Its distinct taste can be traced to the geographical speciality of its plantation in Coorg
Image Credit: Supplied / gulfnews.com
You experience the flavour of Levista, right from the beans to the coffee you drink. The beaming spirit of SLN Group is like a perfect cup of coffee — fulfilling, hearty, crisp, wholesome and so gratifying since 1956.
Levista’s distinct taste can be traced to the geographical speciality of its plantation, which is rooted in Coorg, the coffee capital of India. It is born from the rich expertise of a company that supplies coffee to leading Indian and global coffee companies, and is among the top ten coffee exporters of India. Millions of coffee drinkers wake up to Levista every morning. It is the coffee for coffee lovers, and across the world, people have placed their trust in the timeless flavour of its legacy.
Wafting across the world
Levista has definitive plans in place to spread its aroma across 10 countries, and has undertaken brand building associations with leading entities.
It also has Café Levista, located strategically across cities for discerning coffee lovers, to enjoy a wholesome experience with friends and loved ones. By 2025, 500 such outlets will be operational in India and overseas to deliver its rich taste and heritage. Levista pours the best quality brew made from handpicked beans, with offerings across instant, filter, and artisanal range of coffees.
An association befitting Kings
Recently, Levista has proudly associated with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as their official licensed coffee partner.
It’s a distinctive milestone for two big brands to come together during the Indian Premier League, as the action shifts to the UAE this season.
To make it truly memorable, there will be CSK combo packs which will be retailed as a limited edition, along with the team’s memorabilia.
It will indeed be an unbeatable mix for coffee and cricket fans, when the world is watching. The quality and flavour of Levista resonates with the vivacity and passion of CSK.
source: http://www.gulfnews.com / Gulf News / Home> Lifestyle> GN Focus Report / September 13th, 2020
Maverick & Farmer, founded by three passionate coffee entrepreneurs, caters to coffee lovers who want new flavours in their brew. Co-founder Ashish D’abreo speaks to YSWeekender about the evolution of artisanal coffee and the company’s unique blends
Whether you love your coffee cold, blitzed to perfection with ice cubes, or brewed hot and delicious in your percolator, it is the drink that gives you that happy buzz and takes you through the day. But with time, people wanted more from their coffee. Some wanted it freshly roasted, a few liked it strong and black, while others wanted nutty, sweet, and tropical flavours in their brews.
Coffee can be served in a variety of flavours and textures (Pic credit: Shutterstock)
Over the years, coffees have been created and developed to suit every palate, right from house blends to different degrees of roasting to a gamut of innovations and textures .
Maverick & Farmer Coffee Roasters started operations in 2018, founded by three passionate coffee entrepreneurs — Sreeram G, Tej Thammaiah, and Ashish D’abreo.
Coffee entrepreneurs (left to right) Sreeram G, Ashish D’abreo and Tej Thammaiah who founded Maverick & Farmer
Tej Thammaiah is a third-generation coffee farmer who looks after the Ajjikutira family estates in Pollibetta, Coorg. Ashish D’abreo is the head roaster and barista, while Sreeram G leads sales. The co-founders are on a constant endeavour to create innovative variants of coffee that imbibe different plantations and natural fermentation methods.
In an interaction with YSWeekender, Ashish D’abreo, Co-founder, Maverick & Farmer, tells us about the company’s latest flavours and the USP of the brand.
YSWeekender (YSW): Can you tell us about your latest coffees and what makes them special?
Ol’ Smoky coffee was launched recently
Ashish D’abreo (AD): In keeping with the pursuit of creating unconventional coffee, we have six coffee blends that are set to launch in a staggered manner over the next 12 weeks. These are a result of a lot of experimentation on the farm and in our roastery.
The first two that were launched last week are called ‘Ol’ Smoky’ and ‘Orange you curious?.’ Those who love a mellow, sweet-smoky lining to their favourite drink, our Ol’ Smoky creation is for them as it is prepared from freshly pulped top-grade Arabica green beans that are cold-smoked for 13-14 hours in a smokehouse.
Orange You Curious? is created by fermenting freshly pulped coffee beans with orange juice. Both the coffees are available on our website: www.maverickandfarmer.com
YSW: How was the idea of Maverick and Farmer conceived, and what is unique about your brand?
Maverick & Farmer coffee roasters are here to take Indian coffee past the third wave of coffee (which predominantly deals with origin, terroir, roasting, etc.) and introduce a whole new world of coffees that unlock so much more than what the species, terroir, or roasting can offer.
