MxMIndia

Tag: Tata Coffee

  • She brought on board Be.artsy, a social awareness enterprise, to focus the employees in the corporate office

    Tata Coffee elevates campaign against sexual harassment at workplace

    By A Correspondent

     

    International Coffee Day is celebrated every year on October 1. Tata Coffee has focussed this year on alleviating some of the social ills that beset coffee plantation workers. A major focus area has been the prevention of sexual harassment of women at the workplace.

     

    The company has brought on board Be.artsy, a social awareness enterprise, to focus the employees in the corporate office and at the plantations on prevention of sexual harassment, and to explain the avenues for redressal in a simple and practical fashion.

     

    Said Tata Coffee’s CHRO Priyanka Gidwani: “The collaboration has been highly engaging and impactful for us at Tata Coffee at the corporate office. Our employees have received the interventions well and have now opened up much more. It has helped us build transparency and encouraged our employees to speak their point of view on various topics. We have also just completed batches for our blue collar workers in the estates in local language and the awareness has received extremely positive feedback. We have used this opportunity to refresh and inform them of our reporting channels including providing my contact details for reporting concerns. The partnership with Be.artsy is truly valued by us.”

     

     

  • … of critically ill under-privileged children in the areas of heart, cancer & thalassaemia, conducted by the Genesis Foundation (text+video)

    CEOs sing a song in support…

     

    Genesis Foundation held the second edition of its one-of-a-kind fundraiser – 40 CEOs Sing for GF Kids, in Mumbai last Saturday. Business leaders from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru came together once again to compete as teams, singing old, new, Hindi and English songs, to support the treatment of critically ill under-privileged children in the areas of heart, cancer and thalassaemia.

     

    The Delhi team, comprising CEOs from Jubilant Foodworks, SAP, iBus Network, Global Access Learning Solutions, Cargill India, Napino Auto and Electronics, Modern Foods and McKinsey were announced winners. The performances were evaluated by Zila Khan, Indian Sufi and classical singer, Lesle Lewis, Indian and Western fusion singer, and Ashish Manchanda, accomplisthed mixing and recording engineer, remixer and music producer.

     

    Speaking at the event, Prema Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation expressed her gratitude and delight, “A delightful event with every person giving their time, effort and best wishes to support critically ill children. What more can one ask for! Just like last year, I am amazed at the commitment that our CEO supporters have for the cause to come all the way from different parts of India to participate in this event. It has been an incredible year for us and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each person associated with not just tonight’s event but with the Foundation in any big or small way. The task at hand is huge, but our supporters give us the reassurance that it’s not impossible.”

     

    In keeping with the Genesis Foundation’s core to build a participatory culture of giving, musically inclined CEOs come together each year to raise funds for the critically ill and underprivileged children. “Over the years, the CEOs Sing events have created a community of supporters who don’t just give their time to participate in the singing events, like tonight’s 40 CEOs Sing For GF Kids, but with their influence, they also inspire their colleagues and other people to give their support to the cause of Genesis Foundation,” said Jyoti Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation.

     

    We spoke with the Sagars and three industry captains.

     

    Prema Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation

    How has the journey of Genesis Foundation been so far?

    The journey has been quite long actually. Started working with children in orphanages and then it became about thalassaemia, cancer and heart and so we started expanding and it has expanded right across the country mostly, so it has gone particularly to the South, the West and the North.

     

    Having 40 CEOs singing for a cause

    The reason why we got into music is because we wanted the children to survive and be happy and not be serious about fund raising. A lot of CEOs are bathroom singers or dinner singers so we thought why not get them on the stage. This has been going on for a few years and its been exciting not only for them but for us as well. We all become like one family because we all know each other and we get together even when we are not doing an event.

     

    Dia Mirza’s association with the Foundation

    Dia is a wonderful wonderful wonderful person whether it is about environment or about children she really believes in it and so you know that what she is giving to the foundation is also fantastic for everybody else and so I don’t want somebody who is just a brand but somebody who is really part of it and that is what Dia is all about.

