World of Coffee from Chikmagalur aims to make every Indian a coffee lover

An Interview with Mr. Sahadev of World of Coffee, Chikmagalur

Interview conducted by – Payal Agrawal for Tea & Coffee Trade Media

The coffee business was started by his grandfather Mr NK Shrinivas Shetty and subsequently carried on by his father Mr Jayaram. As his brand name-‘ World of Coffee’ suggests, they have been in the coffee business for 75 years. Having grown up in a coffee-oriented family, Mr Sahdev developed a love for coffee at an early age. In addition to his industrial engineering degree from Arya College, he also completed a specialization course in coffee from Singapore SCA. In a candid conversation with TCTM, Mr Sahdev gives an insight into several dimensions of the Coffee business. Excerpts:

‘World of Coffee’ has carved a niche in the market and become a favourite of customers. What are your immediate plans to take the business to the next level?

As a final experiment, we set up an experience centre with hands-on roasting of coffee beans, near-experience of coffee aroma along with brewing of your cup of coffee. Shortly, we plan to launch a new product under our brand world of coffee with a premium experience. Using the online platform, we will provide our customers with a customized and personalized online experience. The possibility of franchising our products is very much on the table. The company has around five outlets within a 200 km radius of Chikmagalur, and we plan to open around 30-50 outlets by the end of this fiscal year. 

Is there a competition between two beverages- Coffee versus Chai: Which is better?

I believe that each product has its place and that they go hand in hand with each other. The popularity of tea is greater in the northern parts of India compared to the southern parts of the country. I have to admit that my personal favourite is the traditional filter coffee of 1952. 

How do you drive your business goals and employees?

Approximately 40 employees work for us, a mix of skilled and unskilled workers. Our business employs several women, and even my wife handles one coffee unit. We are giving the coffee a new identity by encouraging local coffee culture. Our premium segment is priced reasonably. The price of our coffee is much cheaper than that of reputed cafes, which usually costs 250-300 rupees. It is our company’s main goal to make every Indian a coffee lover and to provide a personalized coffee experience. There is nothing like a good cup of coffee to make your day better.

What challenges do you face in the market and how do you overcome them?

The key challenges in the market today are competition and capacity building. India is severely lacking in several proper training institutes for the coffee sector and it is very difficult to find skilled labour in this sector. Due to this lack of skilled labour, more training costs and time are incurred. I would advise my colleagues to provide a top-notch experience, make it unique, and give it at a reasonable price. Training for capacity building is required in the industry.

What is so special about Chikmagalur and your offerings?

Chikmagalur is a must-see attraction. Its location makes it a must-see attraction for many visitors. For a very reasonable price, the tour lasts about half a day and it includes the opportunity to brew your coffee and taste its different flavours of it. The unique things about us are the cafe configuration that acts as a semi-museum for visitors, the coffee tours that we offer, and the mouthful of open knowledge we provide about coffee.

What is it like to be a part of this industry and how does it make you feel?

This industry has always been a dream of mine, so it feels good to be a part of it now. My age makes me the youngest owner of a coffee shop in this industry. Coffee is considered to be a more sophisticated drink, but this isn’t necessarily the case. There are traditional segments and premium products within our company. Although we are slowly moving towards the path other famous brands have achieved, we are still focused on providing a more Indianised look to the product. As far as food and snacks are concerned, we have a cappuccino, latte, cafe frappe, pizza, croissant sandwich, hazelnut banana slice, and cappuccino. The coffee beans and other raw materials we use are sourced from different parts of India, such as Kurg, Waynard, and the Western Ghats, as well as other countries, such as Columbia and Uthopia.

What are new initiatives?

You can find our products on Amazon, Flipkart, etc. Our franchise partners are welcomed with open arms if they are willing to invest around Rs 8-12 lacs with a return on investment of two to three years, on an ongoing basis. ‘World of Coffee’ would be happy to provide support to new and young entrepreneurs who wish to join a rapidly growing industry.

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