Author Archives: Bhavya Desai

Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Appreciation Series at Varq

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The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi celebrates a journey of legacies at Varq

In a constant endeavour to provide unique and memorable experiences, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi presented The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Appreciation Series at Varq.

The bespoke experience began with an ode to Varq – the modern Indian dining destination at the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel.

Chef Arun Sundararaj, Executive Chef at the Hotel, and Sandeep Arora, Director, Spiritual Luxury Living, unravelled the tale of Varq and traced the journey of how it became the culinary leader it is today.

The evening saw the presence of the celebrated artist, Anjolie Ela Menon who recounted her fond memories at Varq that still houses the priceless mural created by her over three decades ago. Speaking on the occasion, she briefly traced the culinary journey from Haveli to Varq and emphasised on how the present day restaurant, her “second home”, has honed the concept of pre-plated food.

Varq is symbolic of preciousness which is reflected amply in the cuisine and the décor of the restaurant. The restaurant is a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary sophistication. Visually spectacular in every way, the restaurant is also one of the city’s finest examples of a marriage of fine dining and art. The spatial ambience comfortably engulfs the diner, immersing them into a lusciously rich experience surrounded by artefacts and treasures. One of the defining features of Varq is the mural wall created by celebrated artist Anjolie Ela Menon. Additionally, modern artworks complement the restaurant in the form of oil paintings, carvings, antiques and modern sculptures.

Speaking on the occasion, Satyajeet Krishnan, General Manager, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi said, “For over three decades, the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi has offered its guests unique and meaningful experiences. It is therefore, the most preferred venue to host The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Appreciation Series, an evening where we celebrated the culinary heritage and artistry of Varq amidst an exquisite dining experience.”

The engaging tête-à-tête was followed by a sumptuous four course dinner at Varq. Patrons indulged in signature Varq specialties including duet of subz gandheri and khurbani, smoked lamb, tomato and olive khofta, gongura lamb paired with the distinct, smooth and fruity taste of The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve that was first envisioned in 1824. While Sandeep Arora introduced the coveted character of The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, a classic single malt with a contemporary twist, Chef Arun spoke of the innovative yet authentic Indian flavours that Varq stands for.

Speaking on the occasion, Chef Arun Sundararaj, Executive Chef, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi said, “Continuing our quest to offer enriching dining experiences, we are delighted to curate this exclusive celebration of legacies with a true expression of originality. Since 2008, Varq has offered authenticity of taste and artistic presentation to the people of Delhi. Each of the dishes on our menu is a craft in itself and combines the best of traditional Indian recipes with exotic ingredients to create a memorable experience.”

LOUNGE AND BAR

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The experience of picking up exclusive and premium brands would leave you yearning for more. The sophisticate lounge would be too hard to skip without an evening cocktail.

While there are many ways to relax at the end of the day, an experience worth savouring is an evening spent at the Lounge and Bar. Offering a delightful and chic experience that is unrivalled by other lounge, it offers an easy environment that pulls you in and leaves you feeling satiated. Based on colonial theme, the bar has a unique and rare collection of ancient paintings. Besides, the bar organises theme nights like Milonga nights where Tango dancers and teaching experts give opportunity to the guests to learn this dance form.

Overlooking the crystal waters of Eros Hotel’s poolside, this sitting lounge offers an indoor seating arrangement that can accommodate up to 64 guests. It also offers a pleasant outdoor setting where one can marvel at the exceptional and pristine poolside. Set up near a spectacular and elegant landscaped garden, the delightful ambiance is accompanied by a service that is impeccable and customised to meet any demand or need. The Lounge and Bar also comes with special evenings and special moments that are reserved for all the ladies. Every week it offers a relaxing evening outing complete with delightful delicacies as well as free flowing cocktails.

Providing an exquisite blend of cocktails and delightful wine collections, Lounge and Bar balances the experience with a variety of appetising snacks. Ensuring that no part of the evening is left wanting. The Lounge and Bar also offers live music and entertainment with its delectable treats. Standing as one of the premier lounges, it offers the guests a choice between a tasteful selection of extensive wine collection or a thrilling adventure in the form of a deliciously flavoured cocktail.

Amrodtini, which is Vodka based cocktail with hint of burnt cumin gives local flavour to make it more popular. The bar also serves Hawaiian Sangrias, Fruit Sangrias, and Flavoured Margaritas. Time to time the bar organises beverage promotion. Also, special menus are designed for New Year and Christmas as well.

