Barista in advanced talks with food delivery platforms for food delivery

Barista Coffee has partnered with American Pistachio Growers (APG) to introduce a new line of pistachio-based beverages and desserts. This collaboration aligns with Barista's strategy to diversify its retail menu in India by integrating premium California-grown pistachios, known for their quality, taste, and nutritional benefits.  

The new pistachio series includes products such as the California Pistachio Latte, California Pistachio Frappe, and California Pistachio Muffin. This product expansion is part of Barista’s effort to offer customers a wider variety of international flavors within its coffeehouse environment.  

Rajat Agrawal, CEO of Barista Coffee said, “At Barista Coffee Company, we constantly strive to curate offerings that align with our customer’s evolving preferences. Our partnership with the APG is a step ahead of our shared vision of quality and authenticity. California pistachios’ unique taste and health benefits are the perfect ingredient to complement our beverages. We are excited to bring this exclusive series to our guests across the country.”  

Sumit Saran, India Market Representative for APG added, “We are delighted to collaborate with Barista Coffee Company to promote California-grown pistachios in India. This initiative showcases the exceptional quality of American produce and strengthens the culinary ties between the two nations. California pistachios symbolize excellence, and we are elated to see them become a part of Barista Coffee's exciting new offerings.”  

The pistachio product range will be available across all Barista Coffee outlets in India starting from December 16, 2024. This move is expected to enhance Barista’s retail presence by offering customers a combination of premium coffee and innovative flavors.

Barista Coffee, one of India's prominent home-grown coffee chains, recently conducted a unique initiative at its Basant Lok Café in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi. The company's leadership team, including CEO Rajat Agrawal and senior management, stepped into the roles of baristas for a day, serving customers, brewing coffee, and managing store operations.  

The initiative aimed to strengthen the connection between the brand and its customers by offering leadership an opportunity to engage directly at the store level. It also showcased the team’s commitment to understanding customer interactions and daily operations firsthand.  

Rajat Agrawal, CEO of Barista Coffee shared, “This initiative was a fantastic opportunity for our leadership team to connect with the heart of our business – our customers and our store operations. It’s crucial for us to understand the customer experience at every level, and by stepping into the shoes of our baristas, we gain invaluable insights that help us enhance our offerings and improve our operations. It also allows us to show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our store teams.”  

The Basant Lok Café, known for its energetic ambiance, served as a fitting location for this engagement. Customers responded positively to the opportunity to interact with the company’s leadership team, appreciating the effort to foster direct communication and transparency.  

Through this initiative, Barista Coffee reiterated its focus on customer engagement and operational excellence, aligning with its commitment to delivering a high-quality coffee experience across its retail outlets in India.

Barista Coffee, a well-known Indian coffee chain, has expanded its product offering by launching coffee capsules and machines aimed at the home-brewing market. The new capsules are priced at Rs 500 for a pack, available in two blends: Classic and Dark Roast. The coffee machine is priced at Rs 15,999, with an introductory offer of Rs 12,000. This new product line was introduced at the Barista cafe in Basant Lok, Delhi, marking the company’s entry into the home coffee segment.  

The launch of the coffee capsules and machine is part of Barista’s strategy to meet the increasing consumer demand for convenient, high-quality coffee at home. With the growing trend of home brewing among coffee enthusiasts, the company is aiming to cater to consumers who want a café-quality coffee experience in their homes or offices.  

Rajat Agrawal, CEO of Barista Coffee shared, “Barista is all set to bring this new line of coffee capsules and coffee machines to the customers, making it easier than ever to enjoy the Barista experience at home. Our goal was to create a convenient yet authentic coffee experience that embodies the quality and craftsmanship Barista is known for. We believe these offerings will be warmly received by our coffee-loving community and will set new standards in the home-brewing market.”  

The product range promises a rich and aromatic coffee experience, with the capsules designed to deliver Barista’s signature taste with minimal effort. The coffee machine and capsules are now available at selected Barista cafes across cities such as Delhi NCR, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, as well as through e-commerce platforms, aiming for wider accessibility to coffee lovers across the country.

