Apeejay to take Flurys tea room national

Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, the owner of five star luxury hotel chain The Park, is planning to take Flurys, the famous tea room in Kolkata, national.

The group which has interests in tea, shipping and hospitality sectors, owns the celebrated tearoom in Kolkata. To begin with it plans to open to few tearooms in Kolkata. Followed by this, they plan to take the brand, known for its confectionery national.

"We are working on a franchisee model which will be formalised on three to four months time," Vijay Dewan. managing director of The Park Hotels, said.

The development gains in significance for the fact that tearooms may now pose a challenge to the already established organised retail format for coffee bars in the country.

After Barista revolutionised the coffee bar concept in India, many others have followed suit. It is different question if they are getting good return on investment.Park wants to make small but measured steps. "We are not in hurry. Let us see how the model works out," Dewan added.

The group has invested about Rs 3 crore to do up its flagship and presently only store in Kolkata.

It was opened today after three and half months of renovation. It also modernise the factory.

The extension from a pure hotelier to a tearoom retailer is coming at a time when the hospitality industry is going through one of its best time in recent years. Inbound tourist, both foreign and domestic has revved up significantly.

The Park Hotels, which has five properties in Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam, is no exception either. The Bangalore property is logging over 90 per cent occupancy while for Kolkata its 85 per cent, Delhi and Chennai 75 per cent.

The company is hoping to end the year with a turnover of Rs 140 crore as compared to Rs 103 crore last fiscal.