Toprit Saifi

Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Apple Cider

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Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Apple Cider Nilgün Havva Budak1*, Filiz Ozçelik2 , Zeynep Banu Güzel-Seydim3 1 Department of Food Processing, E?irdir Vocational School, Süleyman Demirel University, 32500 E?irdir/Isparta, Turkey 2 Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ankara University, 06100 Ankara, Turkey 3 Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Süleyman Demirel University, 32260 Isparta, Turkey A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Fruit and vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet and the main antioxidant suppliers in the human diet. Consumption of foods derived from fruits and vegetables is also essential; fruit juices, ciders, wines, and vinegars also contain significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds. The aim of the study was to determine the effect maceration of antioxidant activity and phenolic content of apple cider. Red delicious apples were used to produce natural apple cider with and without inclusion of maceration. Samples were taken from fresh red apple juice, macerated samples and apple cider. Apple cider (maceration was applied) (CAM) had the highest total phenolic content, chlorogenic acid, ORAC and TEAC levels. Chlorogenic acid was the dominant phenolic substance in apple juice and cider samples and chlorogenic acid was increased with maceration process. Keywords: Apple cider Chlorogenic acid Maceration ORAC TEAC Introduction Fruit and vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet and, if consumed daily in sufficient amounts, could help prevent major diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and certain cancers. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, obesity and diabetes, currently kill more people every year than any other cause of death. The recent Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, recommended the intake of a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables per day (excluding potatoes and other starchy plant) for the prevention of NCDs as well as for the prevention and alleviation of several micronutrient deficiencies, especially in less developed countries (WHO, 2003). Dietary intake of natural antioxidants has recently received increased attention due to the epidemiological evidence that correlates a regular intake of these products with protection against several diseases (Hertog et al., 1995). Fruits and vegetables are the main antioxidant suppliers in the human diet. Among them, apple is important not only for its high antioxidant content, but also for its acceptance among the general consumer population. Vinson et al. (2001) reported that 22% of the fruit phenolics consumed in the United States came from apple. Eberhardt et al. (2000) found that 100 g of fresh apples have an antioxidant activity equivalent to 1500 mg of vitamin C, and more important, that apple phenolic extracts inhibited proliferation of a human cancer cell line. The major antioxidants present in apple are polyphenols, which include phenolic acids (chlorogenic, cinammic, gallic acid, etc.) and flavonoids (catechin, quercetin, quercetin glycosides, etc.). Apple and apple products (juice, cider, vinegar) are commonly consumed worldwide. Apple polyphenols contain mainly polyphenolic acid derivatives and other flavonoids. Generally, these polyphenols are distributed in the whole fruit, with higher concentrations present in the peel rather than in the flesh (Wolfe et al., 2003). The complexation and antioxidant activity of the major apple polyphenols: Chlorogenic Acid (CA), Rutin (Rt) and Quercetin (Qc) with b-cyclodextrin (b-CD) were studied, by fluorescence spectroscopy and Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power Assay (FRAP) techniques (Alvarez-Parrilla et al., 2005). Budak et al. (2011) reported that chlorogenic acid is also commonly in apple cider vinegar. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of maceration on antioxidant activity and phenolic content level of ciders derived from red delicious apples during cider production. Red delicious apples were used to produce natural apple cider with and without inclusion of maceration. Material and Methods Material “Red Delicious” apple was harvested in Gelendost, Isparta, and appropriately transported to Fermentation Laboratory in the Süleyman Demirel University Gelendost Vocational School (Isparta, Turkey). Apple Cider Production “Red delicious” apples were used to make natural apple cider to determine the effects of maceration. Flow scheme of apple cider production methods are presented in Figure 1. The samples were named as apple juice (AJ), apple juice sample taken after maceration (ASM), apple juice after fermentation without maceration sample (AS), apple cider (with maceration) (CAM) and apple cider sample (without maceration) (CA). Briefly, after red apples were broken into pieces maceration was carried out during seven days. Addition of 10% pomace was used in the maceration step to increase the polyphenolic contents. Apple cider was obtained after processing apple juice was fermented for two months. Compositional Analysis Total titratable acidity, density and total ash of apple juice and apple cider samples were determined according to AOAC methods (1992). Total sugar in apple juice and maceration samples were analyzed according to the Luff Schoorl methods (AOAC 1990). Water soluble solid (Brix) was measured with Abbe refractometer (Bellingham Stanley Limit 60/70 Refractometer, England). Ethanol content was determined with alcoholmeter (Dujardin-Salleron, France). Total Antioxidant Activity Total phenolic content: Total phenolic contents of the samples were determined according to Folin-Ciocalteu method using gallic acid as a standard (Singleton and Rossi, 1965; Singleton et al., 1999). After addition of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent to the sample solution it was allowed to react for 6 min. Reaction was stopped with using 1.50 mL of 20% sodium carbonate. The extracts were oxidized with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, and the reaction was neutralized with sodium carbonate. The absorbance of the resulting blue colour was developed in 120 min in a dark place, and the absorbance was determined at 760 nm using a spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., Tokyo, Japan). The measurement was calculated using a standard curve of gallic acid and expressed as milligrams of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) L-1 . 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethlybenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) Assay: 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethlybenzthiazolin-6- sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS+ ) radical cation was prepared by reacting 7 mM ABTS stock solution with 2.45 mM potassium persulfate (Re et al., 1999). ABTS+ inhibition against Trolox (6-hydroxy-2, 5, 7, 8- tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) was spectrophotometrically measured (Seeram et al., 2005). Figure 1 Flow chart of apple cider (maceration was applied and was not applied) The concentration of the resulting blue-green ABTS radical solution was adjusted to an absorbance of 0.700 ± 0.020 at 734 nm in a spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., Tokyo, Japan). TEAC values of samples were calculated from the Trolox standard curve and expressed as Trolox equivalents (in ?mol/ml of sample). Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) Assay: All samples were analysis using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) (Wu et al., 2008). The samples were appropriately diluted with phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) for ORAC analysis. An aliquot (25 ?L) of the diluted sample, blank (phosphate buffer) or Trolox calibration solutions were added to a black, clear-bottom triplicate well in 96 well bottom reading microplate. After the addition of 150 µM flourescein stock solution (0,004 µM) to each well the microplate was incubated at 37 °C for 30 min. Then, 25 µL 2, 2’-Azobis (2-amidinopropane) Harvesting “Red Delicious” apples Appropriate transportation of the apples to the Fermentation Laboratory Breaking into pieces of apples Pressing Obtained Apple Juice (AJ) Resettle and Racked of apple wine Resettle and Racked of apple wine Maturation 2 months at 25°C Maturation 2 months at 25°C Packaging (CA) Packaging (CA) Ethanol Fermentation:Saccharomyc es cerevisiae (3 %) inoculation 7 days at 25 °C (AS) Maceration with pulp and Ethanol Fermentation: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (3 %) inoculation 7 days at 25 °C (ASM) Budak et al./ Turkish Journal of Agriculture – Food Science and Technology, 3(6): 356-360, 2015 358 dihydrochloride (AAPH) solution (153 mM) was added to start the reaction. The microplate reader was programmed to record the fluorescence reading with an excitationemission wavelength of 485 – 520 nm using software Gen 5 TM. Antioxidant activity was kinetically measured with Biotek Synergy™ HT Multi-Detection Microplate Reader (Winooski, Vermont, USA). Quantification of