Barista Coffee, one of the leading cafe chain of India, has opened the Barista Diner in Srinagar.  

Spanning over 4,000 square feet, the new Diner, is Barista’s largest café in the country that offers spectacular views of the Dal Lake and promises an exceptional casual dining experience in the heart of Srinagar.

With a total seating capacity of 100+, the Barista Diner is strategically positioned to elevate the culinary landscape of Srinagar by offering a wholesome culinary experience in addition to the great Cuppa of coffee. 

"We are thrilled to announce the launch of Barista Diner, our newest and largest cafe at Dal Lake, Srinagar. With its strategic location, grand outdoors overlooking The Dal, enabled with great culinary experience, we are confident that Barista Diner at Dal Lake will become a preferred go to place for locals as well as for tourists visiting Kashmir,” shared Rajat Agrawal, CEO, Barista Coffee.

Barista Diner in Srinagar marks the fifth addition to the growing chain of Barista’s flagship format Diners across India, following successful establishments in Noida, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, and Kapurthala.

Established in the year 2000, Barista Coffee Company is the pioneer of coffee culture in India. Besides India, its cafés are located across the islands of Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Barista Coffee celebrates a major achievement with the inauguration of its 400th café in Delhi.

The strategic placement of this store at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station not only signifies a pivotal moment in 2023 but also lays the groundwork for the brand's trajectory in 2024.

“We are overwhelmed to achieve this milestone of opening our 400th café for our guests as 2024 begins. As we expand our presence and strengthen our network reach, the key focus is on guest engagement and consistency in our services. Rajiv Chowk is a unique location which showcases the brand to a larger universe which commutes through the metro network, I am sure this would become a preferred place for travelers as a perfect meeting hub.” said Rajat Agrawal, CEO Barista Coffee.

The fresh establishment is poised to emerge as a preferred spot for both residents and travelers alike, offering a compelling destination experience.

Fudr, the F&B SaaS platform has unveiled a strategic partnership with Barista.

Under this collaboration, Barista is set to introduce a rewards-based food ordering and payment app in the third quarter of 2023.

Fudr has also inked a deal with Massive Restaurants, owned by Zorawar Kalra, which oversees more than 20 well-known brands such as Farzi Cafe, Pa Pa Ya, and Louis Burger, to create a comprehensive super app for all their F&B ventures.

Furthermore, Hyderabad-based Ohris, a renowned F&B chain, has joined forces to launch an app designed for self-pickup, ordering, and loyalty programs tailored to their specialty coffee brand, Qaffiene.

“I am happy to share that we have signed up a mandate with Fudr for developing our loyalty app considering the proactive approach of the team and detailed insights provided during the shortlisting process. We are excited to launch our loyalty app soon with the Fudr team and I am sure this will enable more seamless interactions with our guests and create a more rewarding environment for them as they engage with us across multiple stores.” said Rajat Agrawal, CEO, Barista Coffee.

Fudr, established by a team of technology and marketing experts including Aayush Khandpur, Prem Lokesh, Shobhit Marwah, and Akshat Khandpur, specializes in assisting F&B brands in India in constructing their app ecosystems.

They achieve this through their SaaS-based application builder stack, which seamlessly integrates with point-of-sale (POS) and payment systems.

 “Fudr is not merely an app but an investment in the future of restaurant chains. In this AI-driven era, we believe technologies should focus on direct connection with their customers, rather than going through aggregators. That's why we're creating a Unified Restaurant Interface (URI). It's a hub for all customer interactions and acts as a flywheel, using past data to continually refine and personalise experiences. With our strategic partnership with Barista, we aim to elevate the brand presence and cultivate meaningful connections along with maximising customer satisfaction & loyalty.” said Aayush Khandpur, Co-founder & CEO, Fudr.

Through these partnerships, Fudr aims to establish a robust digital infrastructure tailored for medium and large restaurant brands. Their goal is to assist these brands in implementing advanced technological solutions to launch their own apps, enhancing customer engagement and retention, all while reducing their reliance on the dominant duopoly of food aggregator apps.

