The Indian Coffee Trends That Defined This Year

Limited edition beans, specialized training centers, and the growth of filter coffee were some of the prominent trends of 2024

- Priyanko Sarkar

To say specialty coffee is having a moment would be stating the obvious. India's coffee farmers, cafe owners, and conscious consumers are more discerning than they've ever been. A Godrej Food Trends 2024 report highlighted that Indians are more aware about their morning cuppa than ever before.

"It's clear that coffee has become part of consumers' identity in India. The type of coffee you drink, much like the perfume you wear, is an essential part of their personality today," says Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, editor of the Godrej Report.

Like new fashion trends, there are limited-edition coffee varieties beyond the regular Arabica and Robusta beans in 2024. Those looking for more sweetness than caffeine in their cups could choose Liberica coffees from brands such as HumbleBean Coffee and Dope Coffee Roasters, while those seeking complexity could pre-order Gesha coffees from Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters. The marker of a developing industry is in the growth of specialized training.

This is clear in the rise of coffee institutes, offering everything from brewing classes to latte art. Bengaluru-based Sangya Yadav is India's first female authorized trainer by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). It is a non-profit headquartered in California that sets industry standards and guidelines for the global coffee industry. "Two years ago, there were only two institutes certified by SCA as premier campus, one being Araku World Specialty Coffee Academy and the Specialty Coffee Academy of India, both in Bengaluru," she says. "This year, many new cafes across different cities ranging from Chandigarh, Indore, and Surat have doubled up as coffee experience centers and teach barista skills for industry professionals. Some even offer globally recognized SCA certifications."