Tag Archives: Tata Coffee

We discover an Ama Trails and Stays experience in Pollibetta, Coorg over cups of delicious brews from Tata Coffee

November 29, 2023Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)Ama Plantation Trails, Ama Trails and Stays - Coorg, Ama Trails and Stays - Pollibetta - Coorg, Coorgi People, Cottabetta Bungalow, Kodagu District, Kodagu First, Kodava People, Mercara - Madikeri, Pollibetta, Puneet Das - Packaged Beverages - Tata Consumer Products, Surgi Bungalow, Taneerhulla Bungalow, Tata Coffee, Tata Coffee Gold, Tata Coffee Grand, Tata Coffee Quick Filter, Tata Consumer Products Limited - TCPL, TCPL Branded Coffee, Woshully Bungalowadmin

There’s so much more to a coffee trail as we discover in this quick getaway to the hills of Kodagu…

Coffee was the mood that reigned in the last few weeks — what with the World Coffee Conference & Expo 2023 that just concluded in Bengaluru and World Coffee Day or International Coffee Day observed on October 1 — the cuppa was everywhere and we coffee-holics weren’t complaining one bit! This was also the perfect time for us to head to Coorg or Kodagu — the hill-station where the commercial story of coffee in India began.

Know-it-alls will now feel the need to correct us and say coffee was first cultivated in the nearby Chikkamagaluru district and how Baba Budan Giri was where it all began and we will fully agree; Coorg, however was where commercial plantations began and that is why even today, South Indian coffee is synonymous with this district — that is the proud homeland of the Kodava or Coorgi people.

Now, most trips to this cool elevated coffee country would take the preferred route through the capital, Madikeri or Mercara, and would involve a mandatory visit to a coffee plantation, a processing plant and maybe, some shopping along the way. We, however, decided to go deeper into this verdant paradise — to the Pollibetta area — home to several of the Tata-owned coffee plantations in Karnataka.

We were there for a curated experience at the estates and also to check out the plethora of offerings under (Tata Consumer Products Limited) TCPL’s branded coffee portfolio like Tata Coffee Grand, Tata Coffee Gold and Tata Coffee Quick Filter. Puneet Das (president, packaged beverages, India & South Asia, TCPL) introduced us to several of the new formats including the delectable chukku coffee decoction variants that we are sure will take over the market very soon.

Our stay, however, was organised at one of the many bungalows strewn across these estates that are now a part of the Ama Plantation Trails. One of the newest product offerings from Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). Ama Trails and Stays, a group of heritage bungalows, guesthouses and homestays at unique locations across the country are meant for the curious and adventurous at heart who also have a penchant for old-world luxury.

We were assigned the Surgi Bungalow, a 40-year-old property in its current avatar, but probably around 150-years old, that is just across the road from Tata Coffee’s picturesque nine-hole golf course in Pollibetta. Perfect for a group of six, the bungalow’s three bedrooms can occupy two individuals each, thus making it a comfortable stay for a family or group of six.

Food is cooked in the bungalow and is catered to by IHCL, so expect high quality and standards, as well as a menu that can be altered for even the fussiest of eaters. We were welcomed that evening with hot cups of jaggery coffee, aloo bondas and an assortment of bajjis and pakodas — perfect eats for the now dropping mercury as the evening chill set in. Dinner was served almost immediately after and was a surprisingly large spread.

It didn’t take much of an effort to head to bed early that night. Cold weather and full tummies make the best combination for peaceful sleep and the next thing we remember was it was 6 am and our alarms had gone off simultaneously — quite the cacophony to be honest, especially when you’re in an environment so quiet, you can probably hear the squirrels, up in the trees, breathe.

We chugged down mug-fulls of Tata Coffee Grand and headed out for an estate walk that lasted for over two hours. Picking ripe avocados and smelling a gazillion flowers along the way, this is the perfect time to discover these plantations and estates on foot. The air still has a chill and the humidity of the afternoon is far away. There’s also a sense of childlike amusement with the symphony of bird-calls and animal chitterings that give you quite the jocund company throughout the walk.

Building up quite the appetite, breakfast was an elaborate affair and thankfully so. Post breakfast, we advise you to do what we did — relax in the well-kempt gardens, read a book or take a quick snooze. Checkout is only at 12 noon and so you have quite a few hours to make the most of this romantic bungalow experience. You could also ask for a guided estate visit, where you will learn the A to Z of coffee growing and lots more. Coffee tastings can also be organised.

Perfect for family getaways or for that gang of friends who like the leisurely life, the Ama Trails and Stays offer several other bungalow stay options here, including but not limited to Taneerhulla Bungalow & Cottage, Woshully Bungalow, Cottabetta Bungalow and Polibetta Bungalow.

INR 28,000 onwards. Nearest railhead and airhead: Mysuru. Five hour drive from Bengaluru and three hour drive from Mysuru.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
X: @elromal

source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The New Indian Express, INDULGE / Home> Travel / by Romal Laisram / October 05th, 2023

India showcases thriving coffee industry at World Coffee Conference

September 28, 2023Business & Economy, Coffee News5th World Coffee Conference 2023, Blue Tokai, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Bru, Coffee Board of India, Coorg, Kodagu Valley, Matt Chitharanjan, Nestle India, Tata Coffee, World Coffee Conference 2023admin

The Indian coffee market amounts $0.5 billion in 2023, and is expected to grow at 9.04% CAGR.

