The world’s second largest coffee chain Costa Coffee launched its first store in the State at Lulu Mall. Kochi is the third city in the South after Bangalore and Chennai to stir up the flavour and taste of this international brand of coffee.
“Since the day we launched in India (in 2005) we have had a great run. We are just scratching the surface as the coffee experience is huge here. We know that in Kerala tea is the favourite but we hope to make coffee the first choice. Ours is handcrafted coffee. Every cup is from freshly ground coffee, perfectly blended to give the consistency and ensure the right flavour and aroma,” said Judd Williams, Regional Director, Middle East Asia.
Costa Coffee uses specially designed Italian Espresso machines and every coffee is handcrafted by trained baristas, using their exclusive Mocha Italian blend. The baristas work like a well-oiled machine, with amazing consistency. For after all in brewing coffee there is no place for adventure!
“We also offer non-coffee products such as teas, hot chocolates and a range of iced drinks, as well as coolers which are fruit, coffee and creamy flavours blended with ice,” Judd adds even as he efficiently demonstrates the process in making an espresso shot.
The range of refreshing iced coffees includes cappuccinos, lattes, Café Mochas and Americano Espresso all using Costa’s famous Mocha Italia blend and lemonades in a variety of flavours with that lemony zing.
“Besides coffee, we also have western class food products at our store. They are, to an extent, catered to the Indian palate. We source these products from Lulu Flight Kitchen and Amalgam to match our quality standards. We will soon introduce new food products that are typically Kerala, like we have done in Chennai. But the coffee will be the standard Costa blend with its great taste and flavour,” said Santhosh Unni, CEO of Costa Coffee, India.
There is a wide range of sandwiches, muffins, rolls, wraps and a whole lot more to munch with your favourite choice of coffee. “Costa aims at a coffee shop experience. In these days when time is at a premium we want these stores to become a place where you meet, talk business, chat over cups of coffee and some delightful bites. The location at this mall looks perfect where people walk in, relax over cups of cappuccino. Though we look at an age group of 20 and above I’m sure the young crowd will love us,” said Judd.
As someone so rightly said BC, whatever historians may claim it to be, really stands for Before Coffee. With Costa Coffee, Kochi seems to have moved ahead from the BC age.
