Bakery Review

Oct-Nov ’112

EDITORIAL

Publisher cum EditorRajneesh Sharma

[email protected]

Associate EditorSwarnendu Biswas

Resident EditorSharmila Chand (Delhi)

Ashok Malkani (Mumbai)

Sub-EditorTapapriya Lahiri

Layout & DesignHari Kumar V.

Narender Kumar

PhotographerMahendra Singh Mehta

Production ControllerVinay Goel

Production AssistantMamta Sharma

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Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhare

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Director SalesSanjay Anand

Director Operations & FinanceRajat Taneja

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Bakery Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed and published by Rajneesh

Sharma on behalf of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1202, Pragati Tower,

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Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Bakery Review magazine is on

educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those

responsible for managing Bakery & Confectionery business. Articles are

welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

The Indian bakery industry is going throughseveral changes, and many of these changes havealready graduated into happening trends. Therising health consciousness in the society is alsoreflected in the Indian bakery industry in the formof increasing demand, and consequently theincreasing supply of healthy bakery productsflooding the market.

The increasing disposable incomes and theinfluences of globalisation in the society have alsocontributed to the healthy choices of bakeryproducts. As a consequence, whole wheat and

multi-grain breads and sugarless desserts are becoming vogue in many sleekbakery outlets of urban India, and bakeries producing cholesterol ladenproducts are dwindling in popularity.

Many bakeries are now seen opting for natural ingredients, and the role offresh fruits in garnishing is finding increasing popularity in the world ofdesserts. The bakeries are becoming sleek in terms of ambience and décor, andopen-air bakeries, it seem, may become more evident in the Indian metros inthe near future, thereby providing more transparency and accountability in thebaking process.

With the products, the presentation of the products is also gaining dueweightage in the Indian bakery industry, and nowadays, lots ofexperimentations in shapes, sizes and colours of desserts are taking place.

The hand-crafted custom-designed desserts embodying specific themes arein vogue. Now whatever may be your imagination, you can get it simulated inedible format on your cake or cupcake or chocolates. These innovations, whichare fostered largely by many small stand-alone bakery units, are infusing moreexcitement and adventure into our occasions and celebrations.

The popularity of gourmet chocolates is evolving, and chocolates in India arein the process of replacing traditional Indian mithais as gift items. Though theawareness about the quality of chocolates is still at a nascent stage in India, butat the same time, it is showing a marked improvement as compared to thesituation of say a decade earlier. Many creative high-end chocolatiers have alsoentered the market, and their customised chocolate creations are creating sweetand sensuous waves in the industry.

The Indian ice-cream industry is making a shift towards the organisedsegment from the disorganised segment, and the market for branded ice-creamsis growing, as is the trend towards sleek packaging options and people’s cravingfor fast foods. We discuss many of these trends in detail in our Cover Story forthis issue, which I believe would arm our readers with information and analysis.

The exhaustive Business Story on myriad packaging options in the dairybusiness, the report on the impressively growing fast food market in India, theinterview of Pavani Kaur, who has managed to perfectly amalgamate her bakingexpertise and aesthetic imagination to create works of art that look and tastedelightful, and our other regular features are geared to hold your interestbetween the covers. I am hereby signing off while wishing you a MerryChristmas and a happy new year, and with a hope that 2012 will have us moreinformed with a greater quest for knowledge.

3Oct-Nov ’11

Cover Pix: Dobla BV

16 COVER STORY

The Changing Face of the Bakery

30 PROFILE

Savour Cakes and Art at Firefly

DEPARTMENTS

04 Events

08 News Scan

13 Report

34 Product Preview

36 Interview

33 RECIPES

Savour Sinful and Sensuous Desserts

at Momo 2 Go

22 BUSINESS

Packaged for Health

28 INDUSTRYWafting Trends of Cafe Coffee Culture

I N S I D EI N S I D E

Oct-Nov ’114

E V E N TB A K E R Y R E V I E W

E V E N T S’ C A L E N D E RE V E N T S’ C A L E N D E R

Fine Food India 20115-7 December 2011Hall 14, Pragati Maidan, New Delhiwww.finefoodindiaexpo.com

Sweet and SnackTec India 20116-8 December 2011Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbaiwww.koelnmesse-india.com

TRAFS 201126-29 January 2012(was postponed to these new dates)Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality ServicesHall 103, Bangkok International Trade &Exhibition Center (BITEC)www.thailandhoreca.com

Gulfood 201219-22 February 2012Dubai International Convention & ExhibitionCentre, Dubaiwww.gulfood.com

PIFBEX 2012 & Horeca 2012 Philippines1-4 March 2012Philippines International Convention Centre,Manilawww.pifbex.com

Europain & Intersuc 20123-7 March 2012Paris Nord Villepinte, Pariswww.europain.com

Aahar 201212-16 March 2012Pragati Maidan, New Delhiwww.aaharinternationalfair.com

Alimentaria 201226-29 March 2012Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via VenueBarcelona, Spainwww.alimentaria-bcn.com

Ethnic Foods Europe 201227-29 March 2012Brussels Exhibitions and Conference Centre,Brusselswww.ethnicfoodseurope.com

HOTELEX 20129-12 April 2012Shanghai New International ExhibitionCenter, Shanghai, Chinawww.hotelex.cn

FHA 201217-20 April 2012Singapore Expo, Singaporewww.foodnhotelasia.com

SIAL China 20129-11 May 2012Shanghai New International Exhibition CenterShanghai, Chinawww.sialchina.com

3 - 7 M a r c h 2 0 1 2 , a t P a r i s - N o r d V i l l e p i n t e

Exceptional Events at Europain

The Bakery World Cup

This world-wide competition will

gather 36 of the most talented bakers

from 12 countries. The countries that

have made it through to the 2012 final

are: South Korea, Costa Rica, France,

Italy, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland,

Sweden, Senegal, the USA, Taiwan and

Japan. The three members of each

national team will each take part in a

final challenge according to their

speciality — baking, pastry, and the

artistic centrepiece.

International Confectionery Art

Competition

This competition constitutes an

unmissable show involving teams from

16 countries battling it out for four days,

and is the only international competition

to place men and women on an entirely

even footing, recruiting only mixed-

gender two-person teams.

SuccessFood — the unique

exhibition reinventing food services at

the heart of Europain

Faced with the growth of multi-

faceted food services and, amongst

other factors, the new shift in the

bakery market towards food services

that the professionals need to adapt, the

new SuccessFood exhibition will

provide them with creative, innovative,

relevant and diverse responses.

The Success Food Innovation Trophies

will shine a light on the best food service

ideas for each market sector.

The SuccessFood Awards will reward

inventive food services (commercial

and institutional food services, branded

stores and cultural venues).

For further information:

Raj Anand

General Manager

Promosalons India

Tel: +91-22-25504471/42604160

Cell:+91-9833685256

Fax: +91-22-42604165

www.europain.com

Europain and Intersuc, the world

bakery, pastry, ice-cream,

chocolate and confectionery

exhibition, is dedicated to offer all

professionals from the artisan and

industrial baking and food service

industries a new window onto

innovations and trends relevant to

their work.

The exhibition is scheduled from 3-

7 March 2012, Europain will welcome

the new SuccessFood exhibition

dedicated to ‘reinventing food

services,’ and in doing so will become

the first event to combine the worlds

of baking and food services. This

unique event is expected to attract

around 1000 exhibitors and brands,

and 85,000 visitors. The area of the

exhibition, providing the natural link

between Europain and SuccessFood,

will be given over to the creators of

innovative new concepts to explain

their economic model. More than 1000

sq.m will thus be dedicated to winning

bakery and foodservice outlet

concepts.

Amongst Asian countries, there are

also those that offer an extensive range

of bakery and pastry products utilising

industrial processes in order to make

high quality goods available to all.

Together, Europain and SuccessFood

also provide these countries with

simple, appropriate solutions focussed

on raw materials, processes, a range of

small and large equipments, and training

solutions to promote their local products

and capitalise on local knowledge and

skills.

Europain will shine the spotlight on

‘Innovation Stars’ by hosting:

• The 2012 Innovation Area to

promote innovative products and

equipments in a variety of categories;

• The Europain Innovation Awards to

reward leading innovators;

• The 2012 Intersuc Collection to

demonstrate the very best sugar and

chocolate creations.

Oct-Nov ’116

B A K E R Y R E V I E WE V E N T

Thaifex – World of Food Asiais the Asia’s leading food and

hospitality trade event. In this year’sedition it is set to spread across50,000 sq.m space. Thaifex will beheld from 23rd to 27th May 2012,and is scheduled to be held at the IMPACTExhibition Center in Bangkok, Thailand.The show will showcase an expanded arrayof the latest products, services andtechnologies from the food and beverageplayers across the globe. Thaifex – World ofFood Asia will feature more than 1,000exhibitors from over 25 countries. Thaifex– World of Food Asia 2012 is set to welcomeover 23,000 visitors from key markets suchas Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,Singapore, and the United States.

Organised into 13 focussed segmentscovering the entire food and beverageindustry value chain, the 9th edition ofThaifex – World of Food Asia will continueto spotlight key trends and technologies inmarkets across the region.

Visitors at Thaifex – World of Food Asiawill be greeted by more than 1,000 suppliersin the food services industry, offering anextensive range of products for the food andbeverage, food service, and cateringindustry in South-East Asia.

The only regional trade fairto spotlight Asia’s growingHalal segmentWith more than 225 million Muslims inthe region, South-East Asia is fast becomingan important and competitive regionalmarket for Halal products, catering to therapidly growing number of Muslimconsumers around the world. Thaifex –World of Food Asia continues to provideopportunities for players in this dynamicsegment to further its reach in the regionand globally. Thaifex–World of Food Asiawill feature a dedicated Halal zone whichwill have Halal food producers as well asshowcase equipments and technologies forHalal food production.

Promoting Asia’s exports tothe worldThaifex – World of Food Asia has witnessedparticipation from seafood exhibitorsdoubling since 2008. Reflecting the region’sfocus in growing its seafood and fisheryexports market, the seafood zone at Thaifex

will feature pavilions hosted byfisheries associations from Korea,Malaysia, and the Philippines. Thesegment will also continue to featurea wide array of the latest productsand innovations from leading

seafood players, covering fresh, frozenpackaged and processed seafood.

Asia is also fast becoming the world‘sleading processed food producer. The Asia-Pacific canned food market generated a totalrevenue of US$14.5 billion in 2010 andthe market is expected to reach US$18.1billion by the end of 2015. As the largestplatform for major food exporters tocongregate and keep updated on advancedtechnologies and best practices in thepreparation and packaging of processed food,the food technology segment at Thaifex –World of Food Asia is expected to includemore than 1,000 exhibitors from key foodexporters and importers across the globe.

Combining culinary art andscienceAccording to Unilever Food Solutions’ 2011World Menu Report, an estimated 500million people in South-East Asia dine outat least once a year. Together with over 1.3million food outlets across South-East Asia,the food service industry representsenormous sales potential for food serviceoperators in this region, with restaurantconcepts and management set to take thelead in 2012. Further capturing the vibrantlandscape of the food and beverage industryin Asia, Thaifex – World of Food Asia willalso feature events aimed at engaging Asia’sculinary talents. The annual Thai Chef ’sCompetition, as well as the Fruits andVegetables Carving Competition will be backagain, pitting the skills of industry’s-leadingChefs from across the region.

Michael Dreyer, Vice-President, AsiaPacific, Koelnmesse said, “Thaifex – Worldof Food Asia is set to present a gastronomicexperience to our visitors and participants.As the largest gathering of leaders in the foodand beverage industry, Thaifex – World ofFood Asia has established itself as the premiermarketplace for the world’s food and beveragebuyers and sellers. We are delighted to joinhands with the Department of ExportPromotion (DEP) and Thai Chamber ofCommerce once again to showcase Asia’s foodand beverage innovations to the world.”

