Calcutta, July 2: Black Canyon (Thailand) Co Ltd, the largest coffee chain in Thailand with 160 shops, is planning to open its first India outlet in Mumbai by the year-end.

Black Canyon outlets offer a combination of premium Thai coffee and Thai cuisine.

“We are looking at opening our first outlet by the year-end in Mumbai. Our outlets, spread across 150 to 200 sq metres, require an average investment of Rs 1 crore per shop. We have had discussions with interested parties in New Delhi and Mumbai, but are yet to decide whether we will opt for a joint venture relationship or adopt a master franchisee model,” said Pravit Chitnarapong, president and CEO, Black Canyon (Thailand).

The coffee chain, which serves more than a million cups a year in Thailand, is keen on buying coffee from India. It also wants to support Indian companies in exporting coffee to Thailand.

The $30-million coffee major now imports 45 per cent of its requirement.

Black Canyon’s entry indicates the heightened interest in India among global coffee chains. America’s Starbucks will set up shop, while Italy’s Lavazza has acquired Barista.

Tata Coffee has bought out Eight ’Clock Coffee, the third largest player in the US.

Chitnarapong said the company was interested in including Indian cuisine on its menu at its outlets.

Besides the 160 outlets in Thailand, the company has 25 in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Dubai. The first outlet outside Thailand was in Singapore.

The company also runs a chain of upscale restaurants called Café Nero.

“The Indian coffee market is still at a relatively nascent stage but looks promising with Barista and Café Coffee Day doing so well. We believe we could add value to the Indian market by introducing Thai coffee coupled with the popular Thai cuisine,” Chitnarapong said.

Around 55 per cent of the coffee used by the company is grown in northern Thailand.

In 2002, under the Thai government’s small and medium enterprises venture capital fund scheme, the company received $425,000.

Besides the outlets, Black Canyon also has other formats. This includes coffee corners, kiosks and carts. It also operates out of locations such as petrol pumps and airports.