Popular home-grown brand ‘Hatti Kaapi’ has been known to mark its presence in a richly sensory manner - treating passengers arriving at Bengaluru international airport with the heavenly aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee. Today the brand is expanding across cities, introducing new initiatives & experiences in the speciality coffee segment.

With modest beginnings, Hatti Kaapi began its journey in 2009 with a 30 sq ft space in Bangalore with the single vision to make authentic South Indian coffee widely accessible. Today with close to 100 outlets spread across airports, tech parks, hospitals and corporate campuses across nine major cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Mysore, Hassan, and Mangalore, Hatti Kaapi is expanding to newer geographies soon.

The latest development for the brand has been the launch of Hatti Kaapi's Signature outlet, nestled in the heart of the Bangalore’s vibrant central district. It is a relaxed urbane café concept offering a fusion fare of traditional Indian & international food & beverages. What’s more, the brand has been leveraging technology to introduce unique initiatives in this sector.

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with US Mahendar, Founder, Director and CEO of Hatti Kaapi to understand more about the brand’s expansion plans, bringing technology & coffee together and the aspect of ‘heart behind the brew’.

How have you used technology differently at Hatti Kaapi to enhance experience at your retail outlets?

Technology is very integral to Hatti Kaapi and we have used the same for bringing in 98% consistency in our coffees across the network of stores we have. And this is the first in the traditional South Indian filter coffee segment, where we have brought in automation to brew the perfect cup, each time. This also enables us to reduce any human error by our staff in brewing the best coffee, enabling us to even have ‘Hatti Heroes’ - our specially-abled staff to manage our stores and offer the best. 

We were in fact present at the Bangalore Tech Summit, with the tech-driven ‘Beyond by Hatti Kaapi’ retail concept, which empowers staff of all capabilities in the use of AI and robotics service. The format allows differently abled people to run cafes independently by themselves, with the help of robots to deliver food & beverage to the tables. We are in the process of fine-tuning this format. It’s is a dream project for me and would love to bring this kind of technology into the new Indian coffeehouse culture.

Can you tell about the use of customer facing technology at your stores & how it has enhanced customer experience?

Our stores currently have LCD screens for menu displays and tablets to assist customers in selecting and placing their orders. In addition to this, we are developing solutions that leverage customer data to track their movement across cities. When a customer arrives in a new city, they receive an automatic message directing them to the nearest Hatti Kaapi, where they can enjoy a complimentary coffee. We aim to launch this feature in the next couple of months. Our goal is always to create something unique, innovative, and practical. We understand that asking customers to download another app, even if it promises added value, can quickly drive them away from the brand.

Can you tell us specifically about the use of digital display and how has it benefited your retail touchpoints?

We have currently incorporated digital display screens in the façade of our first Signature outlet in Lavelle Road, Bangalore and it has worked beautifully in attracting passers-by. Given that the building has a set-back and the café lacks visibility from the sides, the dynamic screen with the captivating visuals of our brews & food instantly connects with people. Visual narration is very important as nobody is willing to read anything these days.

People get a sense of what we offer, beyond coffee. The dynamic content also allows the brand to tell its story and connect with TG. We don't encounter significant challenges with the use of these screens. Although they are quite expensive, they are very robust & durable and effectively capture the attention you need.

Any innovation or technology you have seen in the global markets that has inspired you to try with Hatti Kaapi?

I would say the advanced technology used for airport check-in is very inspiring. Retinal scans will be widely used in the future. With this we don’t just capture data but your face too. We would love it if this can be incorporated in our outlets, where sensors recognise your arrival the minute you walk in, probably triggering a personalised welcome note on the screen on your table and start the conversation for your order & more. We are trying to make experiences more personal; people are bored of loyalty programs that in real have very limited benefits.

Can you tell us about the new Signature concept outlet & how has it elevated the brand experience?

Hatti Kaapi’s Signature outlet has been created to have the vibe of a friendly social hangout and a party place for coffee lovers, with it being open till 1 am on the weekend. This outlet is also pet-friendly, making it the perfect spot to enjoy quality time with your furry companions. We have introduced the concept of personalisation, where you have the choice to personalise your coffee cup, with your name printed on the metal tag. These are small initiatives yet really appreciated by our customers. We also have our range of merchandise including a wide range of Filter and Specialty Coffee, jaggery, Chai and coffee decoction and gift boxes at the outlet.

Can you share the brand’s expansion plan in India and also internationally?

We are definitely crossing borders and opening our outlets in international markets, starting with Dubai & London immediately. We have also participated in many international shows including ‘World of Coffee’ in Dubai. We want to take our Indian coffee to different countries and make India proud. On the other, we are expanding in India with more outlets across Karnataka, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Chandigarh. Our vision is to expand to over 1,000 touchpoints across India and internationally.