Cafe Ritazza launched at airports

Food services company, RKHS (formerly Radha Krishna Hospitality Services)has tied up with European company Select Service Partner (SSP) to enter the travel concessionaires business (setting up eateries at airports or railway stations) in India. Under this agreement, RKHS is launching Cafe Ritazza at Indian airports. SSP, which owns the Cafe Ritazza brand, has a presence at 120 airports across 23 countries.

Sunil Nayak, CEO, RKHS said that this was the company's first foray into the travel concessionaires business and that over the next two-three years, it was expected to contribute upto eight per cent of the company's total turnover. RKHS expects to end this financial year at Rs 300 crore and aims to become a Rs 1,000 crore company by 2010.

Jude D'Cruz, vice-president - strategy and new business, RKHS said," Privatisation of airports and a rapid growth in air traffic in the country will increase the demand for food offerings of international standard and service at airports." Two outlets are already functional in Mumbai at the departure terminal of the international airport and the Lilavati Hospital. Depending upon the rate at which the airports are revamped, further outlets are expected in Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Morten Sorensen, commercial director, SSP-International Development said that it could look at bringing in other brands from its international portfolio to India once the market for travel concessionaires would be further developed. Apart from its own brands like Upper Crust (bakery), SSP also manages third party brands like Burger King and Pizza Hut at certain outlets.

Nayak said that the company was also looking at developing a local concept which would be more Indianised to suit the local needs. While it already has over 50 such food concepts like "Juices and more" and "Khatta Meetha" these are operated at the institutional level. RKHS recently entered the railway catering segment with its Rail Rasoi brand under which it would manage on- board food services on specific routes. Till 2006, SSP was owned by the Compass Group Plc, which is the joint venture partner of RKHS in its food and hospitality management services business.