Playboy goes off the beaten track with beer garden in Pune

To add froth to profits with Rs 50-cr investment over the next three years

Hugh Hefner took the world by storm in 1953 by taking Marilyn Monroe on his iconic magazine’s centerfold. Cut to 2016, and his Playboy Enterprises is going to take Pune by storm.

On Friday, the company announced the launch of a Playboy Beer Garden in the city.

This is the first-of-its-kind venture of the company in the world. PB Lifestyle — the master and exclusive licence holder of Playboy in India — has invested Rs 5 crore to setting up the beer garden (from the German Biergarten). It will invest Rs 50 crore in the next three years to expand the business.

“The beer garden is not just a beer café but will also have its own brewery. Our strategy globally has been focused on night clubs, but for India we came up with the idea of a beer garden. One of the reasons for this is India is a ‘young’ market. We are designing a fantastic fusion of fine dining, entertainment, music and some freshly brewed beer,” said Parag Sanghavi, chairman, PB Lifestyle.

The beer garden’s in-house brewery has the capacity to produce 8,000 litres of beer per month.

Sanghavi said its global casino and pub format would not work in India. The company operates beer cafés, casinos and night clubs all over the world.  “We plan to open, four night clubs, six cafés and 11 beer gardens in tier-I and tier-II cities of India,” he said.

Pune’s Playboy Beer Garden would be followed by a 12,000 sq ft beer garden in Bengaluru in the third quarter of 2016.  The company is eyeing business of Rs 45 lakh per month from tier-I cities and Rs 65 lakh from metros.
RAISING THE BAR
Some popular signature franchisee pubs and bars in India

HARD ROCK CAFÉ
Opened in: 2007

Outlets: Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Mumbai (Andheri and Worli), New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and a hotel in Goa

Corporate: Hamish Dodds, president and chief executive officer

History: Opened in 1971 by two “shaggy-haired” Americans, Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, at an old Rolls Royce dealership in London. Rita Gillian, the original Hard Rock waitress hired by Tigrett and Morton, celebrated 40 years in 2011

FASHION TV (f Bar, blueFROG etc)
Opened in: 2003

Outlets: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai and Chandigarh

Corporate: FTV Founder and President Michel Adam Lisowski

History:  Launched in Paris in 1997, Fashion TV has become a global brand in fashion, entertainment and lifestyle. Their bars combine cuisine with high fashion