Recently, the famous Indian ‘filter coffee’ secured second position in the esteemed ‘Top 38 Coffees In The World’ list released by TasteAtlas, a popular food and travel guide platform. The list is topped by ‘Cuban espresso’ followed by ‘South Indian coffee’ in the second position apart from Espresso freddo (Greece), Freddo cappuccino (Greece), Cappuccino (Italy), Turkish Coffee (Turkiye), Ristretto (Italy), Frappe (Greece), Eiskaffee (Germany), Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Vietnam) are part of top 10 achievers.
As per Statista research, between 2023 and 2024, coffee consumption in India amounted to over one million bags, each weighing 60 kg. On a global scale, coffee consumption for the same period was over 167 million 60-kg bags. The European Union and the United States are the largest consumers, contributing significantly to this volume.
India’s coffee production has been on the rise, with an estimated output of over 393 thousand metric tonne in the fiscal year 2023. This growth was driven by states of Karnataka and Kerala, which account for around 90% coffee produced in India. The third highest coffee-producing state is Tamil Nadu which accounts for 5% of the total coffee produced in India. Coffee is also grown in northeast India, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh too. The Indian coffee landscape is dominated by robusta beans, while Arabica coffee is known for its mild brews.
Araku coffee, a brand known for speciality ‘single origin’ coffee, which takes its name from a nature reserve located in high plateaus of the eastern Ghats in India, is known for its unique aromatic profile combining sweetness, balance and fruity notes, making it an exceptional pure Arabica coffee. In fact, the journey of the Araku coffee cultivated by the tribal communities in Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh has also been lauded by top UN leaders, recognising their trailblazing role in spurring an agricultural, economic, and social revolution through coffee cultivation. Globally, the brand’s impact on the lives of the women and the impactful role of women in sustainable farming practices through the story of the ‘seed-to-cup’ journey of Araku coffee is worth mentioning. At the recently held UN event, the UN deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed talked about the link between women and sustainable farming practices in India. “I would like to commend the Indian government for its leadership and its commitment to advancing the food systems conservation agenda at the country level,” Mohammed said.
However, the entry of coffee chains like Nescafe, Tata Starbucks, Pret A Manger, and Tim Hortons have changed the game of coffee in the Indian market, while the new-age Indian brands like Blue Tokai, Roastery, Bili Hu, Sleepy Owl, Third Wave Coffee, Beanly, The Simple Brew, 93 degrees coffee roasters and others have been betting big on the versatility of coffee, either selling their coffee concentrates that can be blended into lattes and made into coffee-infused cakes or flavourful, instant and premium versions of the beverage.
Vending machine and café operator Roastea, for instance, offers some innovative blends like caramel, chocolate orange, and espresso. “We plan to modify the daily coffee experience by combining old-world methods with cutting-edge techniques in every cup. The range includes caramel, espresso and vanilla super power instant coffee and others,” adds Chaitanya Bhamidipaty, co-founder, Roastea. With a more globally connected world, the popularity of coffee culture has accelerated, agrees Apoorv Agarwal, founder of coffee concentrate brand, The Simple Brew, “The market will now expand with the advent of specialty robusta cafes in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.”