Thaifex – World of Food Asia 2012

9-11 May 2012Shanghai New International Exhibition Center

Shanghai, China

www.sialchina.com

Get Ready for

SIAL China 2012

Get Ready for

SIAL China 2012

The 13th edition of SIAL China

promises hospitable,

revolutionary and fundamental

events for business. SIAL 2012 show

is going to welcome 40,000

professional visitors, and 1,800

exhibitors from all over the world.

SIAL is organised by the group

COMEXPOSIUM, the top events

organiser in France. SIAL will

showcase exclusive Wine &

Gourmet World which will bring to

the buyers the largest wine & spirit,

and gourmet offer in China.

SIAL China has successfully

become the unique meeting point in

the HoReCa industry of China.

SIAL CHINA will set the

benchmark for overseas companies

stepping into China as well as

providing valuable insights and

trends of the Chinese food &

beverage market to the overseas

buyers.

Attracting exhibitors from the past

10 years, SIAL China has been the

leading event for the Chinese food

market. Domestic and international

producers and manufacturers of food

products, wines and spirits, and food

service equipment have contributed

to make a success story of this

Asian event. The unique trade show

with 50 percent international

exhibitors and 50 percent national

exhibitors is the foremost reason to

visit SIAL 2012.

SIAL China 2011 was spread

across 60,000 sq.m of exhibition

space. The event attracted 1,520

exhibitors from 76 countries and

regions, and 33,265 visitors.

Oct-Nov ’118

B A K E R Y R E V I E WN E W S S C A N

Choco-Swiss Brings inSugar-free ChocolatesNow you have another reason to satiate

your sweet tooth on a sugar-free note.

Choco-Swiss has come out with sugar

free edition of chocolates — nut -filled

‘Sugar Nil’ and ‘No Sugar’ bars. Being

a leader in the Indian designer

chocolate industry, Choco-Swiss has

been mirroring the high-end

demands of its consumers for

more than two decades.

The company has shown

understanding of the niche

segment of consumers who are

avoiding sugar and exploring

healthier options to sate their

sweet tooth. Its Sugar Nil and No

Sugar options can be counted among the best options for

health conscious urban people with craving for

chocolates. These sugar free delights are now available

at leading airport outlets, premium supermarkets and

lifestyle stores, priced at Rs.120 and Rs.55.

Mother Dairy LaunchesPeach JamSafal by Mother Dairy has introduced in new peach jam,which contains real peach pieces. To upkeep the health factor,the jam is made without adding artificialcolour, flavour and preservatives. The productwill be introduced at top 100 Safal outlets ofDelhi and NCR, in the first phase. Peach jamwill be available with a price tag of Rs 125 in a480gm jar. The company already dishes outfour jam variants — apple, mixed fruit,pineapple and orange marmalades. BusinessHead—Horticulture of Mother Dairy Fruitand Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., Pradipta Sahoo said,“This is the first Indian peach jam where nosynthetic flavours have been added for preservation. Thecompany went an edge forward to keep the freshness intact.”

Fresh & HonestLaunchesLB 4700 in IndiaFresh & Honest, India’s leading coffee vending and retailingcompany and part of Lavazza in India, has launched a brand newcoffee machine – the Lavazza BLUE 4700 – for coffeeconnoisseurs. Priced at Rs 2,75,000/- + VAT; this semi-automaticmachine comes with double group, dualespresso option, dual steamerfor frothing milk. Themachine has an automaticCappuccinatore to dispenserich creamy froth right intothe cup.

Strengthening its positionas the leader in the coffeemarket in India, professional Plug& Brew semi-automatic coffee machine istargeted at stand-alone cafés and restaurants thatspecialise in brewing that perfect cup of coffee for the coffeeenthusiasts.

The machine works with Lavazza Blue capsules and hasprogrammable keys for multiple product selections with LEDdisplay, and it can produce upto 200 cups on an average day. TheLB 4700 is compact and easy to use with all the technology andperformance of a top-of-the-range coffee machine. The unique,patented Lavazza BLUE capsule, which extracts the coffee using apre-infusion process, will give the espresso a more round, soft andcreamy texture.

K Sivakumar, the Chief Operating Officer of Fresh & HonestCafé Ltd. Said, “Lavazza’s professional expertise with a sense ofespresso excellence is nothing short of a perfect fit. Be it stand-alone cafés or restaurants, the LB 4700 is one of the finest fit toroll out the perfect espresso.”

New Innovations from

TRANS FREE

Oct-Nov ’1110

N E W S S C A NB A K E R Y R E V I E W

AB Mauri Envisages Huge Growthin Three YearsAB Mauri, the bakery ingredient provider with global presence, has sketched a plan toincrease its focus in India. The bakery giant is envisaging to become a $100 millioncompany, which is a huge leap from its current size of $28 million, and in this endeavour,it will enhance its production from 28,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes, within three years.

The company has four facilities in India, which are located at Chiplun in Maharashtra,Sikandarabad in Uttar Pradesh, Kalyani in West Bengal and Cochin in Kerala. Out ofthese four factories in India, three are engaged in yeast production. Yeast market inIndia is valued at 65,000 tonnes, out of which AB Mauri has a more than impressiveshare of 28,000 tonnes.

The company has to its credit of marketing a total of 200 products in India through itspan-India distribution network. About two years ago, the company had established aninnovation flavour R&D in Bangalore, which entailed an investment of $15 million.

According to Binu Varghese the Executive Director of AB Mauri India Pvt. Ltd, “Ourparent company is earnest to grow its business in India, going by the 12-14 per centgrowth from the bakery market alone.” He maintained that “While the western marketslike the US and European Union have displayed stagnation in terms of expansion andgrowth, India is appearing to be the market for the future.”

GlaxoSmithKlineEntersBreakfast TableGlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare(GSKCH) has announced its firstappearance in the breakfast space bylaunching oats under its Horlicks brand.Initially, the Horlicks Oats has entered theSouth Indian market. The product isalready on theshelves of differentretail outlets inSouth India. Afterregional markettest, the brand isgoing to establishits footfall acrossthe country. Theready-to-cook oatshas an estimatedmarket of Rs 200crore which isgrowing at the rate of 25 percent.

GSK’s Marketing Head, Jayant Singh,shared, “Being a well-known health brandfor several decades, Horlicks wants to addextra nutrition among the consumers afterPepsiCo’s Quaker, Kellogg’s, and Marico’sSaffola. He also said, “In this Rs. 200crore market, the southern region has a 75percent contribution.”

Baskin-RobbinsComes OutWith Tiger TailKids can now relish a new Baskin-Robbins ‘Tiger Tail’ flavour in its ice-cream parlours across India. It is ascrumptioustreat filledwith tang oforanges andlip-smackingstripes ofchocolatefudgeribbons. Theinternationalchain haslaunched thisspecial flavour on the occasion of theChildren’s Day. Priced at Rs39 plustaxes, the ice cream is available at allBaskin-Robbins parlours across India.

Here it deserves a mention thatBaskin-Robbins has more than 400outlets across the country, with presencein 95 cities in India. They also cater tostar hotels, leading airlines, malls,multiplexes and top retail chains acrossIndia. All of the company’s outlets inIndia are franchised, except the one inBangalore.

11Oct-Nov ’11

B A K E R Y R E V I E W

Café Coffee Day UnveilsMysore RoyalCafé Coffee Day has unveiled Mysore Royal, a pure arabicacoffee, which has been prepared with quality washed arabicacoffee beans, with coffee baroness Sunalini Menon— the brainbehind the exquisite creation.

Sunalini is irrefutably credited for breaking boundaries in thecoffee industry andradicalising the artof creating theperfect blends.Considering herknowledge andexperience in coffee,one can say that herlatest blend hasbeen a labour of

love. To experience the magic of Mysore Royal, CCD conducteda unique coffee cupping and food pairing session of this exquisitenew blend with Sunalini. With her wisdom on coffee andinteresting insights on the various nuances of coffee cupping, thesession was nothing short of invigorating.

Sunalini demonstrated five different brewing techniques ofMysore Royal – Indian Filter, French Press, Stove Top Espresso,Siphon, and Electric Drip Coffee Maker; each technique altersthe taste of the coffee giving the taste buds a different treat.During the cupping session, Sunalini highlighted the differentqualities of Mysore Royal educating the coffee enthusiasts presentabout its unique characteristics based on its appeal to ones senses -smell, taste, touch and sound.

New Bites and Brews at CCDCafé Coffee Day—the largest café chain in India—hasintroduced eleven items on bites, brews and afters in Delhi andNCR region. By March 2012, these items will be on the cards inother metros. CCD has classified its card under three heads: smallbites, big bites and sweet treats.

Small bites will serve chilli cheese toast, cheesy veg croissant,hot and spicy veg and chicken puffs. Big eat category includescafé 65, smoked chicken, tandoori panner filled sandwich. Tosavour on sweet indulgence, dessert shots like mango shot,Belgian chocolate shot and black forest cake are served in freshlypacked cup.

CCD Plans to Open 900 Outlets in India by 2014Café Coffee Day, part of Amalgamated Bean Coffee TradingCompany (ABCTCL), has planned to add 900 more outletsacross 330 towns in India by 2014. K.Ramakrishnan, theMarketing President, Cafe Coffee Day, said, “We are also lookingat other cities and as well as metros also. We are present in 170towns now, and in the next three years, we should be present in500 towns, adding 900 new outlets.”

Ramakrishnan also said, “The launch of lounge, the latestformat, was in response to the customer demand.” CCDpresently operates 20 lounges, which will go up to 100 in thenext two years.

Barista Lavazza Unveilsits Winter Carte du JourWith dipping temperatures, Barista Lavazza has come outwith lip-smacking Italian new winter menus. The carte dujour features some ofthe best Italian coffeebrews and shortbites. Some of themost delightfuleating range on offerare the Spicy creamychicken, a mouthwatering recipe withroasted chicken,onion, red capsicum julienne tossed in tangy, spicy, creamyand eggless mayonnaise served in ciabatta bread.

Brews to delight are Café Tiramisu, Café Gianduja,Affogato Italiano and Café Amaretto. Café Tiramisu has therichness of tiramisu, topped with whipped cream. CaféGianduja, a rich blend of chocolate and coffee from NorthernItaly is a hazelnut flavoured brew, Café Amaretto is laced withdark rum and Amaretto-based syrup; served with whippedcream and almond biscotti. Besides, there was Beetroot andRaisin Cake, which is a rich tea time vanilla cake baked withbeetroot and raisins.

N E W S S C A N

Oct-Nov ’1112

N E W S S C A N

Javed Merchantto Head IndianRepresentationat the Asia Pastry

Cup 2012Javed Merchant, the Executive Pastry Chefof Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach will havethe enviable distinction of heading theIndian representation at the Asia PastryCup 2012. The competition is scheduled tobe held in Singapore, in March 2012. JavedMerchant and his team member for theforthcoming Asia Pastry Cup 2012, PastryChef Lawrence Fernandes, also have totheir credit of winning the ‘Team India-Winner Asia Pastry Cup.’ The winning duowas felicitated recently at the World TradeCenter, Mumbai.

The Team India-Winner Asia PastryCup, whose final was held in Mumbai, atthe Institute of Hotel Management,Oshiwara, was judged by internationallyacclaimed Pastry Chefs from thehospitality industry, namely, Chef AnilRohira, (Felchlin, Corporate Pastry Chef —Switzerland), Chef Nowzer Iranpour, PastryChef (Western Region), The Taj MahalPalace, Chef Lionel Bonnaud, Pastry Chef,Grand Hyatt Mumbai and Chef KainazMessman, Proprietor, Theobroma. ChefJaved and Chef Lawrence executed theirculinary skills with the theme ‘spring’ andtheir Tiramisu and Ormel cake bagged theaward.

Here it deserves a mention that AsiaPastry Cup was founded in 2006 byValrhona and Ravifruit in partnership withSingapore Exhibition Services and theSingapore Pastry Alliance. The prestigiouscompetition is held in conjunction withFood&Hotel Asia. The competition alsoserves as an entry for which four Asianteams are pre-selected to compete at theWorld Pastry Cup, held in Lyon, France.

