Abhinav Mathur, CEO, Kaapi Machines (India): We will focus on automation/tech and new-age brewing methods to help expand the coffee menu

Abhinav Mathur, CEO, Kaapi Machines (India), tells Suchitra C of WOH News that his vision has always been to play a significant role in building the coffee community in India. He shares his insights of the imported coffee machine market in the country and the road ahead for his company.

What is the market potential currently in India for innovative coffee capsules? Although traditional coffee-making is still popular, do you think it has the potential to be the game-changer in the market?

Coffee Capsules, Cold Brew Bags and Instant Coffee are all methods which can be classified as ‘Convenience Coffee’. Coffee loses aroma and flavour once exposed to the environment, so all such methods represent a compromise to some extent, though they are easier to ship, store and brew without additional equipment.

We at Kaapi Machines though have always believed more in the sustainable and pure way of brewing coffee – which is, as close to the point of consumption as possible. There is a lot of innovation happening in the Indian coffee roasting space, with a number of traditional estates and exporters, apart from new-age entrepreneurs, creating their own roast profiles, blends and brands of Indian speciality coffee.

Apart from helping them get started on this journey through supplies of roasters, grinders and coffee machines & accessories, we also assist them through training and providing access to customers.

What is the scope of imported coffee machines in the institutional market like hospitality?

Most of the Indian hospitality sector prefer to purchase imported coffee machines, a domain in which Kaapi Machines is a leading brand. We are the official India partners for renowned coffee equipment brands including WMF (Germany), Mahlkonig(Germany), Vitamix (US) and Rancilio, Carimali & La Marzocco (Italy). The machines are easy to operate and robust – we have machines deployed at hotels which are running smoothly for 10+ years.

Kaapi Machines also provides services like AMC/PMC, training and workshops, which help the operation teams get the best out of these products. We have many training modules around – Basics of Coffee, Brewing & Barista Skills, Grinding & Roasting as well as consulting services around – Beverage Menu designing, coffee sourcing and more.

Which category of your products are the most in demand here and why?

Traditionally, the popular products in our range have been fully automatic machines, where we represent WMF and Carimali as our primary brands. These are easy to use and maintain. We are however observing a trend amongst new-age customers who are keen to add variety and fun to their coffee offering.

The most ‘in demand’ product for hospitality industry is the Ripple Maker – a product which prints on coffee, wine, beer and shakes – all natural using a patented technique. It comes with an app to upload creatives, logos and even customer pics and selfies. Many hotels have been able to improve their customer experience through Ripple Maker using it for welcome drinks, get-togethers and other events.

Other new-age popular products are Brood Nitro-Brew Maker, Toddy Cold Brew and a host of manual brewing accessories like Aeropress, Pourover kit, Delterpress, Espro French Press & more, which are retailed under our partner portal – www.somethingsbrewing.in

 What are your plans to tap the luxury hotels and restaurants segments where your products are likely to be apt choices?

We understand that luxury hospitality segment addresses customers who are well travelled and hence demanding and discerning with their choice of coffee and the brewing methods. We recently launched a set of products to cater to this speciality segment with brands like Tone, ModBar & La Marzocco. These products are extremely high quality and help extract the best flavour from premium coffee, sourced from single estates in India and abroad.

Modbar is an under-counter coffee machine which helps hospitality professionals interact better with their customers as their coffee is being brewed. Similarly, the Tone Touch02 is an innovative product that replicates the hand motion to help create that perfect manual brew for the discerning coffee lover at the bar.

 Where do you think Kaapi Machines scores over other alternatives /competitors in the market?

Kaapi Machines has been a leader in the coffee equipment space almost since its inception. Being an Indo-German multinational, we have had access to leading brands in the market and innovative products showcasing cutting-edge characteristics for the coffee industry. All major coffee brands in India have equipment supplied by Kaapi Machines and we are proud to have been part of their journey.

Our advantage has always been our knowledge and specialisation of the entire coffee value chain from the plantations to the cup. After sales service has been the strength of the organisation as the hospitality sector needs a partner who is available to provide technical knowhow and service within hours during a crisis. This is why large hospitality brands including ITC Hotels, McCafe and so many more trust Kaapi Machines for all their coffee equipment and training needs.

 Tell us something about the new launches

We have been listening closely to our customers during this pandemic to understand how their operations are changing. Safety and efficiency are becoming more and more important for hospitality customers. Some of our new launches which address these needs are:

• Kaapi Connect: Our own contactless, iOT based payment integrated software, which ensures contactless coffee brewing in hotels, offices and restaurants
• Kaapi iBrew Filter Coffee & Tea Machine: We recently launched an automated filter coffee and tea brewing machine capable of brewing 1000 cups or more in a day
• MilkIt – Automatic Milk Dispenser & Puqpress – Automatic Tamper: For running a more efficient café operation
• BWT Water Purification: We believe pure mineralized water is good for health and the taste of coffee. Hence this launch, which will help us improve the end beverage quality for our customers
• Aillio Bullet Roaster: Small Roaster for independent cafes
• Fellow: A world-renowned range of high quality Goose neck Kettles, containers, cups and more
• Budan: An economy range of Home Coffee gadgets & Espresso Machines.

 What is your immediate goal to expand Kaapi Machines’ footprint?

The year 2020 was mostly about survival as the entire hospitality sector went through a challenging period. However, Kaapi Machines has been preparing for its new phase of growth and we are very excited about 2021 and beyond.

My goal is to offer our customers newer innovative solutions to build and grow their business. We will focus a lot on automation and tech to deliver better service and also on speciality coffee and new-age brewing methods to help expand the coffee menu, and hence revenues for our customers.

Our vision has always been to play a significant role in building the coffee community in India. We hope to continue growing our team and help offer better training, products and services to the hospitality sector in India.