Fudr has seen consistent growth in the past year with serving more than 20 restaurant chains across India. Their  plan is to onboard an additional 150 restaurant brands within the next 18 to 24 months.

Fudr intends to expand globally by entering key markets such as South East Asia and the MENA regions, while also diversifying its platform offerings into other rapidly growing sectors like direct-to-consumer (D2C), salons, and wellness within India.

As per industry insights, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market in India is on an impressive growth trajectory, with projections indicating that it will surge to an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $50 billion by 2030.

This would represent nearly a fourfold increase from its current size. The SaaS ecosystem in India is undeniably evolving and maturing, even in the present market conditions.

This growth offers FUDR a substantial market to capitalize on and develop its presence.

Café chain Barista Coffee Company has recently opened its first café in Ahmedabad. 

This milestone marks the company's 365th store, further strengthening Barista's position as a leading player in the country's coffee culture.

The brand-new Barista café, which is situated in the center of Ahmedabad, provides a unique experience for coffee enthusiasts by combining a lively atmosphere with a wide spread of beverages both coffee & smoothies coupled with complementing food options. The café hopes to establish itself as a preferred gathering place for city residents with its elegant decor and plush seating areas by developing a sense of neighborhood and offering a place for leisure.

“Barista Café at Bodakdev, Ahmedabad marks our presence in the city and this is our 3rd café in the state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad has always been a strategic market for us and we are sure to make an impact with our offerings which are suited to the palate type. We are aiming to build the network further in the state of Gujarat and our first store at Ahmedabad would help to push this agenda further,” shared Rajat Agrawal, CEO, Barista Coffee.  

The diverse menu at Barista offers a wide selection of coffees made from 100% Arabica beans brewed to perfection by our Baristas. Food menu is well spread to cater to all day parts with large varieties of Sandwiches, Wraps and Desserts. 

Opening of the Ahmedabad café highlights Barista's dedication to growing its presence throughout India and presenting the company's distinctive products to coffee enthusiasts in new and intriguing locations. Barista Coffee Company is committed to quality, creativity, and customer happiness and is constantly redefining what it means to visit a café in India.

The pioneers of coffee culture in India, Barista is ready to indulge its patrons with yet another offering on the special occasion of Valentine’s Day. In order to make this day memorable for everyone in selected cafes of Delhi/NCR, Karnal, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Mumbai & Kolkata, Barista is walking the extra mile and is geared to present its scrumptious gourmet delicacies, which are Sinfully Red and Sinfully Yours, Red Velvet Smoothie & Red Velvet Cake.  

Both the products carry the richness of red velvet’s creamy taste & texture and will leave customers asking for more. The coffee company keeps introducing such delightful gourmet delights, time and again and never lets any chance of impressing its patrons following with unique surprises. The V-Day delights start from Rs 149 onwards.

Puneet Gulati, CEO of Barista, said, “Valentine’s Day is one of the special occasions, during which we want our customers to taste our newly developed delicacies and share it with their loved ones. Our products have been tastefully crafted to match our customer expectations. Red Velvet Smoothie & Red Velvet Cake will not merely spruce up the occasion for lovers but will also give them a chance to express their love on a coffee date”.

This is not the first occasion when Barista has come up with such a delectable range of food, it has been actively attracting thousands of customers every day with its incomparable variety of brews, iced frappes, and flavored smoothies accentuated with mouth-watering side kick-ins like a chocolate croissant, snickers cake slice, apple and oats cake and more.

Business Growth

The Barista Coffee Company Limited has over 245 Barista Cafes and Barista Express Kiosks across India including its Franchise partners. Besides India, Barista Coffee also has cafés in locations across Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Established in the year 2000, Barista Coffee Company is the pioneer of coffee culture in India. The Barista Café chain delivers a truly Italian coffee experience in a warm, friendly and relaxed environment. It provides a comfortable place for people to unwind over interesting conversations and a hot cup of coffee.

