Diageo India on Wednesday said it has earmarked ₹75 crore under its programme ‘Raising the Bar’, to support bars, pubs and restaurants and help them recover faster from the hit their business has taken from the lockdown.

A company statement said the new initiative will be a two-year programme to support the revival and recovery of qualifying bars, pubs and restaurants serving alcohol across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities.

Diageo designed the Raising the Bar programme 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, it said.

Non-cash support

The 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 sanitisers 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; and mobile bars and outdoor equipment.

Bar owners will receive regular updates on best practice training and resources and be able to participate in global surveys to share insights, as they build back their businesses. “The Indian hospitality and F&B industry have witnessed an 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,” said Anand Kripalu, MD and CEO, Diageo India.

Diageo India’s initiative is part of the $100-million commitment by Diageo, benefiting global cities like New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Sydney. “In India, the programme will be owned and led by Black Dog, our locally blended iconic scotch whisky,” Kripalu said.

According to a recent Pahle India Foundation report, the Indian restaurant industry is the third-largest in the service segment, contributing over 2.1 per cent to the GDP. The industry valued at $426 million is projected to grow at a 10 per cent CAGR to $710 million by 2021.

Furthermore, it contributes almost $340 million to the government exchequer and employs 7.2 million people, the statement said.

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