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BEAN there?
[The Hindu, Chennai, 20 Dec, 2003 ]
Creative coffee at reasonable
prices... that's Java Green for you
YELLOW AND orange walls, bright posters and understated wooden
furniture give Java Green, the coffee shop in Phase III Spencer
Plaza, a rather warm, inviting feel. The store, which opened in
October, is part of Reliance's "big dream for a chain of gourmet
coffee shops and food cafés that are in every neighbourhood and in
everyone's mind," says Nina Kothari of Java Green.
The cheery staff whip up coffees with interesting names, such as
Amaretto (almond flavoured coffee) and JavaFreeze Butterscotch,
while music from Java Green's own radio station, Radio Java, plays
in the background. The eleven outlets across the city (many inside
Reliance WebWorld stores) are done up in the same style. Even the
music playing in all outlets across the country will be the same.
One flat screen TV on the wall plays a film on the making of Java
Green coffee right from the sorting of the beans to adding the final
chocolate swirl, while the other plays the mandatory MTV videos with
the sound turned down.
The part that makes for really
contented coffee drinking is the price. Hot coffees start at Rs. 15
and even if you want to indulge yourself with a Hazelnut latte or an
icy cold Orange Milano (orange flavoured cold coffee with cookies
and whipped cream) — the most expensive coffees on the menu — it
won't cost you more than Rs. 35. And the tea varieties are priced at
Rs. 15 and Rs. 20.
The food is interesting too — no samosas and paneer sandwiches.
Instead you can choose from masala paninis for Rs. 10, nachos and
dips for Rs. 15 and the wraps that cost less than Rs. 35.
Deliciously sticky doughnuts and colourful granitas complete the
menu. "We're not looking at exclusivity. We want people to come in
after work, while they're shopping... we want Java Green to be a
habit, not an indulgence," explains Nina.
The formula seems to be working. Even though the surfing and
videoconferencing facilities are not up yet, the store is filled
with college goers, tired looking mothers with kids in tow, shoppers
with zillions of bags and corporate-looking types with id-tags
hanging from their necks.
Apart from the 46 outlets in the six cities of Chennai, Hyderabad,
Bangalore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kochi, Reliance plans to take Java
Green to smaller cities and towns as well. That means a whopping 250
outlets in 106 cities by March 2004 — and whether you're in
Chandigarh or Chennai, Ambala or Ahmedabad, the coffee experience
will be the same, says Nina.
The shops, with their relaxed interiors and creative coffee, will be
attached to Reliance WebWorlds apart from flagship stand-alone
stores such as the one in Spencer Plaza.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/12/20/stories/2003122000130300.htm
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