FHCL to launch 'Alive' in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Jun 14: The coffee vending major Fresh and Honest Cafe Limited (FHCL) after its success in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka will launch its packaged filter coffee brand 'Alive'in Andhra Pradesh through 10,000 outlets in next three months.

Talking to newspersons here today Company CEO R Shiva Shankar said the company would increase its number of coffee vending machines from 2300 to 5500 in 23 cities across the country.

It would also increase the number of outlets to 40,000 in a phased manner to tap the 10 per cent of the filter coffee business in the organised sector this year.

He said the company installs and maintains Swiss made state-of-the-art vending machines, which costs about Rs 2.5 lakh in corporate houses, departmental stores and other major retail outlets. Mr Shankar said about 40,000 tonnes of Coffee, filter and instant were consumed in the country.

The four southern states account for 90 per cent of packaged filter coffee market estimated at Rs 300 crore and growing at 5.8 per cent annually.

He said the company was aiming a turnover of Rs 100 crore this year compared to Rs 75 crore in 2005-2006.

It would also spend Rs two crore on ad-campaigns and other promotional activities, he added.

UNI