The Asian Pastry Cup (APC) has quicklymade its mark on the Asian pastry sceneafter two well received biennial editionsand has become a major platform forpastry professionals. This unique livecompetition pits Pastry Chefs against oneanother, culminating in a display of themost delightful and beautiful pastrycreations.

French Loaf Unveils India’sLongest Eggless ChocolateCakeRecently, the renowned bakery chain the French Loaf, unwrapped thecountry’s longest eggless chocolate cake in Chennai. Created for a cause, thecake measures an astonishing 333 feet. Every granule of 500 kilos of chocolate

powder, everyblock of 300kilos ofchocolate, everydrop of 200kilos of freshcream and everymm of 1000icing sheetswith faces ofpopular SouthIndian film starsimprinted onthem broughtsmiles to the

faces of underprivileged children fighting against cancer. The French Loaf organised the making, display and sale of this gigantic and

aesthetic photo cake at Express Avenue Mall in Chennai to commemorate the‘Joy of Giving’ Week. The event was graced by renowned celebrities. Thetheme was ‘Tribute to 75 years of Tamil Cinema.’ The proceeds of selling this1000 kg, 333 ft (100 metres) cake went to a Chennai-based NGO namedMahesh Memorial Trust, in support of their fight against paediatric cancer.

Unibic IntroducesChyawanprash CookiesUnibic Biscuits India Pvt. Ltd. has baked chyawanprash fortified cookies tosecure a health and wellness space in the market. Chyawanprash Cookies hassix months of shelf-life, and is priced at Rs.30 for a pack of 90 gm.

Unibic has the first automated cookie plant in the country endowed withwire cut technology, and at this facility located in Bangalore, where thesesingular cookies are being manufactured. According to the company, a dailydose of three of these chyawanprash fortified cookies will provide the healthbenefits of chyawanprash.

The company has got a licence from the Department of Ayush, Governmentof India, to spruce its cookies with chyawanprash. The label on the Unibic’sChyawanprash Cookies carton indicates that it is a proprietary product.Here it deserves a mention that chyawanprash comprises of 32 herbs whichinclude amla, and this healthy concoction with enduring legacy is characterisedwith its sweet-sour flavour. However, this Ayurvedic panacea has not foundpopularity among children, who happen to find its taste repulsive.

The company states that its product is an endeavour to make the taste ofchyawanprash more appealing for consumption. According to Nikhil Sen, theManaging Director of Unibic Biscuits India Pvt. Ltd., the chyawanprash isincluded in a manner so that its taste is masked in these wheat flour cookieswith 15 percent fibre content, which are embedded with dates’ paste, sugar,butter and various other ingredients.

Oct-Nov ’11

13Oct-Nov ’11

B A K E R Y R E V I E WR E P O R T

Fast Foods Mean Fast BusinessFast Foods Mean Fast Businessnext three years. Presently, the burgerchain has approximately 120 restaurantsin the region, a number which thecompany aims to enhance to 250.

McDonald’s India opened 33 outletsin India, in 2010 and has plans todouble the number of its existing outletsin India by 2015, by taking the figureto 410.

Many of these multinational fast foodgiants have also made an earnest effort totailor their offerings in accordance withthe Indian tastes, which have further

contributed to their popularity and growth.One can infer that with the demands of the new-age lifestyle

in urban India in general and upwardly mobile metropolitanIndia in particular, the fast foods in India are not only here tostay but to thrive. However, with the growing wave of healthconsciousness spearheading through the urban Indian society, itcan be expected that the burgers and pizzas of tomorrow wouldbe much healthier than what they are today. For fun need not beloaded with cholesterol and the threat of obesity looming acrossthe counter.

The change in socio-economiccondition of India has resultedin significant increase in the

demand for fast foods in the country.Rising disposable incomes, and theincreasing incidence of both thecouples in a nuclear family workinglong hours a day with very little time attheir disposal to cook an elaborate mealare the characteristic of our fastevolving urban life.

These trends have left the upwardlymobile urban India with theaffordability as well as the necessity towards fast foodconsumption. Succinctly, the changing lifestyles and the moneypower to afford that changing lifestyle in some sections of theIndian society, whose combined population is far from negligible,is the reason behind the stupendous growth of the fast foodmarket in India. The rising young population in our country isalso one of the important reasons behind the serpentine queues inMcDonald’s, Pizza Hut’s and Domino’s Pizza outlets, thoughthere is no denying the fact that these outlets spread across theurban India are not only graced by the young.

So it comes as no surprise that a recent research report byRNCOS titled ‘Indian Fast Food Market Analysis,’ has stated thatthe Indian fast food industry is anticipated to grow at a CAGR ofaround 34 percent during 2011-2014. Presently, the Indian fastfood industry is exhibiting a 30-35 percent growth per annum.Buoyed by the growing demand for fast foods in India, manyrenowned multinational fast food chains have over the yearsestablished their presence in the country.

And in the Indian context, this taste for fast foods likeburgers and pizzas is not only spreading through metropolitanIndia. There is an impressive potential of growth of the fastfood industry in the untapped tier-II and tier-III cities of India,because of which, according to RNCOS, major fast foodretailers have already started introducing various marketingstrategies towards popularising their respective brands in thesecities.

Domino’s had envisaged to open 60-65 outlets in India everyyear, during 2010-12, while Yum Brands Inc. which has brandslike KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell under its ambit, has plans forhuge expansion in India, with the aim to have 1000 fast foodoutlets by 2015. The multinational company also plans its Indianoperations to touch a turnover of Rs.4600 crore by 2015. Thecompany will also invest a whooping amount of Rs. 460 crore inIndia from 2011 to 2015. One of the fast food conglomerate’sfamous brands, KFC has grown by an astonishing 70 percent interms of sales, in India, during the last one year.

Hardcastle Restaurants, the development licensee forMcDonald’s in India, is also envisaging a huge expansion; thatof more than doubling its store count in west and south Indiaover the next three years; entailing an investment of $100million. McDonald’s India is planning to more than double itsnumber of restaurants in the west and south India, within the

Oct-Nov ’1114

R E P O R T

‘Tea’m up for Cuppa at

Wagh Bakri Tea Loungedeeply ingrained tea drinking cultureinto a lounge layout. The concept isabout re-introducing tea as a trendysocial beverage and to take it out to anurban contemporary space, out of homeand road side tea stalls.

The concept has high chances ofsucceeding as despite the risingemergence of coffee drinking habit inIndia, tea is perhaps still the bestcompanion for socialising andnetworking in India. Now, for thehappening young generation and alsofor the not so happening, not so younggeneration, all roads in the capitalwould lead towards Pitampura, whereone can enjoy long and lingering addasessions over warm cuppa. Now Delhitea aficionados have a new address tosip a wide range of teas.

The Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge, whichis spread across 1200 sq. ft. brews a

It might be a smart idea to sip andsoak at the newly opened WaghBakri Tea Lounge, which is a newaddition to the capital’s beverage

bistro scenario. Whether you want tosimply unwind or seek to have a one-on-one business meeting, the venue canprovide with the ideal setting.

After Mumbai, Delhi is the secondcity to have a Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge.It is possibly the first of its kind tealounge in Delhi. After Vile Parle inMumbai, it is Pitampura in Delhi,which is now witnessing the sleek tealounge culture. The Wagh Bakri TeaGroup has plans to open more such tealounges in other parts of the country.This news may interest a nation thatgreets every morning with hot leisurelysips of a tea.

The company has conceptualisedand eventually manifested India’s

wide selection of 32 different types ofIndian and international teas,including green tea, organic tea, andflavoured teas to name a few. WaghBakri Tea Lounge offers bountifulrange of hand- picked aromatic teasfrom the hills of Darjeeling, Assam,Nilgiris, and Sikkim. The Indianselections are complemented by thebest of international teas from China,Sri Lanka and Kenya, which togetherenvisages at giving an unmatchablehigh tea experience in a cheerful andplush ambience. The impressive rangeof teas is complemented by asumptuous range of snacks of theIndian and Iranian varieties.

To focus on the health consciousurban populace and uphold thehealthy drinking habits, Wagh BakriTea Lounge has a brew card suitable forevery patron. Pudina chai, lemongrass


By Tapapriya Lahiri

Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge

15Oct-Nov ’11

tea, organic tea, green tea and Darjeeling tea are some ofthe exclusive selects that tops the list. Then there areginger, cinnamon and apple teas, which are there to calmand cool your tensed senses. A rare variety of tea whichadorns this tea lounge is Nilgiri Silver Tips tea, whichinfuses distinct pale liquor. This mellow tea is endowedwith a sweet floral flavour, which I found simplyintoxicating. The tea is spruced with health benefitsthrough its high content of antioxidants.

At the lounge, the tea connoisseurs can make a quickbrew with their tea bag variants. These tea bags are doublechambered and staple free to facilitate faster infusion.Wagh Bakri Tea Group is possibly the first ever companyin India to introduce the same. These innovative tea bagsare foil-sealed to retain freshness and flavour for a longtime. To retain the exotic aroma of Darjeeling tea, they areexquisitely packed in wooden chestlets. Light orange leafdesigns around the walls and a white serpentine designedfalse ceiling have contributed to the elegant décor of theplace, characterised by plush interiors.

Parag Desai, the Executive Director, Sales andMarketing of Wagh Bakri Tea Group said, “As tea is ahealthy, fresh and a perfect companion and has beenenjoyed by generations, tea lounge is an ideal place tounwind with like-minded people in a relaxed mood.” Hefurther added, “Our main aim is to bring back the leisureconcept of enjoying a cup of golden brew in an amicableambience.”

Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge is to be managed by the Delhi-based hospitality services management company, namedSouth Asian Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. The hospitalityservices management company is owned by Pravin Juneja.“We will ensure the efficient running of the Wagh BakriTea Lounge and make this venture a stupendous success.This tea lounge richly deserves it,” asserted Juneja.

Here it deserves a mention that Wagh Bakri is the thirdlargest packaged tea company in India, and the largestprivately held tea company in the country. The brand is amarket leader in the tea markets of Gujarat and Rajasthan,and also has major market share in Goa, MP andMaharashtra. With the introduction of this lounge, it isexpected that Delhites will also get familiar with thisbrand than ever before. ■

R E P O R TB A K E R Y R E V I E W

Oct-Nov ’1116

B A K E R Y R E V I E WC O V E R S T O R Y

Like all other facets of life, the Indian bakery industry is passing through several changes. Many of thesechanges have graduated as happening trends, with the further potential of coalescing into norms in theIndian bakery industry of the near future.One of the trends is the growing influence of the rising wave of health consciousness in the society on theassorted bakery products. This is being manifested not only by a slew of healthy breads but also by a rangeof healthy snacks in the Indian bakeries that could keep the cholesterol in check and the diabetes at bay.Healthy whole wheat breads and sugar free desserts are gaining currency.Then there is the growing popularity of chocolates as gift items, especially in the metros and other big citiesof India. At the same time, some sections of people in metropolitan India are not content with run-of-the-mill or standardised cakes and chocolates for their festive and special occasions. They want their cakes andchocolates to be customised, and also embodying certain specific themes. This growing demand in turn isleading to the emergence of an increasing number of talented chocolatiers and creators of designer dessertsin the metropolitan India. Overall, the market for the desserts is evolving fast.The popularity of branded ice-creams is also on the rise, as is the consumption of fast food products likepizza and burger, which have influences on the bakery industry. At the same time, bakery industry, especiallythe unorganised segment of the bakery industry is facing the challenges of sourcing quality ingredients andequipments, in order to reach international standards. Overall, the bakery industry is making a move towardsorganised to the unorganised, though still by and large, the Indian bakery industry is unorganised in character.Here Swarnendu Biswas explores some of the happening bakery trends of today and also makes someobservations about the challenges plaguing the Indian bakery industry.

