Newstrack

Savourites group on expansion spree

Priya Krishnaswamy - Bangalore

Promoted by S Ramani, Subhankar Dhar, Aninda Palit and Chef Sushanta Sengupta, the Kolkata-based Savourites group specialising in Bengali cuisines, is embarking on an expansion spree. The group plans to take two of its restaurant brands, 6 Ballygunge Place (currently present in Kolkata and Bangalore) and The Grand Trunk Road (launched recently in the city) to other parts of the country by 2008. S Ramani, one of the partners, claims, "By 2008, we will have at least six to eight of both the brands across India."

Besides its restaurants, the group is introducing Gupshup in Bangalore, a tea centre by December end. Talking about this, Ramani says, "Gupshup will be present across all major cities in large numbers. By pricing our tea inexpensively, we will target the layman. We also plan to serve Kolkata chaats at these joints." Cygnet Tea will be partnering with the group to supply the tea. Ramani says that the company is also in talks with Tata for partnering with this brand.

Yet another agenda on the expansion list is the sweet joint under the brand name 6 Ballygunge Place Sweet Tooth. The sweet shops are to hit the market by the middle of the following year. Savourites group is also keen to tap the IT segment for corporate lunches. Commenting on the evident potential in Bangalore, Ramani adds, "Most of the IT professionals in Bangalore and in the south are from northern India. They are our main customers. There is a huge market for corporate catering and we have a readymade market of about two lakh consumers." The company is to raise funds needed for this expansion through internal sources and through bank loans.