Coffee Retail Chain: One of the fastest growing consumer food categories

According to recent reports, India is among the top 10 fastest growing markets for specialist coffee and tea retail chains. In India, the cafe chain market has brewed itself in the past few decades to become a whopping industry that is valued in crores as of now. This market is also one of the fastest-growing categories in the consumer food service industry.  

With such extravagant size, many entrepreneurs are running in the race to start their own coffee chains, and most of them prefer taking the franchise of other established brands. Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) is one of the biggest names in India in the field of the coffee retail chain, and operates on a franchise model offering lucrative business opportunities to like-minded entrepreneurs to join in the venture.

Barista, a leading coffee chain in India, is organizing 'Flavours of Coffee' festival across its outlets on the eve of International Coffee Day. International Coffee Day is celebrated worldwide on 1st October. Coffee lovers across India will get an opportunity to experience the hallmark drink ‘Cappuccino’ in relishing flavours such as Hazelnut, Irish and Vanilla at all Barista cafés.

Puneet Gulati, CEO, Barista, said, “International Coffee Day is a perfect day to engage with coffee lovers more deeply. Coffee is not native to India, but with Millennials causing a shift in the demand the Coffee consumption in India is rising. We chose to celebrate the different flavors of Cappuccino since it is the most preferred coffee variant.”

Barista is home to many coffee lovers in India who swear by Barista's premium beverages and Cappuccino remains to be the most sought-after coffee at Barista outlets. After South India's filter coffee that has a long history behind it, Cappuccino has emerged as the most consumed coffee variant in India.  Launching ‘Flavours Of Coffee’ hence is a perfect fit for the forthcoming festive season.

Along with celebrating the International Coffee Day, Barista is also organizing Dessert Festival called ‘Dessert Goals’ in selected outlets. During the festival, Barista customers will get a chance to try Barista's newly launched desserts in new avatars. Exciting flavours such as New York Cheese Cake, Loaded Chocolate Cake, Red Velvet Cake and Molten Choco Burst will be available at nominal prices starting from Rs. 99 only. These delicious and mouth-watering desserts perfectly complement Barista's premium beverages.

Barista Coffee Company, which owns Barista Café brand, is planning to reach 500-outlet mark in the next three years, embarking on a massive expansion through franchisee model. Currently, Barista has 220 outlets with an equal mix of company-owned and franchisee outlets. 

Puneet Gulati, CEO of Barista, said, "The focus is to grow the brand through franchise partners across India and going forward the ratio of company-owned against the franchisee outlets will be 30:70."

"We want to spread the love for brand Barista through interested entrepreneurs who have F&B background and also people who aspire to enter into F&B business. We have a 4-point strategy to make Barista brand stronger.  The franchisee expansion is one of the strategic pillars," he added.

Recently, Barista has started two new formats of Barista, one is Barista Diner, an all-day diner format, and Barista Express, a QSR format. The two outlets of Barista Diner have been opened in Noida in Delhi NCR and Kapurthala in Punjab. The company is in the process of launching Barista Diner in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad and Jaipur soon.

Gulati Further stated, "We will have 2 to 3 signature dishes from Mexican, Italian, Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisines at these Barista Diner formats with live counters and all-day dining facilities. The company will also explore tapping the cinema halls, Mall atriums, food courts, corporate offices, etc. for their Express format."

Barista has launched the season two of the much liked summer delights with Quenchers 2.0. Bigger than the previous season, seven new flavours are added to the Quencher menu which is a mix of smoothies, shakes, iced teas, mojitos etc, thus, announcing the arrival of summers at Barista outlets across India.

According to Puneet Gulati, CEO, Barista India, “Given the overwhelming response from our patrons during summers of 2018, we have added seven new alluring flavours which will only be enhancing our portfolio in the cold beverage section this season. The flavours are blended as per the palate of our discerning customers, which will be something new, yet familiar. We are looking forward to surprising our patrons during summers with these new delights and upcoming campaigns. These new flavours have been inspired by fruits & berries which have been a traditional way of providing refreshments since ages. The use of rose, berries, kaffir lime, pineapple etc will take your taste buds on a nostalgic journey around the world.”