Phenolics by High Performance Liquid Chromatography: Phenolic compounds were evaluated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Kyoto, Japan). Phenolic compositions of the extracts were determined by a modified method of Schulz et al. (2001). Detection and quantification were carried out with a LC-10ADvp pump, SIL-10ADvp auto sampler, a Diode Array Detector, a CTO-10Avp column heater, SCL-10Avp system controller and DGU-14A degasser (Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Kyoto, Japan). Separations were conducted at 30 ºC on Agilent® Eclipse XDB C-18 reversed-phase column (250 mm x 4.6 mm length, 5 µm particle size). The mobile phases were A:3.0% acetic acid in distilled water and B: methanol. Flow rate was 0.8 mL/min. Gallic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, rutin, resveratrol and syringic acid were used as standard. Identification and quantitative analysis were done by comparison with standards. Statistics All data were reported as the mean and standard error. Results analyzed by using SPSS for Windows (version 17.0, SPSS Inc.). Apple cider production was repeated three times. Values represent means of triplicate repetition with parallels. The significance was established at P<0.05. Results and Discussion Composition analysis Total titratable acidity, density, Brix, total ash total sugar and alcohol in apple juices and apple cider samples are reported in Table 1. Total titratable acidity was increased during ethanol fermentation. Especially, total titratable acidity in the sample taken from maceration was significantly higher than the sample that maceration was not applied (P<0.05). Total titratable acidity values in Cashew juice and Golden Delicious fresh apple juice samples were 2.4 g/L and 2.88 g MA/L, respectively (Mohanty et al., 2006; Suárez-Jacobo et al., 2011). Density of the samples varied between 0.9987 -1.0517 g/cm3 . Density and Brix values were significantly decreased during alcohol fermentation due to the conversion of sugar to ethanol (P<0.05). Budak and Güzel-Seydim (2010) explained that total solids and Brix of samples significantly decreased after maceration due to pressing, resettling and racking during grape wine production. Brix of Cashew apple wine was found to be 2.0% (Mohanty et al., 2006). In our study, brix of the apple cider sample was 3.83%. Alcohol contents of apple cider samples were between 5.40-6.10 %. The total sugar contents were 144.24, 85.77, 95.56 g/L in AS, ASM and AS, respectively. Total sugar content also decreased due to the ethanol fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisae (Budak and Güzel-Seydim, 2010). Total Antioxidant Activity Total phenolic content, TEAC and ORAC results express the total antioxidant activity in the samples. Total phenolic content (mg/L), TEAC (mmol/L) and ORAC(?mol/mL) values of samples are presented in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. AJ sample had the lowest total phenolic content whereas CAM sample had the highest total phenolic content among the samples (P<0.05). Seeram et al. (2008) reported that TEAC and ORAC value of apple juice samples ranged between 2.5- 6.2 ?mol of TE/mL and 2.7-4.3 ?mol/mL, respectively. Total phenolic contents of AS and CAM samples were 459.31 mg/L and 1026.74 mg/L, respectively (Figure 3). Lachman et al. (2006) determined that total phenolic content of apple juice samples obtained from different varieties were between 760.03- 1343 mg/L. In our study, total phenolic content of ASM and AS samples were 777.83 and 733.61 mg/L. Contents of TEAC, ORAC and total phenolic content in CAM sample was the highest in all samples. TEAC and ORAC values of CAM sample were 13.27 mmol/L and 9.84 µmol TE/mL, respectively. ORAC values of apple cider samples were the highest in all samples. Especially, ORAC values of CAM sample was the highest in all samples (Figure 3). Antioxidant activities of macerated juice samples and ciders were higher than the samples that maceration was not applied. Phenolic Substances Gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and p-coumaric acid were detected in apple juice and apple cider samples (Table 2). Contents of catechin, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid were identified in all samples. Gallic acid only was detected in apple juice sample. The content of catechin in CAM sample was significantly higher than CA sample (P<0.05). The amount of epicatechin was 4.63 mg/L in CAM sample while CA sample contained 3.33 mg/L (P<0.05). Chlorogenic acid was the dominant phenolic substance in apple juice samples; especially, ASM and CAM samples had the highest content