Q] After McDonald’s and Haldiram’s, Starbucks decided to join the protein bandwagon. Will this give coffee a facelift at a time when everybody is talking about the ill-effects of drinking too much coffee?
Mitali: Unlike ineffective New Year’s resolutions, we think consumers today are more invested in rituals, much like drinking Starbucks’ coffee. With the addition of protein by SuperYou, we are levelling up that everyday cup of coffee and elevating their experience.
Q] But there is this perception that plant protein has this chalky texture and taste, how are you ensuring the taste of the coffee doesn’t get compromised?
Aditi: ‘Taste’ is an important filter for us in our product development stage. Overall, we have the kind of protein that’s the best of both worlds, plant and whey, making it gut friendly and light, using bio-fermentation. The idea is to take away any drawbacks while adding it in a cup of coffee —like chalky, grainy taste or the fact that some of it could float on top. Fermented yeast protein brings all of that together.
Mitali: A ‘Venti’ provides 16-18 gms of protein, while a ‘Tall’ cup of iced coffee has around 11-13 gms of protein. It’s a protein foam in three different flavours that you can add to any iced or cold beverage of your choice, that way you don’t necessarily have to stick to the three beverages we have developed to launch it.
Q] How did this collaboration come about, who approached whom?
Aditi: It is a product of a six-month long conversation where we evaluated the fit between Starbucks and SuperYou, and interestingly both the brand philosophies aligned really well. We are here to make protein accessible for everybody and that only happens when you cater to a larger belly of the market through formats that are tasty. There was a lot of R&D and product testing as it is a big collaboration for us. Also, protein is the current mainstream obsession and when we combined that with the legacy, scale and trust of Starbucks, it helped us unlock more vehicles to take protein everywhere.
Q] But why did Starbucks choose to go with a partnership model in India to launch the protein offering and how different is your protein offering from the one you have in the US and Canada?
Mitali: Yes, you’re right. Protein is a global topic and we wanted to make sure Indians have access to it without really changing the taste of that cup of coffee, because consumers here want taste first even if they have chosen that healthier alternative. And SuperYou protein is not just tasty but also easy to digest as it is yeast based and gut friendly. Thus, it fit well with our range of products.
Q] Not too long ago, an Indian find, Turmeric Latte found a place on the global menu of Starbucks. Which of the three flavours that you have introduced now has the potential to go global?
Mitali: The meticulously brewed Starbucks cold brew is not just an Indian favourite but loved globally too. It is a product that resonates with the younger coffee forward consumer. Adding a very tasty protein foam which is not just health forward but also taste forward, could work well in the US market and elsewhere too. Also, we see many consumers still trying Frappuccino and Iced Latte as their first drink at Starbucks, which is an opportunity for us, because we can get them to pick up their familiar drink with the protein fortification.
Q] How are you promoting these three flavours, which mediums are you targeting?
Mitali: So, we’ve really been focusing on making people try the product, because everybody, not just gym-goers, need protein. They’d know it is good for them when they experience it. Besides that, we have larger out-of-store marketing, digital ads etc.
Aditi: Our attempt has been to do everything culture first. People who are active; gym-goers who follow 20 trainers, those who are into running, playing pickleball etc are the ones who are reaching out for this drink.
Q] Recently, we have seen an explosion in coffee chain business, while Starbucks is the largest player in the space, its growth has slowed down to a 5%, even as competitors like Blue Tokai and Third Wave Coffee are growing aggressively, what is the recipe for a bumper growth in this market?
More and more Indian consumers are consuming specialty coffee so I believe there is space for everyone in the market. Yes, competition has grown and it gives a chance for consumers to experience something new. But Starbucks has been in India for about 14 years now with 500 plus stores, we are the largest organised coffee chain in the country which has served specialty coffee since its inception. So, millions of consumers love our brand and our ambition is only to keep that culture growing.
Q] But are you looking at an aggressive expansion, for e.g., Starbucks launched in the Chinese market 25 years ago and has 8000 stores, in comparison to India where you launched 14 years ago and yet just have 500 stores.
Mitali: We are in the phase of expansion, but this is a thoughtful expansion. We are growing and want to continue to grow profitably. So, we will open as many number of stores in the coming years as will allow us to serve the consumers their favourite cup of coffee while continuing to grow profitably.
Q] On the other hand, SuperYou is about a year old and has already crossed Rs 100 crores in revenue. What are the factors that have helped you?
Aditi: There is now a big mainstream conversation happening on protein. The idea is to become that default option which you need not think about much, and where it is not a burden on your everyday lifestyle. We don’t want the consumers to compromise on flavour, taste or anything else that may be important to them. That’s the only way to slide into someone’s life. SuperYou has a very larger than life visual identity which is all about bringing joy, delight and lightness through protein. Both of our co-founders are fully immersed in every aspect of the business — from packaging to tasting to launching new products. Ranveer Singh is also the face of the brand. All of these differentiators build into the product and lend into our everyday expression of the brand itself. It all lands differently versus the category that we’re placed in.
