Now, Barista may soon start serving booze

If it has its way, Barista will soon be serving booze at its coffee shops, reports CNBC-TV18's Aakanksha Sethi.

There's a lot brewing at your local Barista. And it's enough to get you in high spirits. You may soon be able to order your favourite coffee, blended with, hold your breath, whisky, vodka and even Bailey's Irish cream. Barista Lavazza has already introduced liqueur-based coffees, and even wine and beer at one of its outlets in New Delhi, and is in the process of identifying 8-10 more locations across metro cities to implement these changes to the menu.

Says Sanjay Coutinho, COO, Barista Coffee Company, "A menu exhaustion had set in, so to enhance the menu, and get a European feel to the Indian coffee culture. What we intend doing is bring in the Lavazza Heritage, which is all about coffees and beyond that."

However, it says getting a liquor license is a bit of a challenge. Barista is also looking at expanding its retail presence by increasing outlet count by 10% to 220 over the next six months. It is talking to HPCL and BPCL for highway cafés, and plans to open 10 such outlets, a move aimed at increasing revenues by 30%. However, while its outlet count is lower than rival Café Coffee Day, Barista says this is not a numbers game.

"We are not chasing numbers, will expand as and when we see opportunity and business potential. As and when there is some good retail space available, we will definitely get that," says Coutinho.

But what it loses out on in numbers, it could make up with its new shaken and stirred menu.

Next time you are headed out for a drink, the neighborhood Barista outlet maybe an option. Barista has started serving wine, beer and liquor based coffees at one outlet in Delhi and is identifying other locations for across India. This will help Barista differentiate its menu from other coffee retail chains and help it tap the Rs 400 crore coffee retail market.