of chlorogenic acid (P<0.05). Chlorogenic acid significantly increased with maceration. p-Coumaric acid contents of apple cider samples ranged between 0.03 and 0.04 mg/L. AlvarezParilla et al. (2005) reported that chlorogenic acid is one of the important apple polyphenols. Chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid were high concentrations in apple cider that maceration was applied. Therefore, maceration process was important for the concentrations of the polyphenolic compounds. Polyphenolic content (chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin and caffeic acid) of CAM sample had the highest values similar to antioxidant activity of CAM sample (total phenolic content, TEAC and ORAC contents). It has been reported that wine vinegars show an antioxidant capacity that is correlated with their polyphenolic content (Dávalos et al., 2005). In this study, phenolic substances were increased by fermentation. Budak et al./ Turkish Journal of Agriculture – Food Science and Technology, 3(6): 356-360, 2015 359 Table1 Composition Analysis of Samples Samples TTA1Total Density (g/cm3 ) Brix (%) Total sugar (g/L) Total Ash (g/L) Ethanol (v/v) AJ2 1.9±0.04a 1.0517±0.00a 11.67±1.42a 144.24±1.11a 1.9±0.01a – ASM3 2.3±0.03a 0.9999±0.00b 4.58±0.71b 85.77±3.26b 1.7±0.02a 3.10±0.14b AS4 3.7±0.06c 1.0014±0.00c 5.33±0.34b 95.56±0.41b 1.7±0.00b 2.90±0.12b CAM5 2.3±0.03a 0.9987±0.00b 3.83±0.83b – 1.9±0.01a 6.10±0.15a CA6 3.5±0.04c 0.9987±0.00c 3.83±0.13b – 1.8±0.01b 5.40±0.11b 1TTA: Total Titratable Acidity (g/L), 2AJ: Apple juice, 3ASM: Apple juice taken after maceration, 4AS: Apple juice without maceration sample, 5CAM: Apple cider (maceration was applied), 6CA: Apple cider sample (maceration was not applied) Table 2 Phenolic Compounds of Samples Samples Gallic acid (mg/L) Catechin (mg/L) Epicatechin (mg/L) Caffeic acid (mg/L) Chlorogenic acid (mg/L) p-Coumaric acid (mg/L) AJ1 0.43±0.06b 0.50±0.00c 1.60±0.10bc – 12.26±3.37c – ASM2 – 1.47±0.29b 3.50±0.78a 0.46±0.24ab 18.53±4.06a – AS3 – 1.56±0.13b 4.13±0.36a – 17.86±0.60b 0.05±0.01b CAM4 – 2.13±0.28a 4.63±1.20a 0.96±0.08a 24.13±3.46a 0.03±0.01b CA5 – 1.46±0.23b 3.33±0.23ab 0.75±0.05a 16.50±2.27b 0.04±0.00b 1AJ: Apple juice, 2ASM: Apple juice taken after maceration, 3AS: Apple juice without maceration sample, 4CAM: Apple cider (maceration was applied), 5CA: Apple cider sample (maceration was not applied) Figure 2 Total Phenolic Content of Apple Juices and Cider Samples AJ: Apple juice, ASM: Apple juice taken after maceration, AS: Apple juice without maceration sample, CAM: Apple cider (maceration was applied) , CA:Apple cider sample (maceration was not applied) Figure 3 Antioxidant activity of samples by ABTS (TEAC) assay and ORAC assay AJ: Apple juice, ASM: Apple juice taken after maceration, AS: Apple juice without maceration sample, CAM: Apple cider (maceration was applied) , CA: Apple cider sample (maceration was not applied) Conclusion This is the first report confirming that maceration had positive effects on bioactive components of apple cider. Results of this study showed that polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity significantly increased in maceration process. Antioxidant activity of apple cider (maceration included) sample was higher than that of apple cider sample (maceration was not applied). Chlorogenic acid was the dominant phenolic substance in apple juice samples while chlorogenic acid increased during maceration. Chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid contents of macerated apple cider were in high concentrations. Therefore, inclusion of maceration in process would be important for concentration of bioactive compounds. References Alvarez-Parrilla E, Rosa LDL, Torresrivas F, Rodrigo-Garcia J, Gonzalez’Lez-Aguilar GA. 2005. Complexation of Apple Antioxidants: Chlorogenic Acid, Quercetin and Rutin by bCyclodextrin (b-CD). J Incl Phenom Macro 53:121–129. AOAC. 1990. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis, 13th edition. Washington DC. AOAC. 1992. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Official Methods of Analysis, 15th edition. Washington DC. Budak HN, Güzel-Seydim Z. 2010. Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of wine vinegars produced by two different techniques. J Sci Food Agric, 90: 2021–2026. Caponia F, Alloggio V, Gomes T. 1999. Phenolic compounds of virgin olive oil: influence of paste preparation techniques. Food Chem 63: 203-209. Eberhardt MV, Lee CY, Liu RH. 2000. Antioxidant activity of fresh apples. Nature. 405: 903-4. Budak et al./ Turkish Journal of Agriculture – Food Science and Technology, 3(6): 356-360, 2015 3

