Category Archives: Business & Economy

Tea Board of India Extends Support to “World Tea & Coffee Expo” 2014, India’s Only International Trade Show Dedicated to the Tea & Coffee Sectors

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

As a part of its commitment to promote the Tea sector, the Tea Board of India, set up under Ministry of Commerce & Industry has extended its support to the 2nd Edition of “World Tea & Coffee Expo”™ (www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com), India’s only International trade fair dedicated to the Tea & Coffee sectors. The event is to be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India from Thursday 6th Feb 2014 to Saturday 8th Feb 2014. Tea Board of India has always been at the forefront of promoting Tea and has always taken proactive steps to address issues related to the Hot Drinks sector in India. The Tea Board of India decided to support this trade event since it shares a common goal with the show viz. promoting Hot Drinks in India. This niche expo is organized by the Mumbai headquartered Sentinel Exhibitions Asia P Ltd, a company engaged in managing and organizing trade events.

Says Mitesh M Kapadia, Director, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia P Ltd, “Hot drinks are witnessing positive growth since the last few years thanks to intensive marketing campaigns by players, launch of innovative products, the emergence of upscale Cafes offering both convenience, affordability and quality and the trend of these cafes becoming a meeting ground for young consumers.”

In addition to showcasing brands, products, machinery, retail Chains, accessories & technologies, WTCE 2014 will have Dedicated Innovations Display Zone, Interactive Demo areas (featuring Exotic Tea Tasting / Brewing sessions, Latte Art championships, Recipes and a lot more) as also Seminars & Conferences by Global Industry leaders & Policy makers to determine future trends in the Hot Beverage segment. The seminars will analyse prime factors influencing the sector and identify the sectors driving growth.

With an anticipated turnout of over 6000 Business Visitors including International buying delegations, WTCE 2014 promises to offer huge potential for franchising, marketing alliances, appointing Distributors, bulk orders, joint ventures and overall branding.

WTCE 2014 is also endorsed by a number of National & International Trade Bodies and visitors to the event will get exposure to national and international Brands, manufacturing and packaging technology, storage technology, Flavored Beverages, hi-tech vending machines, retails chains as well as a variety of products from importers and exporters of Tea & Coffee. For further details log onto www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com or contact Mr Mitesh, Director on +91 22 28625131 / +91 98205 03876 or on mitesh@sentinelexhibitionsasia.com

source: http://www.teanewsdirect.com / Tea News Direct / by K. Priti, Sentinel Public Relations P Ltd / November 06th, 2013

Tata Coffee re-appoints Deepak Kumar

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Leaders

Bangalore :

Tata Coffee Ltd has re-appointed M. Deepak Kumar as Executive Director-Finance for a period of one year commencing from October 25, 2013.

The decision to re-appoint Deepak Kumar was taken at the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on October 18.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by Anil Urs anil.u@thehindu.co.in / October 18th, 2013

Tata Starbucks launches exclusive Indian blend

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), World Opinion

Blending well: India Estates Blend, Tata Starbucks’ latest product for the Indian market.
Blending well: India Estates Blend, Tata Starbucks’ latest product for the Indian market.

Mumbai :
Tata Starbucks has launched a coffee blend exclusively for the Indian market, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the opening of its first store in Mumbai. Called India Estates Blend, the coffee is sourced from the finest arabica beans produced at Tata Coffee’s four estates in Chickmagalur.

Tata Starbucks, a 50:50 venture between Tata Global Beverage and US-based Starbucks Corporation, has also set up a coffee roasting and packaging plant at Kushalnagar in Karnataka’s Kodagu district with a capacity to produce 375 tonnes.

The company chose India Estate Blend after testing various coffees across Tata’s estates in Kodagu and Chickmagalur. It will be sold at Tata Starbucks outlets for blending or consumption at home, according to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Avani Saglani Davda. “Home bean consumption is catching up and India Estates Blend has been lined up for this,” she said. To be sold in packs of 250 g, the coffee will be available with six other varieties such as Home Blend, Italian and Addis Ababa.

It’s a long journey for the blend. The coffee beans are picked up from shady canopies in Kodagu and Chickmagalur estates and sent to Starbucks’ sourcing department in Seattle. This is the second blend brought out by the firm after the India Espresso Roast, sourced and roasted locally. The espresso is a popular product at Tata Starbucks stores across the country.

