16 November,2024 11:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
New-age cafes like Bombay Island Coffee are now working with a deeper understanding of roasting to bring out the natural sugars in coffee beans, which can add layers of flavour. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The humble filter coffee or kaapi was recently adjudged the second best brew by TasteAtlas, an online travel guide. Positioned between Greece's Espresso Freddo and Cuba's Café Cubano, this beloved South Indian coffee is brewed through a two-chambered filter: the upper chamber holds finely ground coffee; the lower chamber catches the steadily dripping, rich brew. No electricity needed, just the natural pull of gravity. The result is a robust, full-bodied coffee, often combined with milk and sugar, served traditionally in a tumbler and saucer (davara). To achieve its signature froth, the mixture of coffee and milk is poured back and forth between vessels, aerating it.
While chicory, a root, was initially added to stretch coffee supplies, it became an essential part of the flavour profile, lending a woody caramel note that set filter coffee apart from intense, espresso-style brews. Freshly roasted coffee beans unlock a symphony of flavours through the Maillard reaction, releasing over 800 flavour molecules - from nutty pyrazines to fruity aldehydes and rich, caramel-like ketones. Unlike modern brewing techniques such as pour-overs, the filter method preserves these complex flavours and oils to present an unmatched depth of taste.
Nandan Coffee's new flagship outlet isn't just a café but an experience centre that celebrates three generations of the brand's coffee-brewing heritage, sustainable farming, and artisanal craftsmanship, sourced from their estate in Kodaikanal
Traditional filter coffee reigns are deeply embedded in southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Instant coffee is prized for convenience and the fast-paced urban lifestyle in the northern states. According to the Coffee Consumption Trends in India report, India's coffee consumption reached 91,000 tonnes of green bean equivalent (GBE) in 2023, up from 84,000 tonnes in 2012. This was driven by increased home use, rising instant coffee popularity, and a boom in café culture. Analysts predict a boom in demand will double by 2027, spurred by evolving consumer tastes and lifestyle shifts.
Cafe menus have gone beyond cappuccionos and lattes, with options like peach coffee spritzers (right) Turkish coffee brewed on hot sand, at Bombay Island Coffee
The nation's coffee history runs deep - the beverage arrived long before tea. Tea gained widespread popularity when the colonising British sought to reduce their reliance on tea imports from China. Them trading opium for the leaf was pivotal in tea's dominance over the Indian market.
Binny Varghese, fondly called Barista on a Bike and founder of Barista Training Academy in New Delhi, highlights an intriguing paradox: "India produces some of the best teas in the world, yet most of the premium varieties are exported." This stems from the development of the industry under colonial rule, which prioritised mass production over quality. Tea dust - small, broken bits of tea leaves mixed with milk and sugar - becoming the ubiquitous chai served at railway stations. High-quality teas, such as those from Assam, were exported.
Yahvi Mariwala with her parents, Farida and Shyam. Pic/Anurag Ahire
A similar trajectory can be traced for coffee. By the early 20th century, large-scale coffee bean cultivation, flourished in Coorg and Chikkamagaluru, driven by the Brahmin community, which championed filter coffee as a cultural staple.
Until 1992, coffee was a centralised commodity with limited access. Plantation workers often collected leftover coffee beans - discarded seeds and skins - and roasted them at home, using ghee to enhance the flavour. Cardamom and cloves created a unique regional twist in regions like Kerala and Karnataka. This grassroots approach gradually laid the groundwork for India's burgeoning coffee culture.
Coffee farmers in Nagaland, many new to coffee cultivation, are learning experimental techniques such as anaerobic and carbonic maceration
The rise of chains such as Barista and Starbucks, and homegrown specialty brands such as Blue Tokai, Nandan Coffee, and Bombay Island among others have popularised espresso-based drinks in urban centres, attracting younger, affluent audiences. From coffee tours to sampling sessions to making your own brew while offering product innovation, brands are crafting experiences to make coffee a cool drink.
Rupal Jain, Founder, Bombay Island Coffee says, "India's coffee culture is on the cusp of transformation, following the path of other nations where economic growth has shifted preferences from tea to coffee. As disposable incomes rise, coffee is becoming a lifestyle choice, influenced by the appeal of café culture.
Unlike tea, which remains a domestic tradition, coffee is associated with socialising, relaxation, and modernity. Coffee is an aspirational symbol in urban spaces, reflecting a broader societal shift towards premium, experience-driven consumption. Tea remains a quiet, home-based ritual."
Pranathi Shetty's Kollibyle Estate in the Western Ghats is entirely run by women
This trend is expected to intensify as India moves closer to becoming a developed economy. South Korea, Singapore, and China, once known for their tea-drinking cultures, have all undergone similar transitions, with coffee emerging as the drink of everyday life and a symbol of affluence. "In South Korea," Jain notes, "Starbucks has the second-highest footfall of any location globally."
Coffee entrepreneurs have noticed an untapped potential in the Indian market - where the typical coffee is over-roasted or lacks the subtle sweetness of specialty ones. Jain admits, "Inspired by trends set by Blue Tokai and KC Roasters, we've developed a deeper understanding of roasting to bring out the natural sugars in coffee beans, which can add layers of flavour and reduce the need for added sweetness."