17Oct-Nov ’11


There is no denying the fact thatbakeries and cake shops ofmetropolitan India are

increasingly assuming a sleek look.Though the unorganised segment of theIndian bakery industry still accounts for65 percent of the market share of theIndian bakery industry, the visions ofsweaty bakers kneading dough and takingout trays of breads and biscuits are slowlygetting blurred, particularly for anupwardly mobile consumer of bakeryproducts residing in a metropolitan city.

In their place, visions of sleek bakeryoutlets or a chain of retail bakery outletsselling new-age healthy bakery productsare gaining prominence. Also most hotels,especially the five and four-star properties,are giving due importance to bakerybusiness. They are busy creating uniquebakery products to cater to the interests oftheir discerning consumers. Nowadays,almost all top-notch hotels have apatisserie or a cake shop within theirpremises, which shows the popularity of

bakery products with the swish set.

The Healthy WaveThere is no denying the fact that thebakery segment in hotels have evolvedover the last few years to cater to theinternational tastes of the globally travelledconsumers.

Like the look and feel of the bakeries,the bakery products are also goingthrough changes. While a decade earlier,many bakeries in the hospitality propertiesused frozen products and premixes such ascroissant laminates, cookie dough, breaddough, etc. But the baking trend in hotelsis now going back towards the good olddays of baking without moulds, in openovens.

Use of natural fermentation process inbaking breads is gaining popularity in thebakeries of luxury hotels of India. BakeryChefs in five-star hotels are also seenpairing national and internationalingredients with regional products tocreate unique dessert options. An example

of this can be the coffee flavoured phirni.Both the Indian and the internationalguests are likely to love this concoction.

Health has become one of theimportant factors for the Indian bakeryindustry, as with the rising incidences ofcholesterol and cardiac problems thesociety at large is becoming more healthconscious. This is necessitating the bakeryindustry in India to reinvent itself. In fact,this shift in preference towards healthybakery products has induced manybakeries to change their offerings.

Therefore in many sleek new-agebakeries of Mumbai and other Indianmetros, whole wheat and multi-grainbreads are gaining popularity at theexpense of white breads, and sugar freedesserts are being lapped up withincreasing frequency. The trend of organicbakery products is also taking shape.Whole wheat flour cakes, organic biscuits,and seven grains bread have made theirpresence felt in the Indian bakeryindustry in a big way. These days, the

The Creations of Celeste Chocolates

Oct-Nov ’1118


wide variety in cakes, pastries, muffins,ice-creams, and other desserts on offer inthe Indian market could also appear to beawe-inspiring to a person from an earliergeneration.

Bakers are increasingly going fornatural ingredients and are avoidingadditives which act as allergens or havethe possibility of compromising thedigestion. Dates, blueberries and orangesare increasingly finding their place incakes of today.

The spearheading of healthconsciousness in the society and risingdisposable incomes are leaving theirimpact on the garnishing of bakeryproducts too. For example, today astrawberry cake doesn’t necessarily meana cake laden with strawberry cream.Chances are that instead of strawberryicing, the cake may be covered with freshstrawberries. “People nowadays prefercakes and desserts of yogurt instead ofcream; sugar free or brown sugar optionsinstead of sugar. Instead of whippedcream blobs for garnish, more fruits andnut garnish is gaining currency,”informed Nita Mehta, a culinary guru ofour times.

The growing health consciousness inthe bakery segment is perhaps one of thereasons for the dwindling popularity ofthe Irani bakeries, which thankfully arestill a part of the legacy of thecosmopolitan city of Mumbai. It isbecause the new-age Mumbai people arepreferring biscotti over khari biscuits,multi-grain breads over bun maska.Despite the wonderful taste and nostalgicvalue of the products of many of the Iranibakeries, they are finding it difficult tocompete with the new-age bakeries ofMumbai.

The Age of Exotic DelightsHowever, new-age bakery products arenot at all limited to whole wheat breadsand sugar free cakes, laced with naturalsweeteners. Exotic items like Spanish tapasand Italian Rijsttafel have also startedmaking their influence felt among thePastry Chefs of India. Not so long ago, itwas the custom to serve desserts on asingle plate. This tradition is giving way toa new trend. Desserts are now segmentedinto several small bite-sized portions. Thisaffords the diner to taste a diverse array offlavours rather than have a single plate ofdessert with a given flvaour. Flavours of

edible flowers and berries fromScandinavia are also making inroads in theIndian bakery industry.

Champagne-spiked brownies, darkchocolate cheesecake with date and fig andrum cheesecake with orange cointreauglaze, orange marmalade whiskey spongecake, apricot mousse gateau, andchampagne truffles from the tables of thecreative caterer Shireen Adenwalla fromTruffles are only some of the delectablesamples of new-age baking solutions. Infact, nowadays creation of desserts entailscreative and unconventional permutationsand combinations akin to that of cocktails.

Among the trendy bakery products,special mention of cupcakes must bemade, which is gaining popularity in themetros. At children’s parties as well as athigh-end weddings, cupcakes arebecoming regular features which shows

India’s growing fascination with these cutedessert options.

Increasing Role of Presentation Besides health and taste, people are alsolooking for novelty in presentation. Itwouldn’t be far fetched to state that thecute shapes of cupcakes have contributedto their recent craze in Mumbai.Nowadays, there are lots ofexperimentations regarding the shapes,sizes and colours of the desserts, andsauces are now used to highlight aparticular feature or flavour or colour ofthe dish.

In this context, the role of foodtechnologists in revamping the bakeryindustry of India also cannot beundermined. Their ability to play aroundwith dishes can foster the creativity ofBakery or Pastry Chefs to cater to theevolved tastes of the consumers. Going bythe trends, it seems that the open airbakeries may soon become the in thing inthe Indian metros, in the near future, as

they would ensure greater transparencyand hence, greater accountability in theirpreparation process.

The age of hand-crafted and custom-designed designer desserts have arrivedand they are having increasing presence inmany high-end birthday parties,weddings, or other wild or not so wildcelebrations. For the upwardly mobilemetropolitan India, the liking for westerndesserts like cakes, pastries, chocolates, etc.have markedly evolved over the years.

Desserts Going DesignerGone were the days when cakes, pastriesand chocolates looked staid and wereknown only for their tastes. Now theevolving trend is to custom-made yourcake according to your exact specifications,which include your preferred theme anddesign. Of course, designer cakes are still ararity in India but their visibility in theIndian bakery industry is no doubtincreasing.

Many stand-alone bakers with lessinvestment and great creativity are daringto stand apart from the crowd in order tostay ahead of the competition. Theircreative outputs are much different fromthe mass-produced and run-of-the-millbakery products from many of theestablished national and internationalplayers in the bakery industry, and theirexclusivity is catered to by an increasingsize of clientele of dessert connoisseurs.These brave new breed of talented dessertdesigners in India can use cakes andcupcakes, pastries and chocolates to reflectyour passion, your emotion or help bringback your long lost fond memories ofyesteryears.

If you want your cake to simulate theimage of a swimming pool, or a golfcourse, or a jungle for that matter, it can bedone. As you would enjoy your cake, itsenticing theme and striking design aremost likely to get stored in your memory.In this way, you can have your cake andeat it too.

According to Arshi Dhupia fromDelhi-based Cravings, whose creativedesigns and themes of cakes are well-matched by their delectable tastes, thedemand for designer and high-endcustomised desserts are no longer confinedto the elite segment of the Indian societyonly. “The higher disposable incomes, inthe backdrop of both spouses earning inthe middle-income families becoming the

19Oct-Nov ’11

C O V E R S T O R YB A K E R Y R E V I E W

norm, along with the influences fromincreased travel, globalisation and theincreased exposure to Internet, have beencontributing towards encouraging moreand more people from the middle incomeprofile to try the joy of beingindividualistic and classy in their choicesof desserts.”

Besides designing cakes with allconceivable themes, the creativeendeavours of Arshi extend to cupcakestoo. “I love the fact that cupcakes enableyou to have cakes in small portions,” sheaverred. Of course, in these healthconscious and calorie conscious times thatis a distinct advantage. Arshi soundedextremely animated about the designingpossibilities of cupcakes. “One cupcakecan have the face of a lion, the other theface of a rabbit, on the third you canimprint an edible impression of rhino,”she explained. No wonder they would bethe cause of delight for the children andthe young at heart. Of course, whiledesigning cupcakes, her creativefascination doesn’t begin or end withanimals. Arshi also bakes cupcakes withedible designs of make up kit, babybooties, baby bottles, etc.

Aarti Gupta from Delhi-based WickedDesserts is another creative artist doinggreat work in the realm of designerdesserts. She is a Patisserie Chef from theLe Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts,London. Aarti creates high-end chocolatecakes, chocolate mousse-gateaux, cupcakes,cheesecakes and fruit mousses, which arefinding a growing market among herdiscerning target group. Her assortment ofcupcakes in varied flavours like vanilla,caramelised almonds, chocolate, hazelnut,coffee, blueberry, apricot, banana andwalnut are delicious to look and eat. Aartiprefers her cupcakes to be soft, spongyand attractive looking and sometimessugar craft them according to a theme.

The Evolution of Dark DelightsThe designer cakes are complemented bydesigner chocolates too. In India, as aresult of the influence of globalisation andthe increase in disposable incomesamongst a section of the population, thepopularity of chocolates is ascending.Chocolate making classes and chocolates asgift items have become vogue inmetropolitan India. These days, theapplication of chocolates in the Indianbakery industry is perhaps more

pronounced than ever before. We areseeing many talented bakers andchocolatiers making their presence felt inthe Indian bakery industry with their darkand delightful creations.

Aarti’s other specialty is in designerhand-made chocolates and patisserie boxesfor weddings, birthdays and otherannouncements. “Whether it is a weddingor a birthday or a corporate gift, or a babyshower, people are now wanting theirchocolates to be exclusive; an expression oftheir style statement,” conferred Aarti.

The inherent love for chocolatescoupled with the unwavering passion toprovide quality chocolates to the peoplepropelled Sunita Bhasin, the proprietor ofBrown Bite Chocolates, to foray into therealm of these sweet dark and delectableofferings. Since then her long lasting datewith designer chocolates has been nothingshort of a success story.

Creatively CelesteHowever, creativity in chocolates doesn’thappen to be the exclusive preserve ofsmall sized stand-alone chocolate makingunits only. Take the case of CelesteChocolates, which has grown from a smallenterprise to a huge player in the realm ofdesigner chocolates with a factory, a sleekcorporate office, and two operationalchocolate boutiques under its ambit.Presently, Celeste is one of the biggestretailers in the realm of gourmetchocolates, with Indian operations andglobal networks.

Hand-crafted from the finestingredients and presented in exquisitelydesigned gift cases befitting all occasions,

the premium chocolate offerings fromCeleste caress the chocoholic’s palate withrefined flavours and forge a sweet bondthat is likely to last a lifetime. Be it awedding or a newborn’s arrival; a specialmoment or a birthday bash; customcreated chocolates for corporatepromotion or a traditional festival gift —Celeste’s ever-expanding brand portfoliois widely recognised for rich aroma, greattaste and unmatched elegance ofpresentation.

Presently, Celeste Chocolates has thecapacity of producing 1 tonne ofchocolate products per day. Theenterprise which started as a hobby withinvestment of fixed deposits, had posteda turnover of Rs. 5 crore in the last fiscal,and employs more than fifty workers onits rolls.

The amazing growth story of CelesteChocolates, which began in 1999, isfostered by the inspiring vision andcreativity of Nidhi Bhageria, theManaging Director of Celeste Chocolates.“Chocolates were my passion since mychildhood days, and when extensiveinternational exposure helped me tocomplement this passion with in-depthknowledge about chocolates, I felt acompulsive urge to contribute towardsthe evolution of chocolate palate of India,by providing people with classy gourmetchocolates, spruced with personalisedthemes and designs,” affirmed Nidhi.Whatever may be your imagination ortheme, Nidhi can give shape to it throughher customised chocolate creations.

