Compass Group, one of the world’s leading food service companies, has acquired Tirumala Hospitality Services Private Limited (THS) from Ramkrishna Mankari and his family. The acquisition is in line with the Compass Group’s plan of expanding to newer areas of business. THS is a strong regional player in the foodservice industry of western India, specialising in the provision of catering services to various business segments.

Compass Group specialises in providing food, vending and related services to the clients spread across defense, offshore & remote sites, healthcare, education, sports, and leisure sector.

Encouraged by the positive responses received by its restaurants since the brand was launched in India last December, Au Bon Pain has launched its fourth and largest outlet at Mantri Square, Malleshwaram, Bangalore. Spread across an area of 2,400 sq ft, the new Au Bon Pain restaurant is the largest among all the four restaurants launched so far by the brand. It has a seating capacity of 120 people.

Launching the restaurant amidst the presence of the glitterati of Bangalore, Prasad Bidappa, a well-known fashion designer, said, “Healthy eating is the top fitness mantra for the models and all health conscious people. Au Bon Pain stands testimony to all that is healthy and I would like to congratulate the brand as it spreads the joy of healthy eating.”

On the occasion of the launch, Subbanna Kannur, Business Head, Au Bon Pain - India, said, “The launch of our fourth outlet in
Bangalore is a testimony of the customers’ preference for Au Bon Pain in the city. Coupled with its growing popularity amongst Bangaloreans, Mantri Square’s unique location in Malleshwaram makes it the perfect choice for us as we expand our footprints to all corners of the city.”

From the freshly baked breads, savoury sandwiches, soups, salads to scrumptious pastries, the Au Bon Pain restaurants offer a plethora of healthy food options. The first Au Bon Pain flagship café was set up at Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore. Au Bon Pain has also announced plans to roll out 15 more outlets by March 2011.

In association with Karen Anand, a celebrity Chef and food consultant Hilton Janakpuri, New Delhi has announced the opening of a new Indian fine dining restaurant named Zune, within its premises.

The menu of the all new Zune restaurant offers its guests exquisite Mughlai, Kashmiri, and Punjabi delights. The Chefs of the restaurant are also making an effort to revive the art of slow cooking and the ‘dhungar’ style of smoking dishes. On the occasion of the launch, Nishan Silva, Director of Operations, Hilton Janakpuri, New Delhi, said, “Zune aims to bring the refinement and lavish lifestyle of the Mughal court to patrons through its décor, service, linen and attention to detail on every level.”

Situated on the second floor of the hotel, the restaurant reflects the pomp and magnificence of a bygone era. It features a Jamevaar ‘Ambi’ motif; a textile pattern used extensively in ancient Persia to decorate royal regalia, along with crowns and court garments. Original Kashmiri artifacts also feature throughout the dining room.

Hilton Janakpuri, New Delhi is equipped with 228 guest rooms, including 11 suites. The hotel is approximately 30 minutes drive from central Delhi, and is strategically close to the international and domestic airports of India’s capital.

Focusing solely on Japanese food, beverages, and products and services related to the food business, the inaugural Oishii Japan exhibition will be held at Suntec Singapore from 27 to 29 October in 2011. The exhibition will incorporate Noodle World, Food Machinery World and Food Franchising World. It is being organised by TSO MP International, a new joint venture set up by two established exhibition organisers—TradeShow Organizers of Japan, and MP International of Singapore.

The all encompassing food show will cater to business owners and investors in the food business, F&B professionals, as well as buyers from the food retail industry. The show is inspired by the highly successful Izakaya Expo and Ramen Expo series in Japan, organised by TradeShow Organizers.

Addressing the media, Tsuyoshi Sasaki, Chief Executive Officer of TradeShow Organizers, said, “We notice that there is potential for our shows to be expanded outside the country as Japanese food has gained popularity around the world. Trade figures from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) attest to this trend.”

The move to stage Oishii Japan in Singapore is welcomed by the Singapore Tourism Board. Edward Chew, Director, Exhibitions and Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board said, “As a regional business and lifestyle hub, Singapore is well-positioned to support the staging of shows such as Oishii Japan.”

With more and more Indians frequenting their neighborhood Mc Donald’s outlet, the fast food giant is now planning to offer a new breakfast menu. As per the recent reports, around 40 outlets of McDonald’s in India are prepared to make the breakfast menu available by the end of the current year. The breakfast menu at McDonald’s is expected to feature reasonably priced hash browns, pizza puffs, and a range of eggs and sausage muffins.

With a view to strengthen the business tie-ups between India and Hong Kong, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organised an event in the capital to brief the Indian business houses about the opportunities available in Hong Kong. On Hong Kong as a trade destination, Johnny Wan, Senior Exhibitions Manager of HKTDC said, “Hong Kong’s strategic position coupled with its economic, political and social stability, make it the best trade destination for Indian companies. In particular, Hong Kong’s free trade policy, world-class infrastructure and free flow of information place it in a very competitive position to offer the services and facilities needed for global trade.

Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organises over 30 trade fairs a year, eight of which are the largest of their kind in Asia while three are the largest of their kinds in the world. These industry-specific trade fairs are effective channels to facilitate global trade, holding good potential for Indian companies interested in expanding their business or in consolidating their position in the region.

The Chinese mainland is witnessing a rising middle class population and a promising economic outlook. Hong Kong, as a mediator, helps Indian companies to step into this booming market and reach Chinese buyers and consumers. Given the available opportunities, the food industry of India too can benefit immensely from a strengthened India Hong Kong trade ties.

Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world, announced the opening of a centre of excellence food testing laboratory in Gurgaon, Delhi NCR. Intertek’s Gurgaon laboratory fullfils the need of a region that has seen an increased demand for food testing as a result of growth in the food processing sector and potential for food exports.

