Coffee seems to be the flavour of the season in Kolkata. After Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Aqua Java and Coffee Pai, the city has added another name — Kafe Bindass — to its list of happening coffee shops. Designed to become a popular, cool and urban café in Kolkata, Kafe Bindass has already launched two outlets at two prime locations in Kolkata — Rawdon Street and Loudon Street.
The two operational coffee shops, measuring approximately 550 sq.ft and 700 sq.ft, on Loudon Street and Rawdon Street respectively, offer an eclectic mix of fusion food at a pocket-freindly budget.
"Kafe Bindass brings together the fun-loving adda culture with the coffee-drinking habit. We have positioned Kafe Bindass as a desi cafe, which can be the perfect hangout for school and college students. Basically, we are looking at youngsters between 15 and 25 years of age who can afford to spend Rs 150 from their pocket money," says Manisha Nath, proprietor, MN Enterprises, the parent company of Kafe Bindass.
Apart from its smart pricing, the company is offering personalised services to connect with youngsters. “The idea is to create a place where they can relax and feel at home while enjoying with friends. At Kafe Bindass, they can even play their own music CDs and hangout the way they want," adds Manisha.
Unlike other coffee shop chains, Kafe Bindass boasts of its desi, kitsch feel as its unique selling point (USP). Right from its youthful decor to mouthwatering menu, everything reflects a desi yet happening adda zone for youngsters. To attract youngsters, Kafe Bindass offers a unique fusion food menu including snacks like samosa bar, wai wai, brownies, muffins, sundaes, pizza, pasta, roasted chicken with lettuce, salads, noodles, chaats and a wide range of beverages starting at as low as Rs 35 only.
Although Kafe Bindass is the maiden venture of MN Enterprises, but looking at the growing potential in the QSR segment, the company is planning to roll out 10 more outlets at various strategic locations in Kolkata by the end of the ongoing fiscal. However, sources said the company is currently looking at only ‘company-owned and operated’ outlets. But it plans to consider the franchisee format once it reaches the break-even point. The company is set to launch its next two outlets in Salt Lake and Alipore. In its second phase of expansion, the company will set its foot in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Agartala. By 2012, the company plans to have 30 cafes across India.
Elaborating on its differential retail expansion strategy, Nath says, "We have aggressive expansion plans, but we are going slow as the selection of location is extremely important for us. We are looking at posh residential areas adjacent to schools and colleges, but unlike other coffee shops, malls are not a priority for us at this point."
— Piasi Sinha