The Growth PangsHowever, the truth, like chocolate can becomplex, beautiful and multilayered.Despite the success stories of a slew ofentrepreneurs and chocolatiers in therecent years, there is no denying the factthat though the Indian chocolateconsumption is no longer limited to theinfrequent bites of Cadbury Diary Milk,Munch, and Kit Kat, but the Indianchocolate market is still way behindEuropean and the US levels. Theconsciousness and the market forchocolates are increasing in India, thoughthey are both at a nascent stage ascompared to the taste and the markets ofthe developed countries of the west.

Though the Indians have an inherentsweet tooth and thus they enjoychocolates, but still, by and large, they do

Nidhi Bhageria

Oct-Nov ’1120


one of the creative chocolate designers ofDelhi, who owns and runs an enterprisenamed Foodaholics. Her company madeits presence felt in food consultancy, butvery soon ventured into the creation ofhigh-end desserts with fresh and exoticingredients, which of course include theusage of high-end chocolates.

The fact that the ‘ideal’ temperature forpreparations with chocolates varies fromprocess to process makes its adherence areally challenging task indeed. “The issueof storage is equally crucial, for moisturecan spoil chocolates,” elaborated Kishi.And we all know that the storage facilityfor food & beverage in India is nothingshort of dismal.

This limited evolution of the chocolatemarket in India still makes the chocolatiersto struggle a lot and for long years beforegetting recognition. The case of Sunita,however, was an exceptional one. Herquick success was not only because of herenormous talent but also because of herready-made client base. Before enteringchocolate business, she was creatingdesigner candles, a business which she isstill continuing with great aesthetic andfinancial returns. “I was getting corporateorders for my candles, and the sameclientele got interested in my designerchocolates,” informed Sunita. Even today,the bulk of her market for chocolatebusiness is targetted towards corporates.

Nidhi too acknowledges that themarket for chocolates in India is nowherethat of Switzerland and Belgium, both in

terms of maturity and variation, but at thesame time, she voiced enthusiasm aboutthe future of the market for gourmetchocolates in India. “There has been anevolution in chocolate tastes in India overthe years, which can be attributed togreater international exposure,” said thesavvy entrepreneur.

“The fact that chocolates are nowreplacing conventional mithais as giftitems is a happening sign,” she added,while maintaining the need to furtherdevelop chocolate culture in India. “Thebusiness of chocolates would thrive andthe creative juices of the chocolatierswould flow more profusely only if wemake the effort to teach people about thesubtle nuances of quality chocolates, andeducate their palate,” averred Nidhi.

Sunita views that though the marketfor chocolates is at a developing stage, butit is teeming with huge potential. “Thereare various unexplored zones in chocolatemaking in India like the cluster chocolatesand chocolate truffles, which aspiring andestablished chocolatiers should probe,”opined Sunita. She also lamented the factthat very few Indian companies are intothe manufacturing of caramel. The factthat the imported caramel being not lessthan Rs.1000 per kg makes theproduction for pure caramel chocolates inIndia very limited,” commented Sunita.

Nidhi called for more quality trainingschools and institutions to address the gapin chocolate education and the dearth ofquality chocolatiers in the country.“Sampling of chocolates in promotionsand exhibitions should also beencouraged,” stated Nidhi, which sherightly believes can raise awareness aboutthe finer aspects of chocolates amongpeople at large. Sunita also stated thatthere were very few quality institutions forteaching chocolate making. However,besides producing gourmet chocolateswith blueberry, black currant, paan and27 other flavours, Sunita and her ablefaculty takes chocolate making classes toofor the aspiring chocolatiers of tomorrow.

According to Sunita, gourmetchocolates have a great untapped marketin lavish weddings, which are many a timehosted in hotels. “In those weddings,chocolates can be supplied in coordinationwith restaurateurs and Banquet Managers,which in turn would eventually lead tothe increase in the popularity of chocolatesin India,” commented Sunita.

Sunita Bhasin

not know how to discern between a greatchocolate and a good chocolate, or a goodchocolate and an ordinary chocolate forthat matter. Thus we are still reluctant topay a great deal more for a high qualitypremium chocolate over an average massproduced sweet and milky chocolate.Even the basic fact that high-endchocolates should have higher percentageof cocoa and may not be that sweet is notknown to an average consumer ofchocolates in India.

According to Zeba Kohli, theManaging Director of GoodHousekeeping Company Pvt. Ltd — thecompany which manufactures or rathercreates Fantasie Fine Chocolates and otherdelectable confectionaries, “The chocolatemarket in India is still urban-centric and isin an extremely early stage ofdevelopment. We have miles to go beforeit peaks.” At the same breath she alsoconcedes that there has been a steadytrend towards growth in theconfectionery and chocolate industry inIndia, over the years. “It is an excitingtime for us as people are ready to try andexperiment with our new innovations,”she said, rather enthusiastically. I couldn’thelp agree with Zeba more, who is knownas the Chocolate Queen of India.

“The fact that the Indian climate isnot conducive to the distribution ofchocolates is also a hindrance to thechocolate growth story. This leads toincrease in its transportation costs andpricing, which in turn hampers its marketviability in the price-sensitive market ofIndia,” explained Sunita.

“If the temperature of the chocolate isnot maintained at the ‘ideal’ level, thenthe chocolate or the chocolate-based dishwould be ruined,” informed Kishi Arora,

21Oct-Nov ’11

C O V E R S T O R YB A K E R Y R E V I E W

There is no doubt that chocolateeducation can help a great deal in thecreation of great many talented bakers andchocolatiers. For even geniuses needtraining to flourish their inherentcreativity. “When I began my enterprise, Iwas greatly helped by the guidance of aquality Chef, who trained me in the fineart of making of gourmet chocolates,”acknowledged Sunita. “He was myemployee, but I consider him nothing lessthan my guru,” said the talented lady.

The Cool and Hot BusinessAlong with the maturation of the marketfor chocolates, the market for branded ice-creams is also increasing. Over the years,the Indian ice-cream industry is making ashift towards the organised from thedisorganised, though the disorganisedsector of the Indian ice-cream industry isstill much larger than the organisedsegment. We have been witness to thetrend where the ice-cream hawkers sellingtheir home made products are fastdwindling from the metropolitanlandscape, and in their place we areseeing the mushrooming of mobilepushcarts selling branded ice-creams ofMother Dairy, Amul, Kwality Wall’s, etc.These branded ice-cream products arealso abundant in any good retail grocerystore in a big city, and they are alsoretailed from malls and supermarkets.

With the increasing demand for ice-creams, several international brands areeyeing the potential of ice-cream industryin India with great interest. Some of theseplayers have already entered the Indianmarket, while the Indian ice-creambrands are on an expansion mode.

What is more important that ice-creams are graduating from fun foods,characterised by impulse purchase byyoung generation, to desserts for familyconsumption on a fairly regular basis.This perhaps accounts for the rise in salesof ice-cream bricks in the market. Theerstwhile seasonal nature of ice-creamconsumption in India is also undergoinga shift. Nowadays ice-creams areincreasingly being enjoyed in all seasons,though sales of ice-creams do climb in thehot summer months, in India.

Packaged OptionsOverall, the concept of bakeries isundergoing a change. Many bakery jointsin metros are now becoming popular

hangout zones, and many coffee cafesserving bakery products, and as well asbakeries in five-star properties are seenoffering breakfast, lunch and dinneroptions.

Not so long ago, biscuits and cakeswere used to be packed in wax papers.Now no branded biscuit or cakemanufacturer of India probably couldafford to do this, and still hope to survivethe forces of competition. These days,most of the organised players in thebiscuit industry do pack their biscuits inflexible laminates of composite structures,where every component fulfils a specificfunction. These laminates have desirableproperties such as moisture barrier, gas

barrier, and give protection against heat.Biscuits are also being packed in plaincardboard boxes. Its main aim is perhapsto differentiate the product from itscompetitors, and stand out in the crowd.

Display boxes, vertical pouches orsachets are the happening trends as far aspackaging of biscuits are concerned. Thepackaging of breads and cakes has alsoundergone great shifts. Nowadays mostof the bread manufacturers in theorganised sector opt for polyethylenefilms for their packaging, whereaspacking of cakes and cookies in PVCtrays, which facilitate their handling andstorage without the possibility of anydamage, has gained market acceptance.

The Basic ChallengesThe growing breed of discerning clientelewith global exposure and disposableincomes are forcing Indian bakeries andalso the big and small companies engagedin the manufacture of bakery products to

adopt international standards. However,towards their goal to meet theinternational standards, perhaps thegreatest challenge faced by the bakeryindustry is to maintain the quality of itsbasic ingredients. Flour, yeast, butter,sugar, and fruits should undergostringent quality control in order toattain international quality bakeryproducts, embodying great health andtaste. It is not feasible to import all ofthem, but use of standardisedingredients can facilitate a solution.

Presently, one of the major challengesfor the niche bakeries lies in theprocurement of quality bakery ingredientsdomestically, as imports of ingredients is

not always cost-effective. If all the possibleingredients for the bakery industry weremade available locally, and at par withinternational quality, it would benefitmany small unorganised players morethan the huge bakery retail chains.

However, standardisation of qualityingredients is a necessary but notsufficient condition for ensuringinternational quality products in theIndian bakeries. The health and hygieneof the bakers or dough mixing personnelare equally important, as is thetemperature controlled workingenvironments. The Indian bakeryindustry also needs quality equipmentsto match international standards on asustained basis. Presently, there is paucityof high-tech bakery equipments in India,which can be attributed to the absenceof a evolved bakery culture in India,unlike Europe. This prevents the industryfrom receiving massive capital injectionson a sustained basis. ■

Oct-Nov ’1122

B A K E R Y R E V I E WB U S I N E S S

Presently, dairy is one of the promising industries of India. The demand for dairy products in India

has the potential to grow significantly in the near future, fostered by higher disposable incomes

and greater interest and awareness in nutrition than before. The demand for milk, the source of

the dairy products, is also expected to increase in India, in the near future. Based on the estimates

of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the demand for milk is likely to reach 180

million tonnes by 2022. According to the estimates of the Planning Commission, the demand for

milk in 2021-22 is estimated at 172.20 million tonnes, which is appreciably higher than the current

demand of 112.5 million tonnes. This figure clearly indicates that we need to further increase our

milk production to cater to this increased demand.

Along with the increase in the demand for milk the demand for packaged milk is also likely to

increase over the years. With the increasing awareness that loose milk is not only unhygienic but

also encourages adulteration, the demand for packaged milk and milk products are rising. There is

thus immense scope for the growth of the dairy packaging industry. Ashok Malkani finds that

Tetra Pak, plastic pouches, cans are the current packaging materials but there are ripples of

innovation.

Health

Packaged for

23Oct-Nov ’11


India, it is said, was a land of milkand honey. One does not knowabout the veracity of honey but asfar as milk is concerned, it would

not be overstatement to say that amongall the countries, India is the largestproducer of milk in the world. Itsproduction has grown to112.5 million tonnes in2009-10 from a paltry17 million tonnes in1950-51. The milkproduction in India hasincreased by six timessince independence andis exhibiting a healthygrowth of 4 per cent perannum. And the per capitaconsumption of milk too hasshown significant progress, over thedecades. It rose to 263 G/day (2009-10) from 112 G/ day in 1968-69.However, there is no denying the factthat a per capita milk consumption of263 G/day is lower than the global percapita milk consumption of 279.4 G/day, and we need to trudge some moremiles on the road of development tomake our per capita milk consumptionreach the global standards.

The Role of PackagingBut the production of huge quantitiesof milk alone is not enough. It alsoentails the necessity for delivering themilk to the consumers hygienically andthis involves immaculate packaging ofmilk. In fact, the utility of packaging inthe entire dairy industry cannot beoverstated. Innovative packagingtechnologies can extend the shelf life offood products, which include milk andmilk products too, thereby adding totheir value. In food industry, the barrierof packaging helps in preventingcontamination by microorganisms and

bars the entry of moisture and light.Packaging prevents the externalenvironment from influencing the foodproducts. Thus without packaging,storage and distribution in a moderneconomy is a futile proposition.Packaging can also help in advertising

and enhancing thecosmetic appeal ofthe distributed foodproducts.

