History of Coffee in India:

The origins of coffee in India trace back to the late seventeenth century when, according to legend, an Indian pilgrim to Mecca - Baba Budan - smuggled seven coffee beans from Yemen to India in 1670, despite it being illegal to take coffee seeds out of Arabia at the time. These beans were planted on the Chandragiri hills of Karnataka. The Dutch, who dominated many areas of India during the 17th century, contributed to spreading the cultivation of coffee in the country. However, it was only with the advent of the British Raj in the mid-nineteenth century that commercial coffee farming fully flourished. Initially, the dominant variety was Arabica, but massive infestations of coffee leaf rust led many farms to switch to Robusta or Arabica/Liberica hybrids.

The India Coffee Board was established in 1907 to improve the quality and presence of Indian coffee through various research and educational endeavors. Throughout the modern history of the country, this board stringently regulated the coffee sector, particularly between 1942 and 1995. Upon liberalization in 1995, growers were given free rein to sell their produce wherever they choose.

Indian Coffee Cultivation Locations:

Coffee production in India occurs on small farms covering 70 to 99 percent of the total, each less than 10 hectares in size. The vast majority of coffee is still produced in the traditional growing regions in the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, accounting for around 90% of the country’s production. The rest is grown in the recently developed areas of Andra Pradesh and Orissa in the Eastern Ghats, and the North Eastern ‘Seven Sister’ states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Indian coffee is usually grown under a two-tier mixed shade canopy of evergreen leguminous trees, often intercropped with spices and fruit crops including pepper, cardamom, vanilla, oranges, and bananas. Most Arabica farms are situated between 700 and 1200 meters above sea level. The coffees may be processed using either the natural or washed methods, known locally as ‘Cherry’ and ‘Parchment’. Coffee is usually dried using patios, tables or, on some of the larger estates, mechanical dryers.

Freshly Roasted Coffee Discover the Taste of Indian Coffee Category in the Coffee Shop of Sochaccy Roastery - Freshly Harvested.

Since we believe that only freshly harvested and then freshly roasted coffee beans reflect the true taste of coffee from the region - we roast coffee only to order.

Indian coffee, freshly roasted from a country with a rich coffee tradition, in our Sochaccy roastery. Although India is not as well-known in the coffee arena as other countries, it offers coffees with unique taste profiles that deserve recognition. Most of the coffee exported from there goes to Europe, Japan, and the Middle East, but now you have a chance to join the connoisseurs who have discovered this oriental treasure in our shop.

The category in our coffee shop Freshly Roasted Indian Coffee mainly includes exquisite Arabica and Robusta coffees, valued for their unique properties by Italian connoisseurs. Although Arabica coffee production in India is declining due to low prices on international markets and recent floods, the quality control carried out by the India Coffee Board ensures that only the highest standard beans are exported. In this way, Indian coffees, despite adversities, are showing a steadily growing reputation.

We collaborate with local organizations such as the India Coffee Trust and Indian Coffee Collective, which work to promote and support local coffee production, ensuring its sustainable development and global recognition. Thanks to this, we can offer you coffee that not only tastes excellent but also has a positive impact on local communities in India.

We encourage you to discover these exceptional coffees from India, whose taste and aroma reflect the richness of the coffee culture of this fascinating country. Our Sochaccy roastery is a place where passion for coffee meets the desire to discover new, exciting flavors. Taste freshly harvested Indian coffee and see for yourself!

Freshly roasted Indian coffee only on Sochaccy.Co