Chennai-headquartered TI Absolute Concepts Pvt Ltd, credited for introducing Ciclo Café – the country’s first cycle café for cycling enthusiasts in Chennai two years ago – is planning to ramp up its footprint to 15 cafes in the next three years.
The company, a 50:50 joint venture between Tube Investments and Absolute Speciality Foods, opened its second café in Hyderabad last December, and the third one in Gurugram in March this year, followed by its fourth café in Bengaluru last month.
In addition to the global cuisine it serves, the café also provides sales and service of premium bicycle brands such as Cannondale, Montra, Mongoose, Bianchi, GT, Ridley, Schwinn, Dahon, along with cycling accessories, merchandise and in-store expert advice on cycling and rentals.
Regular rides and tours are also organised by the café, which promotes a lifestyle centred around cycling.
“We have invested ₹24 crore in the first four cafes and will invest around ₹35 crore in 11 more over the next three years, which will open in Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune and New Bombay,” said Ashish R Thadani, CEO, TI Absolute Concepts Pvt Ltd.
Additional features Pointing out that the Chennai, Hyderabad and Gurugram cafes have grown into hubs for cycling and sports enthusiasts, Thadani said: “Unlike cycle cafes which are popular in Europe where the food and beverages served is an extension of the cycle cafe with limited fare, in India, F&B contributes to 80 per cent of the café’s revenue and 20 per cent is from the sale of premium cycles priced above ₹14,000 up to a couple of lakhs.”
Except for the Chennai café, all the other Ciclo Cafes sell liquor. Food includes salads, sandwiches, wraps, pastas, risottos, burgers, pizzas and desserts, and a meal for two costs ₹1,500. Asked about same-store sales of its Chennai café, Thadani said: “Within the first few months of opening, we have been receiving 6,000 to 7,000 footfalls a month in Chennai, which is a 70-seater café spanning 3,000 square feet. We expect our other cafes to do equally well.”