A coffee estate
There are two sides to our coffee brand — the farmer, with its in-depth understanding of coffee growing heritage, rules, experience, and rich knowledge — and the Maverick, the rule-breaker, boundary pusher, and experimenter. This is what makes us unique, and reflects in our coffee offerings.
Our coffee primarily comes from our farms in Coorg, but we also work with other farmers from different growing regions when we require coffees that bring a different uniqueness to our offering.
YSW: What is artisanal coffee?
AD: The term ‘artisanal coffee’ implies that the producer is growing, processing, roasting, etc., coffee from a traceable source, in a manner that highlights the unique flavours and tasting notes.
YSW: How do you come up with new flavours, and how are they tested out?
The flavour of the coffee depends on the quality of the coffee beans
AD: Most of the work happens during non-harvesting months — from March to October — and most work happens on paper. We’re constantly brainstorming on ideas, lines of thought, and wish lists. During the harvest season, we can actually put all of this into practice. We spend a lot of time together on the farm, executing our ideas, drying, roasting, tasting, and journaling.
YSW: Which countries offer the best kinds of coffee?
AD: I would say India because we have some very unique characteristics of our coffee. Apart from India, I would say, (and this is a personal opinion) — Kenya for the flavours, the importance given to R&D, and meticulous quality control; Guatemala for its bright, sweet notes; and Ethiopia for being the birthplace of coffee, as well as its floral and fruity coffees.
YSW: Can you give us some tips on how to make a good cup of coffee?
Freshly roasted coffee makes the best brew
AD: Brew coffee that’s freshly roasted. Stale coffee or dead coffee is unidimensional and gets the whole brewing process off on the wrong foot. Choose a grind size that’s perfect for your brewing equipment. Follow instructions only for the first time, and after that, adapt recipes and brewing techniques to what you think works best for you.
YSW: What are your plans for Maverick & Farmer in the days ahead?
AD: We don’t have much time until the next harvest. There’s still a lot of work left to be done, directions, and processes to be finalised. We have quite a few new products and café launches in the pipeline in the future.
(Images credit: Pavan Srinivas)
source: http://www.yourstory.com / Your Story / Home> Your Story> YS Weekender> Food and Beverages / by Asha Chowdary / September 11th, 2020
Have you explored Black Baza Coffee’s lineup, yet?
Very few coffee lovers actually research how ethical their go-to fair trade coffee brand really is, but Black Baza Coffee ‘s biodiversity-friendly, fair-trade coffee production is going the whole mile when it comes to ethically responsible community-building. The Bengaluru-based label is committed to the idea of ‘creating a local, participatory and meaningful movement for coffee.’ During her PhD in coffee and sustainability, Arshiya Bose, the founder of the label explored some functional biodiversity-friendly coffee farming practises which helped her get a better perspective on responsible production.
The rich and balanced Wanderoo
“Through my research I met several smallholder coffee producers, and the brand is committed to the idea of helping them grow. Black Baza Coffee is not just about eco-friendly practises but we focus on biodiversity conservation. We take a look at how various wildlife and plants make use of the coffee farms and how they can be conserved on these farms, which also includes changing the way we farm. So we go beyond organic, from looking and understanding habitats to sticking to our all-natural agenda,” Arshiya tells us. Not to mention Black Baza’s line-up is amazingly diverse, featuring coffees with layered flavour profiles, be it fermented Robusta with spicy flavour notes or washed Arabica with a balanced acidity.
“Our Ficus coffee is named after this tree, our focus for conservation efforts in our farms,” the label writes on its Instagram page
In fact, you can even follow Black Baza’s Instagram page for their excellent fieldwork stories. We caught up with Arshiya to explore her vision further.
Black Baza Coffee has a focus on nurturing smallholders producers…
Yes, we do not work with coffee estates so we typically look at those coffee growing communities which are marginalised and vulnerable, particularly at a time like this and we work closely with them. We work with those who need our input and support the most and we are actually one of the few certified fair trade coffee brands in the country. We work with around 650 producers, we help set up coffee collectives and cooperatives. We source our coffee from The Biligirirangana Hills in Karnataka, Nilgiris, Coorg etc.
Tell us about your clientele. Do most of them share the label’s philosophy?
Yes, we have a really loyal base of customers who actively want to support communities which have suffered from the shutdown and the pandemic in general. We already had a steady base, but it has definitely grown since the pandemic started.
