Washington, DC – The first Starbucks cafe in India is opening by the end of October in the Horniman Circle area of Mumbai and the store will also be the first Starbucks location to feature espresso sourced and roasted locally from India through the coffee sourcing and roasting agreement with Tata Coffee Limited, according to the official communique.
Announcing the opening by Tata Starbucks Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages Limited, John Culver, President of Starbucks, China and Asia Pacific, said, “We are delighted to be able to announce our progress toward opening our first store in India and to introduce locally sourced espresso.”
On the announcement that Indian coffee would be used in these outlets, Culver said, “Being able to use the highest quality espresso, sourced and roasted in India, is an important part of delivering a locally relevant experience to our customers in the market.”
Culver went on to state, “This is the first step Starbucks and Tata Coffee Limited are taking toward developing and improving the profile of Indian-grown arabica coffees around the world by elevating the stature of Indian coffee, as well as improving the quality of coffee through sustainable practices.”
R.K. Krishnakumar, Vice Chairman of Tata Global Beverages, remarked on the appointment of Avani Saglani Davda as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), calling her, “the perfect leader for Tata Starbucks Limited,” adding, “Working closely with Avani for many years now, I am confident she will bring the local business acumen, customer focus and commitment to delivering the highest quality Starbucks Experience to our customers in India.”
Regarding her appointment, Davda said, “It is a great privilege to represent this joint venture between two leading beverage companies, and to bring one of the world’s most iconic brands into the dynamic India economy.”
Looking forward to the new venture, she said, “My aim is to deliver the highest quality products, a truly unique and authentic experience to our customers throughout India, and to invest in the communities we serve across the market.”
Harish Bhat, CEO of Tata Global Beverages, added, “We are excited about the opportunity to innovate in the retail space and bring new beverage moments to more consumers.”
Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington and is now the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with more than 19,000 stores in 60 countries.