In the News

Bangalore will soon roast coffee beans for Costa Coffee, the brewing arm of UK-based Whitbread, as they arc planning for a tic-up with Bangalore-based Bayars group. Costa Coffee India is looking for setting up their outlets to roast beans in India.

If the deal gets through the roastery would soon start roasting beans for the Indian coffee chain. At present, the coffee beans are imported from the company's roastery in London.

Revealing the expansion plans of Costa Coffee India, Paul Robinson, country head Costa Coffee (Indian), said, with coffee market in India growing at an annual rate of over 30 per cent, the company is planning to open 300 outlets across the country in the next 3-4 years from around 40 at present.

Also, it chalks out plans to open 5-7 stores in the tricity-Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula-in this financial year.

Announcing the opening of Costa Coffee store at Panchkula, Paul said that the company aims to add 1520 stores in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh by opening more stores at Ambala, Chandigarh, Patiala, Karnal, Jalandhar and Shimla.

The country head said that Devyani International (part of Ravi Jaipuria company), exclusive master franchisee for Costa Coffee India, will pump in Rs.150 crore for Costa Coffee India's expansion.

The coffee chain is targeting to open around 80-100 stores by the end of this financial year, he said.

With coffee market in India growing at an annual rate of over 30 percent, the company is planning to open 300 outlets across the country in the next 3-4 years from around 40 at present. Also, it chalks out plans to open 5-7 stores in the tricity-Chadigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

Paul said that the company is planning to open more stores at airports and also will enter in to tie-up with hotels and hospitals to open more stores.

He said that India, Russia and China were important markets for Costa Coffee and the Costa International was in talks with other countries such as Turkey, Singapore and a few other Asian countries to start their brewing operations.

Costa interanational is eyeing to open 2000 outlets globally by 2010 from around 1000 currently.