Mumbai to get first Starbucks in India

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SEATTLE, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Mumbai's coffee lovers will soon be able to sip the brew from Starbucks as their city was chosen by the U.S. chain as the first location for its India entry.

The Seattle-based company announced it will open its first India cafe next month in the country's financial capital, The Seattle Times reported. Mumbai is the capital of western Maharashtra state.

The cafe will be located in the busy Horniman Circle in upscale south Mumbai. The Mumbai menu will feature local flavors, including coffee jelly tiramisu, and tandoori paneer (cheese) roll.

The company plans to open more cafes in Mumbai and New Delhi but did not disclose how many outlets it plans to open eventually in all of India, a nation of heavy coffee and tea drinkers.

The Times said Starbucks and Tata Group, its corporate partner in India, announced longtime Tata employee Avani Saglani Davda will be the chief executive officer of their 50-50 joint venture. The giant Tata group is involved in everything from steel to cars to coffee.

Espresso for Starbucks drinks in India will come from farms outside Bangalore, India's IT capital in the south, and will be roasted domestically, the report said.

"It's going to be very exciting," Davda was quoted as saying. "Consumers in the metro cities have been waiting for Starbucks to come with great anticipation."

The Times said Starbucks has also announced plans to add stores next year in Sweden and Norway in partnership with Umoe Restaurant Group.