Coffee enthusiasts and stakeholders worldwide have gathered in Bengaluru for the fifth World Coffee Conference (WCC) 2023.

The four-day event, happening once every four years and being hosted in India for the first time, aims to discuss sustainability through circular economy, regenerative agriculture, and innovation within the coffee industry. The conference has attracted more than 24,000 delegates from over 80 countries.

Major players in the Indian coffee landscape, including Nestle India , Tata Coffee, and Bru, as well as artisanal brands like Blue Tokai and Narasu’s Coffee, are participating. The event serves as a platform for Indian coffee growers and makers to discuss financing mechanisms, quality control, startup innovations, and trade opportunities.

Matt Chitharanjan, co-founder and chief executive officer at Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, commented on the significance of the event. “The WCC is unique in its focus on coffee-producing nations, offering India an excellent opportunity to showcase its growing coffee community and industry advancements,” he told Business Standard.

According to Statista, the Indian coffee market is worth $0.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 9.04 per cent until 2028. To further highlight India’s coffee production, the event has organised tours to coffee plantations in Coorg, Chikkamagalur, and Kodagu Valley.

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, emphasised the conference’s commitment to sustainable practices. “As we gather in Bengaluru, the WCC underscores the critical importance of sustainability, waste reduction, and inclusivity in shaping a greener future for the coffee industry,” he said.

An exhibition displaying the entire coffee value chain, from bean to cup, has been set up, drawing considerable interest from attendees. Pavilions representing India’s major coffee-growing states, such as Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, showcase the diverse range of coffee produced in the country.

A spokesperson from Nestlé India, the makers of the Nescafé brand, also expressed support for the WCC’s mission. “We are fully aligned with the WCC’s efforts to build a sustainable coffee industry that focuses on circular economy and regenerative agricultural practices,” they stated.

The WCC is a collaborative effort involving the International Coffee Organization, the Coffee Board of India, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Government of Karnataka, and various stakeholders in the coffee industry.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Industry> News / by Akshara Srivatsava, New Delhi / September 27th, 2023

Getting The Brew Right

December 23, 2011Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)Assam born, bangalore, Branded Coffees, Branded Coffees owned by Tata Global Beverages, Eight O'Clock Coffee, Hameed Huq, Managing Director, Rank 2 (Mid Size Companies), Tata Coffee, Tata Coffee at Karnataka Golf Association Courseadmin

The Tata Coffee chief gets the brew right to claim the No. 2 title
RANK 2 (MID SIZE COMPANIES)

RANK:2(MID-SIZE COMPANIES)
HAMEED HUQ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TATA COFFEE (Jagadeesh NV)

On a cool November Sunday morning, a threesome waits to tee off on the first hole at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bangalore. Hameed Huq is convincing one of his partners, a tea drinker, to shift to coffee: the one his company makes. The 60-year-old, Assam-born managing director (MD) of Tata Coffee has spent 35 years in the coffee business. Coffee is a passion, though he admits to drinking just 3-4 cups a day. He is also a Tata Group lifer; the past 13 in Tata Coffee. “For 10 years, growth stagnated,” says Huq. “It is a commodity business, where revenues and growth are volatile.” Tata Coffee is a B2B coffee business — branded coffees are owned by Tata Global Beverages — and subject to the vagaries of the commodity cycle. When he took over as MD in 2007, the company’s revenues from the plantation business were Rs 250 crore. Production cycles were unstable, and quality was not the greatest. His first steps: stabilising the cycle, improving quality and entering the market for specialty, gourmet coffee.

“Our buyers are mostly in the US, though the former Soviet Union countries are a big export market,” he says. His clients include Costa Coffee, Starbucks and Atlantic Coffee. As environmental sustainability is a big factor in developed country markets, green coffee is an area Huq has directed the company to get into; margins are anywhere between 6 and 20 per cent, he says. He is a great believer in technology too. That is only natural; he has studied the processes in Colombia, the world’s biggest coffee exporter.

So how did his firm manage to do so well? “How do you drive a commodity business that has no consumer brand?” he asks. “You take out the volatility.” Tata Coffee, which has about 8,000 employees, bought Eight O’ Clock Coffee, the third-largest whole-bean coffee firm by volume in the US. The move has been good for the bottom line, besides giving Tata Coffee a foothold in the US, which contributes about Rs 800 crore in revenues annually. The other Rs 500 crore coming from domestic sales. Whatever Huq has done, it appears to have worked. Sales have grown three times since 2007 and the company’s market cap has grown five times.

The immediate future, however, looks a little grim. Revenues are sluggish, due to the 2008 crisis. Sales in the former Soviet Union countries do not provide high margins. “People are a problem,” adds Huq. “We still need workers, and too many are migrating out of plantations.” Tata Coffee is investing in its workers. For instance, it is ensuring that the living standards of workers and their families are at a level comparable with workers in developed countries. The next three years will be difficult. Recovery from 2008 is likely to be slow and long. If there is a 2011 European crisis, it might be longer. Huq may need to drink more than his 3-4 cups a day, and the coffee will have to be stronger.

(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 26-12-2011)
source: http://www.businessworld.in / Home> Business> Corporate / by Srikanth Srinivas / December 17th, 2011