in-flight services at SpiceJet.

Madhav Sehgal

Pravin Gadekar

Anupam Godar

Sandeep Verma

Hyatt Regency Chennai

76 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD March 1-15, 2015

Eastin Hotel Ahmedabad