Liquor maker Diageo India has announced, a 75-crore programme ‘raising the bar’ to support bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol to welcome customers back and recover following the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will be a two-year programme to support the revival and recovery of qualifying bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities.
The company designed the programme following a global survey of bar owners to identify key priorities to support reopening. Hygiene measures, digital support, practical equipment and training to transform how their outlets will work when they reopen; these constitute their top priorities.
The re-opening of the outlets is organised systematically to ensure support services like ‘hygiene kits’ with medical-grade hand sanitiser, high-quality permanent sanitiser dispensers and a range of personal protection equipment (such as gloves and masks) will be provided as part of this programme to help bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol. This provides a better solution to establish partnerships with cashless systems and online reservations, also for mobile bars and outdoor equipment.
Anand Kripalu, managing director and CEO, Diageo India, said, “The Indian hospitality and F&B industry has witnessed unprecedented loss of revenues. This has impacted many MSMEs and start-ups and the livelihood of millions of people.”
Diageo has linkages with the hospitality and food and beverage industry, jointly curating unique experiences for consumers. So, the revival of this sector is relevant to the economy and to the success of the global business.
The Indian restaurant industry is the third-largest in the service segment which contributing over 2.1 per cent to the GDP. The industry valued at Rs 30 billion (US$426 million) is projected to grow at 10 per cent CAGR to Rs 50 billion (US$710 million) by 2021. Furthermore, it contributes almost Rs 24 billion (US$340 million) to the government exchequer and employs 7.2 million people.
The impact of Covid-19 on hospitality industry has been widespread, with the closure of venues across the country. The industry, home to many start-ups and MSMEs, is facing a tremendous liquidity crisis owing to lockdown closures, high rentals and additional pressures of securing hygiene equipment. As governments begin to ease lockdown measures, people want to come together again to connect with their community and socialise safely. By bringing international best practices, providing access to free digital support, technology, training and equipment, the company aims to help bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol in India, open its doors again.
