MUMBAI: Coca-Cola University (CCU), which runs skill training programs for traditional trade (kirana store) retailers, plans to train 350,000 people by December 2017 in grocery and convenience store retailing and food services.
The training module will be a mix of classroom training and in the CCU 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. The training module has been designed by CCU based on two key insights__lack of hygiene and the importance of good customer service. CCU certified trainers will conduct three hour long trainings through presentations, live-examples as well as through videos, in regional languages.
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 $45 billion market by 2021. This segment is expected to provide direct employment to 50% of the projected workforce of 8.7 million people by 2021.
Sameer Wadhawan, VP, HR and services, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said, “Other than through Parivartan, we are also partners in programmes that are training people with disabilities, in programmes 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.”