“The Starbucks sourcing department analysed the coffees and finalised the blend. The feedback is encouraging,” said Davda. The new blend is the first step Starbucks and Tata Coffee are taking to develop and improve the profile of Indian-grown arabica coffees in the global market. India Estates Blend is a medium roast coffee with a herbal juiciness and a chocolate finish. Tata Starbucks currently operates 24 stores across Mumbai, Delhi and Pune. “We will soon open an outlet in Bangalore,” a company official said.

(The writer visited Tata Starbucks’ Kushalnagar plant at the invitation of the joint venture firm).

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by M.R. Subramani / Mumbai – October 21st, 2013

Brewing recipe for success: Starbucks eyes long-term growth

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

The operations, which began with this historic handshake between Starbucks’ Howard Schultz and Tata group’s former chairman Ratan Tata, has only picked up steam over the last 12 months.

It’s a year to the day that coffee-chain Starbucks decided to give India a whiff of its world-famous blends. CNBC-TV18’s Vineetha Athrey travels to Tata Starbucks’ plantation in Coorg to find out what’s cooking for year-two.

This luscious Tata Coffee estate is where Starbucks sources its coffee beans from. And the Tatas have set up an exclusive plant here for Starbucks with an annual capacity of 375metric tons of coffee beans for the Indian operations.

The operations, which began with this historic handshake between Starbucks’ Howard Schultz and Tata group’s former chairman Ratan Tata, has only picked up steam over the last 12 months.

The joint venture has opened 24 outlets across Mumbai, Pune and Delhi and is now gearing up to ramp up its presence. This means newer cities with it city Bangalore becoming the next destination. Enthused by the warm welcome it has received in India; Starbucks also plans to enter other metros and tier-2 cities.

“The corner stone of the brand is the passion and commitment with which the partners create that beautiful environment and that unparalleled Starbucks experience. We feel humbled and proud that the Indian consumer has adapted to it so well, says Avani Davda CEO, Tata Starbucks.

Expansion, of course, means money and while the exact amount is as secret as its coffee recipes, Starbucks says it is aggressively shoring up its war-chest. Remember, in august the company got the go-ahead to infuse an additional Rs 150 crore into the operations and trebling its authorized capital of Rs 70 crore.

Getting that long term strategy in place means a strict standardization of beverage recipes, signature coffee blends and a stronger snack portfolio, for starters. That explains why its Indian outlets boast a new blend that is not available in any of its other markets just yet. The special blend, of course, actually boils down to the beans that come from this Tata plantation in Coorg.

Now the coffee giant is working on leveraging this further by possibly making this plant a sourcing base for its Asia operations, a move that would give it a significant competitive advantage over its competitors.

source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / MoneyControl / Home> CNBC-TV18 comments / by Vineetha Athrey, Reporter, CNBC-TV18 / October 18th, 2013

Tata Coffee opens extraction unit at Tamil Nadu’s Theni

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

Asia’s largest plantation firm Tata Coffee Wednesday unveiled its premium extraction plant at Theni near Madurai in Tamil Nadu to process the beans into freeze dried powder for exports to global markets.

Set up at a cost of Rs.80 crore with an installed capacity of 2,000 tonnes per annum, the hi-tech plant will produce spray dried, agglomerated and freeze dried instant coffee, retaining its aroma better.

“Freeze dried coffee retains aroma better and gives rich flavour, colour and appearance to the beverage,” Tata Coffee managing director Hameed Haq said in a statement from Theni, about 500 km from Chennai.

The plant is strategically located at the company’s instant coffee manufacturing facility, which is 170 km from Tuticorin port in the southern part of the state for export shipping.

“Our expertise in the bean to brew value chain, efficient processes and focus on sustainability has helped us maintain leadership position in the business. The expansion of our instant coffee facility demonstrates our commitment to provide premium coffees to customers worldwide,” Haq said.

As a 100 percent export-oriented unit, the instant coffee facility has an installed capacity of 4,000 tonnes per annum.

The Theni plant became a top exporter of soluble coffee to Russia and CIS countries last fiscal (2012-13).

As a subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages Ltd, the company produces 10,000 tonnes of shade grown Arabica and Robusta beans in its 19 estates across southern India and exports green coffee to Asia, Europe, North America and the Gulf region.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / IANS / Bangalore – June 19th, 2013

Vivanta by Taj, Madikeri makes it to Conde Nast Traveller hot list

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Mumbai :

Vivanta by Taj, Madikeri, Coorg, has made it to the Conde Nast Traveller US, UK and India’s Hot List 2013.

