Barista (company)
# Barista (company)

Barista is a chain of espresso bars and cafes that operates in the Indian subcontinent. It is headquartered in New Delhi, India, and maintains outlets across India, and in other regional countries such as Sri Lanka, and Maldives. It is the oldest coffee house chain in India and is currently India's second-largest coffee chain with over 350 outlets as of May 2022. It also sells a number of FMCG products through Modern & General Retail stores across multiple locations.

In Sri Lanka, Barista has been named the most popular service provider under cafes and coffeehouses category for 2021 in the exclusive customer experience ranking announced by LMD.

## History

### Early years

The chain was established in February 2000 by the Barista Coffee Company Limited under the name Barista.

### Tata Group

A 34.3% equity stake was sold to Tata Coffee in 2001.

### Sterling Infotech Group

C Sivasankaran bought the remaining 65 per cent in Barista from the Amit Judge-controlled Turner Morrison in 2004, and his Sterling Group also bought out Tata Coffee's stake later. The coffee was supplied by the Indian roaster Fresh and Honest, headquartered in Chennai, which was also owned by the Sterling Infotech Group.

ABN AMRO and Barista Coffee Company had jointly launched a credit card, "ABN AMRO Barista Credit Card", by which customers can avail discounts at its outlets.

### Lavazza

In 2007, the Sterling Group sold Barista, along with the Chennai-based Fresh and Honest roaster, to Lavazza. As of 2009, the chain had 200 stores in India, with an estimated annual revenue of ₹200 crore.

Lavazza sold Barista to Boutonniere Hospitality Private Limited in 2014 (formerly “Carnation Hospitality Private Limited”).

### Boutonniere Hospitality Private Limited

In 2014, Lavazza sold the coffee shop chain to Boutonniere Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., formerly known as Carnation Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. Lavazza however continues to supply the coffee to Barista through the Chennai-based Fresh and Honest roaster retained by the company.

Boutonniere Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. targets to increase the footprint of Barista by increasing the number of cafes to 1000, and the number of stores selling its consumer products to 1000, by 2025.