Coffee grower at Kigwema village, Kohima, Nagaland
Her entrepreneurial journey, alongside husband Vineeth, is rooted in a desire to reshape the Indian coffee landscape. With a background in finance, in 2016, the founders delved into learning everything about coffee, from farming to brewing, with local and international training. Their insights led to the realisation that India has the potential to produce exceptional coffee, but the local market was missing quality beans. This gap led to investing in a roastery, right inside their cafe in Vikhroli.
On soil, more farmers are becoming conscious of how beans are grown and processed. New techniques such as fermentation and whiskey barrel ageing are enlisted developing unique flavour profiles that were previously exported. Coffee-growing regions are beginning to offer more specialised beans for a refined, global palate. Bean prices are at an all-time high, with Robusta, in particular, reaching a record high of Rs 4 lakh metric tonne on the London-based ICE Futures Europe market.
Pranithi Shetty, Rupal Jain and Lichan Humtsoe
However, climate change and unpredictable weather impact production, especially for the Arabica variant of coffee, which has seen significantly lower yields this season. In contrast, Robusta has fared better due to improved irrigation practices, says Pranathi Shetty, who left her corporate job in Mumbai to run her family's Kollibyle Estate, a women-run coffee venture in Mudigere, Karnataka. For over 70 years, the estate has focused on sustainability. While coffee cultivation remains largely manual, recent innovations in post-harvest processes, like colour sorting and new machinery, are being introduced. The terrain of regions like Chikkamagaluru limits automation, but estate management tools such as operational apps streamline day-to-day tasks.
Shetty says, "Climate change is driving experimentation in previously unsuitable areas for coffee cultivation, such as the Northeast of India. While this presents new opportunities, it doesn't threaten traditional regions such as Chikkamagaluru, where local consumption steadily increases."
Rajasthan has an emerging coffee culture boosted by foreign tourists. "Jaipur was one of the first cities to house a roaster inside a café back in 2014 or 2015 when Neeraj Sheoran, founder of Curious Life Coffee Roasters, pioneered this," says Varghese. "They have two large stores today, and initially attracted many foreigners who stayed in Rajasthan for longer periods. Now, new modern cafés open every month."
Some cafes also offer international coffees, which bear high import taxes. "There's a hefty 105 to 110 per cent tax on imported green coffee," says Verghese. "There's an extensive coffee scene across the capital and the NCR region. Competition is fierce, and the price coffee rises as new players enter the market. Punjab, too, has a vibrant coffee scene, especially Chandigarh and Amritsar. Punjab has two noteworthy roasters - Double Shot coffee roasters and Bloom Coffee roasters - that have revolutionised the regions coffee culture.
Varghese explains that Punjab likes its cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites served at much higher temperatures. But in Amritsar, Double shot café has trained patrons to appreciate the right temperature for these drinks, which has had an enormous impact. "It's quite a sight," he says, "this café is a three-story building, and they were one of the few places in India where coffee sales outpaced food sales. Typically, good coffee shops also offer an extensive food menu, which can be both costly and a logistical challenge. However, this café thrives by focusing purely on coffee, a rarity in India, where we often expect coffee to be accompanied by pastries or meals."
In Jalandhar, new generation cafés like Buland, Zoka, and Wht Blk are a part of a broader wave of establishments - cultivating a passionate coffee community in Punjab. In Surat, coffee is an alternative to alcohol in a dry state. Amit Patel's KOKORO hosts home-brewing workshops and nurtures a local network of enthusiasts. His new venture, KOKORO School, launched with the Coffee Board of India, teaches brewing and soft skills.
Gone are the days when the Indian customer was happy with just instant coffee or cappuccino. The modern drinker now prefers specialty coffee that's been roasted to perfect the flavour profile and painstakingly brewed in a myriad of methods by baristas
Closer to home, in Mumbai, where third generation coffeepreuneur Yahvi Mariwala opened the famed Nandan Coffee at Kala Ghoda in October was clear of what she wanted to offer. "Coffee language can be intimidating - so we wanted to keep it jargon-free and very straightforward so that more people can appreciate the coffee experience at a seat by the window or at the Create Your Own Coffee station, where you can learn the art of coffee blending and brewing from their in-house barista."
Lichan Humtsoe, Founder and CEO of Ãté Coffee, the first specialty coffee roasting company and first Coffee School in the northeastern states that was established in 2016 in Kohima, tells us, "On one hand, there's the growing wave of cafés and roasteries in Nagaland, which we're actively supporting by offering equipment and machinery. We've sold 19 Espresso machines in just a few months, ushering over 10 new cafés in Kohima and Dimapur (Nagaland) alone. The trend rapidly spreads to Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Aizawl, and Manipur. Although still in the early stages, we are involved in several exciting projects in Assam too."