Quenchers Collection has now reached a tally of 26 amazing drinks to choose from. The best arsenal to beat the heat, refresh body, mind & soul, these collectable bottled drinks are the ideal choice for any occasion and a perfect gifting option during summers. The chefs have created these exceptional flavours which have a mix of different kind of fruits & berries to bring unique piquancy for the taste buds. For Quenchers Season 2, Barista has added the following beverages to offer from their card –

Berry Frappe - Freshly picked berries bottled up with love.

Banoffee Pie - A crunchy creamy banoffee pie in a bottle.

Tropical Fruit Salad - Eat Better, Feel Better. Have a fruitful experience.

Passion Pineapple - With some passion, we have pineapple with a milky combination.

Jack Frost - A rarest of a rare combination of coconut, pineapple and jack frost.

Rose Faluda - Hello Faluda lovers! Ever think you‘ll find me in a bottle.

Kaffir Lime - An icy soul refreshing Kaffir experience with mint waves.

Committed to contributing to the environmental cause, Barista will carry forward the campaign from 2018 to 2019, making customers aware of the re-usability of the quencher bottles where patrons can also contribute their ideas with Barista. The best ideas also get a chance to get featured on Barista website, thus, saving the mother earth from the pollution which occurs during the recycling process of glassware.

सबसे बड़ी भारतीय कॉफी श्रृंखला में से एक, बरिस्ता ने इनोवेटिव डेसर्ट कलेक्शन मिठास लॉन्च किया है। विशेष डेसर्ट कलेक्शन प्रोडक्ट दिल्ली एनसीआर, पंजाब, कोलकाता और मुंबई के चुनिंदा बरिस्ता आउटलेट्स पर उपलब्ध हैं जो हर तरह के रिश्ते में मिठास लाएंगे।

बरिस्ता के सीईओ पुनीत गुलाटी ने कहा, 'हम अपने ग्राहकों के लिए ये नवीन पेशकश लाए हैं जिससे हर संभव तरीके से उन्हें प्रसन्न किया जा सके, पहली बार एक जार में डेसर्ट कबाब और स्ट्रॉबेरी केक ला रहे हैं जो हमारी विशिष्टता का प्रमाण है।'

119 रुपए से शुरू, नए और इनोवेटिव डेसर्ट कलेक्शन में अपनी तरह का एक डेसर्ट कबाब (लव कबाब) शामिल है और एक जार (जार में प्यार) में विशिष्ट रूप से स्ट्रॉबेरी चीजकेक है। इसके अलावा, स्ट्रॉबेरी रॉलैड (स्विस रोल) और रेड वेलवेट गेटॉक्स (केक) है। साथ में ये डेसर्ट कलेक्शन सभी के लिए आकर्षक विकल्प और आपके विशेष के लिए एक आदर्श उपहार विकल्प है।

शेफ ने डेसर्ट कबाब को परोसने में कभी ना देखा जाने वाला नवाचार बनाया है जिसमें स्वाद कलिकाओं के लिए अनोखे स्वाद लाने के लिए अलग अलग तरह की मिठाइयों का मिश्रण होता है। इसके बाद स्ट्रॉबेरी रॉलैड (स्विस रोल) है जो एक स्ट्रॉबेरी इंडल्ज है जिसे बीते वक्त की याद दिलाने वाले स्विस रोल में रोल किया गया है। इसी तरह, एक जार में स्ट्रॉबेरी चीजकेक (एक जार में प्यार) एक अच्छा स्वाद और स्मृति छोड़ेगा क्योंकि वे एक जार में परोसे गए नटी क्रंच और ब्राउनी चंक्स की परत वाले केक हैं जो वेलेंटाइन्स डे पर उनके लिए एक अच्छा गिफ्ट विकल्प भी बनता है।अंत में, इसमें क्लासिक रेड वेलवेट ब्राउनी के ऊपर स्वादिष्ट क्रीमी चीज फ्रॉस्टिंग की गई है।

Barista, one of the largest Indian coffee chains, launches Innovative Desserts Collection - Sweetness. The exclusive Desserts Collection products are available at select Barista outlets in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Kolkata and Mumbai which will bring sweetness to every kind of relationship when the love is in the air.