The Conde Nast Traveller list showcases some of the most authentic havens for travellers across the globe. The list is published every year.

Situated at an altitude of 4,000 feet within 180 acres of a subtropical rainforest, the review says the hotel is the perfect retreat for nature lovers and sybarites. It offers panoramic vistas of the mountains. The surrounding rainforest’s lush canopies are home to over 350 species of flora and fauna.

Each Vivanta by Taj hotel presents experiences rooted in the local culture. At the Madikeri hotel, guests can get their hands dirty in a 2500 square feet pottery studio, or interpret an elusive rainforest with the `rainforest insider’, or explore the Vivanta Conservatory: a living chronicle of the land of Kodavas, or enjoy a personalised 101 candles dining experience in a large outdoor amphitheatre, or listen in on Dr Belliappa, the noted historian of Coorg, as he narrates tales from Madikeri.

The two-year-old brand, Vivanta by Taj, was ranked 36 in the Top 50 most sought after hotel brands in the world in the World Luxury Index 2013, compiled by the Digital Luxury Group, in association with Ecole Hoteliere and the Luxury Society, which is an international ranking and analysis of the most searched for brands within the luxury industry.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by The Hindu Bureau / Mumbai – June 25th, 2013

All districts to be brought under ESIC

Business & Economy

Mangalore :

Soon all employees in the 30 districts in the state will be under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) cover.

At present, over 17.70 lakh employees attached to 55,000 factories and business establishments in 27 districts are benefiting from the ESIC scheme. ESIC has plans to expand the scheme benefits to workers in Bidar, Chikmagalur and Kodagu districts.

Union minister of state for labour and employment Kodikunnil Suresh said after inaugurating the sub regional office (SRO) of ESIC here on Thursday that a survey in this regard has begun in these three districts. “While Bidar will be brought under Bangalore SRO, Chikmagalur and Kodagu will come under Gulbarga and Mysore SROs respectively,” he said. He added that ESIC has disbursed 50,000 payments amounting to about Rs 10 crore in 2013 in the state.

He said that the corporation has tie-ups with 85 reputed hospitals and nursing homes for providing cashless super specialty treatment in the state. “A total of Rs 126.45 crore has been spent towards super specialty treatment of employees in 2012-13,” he added.

Suresh said that government-level discussions are on to introduce national floor level minimum wages (NFLMW). “The cabinet has already approved the proposed amendments to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 that will make NFLMW statutory. The matter has been forwarded to the law ministry for its nod. We will pursue the matter to ensure minimum wages for all workers in organized and unorganized sectors in the nation. A Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) will also be added to the basic wage to neutralize the effect of price rise. At present, VDA is non-statutory and revised generally twice a year. The new act will make VDA mandatory,” the minister said.

Labour minister PT Parameshwara Naik presided over the event, while MP Nalin Kumar Kateel was the guest.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalore / TNN / October 25th, 2013

Govt gives green signal for high-tension power lines

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Science & Technology

Amidst opposition from the environmentalists, the State government has given green signal to the Kodagu district administration to re-start the work on Mysore-Kozhikode 400 KV high-tension electricity supply lines.

In a letter written to the the Kodagu DC, State Forest, Environment and Ecology Dept Principal Secretary S Sivashailam has said, “If the electricity wire, that passes through 55 km area in Kodagu is laid above 15 metres above the ground, it would not harm the elephants. Therefore, the electricity wire laying work can be re-started.” It can be noted that normally electricity wires are laid 9 metres above the ground.

The letter, has evoked opposition from the environmentalists. Recalling the recent High Court judgement which had directed the government to re-consider all the work that passes through elephant corridors, an environmentalist said that Lingapur, Maldare, Thithimathi, Kanur, Nalkeri, Kutta and surrounding areas where the proposed hi-tension wire passes through, are habitats of elephants. Several trees will have to be cut for laying the hi-tension wire, which will adversely affect the animal habitat, the environmentalist said.

Following the opposition from the environmentalists, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tiwari had written to the government on October 21, requesting the government to re-consider the matter. In reply, forest department principal secretary has directed the DC to start the work.

Government’s letter

The letter by the forest department chief secretary, states further, “the State government while giving permission to the work on March 1, 2012, had imposed a condition to the Powergrid Corporation that the hi-tension wire which passes through reserved areas of elephants in Kodagu and Mysore, should be laid six metres above the normal height.