A training session in progress at Ãté Coffee School in Nagaland
Harking to the beginning of brewing in the region, Humtsoe shares, "The first coffee plantations came in the early 1980s in Nagaland. However, coffee culture didn't really take root; many farmers abandoned their farms, and it wasn't until the 2010s that things began to change. In 2016, we became the first specialty coffee roaster in the Northeast. Since then, there's been significant momentum, driven by initiatives (massive plantation and revival of old abandoned farms in 2015-2016) from the government, the Department of Land Resources, and the Coffee Board. The establishment of other coffee roasters, such as Nagaland Coffee in 2018, further fuelled this growth." (Nagaland Coffee was actively exporting green coffee overseas by 2016. D'Cafe in Kohima is acclaimed to be the first full-fledged modern-day cafe established in 2016).
Technology and techniques are still in their early days on farms. Most coffee plantations have only been established in the past five to eight years. "We're currently working with the first, second, and third-generation crops," Humtsoe says. "While experimental techniques such as anaerobic and carbonic maceration are being explored, it's still a learning process. The farmers, many new to coffee cultivation, are adopting new practices, and while it can be overwhelming, there's a strong sense of excitement and potential."
Binny Varghese
Technology and techniques are still in their early days on farms. Most coffee plantations have only been established in the past five to seven years. "We're currently working with the first, second, and third-generation crops," Humtsoe says. "While experimental techniques such as anaerobic and carbonic maceration are being explored, it's still a learning process. The farmers, many new to coffee cultivation, are adopting new practices, and while it can be overwhelming, there's a strong sense of excitement and potential."
The transformation of coffee in India - from political and industrial roots to a more humane, culture-driven movement - continues to unfold. A fourth wave with specialty shops, roasters, and artisanal cafés is washing over major cities, fostering awareness about fair-trade practices, small-batch sourcing, and unique brewing techniques. However, full adoption will depend on several factors.
"We are riding all the waves simultaneously," says Varghese, "Traditional preferences for filter coffee and instant coffee mean tastes vary widely, and specialty coffee remains a premium product. Additionally, awareness about the environmental and ethical dimensions of coffee sourcing, touchstone of the fourth wave, is still developing."
The growing presence of local specialty brands, greater consumer awareness, and rising younger demographic suggest India has the potential to become a robust market in the near future. However, for now, Roaster and Coffee educator like Humtsoe's vision is to create a domestic market that supports locally grown, specialty coffee. "There's no reason we should go to Europe for an exceptional cup of coffee which is actually grown here in our backyard," he says, adding, "This is an exciting time, especially with south India moving toward specialty coffee, and the same trend begins to take root in the Northeast. India is finally a big part of the global coffee wealth-building narrative."
Maharashtra has been cultivating coffee for over a century, with plantations such as Chikhaldara's 100-acre estate in Amravati district dating back to the late 1800s. Its Arabica coffee - once nurtured by British officers and later expanded by the Roman Catholic Mission - remains largely absent from specialty coffee shops.
Despite the increasing demand for premium, specialty coffee, most of Maharashtra's harvest is sold in its raw forms, such as filter coffee or green beans. Though coffee cultivation in Maharashtra is relatively new compared to the well-established plantations of south India, the state has seen some innovative strides. Ashwin Paranjpe has been experimenting at his Gorus Forest Farm in Mulshi, using seeds from his great-grandfather's original plants. Along with landscape designer Swati Aringale, Paranjpe has demonstrated that coffee can thrive in Maharashtra with proper forest management and irrigation despite the state's
challenging climate.
However, the industry faces a fundamental challenge: a need for formal education in coffee processing. While south Indian farmers have long been trained in fermentation and processing, many in Maharashtra lack these essential skills. As a result, much of the bean doesn't reach its potential as specialty coffee.
Yet, there is hope. State-grown coffee has scored high on the Q -grading scale (universal system for evaluating coffees). Farmers such as Paranjpe are committed to improving yeild quality, and experts hold, with the right support, it could take five to 10 years for Maharashtra to become a recognised player in the specialty coffee world.
This evolution takes on even more profound significance when considering the historical roots of the industry in Pune. In 1864, an article in the Jnanaprakash newspaper detailed the rise and fall of coffee plantations in Mundhwa and Hadapsar, part of Pune's Haveli taluka. The coffee, praised by Europeans in the Cantonment area, was ultimately ruined due to a dispute between the plantation owners.
The report piqued my curiosity, leading to further research that uncovered the contributions of Anglo-Indians William Sundt and William Webbe. They were instrumental in the early success of coffee cultivation in Pune, transforming their gardens into plantations. This not only shaped Pune's horticultural history but also planted the seeds for the coffee industry in the region.
Why so special?
Coffee quality is evaluated using a 100-point scale developed by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), with scores falling into several categories: Specialty Coffee: 80 pts or higher; Outstanding: 90 to 100 pts; Excellent: 85 to 89.99 pts; Very Good: 80 to 84.99 pts, and Commercial-Grade: 60 to 80 pts.
Quality graders are experts in coffee evaluation, and follow strict protocols for factors such as water temperature, coffee dosage, grind size, and brewing time, assigning scores to the beans across 10 categories including aroma, taste, aftertaste, acidity, body, and sweetness. Only about 6 per cent of the world's coffee meets the standards required to be classified as specialty coffee.
India drank
2012
84,000 tonnes
2023
91,000 tonnes