     

    Jyoti Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation

    The Genesis Foundation journey so far?

    First of all, a bit of what Genesis Foundation does is we provide or facilitate critical medical assistance to orphans and to children from underprivileged sections of the society which we define as families whose monthly income is Rs.10000 or less and there are three areas in which we work – heart, cancer and thalassaemia major. In the last six to seven years we have been much more active. So, the journey has been amazing. This September we crossed a milestone of 1000 children lives being saved and it’s been fantastic.

     

    CEOs participation in the fundraising event.

    We have used music as medium to reach out to our supporters at large and even for fund raising and the corporate engagement in that has been quite interesting because we discovered that there were many CEOs who are very talented in music. So it turned out to be a very wonderful combination because we ended up providing this platform for CEOs to come out of the closet, so to say and to come out and perform for a very good cause. We have been doing in cities individually in Gurgaon, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. The CEOs sing event for last six years now and last year we started with this idea of getting teams from banalise, Mumbai and Delhi to perform together. This one is our second edition of the 40 CEOs sing for genesis foundation.

     

    How was the response about CEOs for singing for this cause ?

    All the CEOs that you see here perform today are very kind-hearted and generous people and they are very happy to give their time. In the beginning of course when we started the process there was reluctance not that they didn’t want to do it but the typical reluctance that you have for doing something different but these people are very very willing participants and very generous supporters. We are here in Mumbai and we have CEOs who have come all the way from Bangalore, who have come all the way from Delhi and Gurgaon and these people have not only given their time but have flown here, they are going to stay here overnight and go back tomorrow on a weekend. For us, its just their commitment and their generosity which really matters and its very gratifying to see all these people give so much time for the cause of the foundation.

     

    Geetu Verma, Executive Director Foods & Refreshments, Hindustan Unilever

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I have actually lost count of the number of years I have been associated with Genesis. I think ever since Genesis started this particular event I have been associated with Genesis and I feel fiercely proud about the association. I think it’s a symbiotic association and I think it’s an incredible way how Prema and the Genesis team have brought passion at one level along with purpose together in such a sweet spot and in a wonderful way.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    There are two causes very close to my heart, one cause is to do with women and having more women in the workplace and thats something that I advocate and promote a lot in the course of my work and wherever I get opportunities outside my workplace as well. The second cause is children, there are two causes that I support, one is Genesis Foundation for kids and the other one is St. Jude child centres. Both of these are really for giving life to children and I think it works quite seamlessly. I give whatever time I can give, sometimes have spells which are extremely busy and sometimes it’s a bit leaner but irrespective I think whatever I am able to do it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    I think everybody needs to have some creative outlet. You could be a painter, you could be a singer, you could play an instrument and I think it’s the best way to destress. I have had days which have been extremely tuff but when you come back in the evening and you switch on your own, whether its Kishor Kumar music or Sinatra and you can just sit back and chill you get transported to a different world. I love music. Music is god, music is life for me. So having opportunities like these are not something that I would ever pass out.

     

    Shireesh Joshi, COO, Strategic Marketing, Godrej Group

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I have been associated with Genesis Foundation and their CEO event right from the time they started back in Gurgaon in 2010. I have had the honour and pleasure of being with them in Delhi events, in Mumbai events, in Bangalore events and its been awesome trying to give back to the cause and the support through music which is my first love as well. So it’s the best of everything. A chance to give and a chance to have great fun in music with friends you love being with.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    Well I have not kept count and most of the ones that I have done have of course been with Genesis and there have been quite a few over the years. So six years and counting. So yeah, I have done quite a few with them and I have managed to do a few others as well.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    Many CEOs that I know have some hobby or the other. A lot of them have singing as a hobby but others have other things to do. Some paint, some write, I know people who publish books quite a bit. So people manage to do everything they love with passion no matter what or how responsible position they are in and I think if you do that it makes you do best for both. You get to be a better writer, musician or a sportsperson and you get to be a better geo because you are able to express yourself much better.

