Friday, March 29, 2024

Advertisement
“I don’t believe in disruption but relevance”

By Satarupa Chakraborty | March 28, 2018

With 40 outlets in 13 cities, The Beer Café has broken the myth of a pub design, which is predominantly perceived as a no-family place and has incorporated a design that allows people to de-stress with family and friends. Even though each outlet’s design is different from the other, the cafe chain has managed to achieved a strong brand value. Retail4growth speaks to Rahul Singh, Director, The Beer Café, on their expansion plans, thematic design and experiences in F&B business.

When F&B as business has high risk rate in India, you are on a rapid rollout. Tell us about your expansion plan and preferred locations.

We started our journey in 2012 with an idea to offer a value-added experience to the beer drinking culture, which itself is known for as de-stress habit. We are currently present through 40 outlets in 13 cities inclusive of all major metros and mini metros. We plan to reach 100-store-mark in another couple of years amongst the existing cities that we are present in. As preferred locations, we like malls as they have the captured footfall already and 25 out of 40 existing outlets are in mall locations. Rest of the outlets are situated at relevant commercial properties. 

Tell us a little on the typical design and layout of The Beer Café.

Our retail design and layout covers a relatively smaller kitchen (as food is our lower component) and larger size of bar. Our seating area usually covers 50 seats while the aesthetics is around comfort but not too loungy as we encourage more movement of customers. When it comes to design, we are not cookie-clutter and we go for thematic interiors, each exclusive to the respective outlet. For example, one of our Mumbai outlets follows a nautical theme whereas an upcoming outlet in Lucknow is being built around the regal grandeur around heritage of the city using brass and wood carving. Lot of times, the design sensibilities are borrowed from what the respective city/location is known for. Apart from our distinctive signage, we don’t follow common design sensibilities.

Café/restaurant design today is evolving faster towards “experiential”, where VM also plays a pivotal role. What do you think?

VM is of utmost importance in both the initial stage as well as throughout the maintenance of the space. Ever-changing and effective VM ensures steady growth of footfall in restaurant business. We have always endeavoured to dish out “experience” through our design and VM. At one of our outlets, which is in Noida, the café includes a fully-operational library stocking around 500 books. I don’t think any of the pubs in India has ever thought in that line. 

There have been many talks in creating disruption. However, what I think that one needs to create relevance, with or without disruption. Today, one can go overboard with design or rapid rollout, but one needs to consider that each of your outlets should be relevant to your customers.

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Comments

Related Viewpoints

Siddhant and Shivani Anand

Co-founders, Bay Window

‘Companies that balance consumer behavior & technology are the ones that succeed’

“Don’t profile the shoppers, profile the reason they are shopping!”

Avishek Bambi Das

CEO, Mumbai Duty Free

“Travel retail is the new growth frontier”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Have You Say
Advertisement
Resource
Follow Us On
Advertisement