Infinity Hotels Sips Into Coffee Bar Segment

Bhisham Mansukhani, Mumbai

After establishing a popular city-based deli and bakery brand,Cafe Basilico, Infinity Hotels is now looking to tap the coffee pub segment with a chain of wholly owned coffee and desert outlets in all major metros. Farhan Azmi identified coffee, deserts and breads as a parallel and more internationally evolved concept of the coffee pub that the Indian consumer is primed enough to graduate to. “My perceived competition is still hovering on the rudimentary stage — cafe latte and cappuccino, no substantial food element. The food is distributed on a mass scale to several outlets. My approach would be to have kitchens within the premise of every cafe where the food would be prepared,” Azmi explicated.

According to Azmi,”Franchising is not an option because every outlet is a direct reflection of the overall brand and one cannot realistically claim to maintain a consistently high standard if they cannot keep tabs on the expansion and operations of their respective chains. Lease and operate is an option where in the property owner enters an agreement in principle to offset the rent for a profit margin but concept and quality control will remain with Infinity Hotels. There is a big difference between an owner and franchisee.”

The branding of the chain remains a status quo yet and Azmi intends to start rolling out the first opening in under two years.

Albeit Azmi has tapped into the bakery and patisserie outsourcing market for stand alones with Baker’s Vault, Azmi reckoned his existing bakery facility will be able to integrate the burn of added nationwide operations with the possibility of augmenting the existing production capacity. The decor, Azmi divulged, would be Meditteraan with an overtone of dark wood and the concept of dining would be partially al fresco. ”This brand will underscore the urbanity of coffee culture in India, with quaint tables set out on the street,” he said.

Speaking of forthcoming Infinity Hotels projects, Koyla is set to open in Hyderabad by September while Bangalore is on the radar. Cafe Basilico is set for a Bandra opening before the end of the year and will follow Koyla into Hyderabad. Delhi will also witness a Cafe Basilico opening by the middle of next year. The next cuisine concept Azmi is looking at is an Oriental cafe with authentic Chinese and Japanese cuisine with the added fusion element without any “formal fuss”.