INDIA – Some whiskey with my #coffee please

NEW DELHI: For those who like a little tipple with their brew, here’s some good news. Coffee giant Barista, owned by the Italian Lavazza, plans to offer beer and wine at their 

retail outlets in Delhi soon. In a first, the coffee chain will serve beer, Irish coffee and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (Imlf) at its five lounges in Delhi.

Five outlets which are undergoing renovation will start serving beer and wine from September 15, claimed Barista. The coffee major has nearly 60 stores in Delhi and NCR.

“Once successful, the model will be implemented at our other major outlets,” said an official of Barista Lavazza. At present, apart from coffee and tea, one can get sandwiches, wraps and ice-creams at these outlets. Barista has applied for a license from Delhi’s excise department, which in principal has given the nod but said Barista will have to fulfil the required norms.

A senior official of the Delhi Excise department said, “We normally grant licenses but certain norms have to be fulfilled. They have applied for the license under L-4 of the Punjab Excise Act. We have asked residents and shopkeepers of the area where these outlets exist, to come up if they have any objection to liquor being served in the area.”

The L-4 license is granted to outlets under which they can serve wine, beer and IMFL. A store in charge at the Khan Market lounge Sandeep Kane told Times City, “We have been asked to renovate the lounge according to requirement and the staff will be made to undergo training at our respective head offices before we start serving liquor.”

The marketing manager of the company in Delhi, Kumar Saurabh said, “The proposals are at an early stage but we will soon roll out the plan after completing the modalities.” The corporate communication of the Barista acknowledged that their outlets will be serving liquor soon but said, “The plan is at nascent stages and we would like to share the details when things are finalized,” said Suparna G Srivastava.

But the response among frequently customers is upbeat. “It will be great if they start serving beer and whisky. At times, you do not want to drink iced tea but since there is no other option available, one has to go with it. But now with beer also available at their counters, it will be easier to beat Delhi’s heat,” said Himanshu Syal, a student, who frequently visits the outlet in Connaught Place.

Barista’s rivals at Cafe Coffee day are not happy with the plan. A store manger at Connaught Place CCD, Sohan Kumar said, “By introducing liquor in their outlets, they will be destroying the whole concept of a coffee shop. We do not think it will work but can definitely hamper our market.”

Source: timesofindia