Southern States
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Karnataka
Spreading the unique aroma of Indian coffee
By Jaideep Shenoy
HASSAN, DEC. 6. ``A new aroma in coffee is brewing'', stated a brochure for the first India International Coffee Festival 2002 to be held at the IISc. campus in Bangalore from February 15 to 17. The organisers of the event, namely the Coffee Board and United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), aim to spread the unique aroma of Indian coffee across the globe.
A mega event that is being brought to the people with the support of the coffee industry, its captains hope to fight their way out of the market slump through this international exercise. With industry experts from nine countries, and business and technical delegates from 26 nations expected to attend the festival, the organisers are keen to cash in on the event.
Stating this at a press meet here today, Mr. G.C. Chandra Mohan, member of the steering committee of the IICF said there was no direct information available about Indian coffee in the world market despite the fact that the country exported 80 per cent of its produce. He said the situation was all the more grim given that 1.44 lakh out of 1.48 lakh coffee growers were small and marginal ones.
He said the festival was a conscious response to the awesome marketing challenges before the Indian coffee industry in the post WTO era. The main objective of the festival was to showcase the different aspects of the vibrant Indian coffee industry and the wide variety of Indian coffee known the world over for their heavenly aroma and excellent blending qualities.
The festival, with its multifaceted events such as conference, exhibition, cup-tasting competition, and cultural programme, hopes to encourage the development of new business relationships between coffee growers, exporters, buyers, processors and retailers from India and around the world. It will also arrange for a direct interface between the growers and the buyers.
The panel of speakers at the conference represent some distinguished names in the industry worldwide, and Government and non-government institutions. The exhibition will display an array of modern and sophisticated items ranging from coffee processing to coffee-retailing equipment. The highlight of the festival will be the "Flavour of India - Cup of Excellence" competition.
Mr. Vasanth Davis of Draft Worldwide Promotions, event managers for the festival, said the intrinsic value of Indian coffee had still not registered in the world market. He said coffee was more of a "mood", having to do with the state of mind, and added that the organisers aimed to promote a collective branding exercise in the festival of the much-neglected Indian coffee.
He said some of the biggest names in the coffee industry such as Tata Coffee, the Taj Group of Hotels, the Barista Coffee Company, Cafe Coffee Day and Nestle, had agreed to sponsor the event, and added that the organisers had received feelers from others as well. He said their aim as event managers was to give the single biggest global push to Indian coffee at the festival.
Mr. Mohan said that the festival was being conducted in the interest of coffee growers, in particular, and the coffee industry, in general. Noting that the organisers had evoked an overwhelming response and were soliciting support, he said it was left to the coffee industry to create a situation in which "one could sell Indian coffee on its own strength without having to market it".
Mr. B.B. Subbaiah, Member, Coffee Board said the festival would not only help to increase internal consumption of coffee, but also create awareness about the larger coffee culture. He said Drishti Marketing Services had presented a report in this regard to the Coffee Board, and Comark was in the process of tying up with NDDB through Amul outlets for the purpose.
Mr. D.V. Vishwanath, convener of the cup-tasting competition sub-committee, said the objective of the contest was to select the best Indian coffee belonging to the Arabica and Robusta varieties. Stating that the contest was open to all coffee estates, he said that the coffee-growing areas were divided into 12 regions to maintain their unique identity.
He said coffee growers who were unable to offer the minimum of the lot size specified could enter with others growing similar coffee or branded type. The entry fee was Rs. 1,500 per sample, making it possible for small growers to easily enter the competition. More details of the festival could be obtained from its website www.iicf2002.com and e-mail info@iicf2002.com, he added.
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