Kay Pillay, DISTELL-MD Asia Pacific and Middle East

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Distell Group strengthens presence in India Kay Pillay, DISTELL-MD Asia Pacific and Middle East, Indian by origin born and raised in South Africa is in India for the first time to raise the profile of its brands distributed by Aspri Spirits. In an interview with Vincent Fernandes, Executive Editor, Ambrosia, he says India is a very exciting market with high growth prospects. Aspri Spirits Pvt Ltd, which distributes Amarula — a premium fruit based cream liquor brand from South Africa-based Distell Group, has launched the brand in 2009 and has been growing steadily. Amarula is in the cream liquor category. It can be drunk neat or is mixed with coffee and it can also be tasted over hundred different ways, and Amarula is seen as a cocktail brand. We would like to market it aggresively on trade and off trade, says Kay Pillay. The company would like to make their brands available in hotels, restaurants and especially in retail sector as retail in India is growing very big. India is going to be the largest market of Amarula in Asia-Pacific region and would like to double our revenues in the next three to five years, says Pillay because he believes the competition is exciting and dynamic. The demographic has the right consumers and we would like to be in the right channels, with the right outlets and with the right portfolio. India will also play a great role for the growth of the wine industry, especially for wine producing countries and the producers in general. Distell is a large producer of wines and is one of the only global companies with a very broad and deep portfolio of wines. Says Pillay. Nederburg wines were also launched in 2009. Distell portfolio that are currently distributed in India include Nederburg Wines, Two Oceans Wines and Amarula Cream Liqueur. Amarula is South Africa’s most widely distributed international alcoholic beverage brand. Our wines are sold on every continent with sales of over 1.3 million cases. In the spirits segment it is also strong in apertifs that appeal to consumers across occassions, who know what to drink, where to drink and why to drink. Today its top 15 Brands generate 71% of total revenue and the top 13 are growing at 10%. Ciders continue to dominate the category buoyed by dynamic, compelling communication and product and packaging innovation. The category achieved revenue growth of 8%. Says, Pillay, “In China, we have concluded a joint venture agreement to launch Savanna and Bernini with China Haisheng Juice Holdings Company Limited, a longstanding partner and provider of our apple juice concentrate. In addition, the joint venture will build a portfolio of locally produced Chinese cider brands in the future. This is a very important step in building our long-term cider aspirations around the world.” Revenue from wine increased by 11%, with gains achieved in all price categories and in key markets. Significant players in the portfolio were 4th Street, Nederburg and Drostdy-Hof. In South Africa, Durbanville Hills put in an excellent performance, growing revenue by double digits. Spirits delivered 12% revenue growth, with brandy, liqueurs and white spirits contributing to the result, along with excellent sales from Scottish Leader in the key markets of South Africa and Taiwan, and those of their single malts offered in the US. Sales volumes for the year 2015 increased by 2,8% , while sales value rose by 9,6%, thanks to ongoing investments in brand health, creative thinking, innovation and disciplined revenue management. Most of the Group’s revenue (71,6%) is generated in South Africa. Other prospective markets include S.E. Asia, UK, China, US and Germany. Nederburg is the flagship brand in Germany, says Pillay. We are looking at the size of the opportunity in brand building, producing locally and would like to invest in markets with a 3-5 years gestation period, he adds. Most of our efforts have been directed at the mainstream and affordable end of the alcoholic beverage spectrum in our core market and the company is now increasingly expanding its focus to capitalise on the growing potential offered at the premium end of the market. Consolidation in the global alcoholic beverage industry is expected to continue. Multinational companies are rapidly expanding into Africa and other emerging markets. Distell with a market cap of US$ 3 billion raised revenue by 14.6% and volumes by 13.3% for the period, largely due to Distell’s enhanced market penetration as well as improvements in its product mix. The power brands delivered 4% volume growth achieved across all three segments: ciders and RTDs, wines and spirits, with revenue rising by 10%. The Distell Group is Africa’s leading producer and marketer of spirits, fine wines, ciders and ready-to-drinks (RTDs). While the majority of their products are produced in South Africa, they have a worldwide distribution network with investments in countries that include Scotland, France, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Distell created in 2000 by the merger of Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery (SFW) and Distillers Corporation has grown to become Africa’s leading producer and marketer of spirits, fine wines, ciders and ready-to-drinks. The company is currently the 2nd largest Cider Producer in the world. The cider category was created in South Africa and their cider brands, Hunter’s and Savanna, are now readily available in many parts of Africa. we remain the second-largest producer of ciders worldwide and would be a formidable Cider producer by 2020, says Pillay. Apart from the South African-conceived and produced brands, their portfolio includes a selection of international specialty spirits brands. After acquiring the House of Bisquit in 2009, they have re-established this fine heritage cognac brand. In 2013, Distell purchased Burn Stewart Distillers (BSD), expanding our portfolio with a selection of popular and connoisseur blended and single malt whiskies. Their luxury brands achieved growth in both wines and spirits, with value up 20%. Scottish Leader is growing in southern Africa and Asia Pacific, says Pillay. Bisquit is growing ahead of the global cognac sector.Bunnahabhain, was recently ranked Distillery of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Nederburg was one of the most admired brands for 2016. Distell’s wine portfolio includes Nederburg, Two Oceans and Fleur du Cap brands, while its spirits portfolio includes Scotch whisky Deanston, Ledaig, Bunnahabhain, and South African cream liqueur Amarula. Distell has over 5,300 employees; 11 Wineries; 6 Distilleries; 3 Single-Malt Distilleries; 19 SA Sales Offices and 8 International Sales Offices

HPMF celebrates 6th Anniversary, Annual Convention & Awards at Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

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HPMF celebrates 6th Anniversary, Annual Convention & Awards at Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar

It was an event to remember for the record breaking congregation of hospitality purchasing heads, of nearly 250 professionals who networked and attended interactive knowledge based sessions, B2B Meetings and witnessed the HPMF Procurement Excellence Awards

The entire delegation of over 250 hospitality purchasing managers from across India, along with dignitaries, vendors and consultants, gathered at the verdant luxurious property of Hotel Mayfair Lagoon and Convention Center, a ‘museum, jungle and hotel rolled into one’ located in the midst of Bhubaneswar city, Odisha.

