RCB's parent company Diageo India steps up to revive the hospitality industry
To revive the restaurant and pub industry, which has been severely hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Diageo India, the parent company of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, has announced an INR 75-crore programme, 'Raising the Bar' to support bars, pubs, and restaurants serving alcohol. The programme will help the industry welcome customers back and recover following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two-year programme will support the revival and recovery of qualifying bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol across major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru among others.
The Raising the Bar programme was designed following a global survey of bar owners to identify key priorities to support reopening.
Their top priorities included hygiene measures, digital support and practical equipment and training to transform how their outlets will work when they reopen.
The Raising the Bar programme will provide targeted non-cash support including physical equipment needed for outlets to re-open like 'hygiene kits' with high-quality permanent sanitiser dispensers, medical grade hand sanitiser and a range of personal protection equipment (such as masks and gloves); help to bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol to establish partnerships with online reservations and cashless systems; mobile bars and outdoor equipment.
The Raising the Bar programme will provide targeted non-cash support including physical equipment needed for outlets to re-open like 'hygiene kits' with high-quality permanent sanitiser dispensers, medical grade hand sanitiser and a range of personal protection equipment (such as masks and gloves); help to bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol to establish partnerships with online reservations and cashless systems; mobile bars and outdoor equipment.
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Anand Kripalu, Managing Director & CEO, Diageo India said, “The Indian Hospitality and F&B industry has witnessed unprecedented loss of revenues. This has impacted many start-ups and MSMEs as well as the livelihood of millions of people. Pubs, Bars and Restaurants are an integral part of our communities, bringing people together to socialise and celebrate - something we have all missed during the lockdown.
“Diageo has always had strong linkages with the Hospitality and F&B industry, jointly curating unique experiences for consumers. The revival of this sector is vital to the economy and to the success of our business. ‘’Raising the Bar’’ is our commitment to qualifying Pubs, Bars & Restaurants that serve alcohol. This support extends to providing enhanced safety measures when they resume operations so that their business and employment can revive, enabling our consumers to feel confident once again to socialise and lead normal lives,” added Mr. Kripalu.
The programme, which will be led by locally blended scotch whisky Black Dog in India is a part of the USD 100 million commitment by Diageo, benefitting global cities like New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Sydney.
Earlier, in the month of April, Diageo India, through its 15 manufacturing units across the country had produced sanitiser packs to help the government and hospitality industry at the time of crisis.
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