Milk in itsvarious forms

presents thepossibility of various

innovative packagingopportunities, whichcan be easily adopted inour country. For

preserving the nutritive value of milkand dairy products, preventing theirwastage, and improving their marketviability, their appropriate packaging isvery much necessary. For highlyperishable commodities like milk and itsproducts, packaging plays a crucial rolein their safe delivery to the consumerswithout compromising on their essentialcharacteristics and nutritive value. Itshould be kept in mind that milk andother assorted milk-based products havea tendency to spoil rapidly attemperatures above refrigeration and inthe presence of oxygen and othercontaminating agents present in theatmosphere. Therefore, the primaryfunction of packaging of milk and milk-based products is to protect them fromthe influences of oxygen, moisture, heat,light, etc. and also to present theproducts in an appealing manner to theconsumer. Succinctly, the packaging ofmilk and dairy products should beeconomical, hygienic andenvironmentally safe.

Thankfully in cities and larger townsof India, packaged milk and milkproducts are the rule rather thanexception. This trend of packaged milkand milk products is also becomingpopular in smaller towns. The rapidgrowth in economy and consequently theimprovement in the living standards ofpeople have made packaging an integralpart of any distribution business, whichincludes distribution of the most basic ofthe dairy products like milk.

“The emergence of a significantmiddle-class, urbanisation and the

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B A K E R Y R E V I E WB U S I N E S S

glass bottles.Another technological innovation in

processing and packaging of pasteurisedmilk is the Aseptic Packaging, which isalso known as the Tetra Pak milk. Hereboth the package and the product areseparately sterilised and the packagingoperation is carried out under aseptic(sterile) conditions. This system entails astorage life of about three months,without the support of refrigeration oradded preservatives. A tetrapak cartoncomprises of a composite materialentailing 5 to 7 layers includingpaperboard, aluminium foil andpolyethylene. In the distributionsystem, the pouches with pasteurisedmilk are placed in reusable multi-tripplastic crates.

The flavoured milk drinks in Indiagenerally come in skimmed or semi-skimmed forms, and are sagged with lessthan 1 percent fat. Their packagingshould be leak and tamper proof, shouldhave sufficient wet strength, and shouldbe able to bar any odour or taint fromgetting transmitted to the productpacked inside. In India, the flavouredmilk drinks are available in sterilisablecrown cork glass bottles, glass bottleswith aluminium foil lid or snap-onplastic lid, plastic sachets and asepticpacks (Tetra bricks). Some years back,200ml translucent bottles of HDPEwith an aluminium foil cap were alsointroduced. Poly carbonate bottles withthe leak proof screw cap are also used inplace of glass bottles as these areunbreakable and are much lower inweight than the glass bottles. PET

packaging options of various types ofliquid milk and some important dairyproducts like butter, ghee, milk powder,ice cream, cheese and malted milk foodbeverages.

Milking OptionsLiquid milk can be sub-divided intopasteurised milk, flavoured milk, andcondensed and evaporated milk. Manynot so young among us are likely toremember that not so long ago a largequantity of milk was sold in anunprocessed, unpacked condition byvendors who used to bring milk inaluminium containers to the doorstepsof the consumers. This milk was oftensubjected to contamination andadulteration. With the marketing ofmilk by the dairy co-operatives inpackaged form, most of the problemsmentioned were largely addressed,

though adulterationof milk still continues,to some extent. In thepacked form, milk wassold, initially, inreturnable glass bottlessealed withaluminium foil cap.However, due to theinherent nature ofglass, problems likehigh tare weight andfragility cropped up.Also, the shortage ofaluminium foil in the

country led to the development of analternate packaging system and in theearly 80s, the plastic pouches replaced

expansion of modern shopping habitsby busy, health-conscious and well-informed consumers is raising theconsumption of packaged milk indeveloping countries. The consumers ofthis decade are looking for greaterconvenience and uncompromisingquality and safety,” explained thePresident and CEO of Tetra Pak, DennisJonsson. The rising economic power ofIndia and other Asian nations isexpected to spur a shift from loose topackaged white milk consumption inthese areas. Last year, around 51percent of white milk consumed indeveloping countries was bought loose.Sales are forecast to reach a tippingpoint in 2014, with around 55 percent of white milk sold in packages,and this is expected to climb towards70 per cent by 2020.

Any good packaging should performthe jobs of containing, protecting andmerchandising the product it packages,and this rule applies to all types offood packaging, which of courseinclude the packaging of milk andother dairy products. However,packaging is not that simple what itused to be earlier. Recent developmentsin technology, growing environmentalawareness and marked shifts in theconsumer preferences are inducing theentrepreneurs and packagingtechnologists to take into account of anincreasing number of factors whenconceiving and designing a package.

As far as the Indian dairy industry isconcerned, presently only 12 per centof the marketed milk is represented bypackaged and branded pasteurisedmilk. However, the packagingin Indian dairy industry hashuge potential to grow. About46 percent of the total milkproduced in India is consumedin the liquid form and 47percent istransformed intoindigenous dairyproducts likecottage butter,ghee, paneer, khoa,curd, malai, etc.Only 7 percent of the milk goesinto the production of conventionalwesternised dairy products like milkpowder, processed butter and cheese.

Here we are discussing the

25Oct-Nov ’11

B U S I N E S SB A K E R Y R E V I E W

containers are also in application forpackaging of flavoured milk drinks asthey are light in weight, have good salespotential and are sturdy.

Sweetened condensed milk is themost popular of all concentrated milksand is packed in conventional food canswith double seam ends. Evaporated milkhas been packed in aseptic tetrapaks.

The Packaged DairiesThe conventional dairy productsinclude butter, ghee, milk powder, icecream and malted milk foods. As aresult of high moisture content, butteris vulnerable to mold growth.Therefore, butter packaging should beopaque with a high resistance againstthe intrusion of oxygen and foreignodours. The most commonly usedbutter wrap is the vegetable parchmentpaper of 45 gsm. Although parchmentpaper is grease-proof, it does notprovide sufficient barrier to oxygen.For superior product protection and forlonger shelf-life, aluminium foillaminated to parchment or grease-proof

paper is used. Due to the influence ofsalt and as a result of lower pH ofbutter, there is possibility of corrosionof aluminium foil. In order to preventthis, the aluminium foil is coated withlacquer, and a protective adhesivebetween the foil and paper is applied.For facilitating its handling,distribution and storage, the wrappedbutter is placed in plastic laminatedpaper-board carton at retail outlets. Forsome years, embossed aluminium foil

backed parchment paper has beenintroduced in the packaging of butterfor UV light protection and salesappeal. The use of smooth walled light-weight aluminium containers are also inuse for the packaging of butter. Thecontainers are provided with printed orun-printed plastic or heat sealable foillids.

Ghee has low moisture content andtherefore its possibility of gettingsubjected to microbial deterioration isnot very high. But nevertheless, it needsto be protected from chemical spoilageand rancidity caused by oxygen, light,heat, moisture and metal ions. It is idealto pack ghee in tinplate containers,without any air gap, which prevents theinfluence of oxygen on ghee. Gheepacked in tinplate containers is fairlystable and has a shelf-life of over oneyear. However, alternate plastic basedpackages are now gradually replacingtins. Ghee is also marketed in linedcartons with flexible laminated plasticsas inner liner materials and in tetrapaks.In both these packs long shelf-life can

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B U S I N E S S

be ensured. Laminated pouches ofmetallised polyester based films are alsoused for packaging of ghee. Laminates ofpolyester, Nylon-6 and use of highbarrier materials such as EVOH andEVAL can also be perceived aspackaging options for ghee, as thesematerials could generate an enduringshelf-life.

Milk powder is hygroscopic in natureand has a propensity to garner moisturefrom the atmosphere, which makes forlumping or caking of the powder.Whole milk powder is highly sensitiveto oxygen as well. The milk powdercould be spoiled due to the influenceof oxygen through oxidation andrancidification. Therefore the packagesfor milk powder needs to bevacuumised or nitrogen flushed. Milkpowder is bulk packed in 25 kilogramcapacity multi-wall paper sacks withplastic liner made of polyethylene.Plastic (HDPE) bottles are also used forpacking skimmed milk powder. Forquite some time, flexible plasticpackages have come up for packagingof this product. In most cases, theflexible sachets are enclosed in paper-board cartons. Over the years, theflexible materials have graduated frompolyethylene bags to reachsophisticated multiply laminates.

As ice-cream is a frozen product, itspackaging should be tailored in such amanner that the packaging performsefficiently to preserve the product atfreezing temperatures. Ice-creams needto be safe-guarded from the threats ofcontamination, moisture loss andtemperature fluctuations.Conventional forms of ice-creampackaging include paperboard cartons,paper cups and in some cases evenmetal containers. However, these typesof packages are slowly but surely beingreplaced by other forms. The packagesfor ice-creams should have cosmeticappeal, and should be user friendly;that is they should be easy to open anddispose. The distribution andtransportation of ice-cream should becarried out in frozen condition andrefrigerated trucks or dry ice are beingused to maintain its frozen state.Wrapping the dry ice pieces in paperand placing them around the ice-creampacks inside in an insulated container,which is generally a corrugated fibre

board box, can help preserve the icecreams.

The various types of packages forice-cream include: (i) paper boardcarton which is poly coated (ii)thermoformed / injection mouldedplastic containers made from HIPS(high impact polystyrene), PP(polypropylene) or HDPE (highdensity polyethylene). The materialsused for the lids are LDPE (low densitypolyethylene) or PS (polystyrene). Thelids are of snap on type. Packagingoptions for ice creams also includelaminates of BOPP (biaxially orientedpolypropylene) or PET (polyethyleneterephthalate), which are used forcandies. The demand for thermoformed/ injection moulded containers, tubsand cups are showing significant

growth as these type of packaging arehygienic and they discourage thegrowth of microorganisms. Stringentcontrol of dimensions and weight incase of plastic thermoformed containerspaves into cost-effective style ofpackaging, particularly when highspeed filling is required to beintroduced.

The popularity of cheese is gainingcurrency in India. It is a delicatelyflavoured product, endowed with highfat and moisture content. The cheeseneeds to be protected against loss ofmoisture and intrusion of oxygen inorder to maintain its desired quality. InIndia, the traditional package of cheeseis a hermetically sealed printed tin-platecontainer, which comes in 400 / 500gm capacities. Individual packed slabsare also placed in rectangulartransparent injection moulded plasticcontainers with lid. This type ofpackaging is more convenient and

hygienic as compared to the traditionalpack of tinplate. Moreover, this type ofpackaging is lighter, more economical,and has a reuse value. Today, theflexible packaging films and laminatesgenerally are also used for packaging ofcheese. Cheese is also available in slices;individually wrapped in plastic films.

The malted milk food beverages orthe health beverages are highlysensitive to moisture and are subjectedto oxidative transformations with theinfluence of light, heat and oxygen.Retention of the aroma of the maltedmilk food beverages and preventingthem from moisture and oxygen ingressare of great importance, which can befacilitated through the selection of theright packaging material.

The types of packages used formalted milk food beverages includeglass jars, tinplate containers, plasticcontainers and flexible laminatedpouches. Though glass containers arehygienic and safe and are bolsteredwith the advantage of an enduringshelf-life, they are also tagged with thedisadvantages of being heavy, fragileand costly. Tinplate containers doprovide sufficient protection from gasesand moisture, but are susceptible torusting. Besides, they are also expensive.The plastic containers are light weight,sturdy, unbreakable and hygienic, andthey have a good shelf-life too. Besidesthe plastic containers, flexible pouches,which may or may not be withpaperboard cartons, are also thepackaging trend for malted milk foodbeverages. This type of packaging iseven more economical than the plasticcontainers. Moreover, with the flexiblepouches, the requirement of storagespace is very less and the fillingoperation is comparatively quicker.