     

    Sanjiv Sarin, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Coffee

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I first got introduced with them because of what they have put together which I think is an awesome platform. Everybody has a brilliant time and yet is going for a good cause and over a period of time  I have seen the kind of work they are doing. I think its moved from entertainment to really appreciate and understand the depth of work that genesis has been doing.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    I am actually pretty deeply involved with the Art of Living foundation. I am a corporate teacher with them and I am also involved with social projects. So it’s not that it’s only genesis foundation. Genesis is contributing of my time to somebody who is doing all this but I do tend to spend as much time as I can juggling work life and putting back to society.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    I think it’s exceedingly important. One is besides the work that genesis is doing, each of the CEOs here for one day believes they can become a rockstar which I think is awesome and having been through a little bit of training and getting ready for this entire thing just shuts you off and puts you in a creative space which I think is absolutely critical for anybody right now.

     

  • As Starbucks opens its first store in Mumbai, a look at the coffee chain retail business in India

    Make mine a Mocha Frappuccino!

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    For all the coffee enthusiasts, the good news is that Starbucks is finally in India and opening its first store in Mumbai today. One doesn’t have to head to another land for your shot of Mocha Frappuccino. Or the signature hot chocolate. Yes, Starbucks enters India in a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Global Beverages and looks like the coffee retail chain business will only get more competitive with the entry of global behemoth.

     

    On the launch, John Culver, President, Starbucks China and Asia Pacific, said, “We are delighted to be able to announce our progress toward opening our first store in India and to introduce locally sourced espresso. Being able to use the highest quality espresso, sourced and roasted in India, is an important part of delivering a locally relevant experience to our customers in the market. This is the first step Starbucks and Tata Coffee Limited are taking toward developing and improving the profile of Indian-grown arabica coffees around the world by elevating the stature of Indian coffee, as well as improving the quality of coffee through sustainable practices.”

     

    Cafe Coffee Day or CCD as popularly known from Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co Ltd (ABCTCL) is the leading coffee retail chain and has been rapidly growing in India. Barista, Costa Coffee, Mocha, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Gloria Jean’s are some other leading coffee chains India.

     

    Euromonitor International, October 2012 in its study for Cafes/Bars in India points that specialist coffee shops continue to grow at the fastest rate of nearly 25% in current value terms in 2011. It also reports that Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co Ltd (Cafe Coffee Day brand) continues to lead value sales, with a share of 1.1% in 2011. In terms of growth it offers that the Cafes/bars is likely to grow at a constant value CAGR of 3% to reach Rs725.6 billion by 2016.

     

    The report also states that “Urban consumers, including professionals and youngsters, increasingly started to prefer Cafes as places to hang out in 2011. Cafes such as CCD and Barista emerged as the favourite destinations for casual business meetings. Further, the Cafe trend also started to gain huge popularity even in Tier II cities such as Ghaziabad and Hubli, where young consumers were the dominant consumers.”

     

    The encouraging bit is that Cafes/bars value sales grew at a faster rate compared to the review period. The faster growth in 2011 was mainly due to the growing popularity of Cafes/bars as hang out zones for young consumers. Further, chained Cafe’s such as CCD started to include food on their menus to cater to the snacking needs of consumers. Such expansion of menus helped to increase the average spend and value sales even further in 2011. Specialist coffee shops continued to grow at the fastest rate of nearly 25% in current value terms in 2011. To cater to the growing consumer base, Cafe operators such as Cafe Coffee Day expanded the number of outlets drastically in 2011.

     

    K.S Narayanan, CEO, Pan India Food Solutions (The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf), “The coffee market, by all parameters, is set to grow further in India. While it’s a complex business to manage, given our division over choice of beverage in different parts of the country, the entry of these many brands means more choice for consumers, in addition to segmentation of the market. The growth story for CBTL has been encouraging since we started out in 2008. We’re focused on the premium coffee and tea consumer and strive to deliver the most premium Cafe experience to the customer in terms of product, ambience, and service. Our CBTL business continues to grow at a steady pace and we have added six outlets this fiscal year.”

