Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal's coffee run prompts brand banter. Anand Mahindra calls his pick ‘smart move’

Ola's Bhavish Aggarwal stopped at Bengaluru’s Araku Coffee on Thursday.

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal’s coffee run with his Chief Marketing Officer on Thursday was not just another mid-week, mid-work routine. The two top executives, who stopped at Bengaluru’s Araku Coffee, were accompanied by Ola’s electric scooter. The post caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who termed their pick for coffee stop a “smart move”.

“Me and @varundubey getting a coffee with the @OlaElectric S1 at  @arakucoffeein In Indiranagar, Bangalore. Come take a look!” Mr Aggarwal tweeted, along with a photo of him and colleague Varun Dubey standing next to the yellow electric scooter outside the café.

Me and @varundubey getting a coffee with the @OlaElectric S1 at @arakucoffeein in Indiranagar, Bangalore. Come take a look!https://t.co/ZeWQWLSAkL pic.twitter.com/M7miVCOOn7

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— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 21, 2021

Mr Mahindra is on the board of directors of coffee company Araku Global Holding that runs the café. He urged Mr Aggarwal and Mr Dubey to not just stand next to the two-wheeler but also to check out what’s inside the café.

“Smart move  @bhash. Araku café is the coolest location you could have selected. Make sure you don’t just stand next to your scooter all the time. Scoot inside the café and check it out. All of us at @naandi_india &  @arakucoffeein  are incredibly proud of it!” the Mahindra group chairman wrote on Twitter.

I’m probably the most regular customer already Sir! Great brand, product and service

— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 21, 2021

Responding to Mr Mahindra, who are over 8 million Twitter followers, Mr Aggarwal tweeted, “I’m probably the most regular customer already Sir! Great brand, product and service.”

The coffee company is managed by Manoj Kumar, CEO of Naandi Foundation, along with other trustees.

Bhavish Aggarwal bringing the Ola electric scooter to Araku Coffee is a “confluence of iconic brands”, said Mr Kumar in a tweet.

“When we said that @arakucoffeein Cafe in Bengaluru will be a destination, @bhash has made it happen at a new level - the Cafe is the destination for show casing the Power of New IndiaFlag of India ! See how @OlaElectric unveils their electric scooter - confluence of iconic brands!” he wrote.

OLA Electric launched its first offerings, the S1 and the S1 Pro in Bengaluru, on Independence Day this year, signifying freedom from petrol-related worries, something of a personal mission for founder Bhavish Aggarwal.