Barista to introduce local foods in more cafes

Upbeat with the response of the local food, Cafe chain Barista Lavazza is planning to extend the regional recipes to more cafes. The company is expecting to garner 37 per cent of its revenues from local food this year.
The coffee bar had already introduced local food in 10 of its cafes, recently, on an experimental basis. Unlike its cafes in the overseas markets, Barista Lavazza has given importance to customise to the Indian palette.
Sanjay Coutinho, COO and director, Barista Coffee Company, said that the café has introduced idli and vada in some of the cafes in the south and parathas and biryani in the north. The Ahmedabad cafes also started serving vegetarian food. The response to such localisation has been very good. Sales have gone up by 40 per cent in Ahmedabad cafes.
Food contributed 34 per cent to the total revenue of the company in 2009-10, growing from 27 per cent, a year before. This year the contribution of food is expected to go up to 37 per cent.