Starbucks to go desi, include masala chai, filter coffee to menu
To woo more Indian customers, Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, has decided to add ‘masala chai’ and ‘filter coffee’ to its menu, according to a media report. The company is busy revamping its menu for the last couple of weeks to further suit the Indian palate. Starbucks has already added street-style sandwiches and milkshakes, according to the report.The popular coffee chain also has ‘chole paneer kulcha’ and ‘turmeric latte’ on its menu. The new items in the meny is currently being tested in four markets – Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Bhopal and Indore. The items will be launched countrywide based on the feedback gathered from these cities.”The aim is to learn, to observe consumer acceptance across markets, to see the subtleties, to check and adapt, and then to see where it goes,” said the report, quoting Sushant Dash, chief executive officer of Tata Starbucks.The Starbucks chain in India is positioned at premium level, in terms of its pricing. Its rivals such as Costa, Cafe Coffee Day (CCD), offer the similar beverage items at significantly lower prices.Until 2021, the coffee chain expanded to over 260 coffeehouses across 26 cities in the country. The first Starbucks coffeehouse was opened in Mumbai in 2013. It operates under the 50:50 joint venture agreement between Tata Consumer Products Limited (formerly Tata Global Beverages Limited) and Starbucks Coffee Company, hence the name Tata Starbucks.The move comes around the same time when Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance is working to bring British sandwich and coffee chain Pret to India.In a statement on June 30, Reliance Brands Ltd (RBL) chief executive Darshan Mehta said in a joint statement that the partnership was “rooted in the strong growth potential” of the Pret brand, known for its organic coffee and upmarket sandwiches, and the Indian food and beverage industry.
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