     

    Another important trend that Euromonitor quotes is that Coffee shops continued to have drinks as their major offering, accounting for nearly 60% of the value sales in 2011. However, most of the coffee shops started to expand their food offering to attract consumers to their outlets.

     

    Independent Cafes accounted for nearly 96% of the total value sales of Cafes/bars in 2011. Independent Cafes continued to enjoy huge popularity amongst older consumers who prefer to have evening and morning hot beverages in traditional independent Cafes, such as Indian Coffee House and Airlines. However, independent Cafes continued to lose share to chained Cafes, which witnessed strong growth in 2011.

     

    India’s Cafes/bars category is highly fragmented with no player constituting a double-digit share in 2011. Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co Ltd (ABCTCL) continued to lead Cafes/bars with a value share of 1.1% in 2011. The company continued to enjoy an established presence across the country under the brands, Cafe Coffee Day and Coffee Day Xpress. Other Cafes/bars, such as Barista, Java Green, and Costa Coffee, also enjoyed huge popularity amongst consumers. It should be noted Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co witnessed the fastest growth, mainly due to rapid expansion in the number of Cafe Coffee Day outlets in 2011.

     

    Whitbread Plc’s flagship brand Costa Coffee witnessed strong regional and national growth across India’s chained Cafes category in 2011. The company enjoyed a value share of 5% of chained specialist coffee shops in 2011. Costa Coffee focuses on business professionals (i.e. expatriates) and affluent households in cosmopolitan cities such as Bangalore and Delhi.

     

    Chained Cafes such as Barista and Cafe Coffee Day are likely to expand the number of outlets and also extend reach to Tier II cities during the forecast period. The expansion plans would allow Cafe chains to leverage on the growing preferences of Tier II consumers to go to Cafes to socialise. Additionally, chained Cafes are also likely to focus on expanding their food menus, including the introduction of value for money food items in their menus over the forecast period.

     

    Increasing real estate rentals, overheads and food price inflation are likely to threaten the profitability of Cafe operators during the forecast period. Such an increase in costs is expected to force Cafe operators to pass on the costs to consumers who might choose to cut side orders.

     

    On the space changing with the entry of Starbucks,  Mr Narayanan said, “With the coming of international brands, the consumer will now get a wider choice of product offerings in the market place which would in turn enable the market to be more sharply segmented and grow at an accelerated pace.

     

    Specific to CBTL he added, “Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf prides itself on the quality of teas and coffees it has on offer for its patrons. Our beverages (coffees and teas) are sourced from the world’s best plantations which comprises about 1% of the world’s produce. That quality experience that we offer to our consumers will continue as we have set out to do.”

     

    Technopak Advisors, a management consulting firm noted that the café brands are moving closer to consumers for easy accessibility. Therefore, they are moving beyond traditional locations (high streets, markets, shopping malls) to other promising and high catchment venues such as offices, hospitals, educational institutions/campuses, airport etc. Besides new formats are being introduced beyond traditional dine such as kiosks, premium lounges among others.

     

    They also outline the challenges in this business and real estate is the biggest one. More brands are now vying for the same space – consequently rentals are high and often a big part of operating expense. There is the issue of supply chain for new brands due to small scale of operations to start with; existing brands need to streamline operations for operational profitability as they grow in store numbers. There is a need for increased investment in resources, kitchen, quality audits, greater financial investment and technology. The challenge is also menu where bands need to standardise the production process in growth phase to provide quality food and beverages across cities. At Store Level, the challenges include that with the growth of the sector, managing store level operations will become increasingly important in terms of staff training, retention, quality of service and standardisation of café design among others.

    Starbucks spokespersons were not available for comment on the eve of the launch to reveal their pricing.

     

    Images from www.Starbucks.in