Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd, a 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages, with over 70 Starbucks stores in India announced that it has initiated the suspension of applicable ingredients from certain products served in its stores as directed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
In a message addressed to customers, Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd, said “Tata Starbucks is diligently working with the FSSAI to provide technical information relating to our pending ingredient applications that they have requested. In line with the FSSAI guidelines, while we finalize the documentation necessary to complete these applications, we have initiated the suspension of applicable ingredients from certain products served in our stores.”
She further said, “We have initiated our plans for using other FSSAI-approved ingredients that meet Starbucks global standards and enable us to continue offering our range of beverages. These actions ensure that you can continue enjoying the unique Starbucks Experience without disruption. All of our stores are open for business as usual. It is important for me to emphasize that all of the imported globally standardized ingredients we serve in India, including those we are suspending, are safe and meet the safety standards in over 65 countries where Starbucks operates.”
The company noted that all the imported ingredients received the then applicable product testing and safety authorizations when they were imported into India. As a premium global retailer, Starbucks says it has the highest standards for the safety and quality of the beverages and food and is committed to complying with the regulations in every market it operates in.
It may be recalled that FSSAI has rejected, over 30 applications on April 29, submitted by Tata Starbucks for product approvals in third quarter of October – December 2014. The regulatory authority has rejected most of its applications for products ranging from sauce to syrup and coffee to tea. Some of its rejected applications were related to Panna Cotta Pudding, Dark Caramal Sauce with Natural Flavour, International Chocolate Drink Mix, Bar Vanilla Powder N & A, Chestnut Flavoured Syrup, Coffee Frappuccino Flavoured Syrup, Vanilla Flavoured Syrup, Sugar Free Vanilla Flavoured Syrup, Classic Chai Highly Concentrated Spiced Black Tea, Hazelnut Flavoured Syrup, Cream Frappuccino Flavoured Syrup.
Besides Tata Starbucks, FSSAI has rejected applications from other leading companies in the last few months such as Maxcure Nutravedics, Richfeel Health & Beauty, Dukes Consumer Care, Hexagon Nutrition, Soubagya Confectionary, Tirupati Lifesciences, Boost Bioactive, British Biologicals, Oilve Softgel, Providian Nutraceuticals, Siberian Health International, Elnova Pharma, Field Fresh Foods, Forever Living Imports (India) and Geltec to name a few.