Tata Starbucks is on an expansion spree. But attracting footfalls amid the pandemic won’t be easy.

A customer's reflection is caught on the glass front of a Starbucks outlet in Delhi as he arrives on a bicycle to get a takeaway.

Synopsis
In FY21, Tata Starbucks opened 40 cafés and spread to 18 cities. The company now runs a total of 221 stores. While this expansion is crucial to bringing in additional revenue amid the pandemic, the company will have to look at ways to make sales online along with controlling crucial costs like rent.

“Meet me at CCD” is synonymous with India’s café culture. At its peak, Café Coffee Day had laid the foundation for the hangout in the smallest of Indian cities – an ideal place for a date, a session with friends, or a quick out-of-office meeting. CCD is barely remembered for its coffee or its menu. It was the ambience. Tata Starbucks is hoping to grab a portion of that place vacated by Café Coffee Day after its decline. FY21 has seen the fastest