If we explore the present packagingindustry pertaining to milk and dairyproducts, we can easily infer that inIndia, the packaging options for milkand milk-based products are expectedto be more sophisticated, economic,and user-friendly in the years to come;having great emphasis on theapplication of the latest technologicalinnovations related to packaging. Therole of packaging in the Indian dairyindustry is also expected to becomemore widespread. We can say that Indiais ready to be packaged for health. ■


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I N D U S T R YB A K E R Y R E V I E W

In India, coffee is primarily producedin the three southern states of Karnataka,Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with Karnatakaleading the way by accounting for nearly70 percent of the country’s coffeeproduction, followed by Kerala with 22percent, and Tamil Nadu with 7 percentof the total country’s coffee production.However, the popularity of coffee inIndia is now no longer limited to itssouthern strongholds.

Before a decade-and-a-half-ago, coffeedrinking was a habit among people ofsome select areas of south India, but itwas not a pan-Indian phenomenon.Now from metros to the small cities andtowns of India, and from south to north,

In 2009, the coffee production inIndia accounted for 4.5 percent ofthe total global coffee production,

and although 80 percent of India’scoffee production is being exported,but still there is no denying the factthat over the years, the coffeeproduction and consumption hassteadily increased in India. According toIndian Coffee Board, the coffeeproduction in India during 2009-10was at 2.90 lakh tonnes (post monsoonestimation). According to the samesource, the estimated domesticconsumption of coffee in India, in1995, was 50000 MT, which enhancedto 94,400 MT in 2008.

By Tapapriya Lahiri

and east to west, the country is gettingmore and more attracted to the waftingaroma of coffee beans. Today, people innorth, east and west India are nowpepping up their conversations withcoffee in increasing numbers. Many teadrinkers are also making a smoothtransition into being coffee drinkers.

Neither does the fame of coffeeamong the Indian coffee connoisseurslimited to the historically famed Indianfilter coffee or for that matter, theespresso coffee. Though Indian filtercoffee, which is a sweet milky coffeemade from dark roasted coffee beansand chicory, in the ratio ofapproximately 80:20 respectively, hasbeen a commercial success since the1940s and is still very much popular inthe southern states of India, thecountry’s taste for coffee has becomemore cosmopolitan and varied, and hasgrown much beyond the appreciation ofthis vintage version of the brew.

A Lifestyle DrinkIn today’s India, not only the upwardlymobile crowd in the metros, but also theaspiring middle class in tier-I and tier-IIcities are also increasingly perceiving avisit to coffee cafés as meeting andlifestyle option. This trend can beattributed to increasing disposableincomes and increasing spread ofglobalisation.

These retail coffee café outlets are notonly gaining popularity amongcorporates and family crowd but also

Wafting Trends of

Café Coffee Culture

29Oct-Nov ’11

I N D U S T R YB A K E R Y R E V I E W

among students. Students are nowadaysseen moving out of their traditionalcollege hubs like the canteens and Iranicafés and into the swanky coffee shops.With Barista, Cafe Coffee Day andCosta Coffee wooing customers with wi-fi access, sandwiches and books, coffeeshops have become the favourite hang-out spots for Gen X. From socialnetworking to corporate dealings toromantic rendezvous, the wafting aromaof coffee is acting as a binding force.Ceramic and plastic cups brimmingwith flavoured coffees and crushed icehave became mediators for new and oldrelationships. Slowly coffee is alsoemerging as the lifestyle drink of theIndian metros.

Coffee Means BusinessIt is no wonder that under the presentscenario, the coffee chains market inIndia has witnessed a robust growth sofar, and is expected to grow rapidlyduring 2010-16. With the Indianmiddle class consumer now ready tospend more and be a part of globallifestyle and culture than ever before,coffee parlours in the country are on anexpansion spree. Leading coffee retailerssuch as Cafe Coffee Day, BaristaLavazza, and Costa Coffee are allpitching in to attract India’s growingmiddle class.

The booming business of coffee inthe country is inducing various nationaland international coffee retailers toestablish their footprints in India. Tworetail café chains are spearheading thecoffee café culture in India. They areCafé Coffee Day and Barista Lavazza.Barista Coffee Company Limited, whichwas established in 2000 in India, wasbrought over by Lavazza; Italy’s numberone coffee brand, in 2007. Here itdeserves a mention that Barista CoffeeCompany is envisaging to increase thenumber of its outlets to 300 from theexisting 225, by 2012.

However, these two above mentionedcorporate giants, which have lion’s sharein the organised retail coffee café chains,but accounts for less than one third ofthe total domestic retail coffee market,are now facing competition from Britishcoffee chain Costa Coffee, which isemerging as one of the importantplayers in the organised coffee businessin India that values not less than

Rs.1000 crore. And now, StarbucksCoffee Company, the world’s largestretail coffee chain, will enter thisgrowing retail coffee market in India,in alliance with Tata Coffee Limited.

However, nowadays sleek retail coffeecafé chains are not only about servingassorted varieties of fragrant coffees inhot and cold options. They are alsointroducing several innovativeconcoctions where varied coffee beanswith varied desserts are playing newmusic on the taste buds of a newgeneration of Indians. All theseconcoctions are supplemented withfilling snacks, which can cater tobreakfast, lunch and dinner options.Many of the retail coffee cafesmushrooming across urban India are alsoserving as breakfast, lunch and dinner

outlets, without losing their primaryfocus of being retail coffee outlets.

According to Ramachander Raman,the Head of Food and Beverages at CaféCoffee Day, “Besides the spreading ofcafé culture, we want to broaden thehorizon of our food menus. From thesurvey response, we have come to knowthat people are also fond of sandwiches,croissants and desserts as companions forgood coffees. This is an emerging trendamongst young and middle agedIndians.”

Also, Barista Lavazza is ready tobroaden its appeal through spreadingthe idea of liqueur coffee; by servingcoffee with alcohol in more outlets. Atpresent, Barista Lavazza outlet at KhanMarket in New Delhi is offering thesame. The company at present servesfour hot and four cold liqueur coffees,besides two beers and liqueur desserts.

Future TrendsAs still an average Indian consumer

consumes only 66 gms of coffee peryear, which is negligible as compared tothe average coffee consumption in thedeveloped markets, the market for retailcoffee chains in India hardly seem to besaturated. Thus there is enough marketspace for more players.

According to Ramakrishnan K, thePresident, Marketing of Café CoffeeDay, “Coffee chains market in Indiawill experience unparalleled growth inthe near future. The outlook for thecoffee cafe outlets in India seems to bevery promising as the overall consumerspending is increasing in the country.”However, there is no scope for bigretail coffee chains to rest on theirlaurels. “To sustain in the industry weneed to be more innovative in order togain a bigger share of the ever growingcoffee consumption market in India,”added Ramakrishnan.

However, it is no wonder that theentry and the consequent growth of theforeign players in the Indian retailcoffee market would heat up thebusiness of coffee cafés, by intensifyingthe flavour of competition. This maylead to the unorganised players in theretail coffee market feel the heat as theydo not have the money power andmarketing savvy to compete with thehuge national level and multinationalplayers.

Going by the market scenario, itseems that the survival and growth ofthe small stand-alone coffee shops orrestaurants would become increasinglydifficult with each passing day,especially if they are located in theupscale locality of the Indian metros,unless they manage to do somethingcrazy and innovative, employ methodin madness, and intelligently play ontheir strengths in order to counter thesustained competition of the bigplayers. For example, experimentingwith their coffees and bakery items, ortailoring their brew offerings accordingto the weather outside can help themsurvive the competition from overseasand also within the country.

On the other hand, the possibility ofintense competition among organisedretail coffee chain outlets is expected toeventually lead to great value additionsin the leading café chains, therebygiving the consumers more value formoney. ■

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B A K E R Y R E V I E WP R O F I L E

By Sharmila Chand

Firefly is a design-oriented company, dedicated to perfecting the fine art of baking delightswith exquisite sugar craft. It is the product of the passion and idea of Pavani Kaur whichsprouted in the form of an enterprise in 2007, and since then there is blooming of success.Yes, she is the brain behind this venture, and she happens to own it too.

With no formal training in culinary arts or aesthetics, Pavani has nurtured and developedher brand with only talent and passion, practice and perseverance. And of course, withlots of love. Do you need anything more?

Firefly specialises in cakes, cupcakes and cookies, adorned with beautifully hand-craftedsugar accents. If you want to go still deeper, let me tell you that Firefly’s forte’ is recreatingbeautiful flowers with sugar! They enhance the look of even the most modest of cakes.Succinctly, the products of Firefly are customised to the customers’ liking, with every littledetail reflecting the clients’ fancy. You can spot this Firefly at C-180, Defence Colony, insouth Delhi. The excerpts of the interview with this aesthetic and inspiring lady follow:

Savour Cakes andArt at Firefly

Savour Cakes andArt at Firefly

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B A K E R Y R E V I E WP R O F I L E

What is the USP of Firefly’sproducts?

The baked products that Firefly offersare entwined with the ‘modern’ take on‘caking’ and traditional recipes. Thiscombination of art and sugar makes ourproducts unique. So with us one isn’t justeating a delicious cake, but admiring itsbeauty too.

How are your products differentfrom other bakery outlets?

Firefly cakes are completelycustomisable. Every little detail ispainstakingly created to make our cakestruly one of their kind. Not too manyIndian bakeries have ventured into thefield of ‘Fondant’ which is a dough madewith sugar and glucose. It is a very pliablesubstance that can be used to mould andsculpt beautiful recreations of flowers andfigures. We at Firefly use fondant to makeeven ordinary cakes look like masterpieces.

How do you combat competition?Ensuring that our ingredients are of the

highest quality is one of the main focalpoints. In addition, intricacy and

customisation go a long way. Firefly cakesare incredibly detailed and of course theytaste absolutely delicious, which makes usthe designated cake artists to many areturning customer. We update ourportfolio regularly and make sure we can

offer absolutely any design/flavour thecustomer wants.

How do you ensure the qualityof ingredients?

Most of our ingredients are imported

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P R O F I L EB A K E R Y R E V I E W

from the US, and the rest are carefullyselected through several trials andexperiments. We at Firefly are alwaysreaching out and testing new productsand recipes to ensure a perfect endproduct.

What kind of growth do youforesee in future?

With people in India opening up tonew trends like designer cakes, it givesus more room to expand our horizonswithout the fear of uncertainty settingus back. We are continually striving tomake our mark in the Indian cakeindustry, and are ensuring that ourcustomers get nothing but the absolutebest when they contact us. Hopefullywith all the new ideas and conceptsemerging in this field of cake makingart, and people embracing this change,Firefly could expect a lot of feathers inits cap in the future.

What is your company’smission?

Firefly’s mission is to make each andevery of its customer satiated so as toensure return visits, and to achieve top-of-the-mind recall with regard to anythingrelated to cake.

Do you regularly research fornew products and flavours?

We are always keeping track of the newflavours and ingredients emerging in themarket. With the US being a regulartrend setter in this field, we try to maptheir moves and provide to our customerswhat they do to theirs.

In addition, experiments are doneregularly at our end to bring about newflavours and concepts that are expectedto impress our clients. With new tools

and technology emerging in the art ofcake making, we have the opportunity tocreate products that are so different fromwhat was made available say even fiveyears from now.

What keeps you ahead?One can say they are a passion

towards design and the devotiontowards discerning palate. Our customerfriendly ways of creating ediblemasterpieces keeps us ahead of the curve.

What are the kind of challengesyou faced while promoting thegrowth of your company?

One of the first and foremostchallenges was to develop theestablishment of trust in the market forour products. People were initially veryskeptical about the concept of ‘edible art.’Their main concern was if it would tasteas good as it looked, and if it would givethem their money’s worth. It took a whileto open up the minds of these reluctantcustomers, to the new but beautiful lineof sugar craft.

Another challenge was the price factor.People were used to going to localbakeries to pick up ordinary cakes forbirthdays and other occasions, and theyknew exactly how much they would haveto spend. But with sugar-crafted cakes,the price margin is relatively higherbecause of the ingredients used and thetime and effort put into each and everyend product. It took a while for them toaccustom themselves with the idea of theprice difference for customised cakes.

