Tata-Starbucks blends Indian coffee for global markets

Bengaluru: Leading hot beverage joint venture Tata-Starbucks Ltd. is marketing its Indian blended coffee in global markets, including Asia and the US.

"Locally sourced, roasted and packaged coffee brands are now available in our stores across Asia and online in the US to promote India's rich coffee heritage," the company said in a statement here Monday.

The 50:50 joint venture of Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages Ltd. has set up 59 stores across six cities -- Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune -- and employs about 1,000 people to serve its customers since the US-based company's foray into the Indian sub-continent in 2012.

"We have introduced Indian-made Arabica coffee to customers in Asia and the US as a whole bean, sourced, roasted and packaged as an Indian estate blended hot beverage," Starbucks president for China and Asia-Pacific John Culver said in the statement, issued to mark its second anniversary.

Unveiled in 2013, the Starbucks India Estates Blend Arabica beans are plucked from Tata Coffee's estates in Coorg and Chickmagalur districts across the Malnad region in Karnataka, about 250 km from Bengaluru, where the aromatic beverage originated.

"The single origin blend is a fine mix of herbal and chocolate content and represents the origin of the coffee," company's chief executive Avani Davda said on the occasion.

With chains of stores the world over, the 43-year-old Starbucks is a premiere roaster and retailer of speciality coffee in the plantation commodity sector.

As part of the Tata Group, Tata Global Beverage retails Eight O'Clock Coffee in major consuming markets across Europe and the US, besides Tata Tea and Tetley.