Launching the laboratory, Jochen Zoller, President Intertek Food Services said, “From the farm to the fork, the entire food industry has evolved into a diverse network of multiple channels and Intertek’s new laboratory will support in producing and supplying better, more sustainable and safer food to citizen’s in the region, and worldwide.” Underling the importance of the laboratory, he further added, “Intertek’s food services solutions help major global brands to launch new food products, enabling the developing nations to increase their global food exports while reducing the incidence rates of food borne diseases.

Intertek offers a full range of services for the food industry, from lab tasting to systems certification to corporate social responsibility audits. The Gurgaon laboratory of the company will offer testing and analysis on a range of fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared and ready-to-eat foods, bakery and confection, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, drinking water, oils and fats, honey, dairy products, sugar, and meat products. The laboratory is equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities to perform testing and analysis on pesticides, antibiotics, aflatoxins, organic and GMO, nutritional labelling, organic compound residues, pathogens and allergens among others, as well as other elements related to food production.

Abbey Road, Gurgaon, which seeks to offer an unpretentious feel of the authentic European culture with the characteristic food, ambience and most of all, the music of the 1960s and 1970s from across the continent, has now come up with an all new Wednesday dinner menu which is an eclectic mix of vegetarian/ non-vegetarian starter, pizza or pasta, a dessert and Indian made foreign liquor for just Rs. 499/-, excluding taxes.

Located at DLF Cyber City, Phase II Gurgaon, this street cafe cum restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes in the menu to choose from. Choices in the starters include vegetarian Brussels, vegetarian Bruschetta, falafel, chicken nuggets, chicken Bruschetta, and meat balls. In the main course one can choose margarita pizza, grilled vegetarian pizza, penne with vodka pasta in the vegetarian section. The non-vegetarian lovers can select from smoked chicken pizza, Italian salami pizza, and non-vegetarian penne with vodka in the main course. In the dessert section one can choose from warm chocolate brownie, blueberry cheese cake, lemon gateaux and mocha cheese cake. For icing on the cake, one can also add a signature cocktail or wine by pushing in additional Rs.150 to it.

With a drawing of the famous Abbey Road on the front wall greeting you to come and experience the subtle environment and the feel of standing in a European street, the restaurant recreates the culture of street cafes with the flooring designed like a paved walkway with replicas of street lamps lining up the side of the road. Giving it a complete street feel, the walls of Abbey Road, Gurgaon have been designed to simulate the houses with colourful windows, and doors with wooden benches, tables and chairs in their fronts.

Dai Foods Pvt. Ltd., a newly formed hospitality company that aims to create a chain of restaurants for serving international cuisines tailored to the Indian palate, has announced the opening of Lebmex, its very first fast casual dining restaurant in Bangalore.

Specialising in authentic Lebanese and Mexican cuisines along with a variety of fusion dishes, Lebmex offers the foodie myriad choices that include authentic tastes of Lebanese and Mexican delicacies. Located at Koramangala, Bangalore, the restaurant has the seating capacity for around 70 people. With the theme ‘Create Something New’, the interiors of the restaurant offer a visual culinary journey to the guests. The restaurant seeks to offer food quality that is more in line with full service restaurants, but served with the speed and convenience of a fast food eatery.

Along with the restaurants, Dai Foods has also started ‘LebMex Catering Service’ to provide authentic Lebanese and Mexican food at weddings, private parties, birthday parties, corporate events or any special occasion across the country. Dai Foods Pvt. Ltd. is headquartered in Mumbai.

The popularity of Italian food in India is now crossing the boundaries of the metropolis. It is slowly, but surely, making inroads into smaller towns and cities as well. But unfortunately, the diversity of Italian cuisines has not yet been properly explored and appreciated in India. Regional cuisines in Italy can be as diverse as that of India. However, this is not to say that things will always remain the same.

Chef Andrea Angeletti came to India to promote the food of the Marche region of Italy, one of the lesser known places of Italy in India, which has a rich culinary culture. The food in the Marche region of Italy is governed by the produce of the land. Chef Andrea first did a few promotional activities in Hyatt Mumbai and Hyatt Pune before reaching Hyatt Regency Delhi to carry on his promotional activities at the La Piazza restaurant of the hotel. The Marche region of Italy has both styles of bread – salted-and unsalted—and the local food, including the olive oil and meats, are of exceptional quality. A particular version of asparagus, which grows wild in the hills, is also quite a delicacy.

Full of praise for the local produce Chef Andrea said he rather liked the small Indian aubergines. He was happy to speak about all the styles of dessert preparations of the region. Watching him preparing an appetiser was like watching a maestro creating a piece of art.

Jivo Wellness, a wellness venture of Akal Information Systems Limited, has launched Jivo Canola Cooking Oil in India. Currently packed in 1 litre, 2 litre, and 5 litre bottles, the Jivo Canola Oil will soon be available in small pouches too.

Commenting on the market potential for canola oil in India, RPS Kohli, Director Jivo Wellness said, “At present the per capita consumption of edible oil in India is 11.5 kg/year, which is way below the world average of 18 kg/year. According to industry estimates, a 4 percent increase in per capita consumption and a population growth of 1.9 percent will lead to the demand of 21.3 million tonnes of edible oil by 2015, creating a significant market for brands like us”

Jivo Canola Oil is promoted as a healthy product as it is believed to be rich in omega-3: omega-6 ratio, which helps in lowering the risk to heart prone diseases along with reducing the risk to diseases like blood pressure and diabetes.

Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food, Government of Canada along with Robert Hunter, Vice-President (Communications), Canola Council of Canada also inaugurated the first ever canola oil plant in India.