Skills sessions will include retail training to kirana store operators and quality & services training to food service outlet operators

Mumbai, September 22, 2016: Coca-Cola University, which runs skill training programs for traditional trade (kirana store) retailers, today announced that it aims to train 350,000 people by December 2017 in the areas of grocery and convenience store retailing and in food services. The training module will be a mix of classroom training and in the Coca-Cola University bus called “Coca-Cola University on Wheels”.

While CCU has been training kirana retailers under its “Parivartan” program for the last 8 years, the module on quality and food services is being launched this year. Called “Parivartan E&D”, the training module has been designed by Coca-Cola University based on two key insights (1) lack of hygiene and (2) the importance of good customer service, as the most important parameters while choosing an eating-out option by customers, who are on- the- go.

The training module will focus on the owners and employers at dhabas and other small food service outlets and street food vendors, mostly in the unorganized sector. According to the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) projections, the unorganized segment within the food services industry is expected to be a USD 45 BN market by 2021. This segment is expected to provide direct employment to 50% of the projected workforce of 8.7 million people by 2021.

The training and up-skilling of 3,50,000 people by Coca-Cola University will aid the Government’s Skill India program, which aims at capacity building for employability.

Announcing this at the India Retail Forum 2016 event, Mr. Sameer Wadhawan, Vice President, HR and Services, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said, “We recognize the govt’s vision that if we have to promote the development of our country, then our mission has to be skill development and skilled India. The Coca-Cola system in India has already taken several steps towards skill enhancement, both in the social as well as sporting arenas. Other than through Parivartan, we are also partners in programs that are training People with Disabilities (PwDs), in programs that are training farmers in sustainable and efficient agriculture practices etc. We share India’s urgency on skill training and want to do more than our fair share towards this goal.”

 

The 5 pillars of Parivartan E&D

Coca-Cola University certified trainers will conduct three hour long trainings through presentations, live-examples as well as through videos, in regional languages. They will focus on:

  1. Food quality and Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment for consumers to enjoy their meal. E.g. closed drains, to dustbins, to washing dishes with soap, to wearing proper uniforms and gloves while making food.
  2. Clean atmosphere: Creating a welcoming and clean environment to attract consumers. E.g. neat sign boards, to proper and separate toilets for ladies and gentleman, to adequate lighting and friendly staff etc.
  3. Customer Satisfaction: Pay attention to what the customer wants and do something extra. E.g. Mobile charging facility, eating room for drivers, proper menu boards, range of food beverages, clean drinking water facilities
  4. Customization of Food: Catering to specific needs of customers in terms of food preparations: E.g. the spice and taste of the food, the quality and temperature etc.
  5. Customer Interaction: Taking care of customers so they become repeat customers. E.g. ask for feedback, do not play loud music, tell them about new combos or special offers available etc.

 

Details on Parivartan – the Retailer Training Porgram

“Parivartan” – the retailer training program of Coca-Cola University has trained more than 3 lac retailers. This unique retail training program equips “mom-and-pop” shop owners in tier II and III towns across India with the skills, tools and techniques required to succeed in India’s evolving retail landscape. The course content of this training program includes four component of retailing strategy: Customer, Retail Store, stock at shelf and Finance. Apart from classroom training, this training module is also delivered through customized learning bus- Coca-Cola University on Wheels, which travel through the remote areas where classroom facilities are not available. Trainers use multimedia tools including videos, leaflets and presentations to conduct the three hour long session. Training is offered in 6 regional languages through trainers certified by Coca-Cola University.

Parivartan is open to all retailers and not only retailers who stock Coca-Cola products. The program has reached out to retailers in more than 5,500 cities across India.

Over the years the Company has innovated the program to impact greater number of retailers and different channels. It also launched a first of its kind training delivery innovation; Parivartan on IVR (Interactive Voice Response). Using this platform any retailer could dial into a toll- free number to take Parivartan lessons from the comfort of his/her home.

 

About Coca-Cola India

Coca-Cola India is one of the country’s leading beverage companies, offering a range of healthy, safe, high quality, refreshing beverage options to consumers. Since its re-entry in 1993, the company has been refreshing consumers with its beverage products – Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Fanta, Fanta Green Mango, Limca, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Maaza, VIO flavoured milk ‘Almond Delight’ and ‘Kesar Delight’, Minute Maid range of juices, FUZE Iced tea, Georgia and Georgia gold range of hot and cold tea and coffee options, Schweppes, Kinley and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. The Company along with its bottling partners, through a strong network of over 2.6 million retail outlets, touches the lives of millions of consumers, at a rate of more than 500 servings per second. Its brands are some of the most preferred and most sold beverages in the country – Thums Up and Sprite – being the top two selling sparkling beverages.

The Coca-Cola India system provides direct employment to 25,000 people and indirect employment to more than 150,000 people. The Coca-Cola system in India is contributing in its own small way to building sustainable communities through community initiatives like Support My School, VEER, Parivartan and Unnati and by reducing its own environmental footprint. For further information on the company’s India operations and its products, please visit: www.coca-colaindia.com. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/CocaCola_Ind, or on facebook.