Tata Starbucks has suspended the use of ingredients which are not approved by food regulator FSSAI in certain products served at its India outlets. Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd, is a joint venture of Tata Global Beverages Ltd and Starbucks Coffee Co, said that it is “diligently working with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to provide the technical information relating to our pending ingredient applications that they have requested”. “In line with the FSSAI guidelines, while we finalise the documentation necessary to complete these applications, Tata Starbucks has initiated the suspension of applicable ingredients from certain products served in our India stores,” the company said.

“These actions ensure that we are able to continue delivering the unique Starbucks Experience to our customers without disruption,” it said. “All of these imported ingredients received the then applicable product testing and safety authorisation when they were imported into India,” the statement said.

Starbucks said, that it has “the highest standards for the safety and quality of the beverages and food” offered to customers. “We are committed to complying with the regulations in every market we operate in.” Starbucks maintained that all the imported ingredients used by it, including the ones it has suspended, were “safe and meet the safety standards in over 65 countries where Starbucks operates.” It said that it will use other FSSAI approved ingredients that meet the Starbucks global standards, so as to enable it to continue offering its range of beverages.

This step has been taken by Starbuck after the controversy of Nestle’s Maggi controversy broke out. This is a welcome step by the company to not get into any controversy regarding the ingredients used by them which are imported.

By Premji