How has the label’s objective evolved in the four years since you started?
We are not a typical coffee brand, we function like a social enterprise, and we have definitely grown. We started out with four producers and we now work with 650, we have been able to reach so many communities who needed our support. We have also been able to source so many distinct varieties of coffees with varied flavour profiles, that’s been really interesting.
Tell us about how you’ve named each variant, like the ‘Otter,’ or the ‘Ficus’?
These coffees have been named depending on where they are grown, and represent the idea of conserving particular species of fauna which inhabit the region. The Luna coffee, for instance, is named after this interesting species of moth found in Indo-western ghats, we actively make observations of the luna moth on coffee farms, which tells us about their habitat or the vegetation around them. The names are also symbols of what we’re trying to achieve, it speaks to people about the kind of biodiversity which exists in our forests and why conserving them is so crucial.
source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The New Indian Express – Indulge Express / by U. Roy / August 14th, 2020
There’s more trouble brewing for Indian coffee exporters, who are not just facing a slump in overall demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but also staring at a loss of share in Italy, their largest export market, to exporters from Uganda.
Indian coffees are facing stiff competition from low-cost producer Uganda in the Italian market, which they have been dominating for over past three decades now. Italy accounts for about a fifth of India’s coffee exports.
Indian coffees in Italy are largely sold in the premium segment, such as in cafes and coffee bars. Brazil, the largest coffee producer, dominates the Italian market with half the market share, followed by India, which has a share of around 20 per cent, and other major producers such as Vietnam and Uganda.
“The Ugandans are trying to get as much as possible in the Italian market in the current scenario and that’s a big worry for us,” said Ramesh Rajah, President of the Coffee Exporters Association.
The Ugandan robustas, which are comparable to the Indian variety in terms or quality, are priced cheaper by at least $200 per tonne or about 20 per cent, which is attracting buyers’ interest in Italy, he said.
“During normal circumstances, consumers want quality and are willing to pay more. As the Italian economy is facing a tough times due to the pandemic, consumers are starting to look for better-value coffee. They now see Uganda, which is 20 per cent cheaper than India, as a good value proposition. Vietnam is even cheaper but because of taste and other factors, it is mainly sold commercial packaged coffee segment and not in the premium segment of Italy. The premium segment got more affected during the pandemic than the commercial coffees and is hitting us the most,” Rajah said.
Shipments drop 27%
Coffee shipments to Italy in the first half of calendar 2020 have dropped 27 per cent at 36,547 tonnes, compared to 50,513 tonnes in the same period last year. The arabica shipment to Italy was 14 per cent lower at 4,774 tonnes (5,577 tonnes), while robusta exports took a major beating as shipments were lower by 27 per cent at 31,134 tonnes (42,658 tonnes). During the same period, total coffee exports from India were down 16 per cent in volume terms and value at 1.78 lakh tonnes (2.11 l t) and $404 million ($482 m) respectively.
“For the unwashed robustas, India is facing competition from lower-priced origins like Uganda. Although the Indian quality is sought after, importers do consider more price-efficient coffees. This is more evident under the current Covid-19 circumstances, where more competitively priced coffees are likely to find favour with buyers,” said Anil Ravindran, Partner at RV Commodities, an exporter in Bengaluru.
In fact, the Ugandans are trying to regain their market share in Italy from the India exporters, to whom they had lost market share about three decades earlier. “We took the market 30 years ago, and they are trying to come back now,” Rajah said.
Logistical challenges
Indian exporters had displaced the Ugandans in Italy as the land-locked African producer had faced logistical challenges in shipping out its coffees then. “We never tried to undercut others when we gained the market in Italy. Our selling proposition was reasonable price and reliable supplies throughout the year and our coffees are better prepared and have less imperfections. We gave better products and started getting premiums. As the customers started getting used to our coffees, the premiums started going up,” Rajah said.
So, it is these premiums that are proving to be a challenge for the exporters in retaining their markets. Though the quantum of premium has come down, the Indian robustas still attract a higher price over the London terminal (LIFFE). At present, the Indian robusta cherry is attracting a premium of $500-$600 per tonne over the LIFFE, while a buyer in Italy can get Ugandan coffee at $250-300 above the terminal price. “We are seen as unreliable now as our premiums are too high. Losing the market to Ugandans will have a long-term impact,” Rajah said.
