Latest posts by Martin Moodie (see all)
- Mama don’t take my Toblerone (Dark) away - April 22, 2025
- Trail hiking and talking travel retail at the Hainan Expo - April 20, 2025
- From magical Mumbai through Colombo (though nearly Heathrow) to high octane Hainan - April 15, 2025
4 April
Namaste.
I’ve arrived in Mumbai for an eight-day business trip and what an amazingly warm welcome I received after touchdown at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, gateway to the city and Maharashtra state.
As I stepped off my Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong at around 1.30am, there were Nagesh from Ospree Duty Free and Royston from Travel Food Services to greet me.
First stop before Royston arranged for me to be whisked through immigration and customs faster than India cricket ace Jasprit Bumrah’s quickest ‘slingshot’ yorker was the Ospree Duty Free arrivals store. There, Assistant General Manager Vivek Singh was my expert guide as we toured this impressively expansive, well-ranged and nicely merchandised 24,000sq ft store.
Vivek told me he’s been reading The Moodie Davitt Report every day since he started in the business a decade or so ago, catching up with brand launches, product trends and, yes, my Blog, to aid his knowledge in serving Ospree’s shoppers, something he does so well.
That kind of feedback simply makes my day. Way back in 2002 when I launched what was then The Moodie Report, many people questioned my decision to make it subscription-free, arguing that it couldn’t succeed as a business.
However, thank my lucky stars, the premise of a ‘no padlocks, no password – fast, factual, free’ proposition meant that anyone from Brand Ambassador to CEO could access the site and to hear confirmation of that fact from Nagesh was encouraging vindication.
Arrivals duty free is big business in India, particularly for liquor which, dominated by Scotch whisky, accounts for around 65% of the mix.
Early morning is a busy period for arrivals and I watched on as plenty of passengers stopped to fulfil their two-litre liquor allowance.
Perennial favourites Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal continue to sell strongly but single malt whisky has surged in popularity within India, a dynamic reflected in an extensive and eclectic range.
After saying my fond farewells to the Ospree Duty Free team, and as Royston was leading me to the car TFS had kindly arranged to take me to the Trident Nariman Point hotel, I spotted a Mitti Café in the public space outside the terminal.
As I have written extensively before on this Blog and on our main website, Mitti Café is a remarkable social enterprise founded by the extraordinary Alina Alam. It is dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities by providing them with opportunities for economic independence and dignity.
The organisation (Mitti Social Services Foundation) creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities by training and hiring them in its cafés across airports and other public institutions. The first airport Mitti Café was opened at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, a breakthrough that has led to other airport openings, including Mumbai.
At The Moodie Davitt Report’s 2024 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards in Ontario, California Alina Alam and Bangalore International Airport Limited were awarded the FAB Humanitarian Award for their joint initiative. Alina Alam was also named one of The Moodie Davitt Report’s People of the Year for 2024.
I chatted with the team, congratulating them on what they and the organisation had achieved. As I said my goodbyes, one of the team, Vivek (pictured below), insisted I first stop for a hot Chai.
Tired after my long flight from Hong Kong and the lateness of the hour, it was the perfect pick-me up. Not that I needed it. As not for the first time, the Mitti Café team had made my spirits soar. ✈