What motivates you the most inyour business?

The inclination to create something newand different everyday and making people’s

happy occasions just a tad happier, ismotivation enough for me and my brand.

What has helped you the mosttowards image building of your brand?

Our extensive and forever growingportfolio, our website and of course, printadvertising has painted a wonderfulpicture of our brand in the market.Besides those, the positive feedback fromall the happy customers; who have spreadthe good word to fellow cake art lovers,has helped us a great deal.

What would you like to say aboutthe Indian bakery industry? How is itprogressing?

The Indian bakery industry is stilllagging behind as compared to itsinternational counterparts. But a fewoutlets have started spreading their wingsand are accepting the new concepts,challenges and ideas which their customershave now started requesting. It will take awhile before the Indian bakery industrybecomes truly matured and evolved.

What are the day-to-daychallenges of being in thisbusiness?

To us, every customer is different. Theyhave different tastes, different perceptions,different ideas, and of course, differentlevels of ‘risk-taking’ when it comes to newand exciting designs. We face new creativechallenges everyday, which keep us on ourtoes. And we love it!

What are your future plansrelating to the expansion of yourbrand?

We are keeping our fingers crossed. Fornow we are just striving towards creating awider customer base. ■

33Oct-Nov ’11

R E C I P E SB A K E R Y R E V I E W

Momo 2 Go at Courtyard by Marriott,Gurgaon can easily be one of yourpreferred destinations at Delhi and NCRfor indulging in an impressive array ofsinful and delectable desserts.

It doesn’t depend whether you preferto go the egg or the eggless way; thedesserts of Momo 2 Go are likely to bejust right for your palate and soul.

At the outlet you can get a widevariety of cakes, cookies and brownies,which are not only sumptuous but aremade of natural ingredients. Some of theirresistible desserts which I got to savourat Momo 2 Go include the Blueberry &

“Eggs havealwaysbeentraditionalbindingagents fordesserts.But withthe

development in foodtechnology, we have beenable to create vegetarianoptions without alteringtheir appearance, taste andtexture. This way, we havebeen able to tap a largersegment of our guests whoappreciate fine dessertswhile at the same timemaintaining their palatepreference.” - Yash Mathur, Pastry Chef,

Courtyard by Marr iott, Gurgaon

By Sharmila Chand

Savour Sinful and Sensuous Desserts at

Momo 2 Go

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

2 Cups graham crackers

1/4 Cup maple syrup

1/2 Tsp almond extract

For the Filling:

1 lb. Firm tofu

1/2 Cup sugar

1/4 Teaspoon almond extract

1 Tbsp tahini or almond butter

1/2 Tsp salt

1 to 2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 Tsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp corn-starch dissolved in water

2 Tbsp soy or rice milk

Preparation:

I. Crust:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

• Crush the crackers and mix them

with the syrup and almond extract in a

bowl until they are moist.

• Pour into a nine-inch pie plate,

press evenly to form a crust and bake

for five minutes.

• Let it cool while preparing the filling.

II. Filling:

• Blend all the ingredients in a food

processor or blender (for about 30

seconds) until they are smooth.

• Pour the mixture into the crust and

bake until the top is slightly brown,

say for about 30 minutes.

• Cool and refrigerate until thoroughly

chilled, for about two hours.

Lemon Tofu Chessecake

By Yash Mathur, Pastry Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

R e c i p e

White Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookiesand Lemon Tofu Cheesecake. However,just desserts are not the only thing thatMomo 2 Go offers.

You can sip some of the finest coffeemade of Italian illy beans at MoMo2Go. These coffees are made from LaMarzoco coffee machine, by well-trainedBaristas. Here it deserves a mention thata barista is generally referred to a coffee-house employee, who is responsible forpreparing and serving coffee or coffee-based drinks.

The coffee and the desserts are wellcomplemented by the selection ofbreads, cakes, sandwiches and otherassorted bakery products.

To cut a long story short, this

R e c i p e

premium retail and bakery outlet withinthe five-star property has freshlyprepared sandwiches, desserts, cakes toorder, imported coffee, tea, water,chocolate and international pastries forits discerning guests. The effort andcreativity of the Chef is manifested inall delectable offerings of the outlet. ■

Momo 2 Go

Oct-Nov ’1134

B A K E R Y R E V I E WP R O D U C T P R E V I E W

* BC - BACK COVER * FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER * BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

ADANI WILMER 05

ADVANCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS 15

APPLE BAKERY MACHINERY PVT. LTD. 08

BARRY CALLEBAUT INDIA PVT. LTD. BC

BROWN BITE CHOCOLATES 23

DABON INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD. 01

FHA 2012 25

HOTELEX SHANGHAI 2012 27

KAMANI OIL INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. 9

MRS. BECTORS FOOD SPECIALITIES LTD. BIC

NAGPAL BROTHERS (REGD.) 07

RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD. FIC

RATIONAL INDIA 10

RELIABLE EQUIPMENT COMPANY 13

REMINGTON STEEL ARTS 31

SATELLITE PLASTIC INDUSTRIES 11

PRODUCT PREVIEW 34

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place,New Delhi-110008

Phone: 011-45084903, 25854103 / 05

E-mail: [email protected]

ASK FOR YOUR2011 Hotel &Institutions

Buyers’ GuideTODAY!

COMPANY PAGE NO.

A D V E R T I S E R ’S I N D E XA D V E R T I S E R ’S I N D E X

HEALTHY OILAs the concern for nutritious food and healthy oil

increases in India, Kamani Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd.

(Kamani) emerges as a major supplier in the

segment. With over four decades of experience of

processing oils and fats Kamani Oil Industries is

one of the leading producers of

specialty oils and fats.

The company has a wide

range of products for

specialised applications for the

food industries and provides a

variety of consumer products

to fulfill the nutritional and

health needs of the families.

Kamani’s range of consumer products include

Klassic Refined Groundnut Oil, Komal Refined

Sunflower Oil, Svity Filtered Groundnut Oil, Jat Kisan

Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil, Cocopure 100 percent

Coconut Oil and Karuna Vanaspati. The company

also provides trans fat free products, which caters

to the nutrition concerned market. For the food and

hospitality industry, the company provides a wide

range of oil and fat products that finds applications

in areas like bakery, ice-cream, confectionery,

catering, snack foods, frying, pharmaceuticals and

health foods (nutritional supplements). It has one of

India’s first HACCP & ISO 22000 certified vegetable

oil refinery.

Kamani Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd.

[email protected]

DOUGH SHEETERS & PLANETARY MIXERSReliable Equipment, is a fast growing company that outfits to supply a complete

range of high quality imported bakery & confectionery equipment, refrigerated

display system, fast food equipment & bake wares.

It represents some leading

international brands, which are

suitable for Indian requirement.

The company has executed ten

medium retail bakery projects in 2011 and two

more bread plant projects are under execution.

Reliable Equipment represents one of the leading

international brands from Europe — Teknostamap. Teknostamap is a 32-year-old

company which established its footprints in manufacturing of high quality dough

sheeters & planetary mixers. These high-end bakery equipments are exported to

more than 70 nations around the world. Teknostamap manufactures

manual dough sheeters to fully automatic dough sheeters. In India,

Reliable Equipment has installed more than 25 units of Teknostamap

Dough Sheeters.

The reversible sheeters model LAM 500/600 is specifically

designed with the particular consideration for use within small

bread-pastry bakeries, hotels and restaurants. LAM 6500 is

applicable for industrial needs and it enables to work a larger amount

of dough.

The product named C-Line 10/20/40/60 Planetary Mixers are

specifically designed for confectionary productions. These machines

require minimal to no maintenance cost. One of the main features that contribute

to precise operation is the simple control panel. All these features make the C-

Line 10/20/40/60 Planetary Mixers ideal to whip (i.e. mousse and creams) and

also to mix small quantities of dough.

Reliable Equipment

[email protected]

Oct-Nov ’1136

B A K E R Y R E V I E WI N T E R V I E W

What is your working mantra?Not being over confident, striving to

make creativity a continual process, andkeep on improving. Of course, at the sametime keep trying for new recipes and ideasalso must be there.

What is your strength?They are having a positive attitude and

the willingness to learn everyday.

What kind of roles you have beenplaying so far?

I have enjoyed working in all the facetsof bakery & pastry production and inbakery department’s supervision. I havelearnt a lot while assisting the senior Chefsin the development of menus and recipes.I have also played an important role inmaintaining proper sanitation, foodhandling, and safety standards.

How do you look at the Indianbakery industry?

Bakery industry in India is booming.Customers are demanding very specificproducts and they are willing to spendprovided you give them a premium qualityproduct.

What about the health quotient?How do you take care of that aspect?

Health factor is very much importantnowadays, and needs to be taken veryseriously while creating any bakeryproduct.

By Sharmila Chand

Creativity on the Menu

For example, we make sugar free dessertswith minimum use of cream and butter.We make bakery products while keepingaccount of several allergies in mind.

What do you have to say aboutthe new-age bakery equipments?

They have revolutionised the wholeprocess of bakery operations, and they helpin saving a lot of time and energy. The hi-tech equipments have made our lives somuch easier. Therefore now we can devotea lot of time to create new products andthereby afford to be more innovative.

What is the most importantchallenge a Bakery Chef has to facein his job?

To me, giving the right product as perthe recipe is an uphill task. Everything hasto be precise— the quality and quantity ofeach ingredient, the baking temperatureand time, and the proper storage of thefinished product.

What do you like about your jobthe most?

It is the freedom of creativity.

What does it take to be a greatPastry Chef?

A great deal of patience is the basicprerequisite, which should be backed byan element of creativity. There are so manysteps to baking and therefore team spiritand coordination is also an essential

requirement. For example, when we makecake, someone bakes it, someone else fillsit, and someone else decorates it.

What according to you is thechange in the posit ion or theextended role of the Chefs today ascompared to before?

In early days, the Chef was just a cookrestricted to the kitchen. Now there is anevolution in his profile. He is not onlymeant to showcase his art but should alsobe endowed with sound managerial skills.Right from planning the menu to itsimplementation, execution, presentationand delivery are his responsibility.

He is supposed to understand thedemands of the guests, interact with them;offering his own suggestions, and make thenecessary changes according to theconsumer feedback. So planning, costing,budgeting, portion control, selection of theingredients, pricing of the menu – all comesunder the purview of his profession.

We in bakery have an edge due to thehigh-tech equipments we have today.Today the kitchens of Chefs are well-equipped with the most modern gadgetsand in-house facilities for baking, micro-biological testing of food samples, etc.Besides, there are a plethora of cookery andrecipe books, Internet, ICFA forum toexchange ideas, TV shows and travelopportunities. All these have contributedto make the Chef a part of the global village;who is not restricted to his region.

Cooking was a passion for Pradeep Persoya, the Pastry Chef at The Westin PuneKoregaon Park, even when he was a schoolboy. Cakes and pastries always fascinatedhim, and he was not only interested in tasting them but also in making them too. Hisinterest made him try his hand at baking, and soon he was helping his mother in thekitchen. “I have always loved playing with flavours. You think of some innovative dishand try to create it. For me, nothing can match that joy,” explained Pradeep.He has invested quality professional time with well- known names in hospitality like JaiMahal Palace in Jaipur, Oberoi Raj Vilas, Jaipur and the Taj Land’s End in Mumbai.Pradeep considers these experiences as significant stints for honing his skills. He believes,“Everyday is a new experience and every day brings a new learning.” At The WestinPune Koregaon Park, he has not only got the opportunity to sharpen his culinaryskills, but has also been able to evolve as a better leader of people and manager. The

food enthusiast in him is continually experimenting and innovating. He is now working on a new line of festivecookies and desserts with an Indian twist, besides making a wide array of chocolates. The excerpts of the interviewdone with this innovative Pastry Chef follow:

Creativity on the Menu

Bakery Review

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Transcript of Bakery Review