Barista Coffee to shift focus to office spaces

Our Corporate Bureau

Chennai, May 17: Barista Coffee Company Limited, a chain of specialised espresso coffee bars, is planning to shift its focus to office spaces from shopping and leisure areas.

According to Mr Ravi S Deol, president & CEO of Barista Coffee, the company is talking to various institutions in the country to supply coffee to their employees. It is already present in Tata Technopolis in Mumbai, while its outlet at Nariman Point in Mumbai caters only to offices in the area. Like international coffee-chain Starbucks, the company is also looking at the possibility of opening ‘Espresso Corners’ near railway stations and airports. It is also talking to Delhi Metro Railway and all major airports in the country at present for the purpose.
Though it is functioning from its coffee bars in these office areas now, the company has plans to service office-goers directly at their workplaces in the near future, said Mr Deol. It is also planning to supply gourmet coffee to employees through their institutions, he added. The company is planning to open 75 outlets by December 2001 - all company-run. It may consider franchises after the move.