Delegates from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Jaipur, Indore, Nagpur, Vadodara, Bhubaneswar and Puri, were overwhelmed with the programme put together by Nitin Nagrale, General Secretary & Founder of HPMF and the core committee including Chairman Mohan Deshpande, General Manager Materials Hotel Aureole; Teckbahadur Sarke, Manager Hotel Sahara Star – Mumbai & Aamby Valley City – Lonavala (Pune); Harvey Rodrigues Director Procurement – Hotel Meluha The Fern and Hotel Rodas An Ecotel Hotel; Mahendra Shinde, Materials Manager – The Resort Mumbai; Ganpat Dalvi – Director Procurement Four Seasons Mumbai, Jaideep Gupta, Operations, Procurement and Pre-opening professional; and Gary Coutinho, Supply Chain Manager Devyani Airport Services.

Inaugurated by Ashok Chandra Panda, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of Odisha, the occasion was also graced by His Highness Giriraj Singh Lotwara, President of Shree Rajput Sabha, Jaipur; Dilip Ray, CMD of Mayfair Hotels; Debasis Pattnaik, Director, Crown Hotels; Lion Pankaj Mehta; and Souvagya Mohapatra, Executive Director, Mayfair Hotels among others.

The role of a Purchase Manager in the Hospitality industry has gone through several fundamental changes in the last few years. Many companies have shifted from a Regional unit Procurement approach to a Center-led Global Procurement strategy. The Purchase department has become a valued partner & a recognized asset who collaborates effectively across the Organization driving procurement excellence.

India’s leading Hospitality Purchasing Managers’ Forum (HPMF) In an unprecedented style organized a three-day convention for successful purchasing professionals, marking its sixth anniversary with lots of Learning and Leisure, Awards and undying Memories.

One of the key objectives was to meet, discuss & find solutions to the challenging issues faced when it comes to Procurement, Supplier Relationship Management, and strategies revolving around it, as well as to network under one roof. The highlight of the forum was also to bring industry though leaders to deliberate on the challenges faced on the talent and skill development initiatives and how to bridge the gaps in the same. Another objective is to equip the hospitality purchase professionals with the latest trends and tools so as to better manage and excel in their current functional roles. Key benefits for people participating will be to nurture existing relationships and foster new business partnerships via One to One Networking Opportunity during the entire 3 days of the event.

Highlighting the importance of purchasing managers, who are more a background artist, Mohapatra said, “From every tile in the floor to the entire structure, purchase is involved. They play an important role in material, marketing and money management.”

Debasis Pattnaik added, “Purchase managers are not visible on the foreground but they are like platelets in the blood.”

The need for HPMF is in bringing together the purchase heads of hotels on one platform to network, explore new aspects of purchasing and gather knowledge of the advantages of technology in purchase. “I am elated to host HPMF in Bhubaneswar,” said Nitin Nagrale, thanking Mayfair Hotels and the supporting vendors for successfully organizing the convention.

In continuation, Mohan Deshpande said, “Purchasing Managers are an integral part of the industry and they need to understand & showcase their own value”

Some of the Networking Professionals had this to say. “It is hard to find words to match the efforts put in by the HPMF team, in the spotless execution of this wonderful programme.” – Shiv Menon. According to Santosh Bhame, “It was very well planned, organized and executed, bundles of surprises, so many new friends, so much knowledge sharing… this is very good memory for a life time.” “Congratulations to the entire HPMF family for a very successful event. Everything was just perfect. You have raised the bar for all.” said Jairaj Singh echoing the sentiments of many of the professionals.

Sanjay Goyal said, “We had a wonderful three days of knowledge sharing, networking and fun. Thank you for executing a convention of this quality, scale, excellence in terms of content, right mix of knowledge and fun. We raise a toast and salute our soldier Nitin Nagrale for the true dedication and our solidarity.”