Puneet Gulati, CEO, Barista, says, “We have brought these innovative offering on to the table for our customers to delight them in every way possible with never seen before Dessert Kebabs and Strawberry Cake In A Jar which is the testimonial of our uniqueness.”

Starting from Rs 119/-, the new and innovative Desserts Collection includes one of its kind Dessert Kebab (Love Kebab), and uniquely contrived Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar (love in a jar). Furthermore, there is Strawberry Roulade (Swiss Roll) and Red Velvet Gateaux (Cake). Together this makes the Desserts Collection the alluring choice for all and a perfect gifting option for your special ones.

The chefs have created a never-seen-before innovation in serving the Dessert Kebabs which has a mix of different kind of desserts skewered together to bring unique flavour for the taste buds. Then there is Strawberry Roulade (Swiss Roll) which is a Strawberry Indulgence rolled up in a nostalgic Swiss roll. Similarly, the craftily worked Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar (love in a jar) are going to leave a rich taste and lingering memory as they are flavoured cheesecake layered with a nutty crunch and brownie chunks served in a Jar, which also makes them great gifting option for Valentine. Lastly, there is classic Red Velvet Brownie topped with a rich creamy cheese frosting.

Barista, one of the largest Indian coffee chains, launches their new Winter Treats for Christmas and New Year Celebration. The exclusive Barista Winter Treats products are available at all Barista outlets across India.

Starting from Rs 155, the new Winter Treat includes Plum Cake Box, Tiramisu in Kulhad, Red Velvet in Kulhad, Plum Pudding Cappuccino, Holiday Spice Cappuccino and Wheat Wraps. Winter Treat offerings are made to perfection maintaining the highest standards of hygiene.

This Winter Treat range has made the chefs in the kitchen innovate to deliver unique offerings to the patrons, like Tiramisu & Red Velvet cheese cakes are served in Kulhad is a unique concept of promoting earthen bowls in a plush setting and going eco-friendly. Similarly, the craftly worked plum cakes are going to leave a rich taste and lingering memory for the palate.

Puneet Gulati, CEO, Barista, said, "By introducing our Winter Treat collection we aim to bestow special warmth of festivity upon our customers during this winter season. No one blends like Barista and we wish to bring this unique and tasteful experience of savouring the Barista beverages and food to as many people as possible and make each of their celebration magical."

In order to support its strong market objectives, Barista Coffee Company Limited, one of the largest Indian coffee chains, has collaborated with a leading public relations firm, Saints Art. With this collaboration, Saints Art will support Barista with decisive and strategic services for various market penetration initiatives of the brand so as to uphold the leading position in the sector.

The chain of espresso bars has more than 200 Barista Cafe and Barista Express Kiosks across the country, including its franchise partners. Besides this, Barista Coffee Company Limited also has outlets in locations across Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal and Maldives.

Puneet Gulati, Chief Executive Officer, Barista, said, "We are growing at a fast pace and further plan to add more loyalty to our coffee, making sure our consumers are satisfied and increasing every day."

"Our partnership with Saints Art will help us communicate our vision and mission as per the directives as set for the Indian market," he added.

Puneet Sharma, Vice-President of Saints Art, said, "Barista, as a coffee brand, has been transforming through all these years, and consistently retained its position as a preferred brand among consumers."

"We believe our strong experience and well-thought PR strategy will bring in desired results for the brand and will further help them achieve their market objectives," he further stated.

Barista Coffee, an international coffee operator, has planned to open outlets in Maldives, the Middle East and Europe in the coming months, all in all 500 outlets by the end of five year.

Sanjay Chhabra, Chairman of Rollatainers, the parent company of Carnation Hospitality, said, "We aim to be 500 stores in the next five years, primarily through a franchisee route."

