Tata Coffee to expand Mr Bean Coffee Junction

Tata Coffee is planning to expand its retailing and vending format, Mr Bean Coffee Junction, this year. The company has one outlet in Kochi and is planning to open five such outlets in south India this year, according to M H Ashraff, managing director, Tata Coffee.

In case the model became successful, Tata Coffee would plan to adopt the franchise model as its retail format for growth, Ashraff said.

The junction would help consumers formulate their own blends, which can be stored as data by the company for future reference, Ashraff said. "The outlet will not only offer consumers the convenience of buying branded quality coffee, but also give them the opportunity to taste the blend, all under one roof," he said.

The coffee culture is stepping out of homes and kitchens and is becoming a fashion and lifestyle statement. The advent of a string of predominantly coffee dispensing outlets such as Barista, Coffee Day, and Coffee Club are also spurring coffee consumption.

The advent of these elite coffee drinking joints catering to the upwardly mobile executives and the college crowd has increased the acceptance of coffee in the north Indian markets and is eroding the North-South divide in coffee drinking habits.