The Rise and Evolution of Coffee Culture in India

AS A BANGALORE native, South Indian filter ‘Kaapi’ has always been a significant part of our tradition.

- Nikhil Kamath

Personally, I kick off my day with a cup of coffee as soon as the market opens at 9 a.m., followed by another one at 12 p.m. Since I follow intermittent fasting, these first two cups satisfy my craving and keep my hunger at bay until lunch.

Historically, coffee in India was predominantly an outof-home experience, sparking the café culture in the country and leading to the rise of branded service stores like Café Coffee Day (CCD) and Starbucks. Kudos to CCD for really igniting the coffee culture in India. Suddenly, traditional dates were being swapped for coffee dates, and Starbucks became a symbol of affluence. Today, Gen Zs prefer to socialise in cafes, making them popular hotspots. Times have changed, and places like Third Wave, Hatti Kaapi, and Subko are elevating the coffee culture, catering to the Indian crowd, and highlighting Indian-produced coffee from small towns like Chikmagalur and Hassan.

India consistently ranks among the top 10 coffee-producing countries by volume, with most production coming from Karnataka. The Indian government supports coffee farmers with financial aid of $2,500 to $3,000 per hectare for cultivation and an additional Rs 2 per kg for high-quality green coffee sold to key markets. Currently, there’s a gap in the Indian coffee market with low competition, creating an opportunity for more support for Indian brands to appeal domestically and internationally, aided by government incentives.

Huge Growth Potential