The Indian hospitality industry has been rapidly evolving since last two decades and has witnessed a spurt in the number of domestic and international players entering the market with ambitious and world class projects. This has resulted in quantitative and qualitative needs which are far more complex than before. Today, the hospitality procurement industry is pegged at an annual figure of US $10 billion dollar. But considering the sustained economic development and an impressive GDP ratio of India, the hospitality procurement needs are expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years. The hospitality procurement is not only scattered but needed some reference body to assist them at every stage. There were no formal education institutes or bodies to assist. And also every one working in their organizations were working in isolation.

Touching upon the most important topics, experts from the hospitality industry discussed ‘Importance of Value Engineering and Life Cycle Analysis in Procurement’; ‘Work Life Balance, Vendor Relationship & Strategic Sourcing’; ‘Creative Strategies & Future of Procurement’ besides other presentations and highly inspiring motivational talks by Lion Pankaj Mehta and Pradip Almadi.

B2B Meetings

The entire buyer delegation was divided into groups of 6 members and an excellent B2B meeting schedule was organized so that all the partners could meet the buyers on one on one basis. It was a super hit session on both days as all partners not just met every attending delegate but created bond between them.

Entertainment was also an integral part of the three day event. Exhibiting their talents, purchasing managers took stage on fire with hit Bollywood old songs on the saxophone; puppet show, comedy besides multiple bands rocking on the latest numbers.

“We thank all the delegates for taking time out to be present in such large numbers, our vendors who have supported us whole heartedly and experts who have made the sessions a big success. I also take this opportunity to thank LG for once again partnering with us and making this wonderful event possible,” concluded Nitin Nagrale.

BOX

2nd HPMF Procurement Excellence Awards

This year’s Living Legend Award was conferred on Sundaram RM, Vasantabhavan Hotels India Pvt Ltd and Basil Christopher Massey, Duet India Hotels. The Life Time Achievement Award was given to Narinder Kapoor, The EIH Ltd.

There was stiff competition in the other categories and the panel of jury had to rework to emerge with the most deserving winner. “While we started planning and preparing this event more than six months back, the awards were put together in 45 days,” said Nitin Nagrale. The winners in the other categories are:

Most Innovative Procurement Person of the Year: Parag Pawar, Purchase Manager, Royal Orchid Central, Pune

Most Innovative Procurement Person of the Year: Hara Prasad Balliarsingh, Senior Manager, Mayfair Lagoon and Convention, Bhubaneswar

Best Cross Functional Procurement Leader of the Year: Mahendra Shinde, Materials Manager, Hotel The Resort, Mumbai

Best Procurement Person of the Year – Male: Boominathan Panchanathan, Commercial Manager, Fortune Select Grand, Chennai

Best Procurement Person of the Year – Female: Shikha Sharma, Retreat Hotel and Convention Centre, Mumbai

Best Use of Innovative Technology for Procurement: Ram Vriksh Dwivedi, Assistant Materials Manager, The Lalit, Mumbai

Special Jury Award: Vijayanand Thantri, Head Procurement – Intellistay Hotels, Mumbai

Superman of the Year Award: Abdul Kareem, Purchase Manager, The Leela, Chennai

Best Use of Green Initiative as a Team: C. Rajendiran and team, Novotel Ibis Sipkot, Chennai

Change Maker Award: Teckbahadur Sarke, Sahara Star Hotel, Mumbai

Change Maker Award: Gary Coutinho, Devyani International, Mumbai

“AZA” the Bar at Fairmont Jaipur

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The jaali doors of Aza open to reveal a regal library bar, a space for those who enjoy the finer things in life. Reminiscent of an emperor’s hunting lodge, the décor of Aza is complimented with deep leather wing chairs, the smell of leather bound books and the joys of fine liquor. Here you will find the classics in all their glory, vintage cognacs, rare single malts, and a wine cellar that is the envy of the town, this regency style library bar features a varied collection of ‘liquid history’. The highlight at Aza is the exclusive whisky appreciation station featuring an exotic collection ofaged and rare malt whiskies of the world where connoisseurs can select and savour the ‘Private whisky collection of the Maharaja’ from its exquisite menu. This regal masculine bar exudes a delightful old world charm with warm interiors, intimate spaces and charming silent black and white movies that transport you to an era of quiet elegance. The service at Aza extends to the lush palace lawns outside where you can enjoy warm bonfires and mashaal lit greens as the chefs roll out platters of culinary inspiration from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Balkan regions. With sizzling kebabs, leather bound books, and aged whiskys, Aza is an experience in laid back classic luxuries.