Why deny yourself life’s small pleasures?
We are yet to find a viable solution for Covid-19, but life must go on. In Sri Lanka, we saw the curfew being lifted throughout the island, allowing people to attempt to resume their normal lives. Precautions are still extremely necessary, and it must be stressed that social distancing is still the only way of prevention.
The pandemic caused widespread destruction to most economies around the world and businesses have suffered greatly, particularly those that do not fall under “essential services”. If offering a recreational service or a luxury item, i.e. not what one would consider a functional product, then you will experience difficulty in picking yourself up during these times.
These are the sentiments expressed by Barista General Manager Dilupa Pathirana, who shared that the café industry is feeling the adverse effects of this pandemic intensely.
Cafés are often seen as places for leisure, to spend time and relax with friends, often for a change of pace from a hectic work schedule – it is a “treat yourself” environment and in a world where you are especially advised against social interaction, places like coffee shops and cafés stand redundant and at a loss.
Coffee in particular in Sri Lanka had just only taken off; nearly everyone was a fan of fancy, frothy coffee but how often were you drinking professionally brewed coffee, and do you really care about the quality of your brew? The fact of the matter is there’s very few habitual coffee drinkers or self-proclaimed connoisseurs in Sri Lanka, and if you are not a habitual consumer, then it is less likely that you would consider coffee an “essential” item.
However, according to Dilupa, there are many who truly care about the quality of their brew and genuinely wish to have a well-made cup of coffee without the hassle of having to resort to drinking liquid sludge they make themselves. But the issue remained that the price point of café coffee was quite exorbitant, and Dilupa provided the perfect self-aware reasoning for this, sharing that when one comes to a café to enjoy a cup of coffee, they are not only being charged for their drink, but also for the fantastic service they will receive – the air-conditioned digs, the ambient space, and ease of access to outlets and internet for your electronics, allowing you a conformable space to socialise.
Considering the current situation, such amenities are no longer on offer. So then what is the solution and how does one get their coffee fix? Barista had the solution figured out for quite some time, even before the pandemic hit. One of their fastest-moving, most popular items, the “piccolo” coffee, is the ideal solution.
Piccolo is essentially your standard coffee order form Barista, without the charge for the in-house amenities, allowing you a highly reasonably priced cup of fantastic coffee delivered to your doorstep. The service which was at first only available exclusively on Uber Eats is now available on all other food delivery services and Barista themselves have adopted their own delivery service, for your convenience.
Additionally, Barista is already making plans to adapt by providing their customers the best possible options, including their coffee subscription plan which will soon be available, and the Barista mobile coffee truck which was an absolute wonder during the first few days of the pandemic, when they distributed free coffee for everyone at IDH (Infectious Diseases Hospital) and proceeded to set up at various apartment complexes to give people the opportunity to purchase coffee during these bleak times.
As a market leader when it comes to coffee, Barista has assumed the responsibility of taking the lead, and they have even opened up their outlets for food pickup, even in person if you wish; this is a preferred method by many as they are then allowed the opportunity to see how the operations are handled and the detailed care that is taken to ensuring food safety and also the extensive sanitation precautions taken at the outlets.
According to Dilupa, Barista has spared no expense when it comes to sanitation following not only the Government’s guidelines but also guidelines released by WHO (World Health Organisation) for cafés and restaurants. They have taken utmost care not only to ensure the safety of their customers but also their own work staff who are at risk of exposure.
Taking into consideration the extent to which Barista has gone to ensure the safety of their staff and customers, and also towards reducing risks, most others would do well to follow through with their example. This can spell good news to many, even during these times when things may appear bleak, as you are allowed to treat yourself and there is no reason to deny yourself those small pleasures you once enjoyed.