Currently Barista has 190 stores spread across the nation, it is planning to target mainly the smaller cities like Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Pune, where it can open the most outlets.

The size of the organised café market is projected to grow to Rs 151 billion by 2020 from Rs 67 billion in 2014, according to a March 2015 report by Technopak Advisors Pvt.

New Delhi-based Rollatainers has signed up a franchisee partner in the Maldives, where it plans to open four stores in the next six months. 

Barely a year after it acquired Barista Coffee, debt-laden auto component maker Amtek Group is looking to sell off the loss making Italian coffee chain, reported ET.

Amtek may bring in consultancy firm Grant Thornton to look for potential buyers for Barista, one of the officials quoted above said, adding though that Grant Thornton hasn't been given the signed mandate yet.

"The deal could also be structured in a way that the Arvind Dham-promoted Amtek Auto could liquidate about a third in Carnation Hospitality, which manages Amtek's food business," another official said.

Recently, Dham had announced the group's decision to offload non-core assets and exit non-auto businesses, after the firm defaulted on repayment of Rs 800 crore.

Amtek is the fourth owner of Barista Coffee, the oldest among India's private coffee chains, and the potential sale points to not only Amtek's cash crunch problems but also the struggle in the country's coffee chain industry where most players are struggling to make profits.

Most of Barista Coffee's 170-plus stores are loss making, though in terms of store count, Barista continues to be the country's second-largest cafe chain after Cafe Coffee Day.

Other big players in India's estimated Rs 1,400-crore cafe business with over 3,100 branded outlets include Starbucks and Costa Coffee. Carnation Hospitality, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amtek Group's listed firm Rollatainers, had bought out Barista coffee for Rs 100 crore from Italian coffee firm Lavazza Spa.

Carnation Hospitality, a wholly-owned subsidiary of consumer packaging company Rollatainers is planning to invest Rs 250 crore over the next five years.

The company is planning to expand its bouquet of food and beverage (F&B) brands including Wendy’s, Barista and its home grown brand Kylin.

Recently, Carnation has also acquired rights to operate certain restaurant chains at metro stations in Delhi.

"This space is interesting as it generates huge footfalls for the brands," said Sanjay Chhabra, MD, Carnation Hospitality. The company is also planning to open restaurants at railway stations such as Haridwar, Panipat and Mumbai Central among others.

"The investment will be funded through internal accruals and funds from the promoters," said Chhabra.

Carnation which has also acquired Barista for Rs 100 crore is also turning the coffee chain into modern cafes.

"We are refurbishing the stores to make them up to date and modern and planning to reach 550 outlets in the next three years from the current 190,”added Chhabra.

IRCTC is in talks with food majors in India, like Cafe Coffee Day, Pizza Hut, Barista, Subway and Jumboking to open outlets at stations.

The group is also planning to take its annual earnings to Rs 50 crore from the current earning which is 30 crore annually.

"To begin with, Mapple hotels have been selected to run the food plaza at Hardiwar station. There are 106 other food plazas and fast food units that are at various stages of commissioning at places like Bhavnagar, Delhi Cantonment, Kanpur Central and others,” said R N Kalita, Director, Catering Services, IRCTC.

IRCTC is also planning to open about 56 food outlets at Delhi Metro stations across New Delhi.

Travel Food Services (TFS), a Mumbai-based brand which is running restaurants, cafes, food courts and manages lounges across major airports in the country, will launch similar executive lounges across railway stations like Vijayawada, Howrah and Jaipur by next April. These lounges would be anything between 1,500 sq ft and 3,500 sq ft.

"We share the common vision of changing the travel experience of passengers with the Indian Railways. Our big challenge is to organise the scattered F&B services that are available at railway stations," said Gaurav Deewan, COO, Travel Food Services.

Keeping in mind the heterogeneous consumers in railway stations, food items of all price range would be served at the railway and metro stations by the food companies.

Meanwhile, JumboKing, which operates more than 70 outlets in India has proposed 20 outlets across stations in New Delhi in places like IFFCO Chowk metro station and HUDA City Centre metro station.