Further, Indian exporters are finding it difficult to match Ugandan prices as that would mean having to source cheap and reduce the prices, which would hurt the growers’ realisations at the back-end. This, when growers are already reeling under the impact of multi-year low prices.
Rajah said the Government should step in and immediately support the exporters to defend their markets, either by increasing the incentive under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) to 5 per cent, or implementing the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme at the earliest, while ensuring credit facility at reduced interest rates.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Agri-Business / by Vishwanath Kulkarni / July 09th, 2020
If rains do not play spoilsport, India’s coffee production this year will be in the range of 3,20,000 tonnes to 340,000 tonnes, according to planters.
This is far better than the last two flood-hit years, when production was way below 3,00,000 tonnes.
As of now, coffee plantations have received only 30% of the rain, including the blossom showers in March and the showers in the following months. Rainfall during August and September will be the deciding factor as excessive rains can lead to floods, landslides, wet-footing (coffee plants standing in water and decaying) and berry-shedding.
“This year’s crop is expected to be much better than last two years,” said Bose Mandanna, a major planter in Kodagu and a former Coffee Board member.
“We have received some rain at the time of spike formation and flowering. Another 50-60% of well-distributed rains are needed for best berry development, spring cultivation and recharging of water tables. If all goes well we will have a bigger crop this year.’’
Ramesh Rajah, President, Coffee Exporters Association said, “The next two to three months will decide the future. We can’t afford to face another year of huge losses.’’
Due to excessive rains, flooding and water logging, the country’s coffee production was below the annual average of 300,000 tonnes in 2018 and 2019. In the current crop year, the planters expect a 40% increase in coffee production, with Robusta at 2,40,000 tonnes and Arabica at around 100,000 tonnes. The Coffee Board’s crop estimate will come out in September/post-monsoon.
Meanwhile, the labour shortage has become even more acute as a large population of workers returned home in the wake of the pandemic.
“We need to have more workers returning by harvest time in December. Labour situation has always been bad and Covid-19 has made it worse. Due to shortage of labour a lot of our operations are on hold,’’ said KPA chairman Shirish Vijayendra.
Harvesting of Arabica will commence in December, while Robusta harvest will be spread across January and February.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business / by Mini Tejaswi / August 01st, 2020
So what if the cozy coffee bar is a thing of the past? With little imagination and lots of enthusiasm, coffee outings can be replicated at home.
“A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent.”
Coffee dates in a cozy cafeteria with background music are what youngsters of Ludhiana are missing the most during this pandemic.
With the graph of Covid-19 cases rising, city’s coffee lovers are avoiding going out. They are making their own coffee corners and coffee stations at their homes instead.
Friends are the ones with whom we love to enjoy our sip. Meet, Jasmeen and Harleen, an engineering and medical student, who are back to their hometown as colleges are shut.
“Harleen is attending a medical college and I am an engineering student and we both study in Patiala. Best pals since childhood, though we study at different colleges, we often met in the evenings over coffee. We both used to share our college life, exciting projects, hostel life over a cup of coffee and the evening would just pass away in a blink. Now, coffee evenings are what we are missing the most since the outbreak of the pandemic,” says Jasmeen.
So, the idea of creating their own coffee corner came to their mind. And now, both the girls have resumed their coffee evenings. Since they live just a couple of houses away, coffee evenings have become a regular affair with these two.
Coffee dates in a cozy cafeteria with background music are what youngsters of Ludhiana are missing the most during this pandemic.
With the graph of Covid-19 cases rising, city’s coffee lovers are avoiding going out. They are making their own coffee corners and coffee stations at their homes instead.
Friends are the ones with whom we love to enjoy our sip. Meet, Jasmeen and Harleen, an engineering and medical student, who are back to their hometown as colleges are shut.
“Harleen is attending a medical college and I am an engineering student and we both study in Patiala. Best pals since childhood, though we study at different colleges, we often met in the evenings over coffee. We both used to share our college life, exciting projects, hostel life over a cup of coffee and the evening would just pass away in a blink. Now, coffee evenings are what we are missing the most since the outbreak of the pandemic,” says Jasmeen.
So, the idea of creating their own coffee corner came to their mind. And now, both the girls have resumed their coffee evenings. Since they live just a couple of houses away, coffee evenings have become a regular affair with these two.
“Cozy chairs, few books, background music, candles for the aesthetics and voila, here we are! With our very own coffee corner! The weather decides the place and the flavour of the coffee. If the weather is pleasant, we sit outside, otherwise we have a small corner near the window in our rooms. Coffee date means we both get dressed up and catch up, which has actually added zing to the otherwise boring routine. We decided not to meet in our casual comfy pyjamas but get ready for the evening,” says Harleen.
