Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 02, 2005
Online edition of India's National Newspaper Friday, Sep 02, 2005 |
| Andhra Pradesh |
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Andhra Pradesh
-
Hyderabad
Staff Reporter
PROUD MOMENT: Gandra Praveen Rao displays the certificate issued by the International Standard Certification Body in Sydney.
HYDERABAD: Crossing boundaries using taste as the medium. That's what city-based corporate caterer Gandra Praveen Rao is doing. And 16 years after he started off with a small canteen on the Andhra Pradesh High Court premises, the recognitions have started coming in. Mr. Rao's Ultimate Hospitality Services Private Limited has become one of the first catering companies in the country to be accredited with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification, accorded to companies in the food industry by the International Standard Certifications body in Sydney. Ultimate is the second organisation in Hyderabad to get the HACCP certification. The three Taj Hotels here were the first.
Serving 10,000 people
Ultimate, which serves meals to 10,000 people from over 20 corporate clients including Dr. MCR HRD Institute, Indian Airlines, Nuclear Fuel Complex, GE Capital, DRL, Dell and other software firms every day, was awarded the certification after detailed scrutiny and strict auditing procedure of its food chain, Mr. Rao told reporters here on Thursday. "Food safety and taste, of course, has helped us in gaining the confidence of our clients," he says.
Small beginning
Mr. Rao, who began as a clerk to a High Court advocate in 1987 later acquired a law degree but left practice to jump into the catering business with a small canteen on the High Court premises. His decision has now placed him high on the list of over 3,000 caterers in the city, where the catering industry is estimated to be worth Rs. 500 crore, according to Mr. Rao.
Expansion plans
"Outdoor catering is growing at a rate of 40 per cent and corporate catering at a whopping 300 per cent. My annual turnover in the last financial year was Rs. 8 crores," he says, adding that he has plans to start branches in Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore and Chennai apart from foraying into the Railways and in-flight catering sectors. Rao's chefs whip up delicacies ranging from South Indian menus, typical Hyderabadi dishes to Andhra, Continental and even Mexican cuisines. While a vegetarian meal, in a bulk order, costs Rs. 35 per plate, the non-vegetarian variety comes at Rs. 60 per plate.
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2005, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
