About
three weeks back, India took one more step towards globalization of
Indian consumers. Sometime last year, Government of India had
announced that single brand retail stores even with 100 % foreign
ownership can be opened in India with fully protecting their brand
name and expertise. Some fashion brands and boutiques had opened
their shops in posh areas of mega cities like Mumbai and Delhi.
However no big ticket brand had so far come to India. This has
changed now with opening of the first 'Starbucks' cafe in Mumbai. Any
person, who has visited or stayed in any part of developed world,
would always know about Starbucks. Such is the popularity of this
global brand.
Starbucks
is so sure about its brand image that they have not bothered about
taking 100% ownership in the new venture. They have rather taken a
50% partnership along with one of India's biggest industrial
conglomerate, house of Tata's, who already have interests in coffee
retailing as well as running coffee house chains.
So how
does one feel to go to a Starbucks in India? From the reactions of
the crowd that seems to be eager to enjoy Starbucks experience and
does not mind waiting outside, just to enter the cafe, the new
venture appears to have started with a bang. India's first Starbucks
has opened its doors from a 4500 square foot place set over two
floors in the historic Horniman Circle, a commercial neighborhood set
around a park in the heart of South Mumbai. And the lines outside the
gates only seem to get longer and longer particularly on weekends. No
one is particularly bothered about the wait as they are not here to
just grab a coffee and run. They are here to feel the Starbucks
experience. Almost every table is packed with college students, who
want to seen this place and want to be seen. Nobody is in a rush.
What
about the menu? To succeed in Indian market, adoption to Indian
tastes is a must for any foreign food product brand or an eatery. If
you go to any international brand eatery like KFC, McDonald's or
Pizza hut in India and study their menus, the first thing that
strikes is its complete adaptation to Indian tastes. Then how
Starbucks has coped up with this? It appears that they have studied
the market well before entering, at least the menu suggests that. In
India, many communities are totally vegetarian. They would not even
touch an egg. Starbucks has special counters for this purpose. The
food is segregated into vegetarian and non-vegetarian counters. There
also are separate ovens for the two.
The
drinks menu is reported to be mostly international. Starbucks is
using coffees sourced and roasted locally. All their specialty drinks
like “Caramel Frappuccino,” or “Chai Tea Latte” are
available. Though I doubt, how acceptable would be “Chai Tea”
because in India Tea is known as Chai only.
Starbucks
has come out with really special veggie dishes for India. They have
“Chatpata Paratha Wrap” or Indian flat bread filled with spring
onions, cheese, pepper and chaat masala or a char-grilled sliced
potato and pepper in a ciabatta sandwich, which is Starbucks
equivalent to Indian “ Vada pav.” Along with international
favourites like Blueberry muffins and double chocolate muffin,
Starbucks is offering a croissant with cardamom and mawa ( a
milk-based sweet) and is called as Elaichi Mawa Croissant.
For
the meat lovers, there is a sandwich filled with chicken patties
known as “Murg tikka panini” or a Calzone ( Italian folded over
dough) spiced with tamarind and is being called as “Tamarind Peanut
Chicken Calzone” or a mutton puff called “Konkani Twist”
In
short they have made a real effort to adopt their menu to Indian
tastes. However Indian clientele is very choosy and looks for value
of money. As long as, to be seen in Starbucks, is considered as some
kind of status symbol, there would be huge crowds at these cafes. But
to sustain the clientele over a long run, Starbucks would have to
provide value for money. If they do that they are likely to be as
successful as other International brands like McDonald’s or Pizza
hut in India.
13
November 2012
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