The elephants even if they raise their trunk, can not reach the wire at 15 metres height. Therefore, laying wire at this height, would not harm elephants.”

Further, the letter clarifies that the High Court in its judgment on October 8, too has imposed a condition that the electricity wire should be in such a height that elephants should not be able to reach it. Hence, laying wire at 15 metres height would abide by the HC directive too.

The 120 km long 400 KV hi-tension wire from Mysore to Kozhikode will pass through 55 km land in Kodagu. Of this, 4.45 km is forest land, while the remaining is private land and plantations.
The wire laying work has been completed from Mysore to Lingapur (Mysore-Kodagu border) on the one side, and from Kozhikode to Manandavadi (Kerala-Kodagu border) on another side. As the work faced severe opposition from environmentalists in Kodagu, the work was halted for sometime. If the project is implemented, it would provide 520 MW power to Karnataka and 260 MW to Kerala from Koodankulam nuclear power plant.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Srikanth Kallammanavar, Madikeri / DHNS / October 24th, 2013

Re-elected to Orange Growers’ Co-op. Society

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders

ArunMachaiahKF26oct2013
Kodagu :

Former MLC C.S. Arun Machaiah has been unanimously re-elected as the President of Kodagu Orange Growers’ Co-operative Society for the term 2014-2018.

Kodagu Cooperative Association’s Deputy Registrar R. Sridhar was the election officer.

Rest of the office-bearers too were re-elected unanimously and they vowed to revive orange cultivation in Kodagu, which has seen improvement in the past few years.

K.G. Appaiah of Mekoor village is the Society’s Vice-President. The Directors are: Sunil Madappa of Gonikoppa town, K.U. Arun Poonacha of Devarapura, Arvind Kuttappa of Gonikoppa, S. Vishwanath of Mayamudi, C. Somanna of Balele, A.R. Krishnakumar of Devarapura, Sumi Subbaiah of Aruvathoklu, Shobha Kuttappa of Mekoor, K.K. Dinesh of Hathur and S.S. Suresh of Mayamudi.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / October 21st, 2013

Bangalore, N. India to take turns hosting coffee festival

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

Concerted efforts are needed for coffee consumption to increase in northern India, said Hameed Haq, Managing Director, Tata Coffee, principal sponsor of the India International Coffee Festival (IICF).

“Thrust should be there to take coffee consumption from the South to North of India,” he said.

“We have taken new direction under India Coffee Trust to bring focus to the domestic consumption in India, which is low by any standards and, therefore, are trying to focus on North India which is a huge market to explore,” he said.

The fifth edition of the India International Coffee Festival (IICF) will be held in Bangalore at Lalit Ashok during January 21-25.

The Coffee Board and India Coffee Trust held its fourth edition of the IICF at New Delhi in 2012.

It was the first event outside Bangalore to give a wider exposure among the coffee drinkers in non-traditional areas such as Delhi to boost coffee consumption. “The event was taken to Delhi at the risk of adventuring in unknown waters but the resultsurprised us as we were greatly satisfied with the event.

It was a grand success by any standards,” said Jawaid Akthar, Coffee Board Chairman.

Now the steering committee of the IICF has decided that ideally the event should be alternated between Bangalore, the headquarters of coffee, and another destination preferably a consuming destination in the south.

FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENT

In addition to domestic consumption, the IICF is also to focus on environment.

“We as coffee growers have to keep in mind the changing demand on the environment. Globally, there is a lot more consciousness on coffee and the environment and during this festival, we will try and cover it all,” said Haq.

Haq further said the IICF started in 2002 and has evolved into a very mature international event and is being held at a right opportune time. Especially at a time when global coffee majors are eyeing Indian market.

NEW DIMENSIONS

“The coffee festivals are the right place to showcase Indian coffee globally; this festival has evolved over a period of time and taken certain new dimensions,” he explained.

IICF is also laying emphasis on quality.

“Of course, quality remains the benchmark and will be the differentiator to get us the premium in the world coffee market.

SMALL GROWERS

It is important to note that 95 per cent of coffee produced in the country is by small growers.

Corporates are very small, Tata Coffee being one of them,” said Haq.

FOCUS ON COORG

“We are hoping to extend our learning initially to the growers in Kodagu (Coorg) which forms a large part of the production base through the coffee trail, conference and workshops,” he added.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by The Hindu Bureau anil.u@thehindu.co.in / Bangalore – October 16th, 2013