CCD, Afoozo bid for operating India Coffee Houses

The much famous Indian Coffee House has open doors for women staff after almost 61 years of its operation.

The cooperative chain of hotels established by communist leader AK Gopalan has written a new chapter in its history by allowing six women to join the as a staff at three outlets in Kannur and Kozhikode.

Started in 1958, it was no-go-zone for female workers after the coffee board dismissed its workers that time.

“When the world is changing and women are breaking into top roles in all professions, it is high time the Coffee House opened its doors for them,” said PV Balakrishnan, President, Indian Coffee Workers’ Cooperative Society, Kannur, which took the initiative to appoint women at its coffee houses for the first time in the country.

“Our society functions in the entire Malabar region, including Palakkad, and I feel happy that we have set a model for the entire establishment,” he added.

If the move proves to be successful, the society has plans to appoint more women. In fact, they have already prepared a rank list. Balakrishnan said though the society has been considering appointing women staffers, it was industries minister EP Jayarajan’s suggestion that spurred them into action.

The first batch of six women, now on probation, was appointed on Tuesday after interviews and two each have been posted at outlets in Kannur and Kozhikode.

“Initially, they have been appointed as kitchen assistants and have been put on day duty. We would deploy them in service after they acquire the required skills,” added Balakrishnan.

In future, the Indian Coffee House may even consider opening all-women outlets, he said, adding that food prepared by women may drive demand.

There are around 10,000 employees working in various coffee houses under the 14 cooperative societies affiliated to the All India Coffee Workers’ Cooperative Societies Federation.

“We have only one female director board member- Lalithamma, wife of Coffee House founder secretary Nadakkal Parameswaran Pillai, but in the coming days more women will be included,” said Balakrishnan.

भारत की एक कॉफीशॉप चैन 'सरदारबक्श' को यूएस जॉइंट स्टारबक्स द्वारा मुक़दमा दायर करने पर अपना नाम परिवर्तित करने पर राजी होना पड़ा है। इंडियन फर्म ने अपना नाम और यहाँ तक की लोगो भी स्टारबक्स के नाम और लोगो से मिलता हुआ रख लिया था।

जुलाई माह में स्टारबक्स ने सरदारबक्श, जिसकी नई दिल्ली में 25 दुकानें हैं, के खिलाफ कानूनी कार्रवाई की शुरुआत की|

फिलहाल 125 आउटलेट्स चला रहे सरदारबक्श ने भारतीय बाज़ार में 2012 में कदम रखा था।

सरदारबक्श के सहसंस्थापक सनमीत सिंह कालरा ने बताया, "हमारा नाम स्टारबक्स के नाम से मेल खाता था। इसीलिए कोर्ट ने उनके पक्ष में फैसला दिया है।"

भारतीय कॉफीशॉप दो महीने में अपना नाम बदल कर "सरदारजी-बक्श" कर लेगी, किन्तु यह अपना लोगो नहीं बदलेगी, जो कि स्टारबक्स की ही तरह हरे एवं काले के गोले के अंदर बनी एक आकृति है|

An Indian coffee shop chain 'SardarBuksh' has agreed to change its name after being sued by the US giant Starbucks. The Indian firm was using the name rhyming with Starbucks, and it also has a similar logo.

In July, Starbucks began legal proceedings against SardarBuksh, which has 25 shops in New Delhi.

Presently having 125 outlets, Starbucks entered the Indian market in 2012.

Sanmeet Singh Kalra, Co-founder of SardarBuksh, said, "Our name rhymed with Starbucks which is why the court has ruled in their favour."

The Indian coffee shop chain will change its name to "Sardarji-Bakhsh" within two months. But, the firm will not change the logo, which like Starbuck's is a circle of green and black with a figure at the centre.

The Hyderabad-based instant coffee major CCL Products (India) Ltd plans to introduce sachets that are set to redefine coffee consumption in the country and meet the challenge of its competing beverage tea head-on.

CCL MD Challa Shrishant said that the company would soon launch 3-in-one sachets in the retail market that will contain instant coffee, spray dried milk powder and sugar, and the customer would have to just add water to drink it.

“Coffee cannot compete with tea in several regions of the country as it is not as affordable,’’ he said. The move is aimed at capturing the market in North India, where tea is the main beverage. Almost 80% of the coffee consumption in the country is concentrated in the four states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The product, to be launched under CCL domestic brand Continental, will be the first such locally produced one in the retail market. Consumption of coffee is growing at 15 to 20% in India compared with single-digit growth overseas, but it is yet to penetrate into smaller towns, he said.

The company hasn’t decided on the price but the product is likely to be available at a basic rate of Rs 10 a sachet with different flavours such as cappuccino, vanilla, hazelnut, etc., costing more. The customers will also have the option of sugar-free and non-dairy cream variants for those who are lactose intolerant.

CCL, which offers over 1000 blends, achieved 16% rise in its a consolidated turnover year-on-year at Rs 1,142.84 crore in 2017-18 with instant coffee exports, where it holds the top position with around 50% share, accounting for a majority of the earnings. “We achieved Rs 46 crore sales in domestic market and hope to double it in the current year,’’ Shrishant said.

In export, CCL plans to corner a bigger pie in the freeze-dried coffee by setting up a fourth plant exclusively catering to it at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh at an investment of Rs 300 crore. “Freeze dried coffee is a premium niche market and is globally growing at a fast clip,’’ Shrishant said. CCL currently has one plant in Andhra Pradesh and two abroad in Vietnam and Switzerland.

In the current year, CCL is expecting about 10 to 20% increase in export volumes. But a downswing in coffee prices and depreciation of the Brazilian currency could impact export earnings, he said.