Whether the brew will be hot or cold also depends on the weather. Both of them have numerous flavours to add to their coffee. Apart from regular Nescafe, they relish the hazelnut, vanilla, cappuccino, caramel flavours and sometimes South Indian filter coffee brought specially from Coorg. Both of them know the art and craft of making coffee and are well versed with the flavours.
Their discussion over coffee ranges from college to friends to Netflix, movies to books. Both the girls love collecting coffee mugs as well and buy them as souvenirs whenever they visit a new place. They both have an interesting collection. But then, that’s another story.
source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Lifestyle / by Manav Mander / July 03rd, 2020
India may be one of the major exporters of coffee in the world, but when it comes to high quality coffee, the market is extremely small. If the market is expanded, then India will hold a huge potential as a high quality retailer. Coffee is more about what is in a cup, creating an experience through the ambience of stores it is vended from. Besides innovating coffee beverages on the menu with the food that complements it, Sushant Goel, co-founder and director, Third Wave Coffee, tells Nandita Vijay, in an email interview.
Excerpts:
How would you describe the current scene for coffee in India?
India may be one of the major exporters of coffee in the world but when it comes to high quality coffee, the market is extremely small. If we continue to expand this market, India has a huge potential to become one of the major retailers of high-quality coffee. For an exceptionally long time India has been seen as a tea-drinking-country but this is slowly changing, thanks to millennials who are especially open to trying new stuff. Coffee has become a ‘go-to-beverage’ for them and a café with an appealing ambience is the ideal ‘go-to-place’ for experience seeking millennials.
What are the visible trends that you sight in coffee consumption and outlets in India?
Today, we see a visible shift with the consumption pattern moving from just ‘eating out’ to ‘eating out which is experience-driven’. This is mainly because of the millennials who comprise 34% of India’s population and are inclined towards coffee. This trend will fuel the QSR (quick service restaurant) segment at a much faster rate in the near future.
What are the challenges for coffee entrepreneurs like you to grow?
We aim to create an experience around coffee in India through cafes focussing on category building among millennials. In order to provide this premium experience, locations of cafes must be in prime areas. However, access to such real estate is tough in India, especially in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune.
How has Third Wave Coffee (TWC) fared since its inception in 2015?
Since inception, TWC has achieved tremendous success. Our focus has always been on introducing Indians to delicious coffee brewed to perfection with an innovative twist. It was not easy in the beginning as the market was exceedingly small. We spent a year on research and development and in setting up the supply chain. As of today, we have 10 stores in Bengaluru and two stores each in Pune and Hyderabad. We plan to set up more stores in the near future in across India.
How have you positioned TWC in a market which is brimming with cafes?
Now TWC prides itself on innovation and delicious coffee brewed to perfection. This is seen in the variety of beverages featured on our menu. Right from pouring the perfect French Press, Pour Over, AeroPress or Syphon to flavourful lattes like Orange Zest Mocha, La Vie En Rose, Sea Salt Mocha, the TWC drives itself towards the single-minded effort of bringing delectable coffee to Indians at accessible prices.
What are the company’s key differentiators?
For us, coffee is more about what is in a cup, it is about creating an experience through the ambience in our stores, innovative beverages on the menu and the food that complements it. Our aim is to ensure that our customers have a memorable experience at the store which is worth reliving. We are providing a delicious coffee experience while building a brand. We achieve this by taking great care to ensure quality, flavour, and freshness right from bean up to the perfectly brewed delicious cup of coffee. With 100% Arabica coffee sourced directly from origin, freshly roasted in small batches and ground at the cafe, TWC aims at serving delicious coffee that is brewed to perfection.
Which are the fastest growing offerings in food and beverage?
As far as beverages go, cold brews and ice lattes are fast moving products. Our fusion-based iced lattes too are much raved. Baked food items on our menu are fast moving since they are wholesome, indulgent and complement our beverages.
How have you managed the real estate costs in the city as you expanded?
We primarily choose our location based on the concentration of our target customers. Our focus here is to build the brand among the right target customers and if required, we set up shop in locations that our target customers often frequent, even though it is at a premium.
Provide your growth path from the first cafe to the 14th and at what duration did this take place?
We started off with high street locations in Bengaluru to give customers an experience of coffee brewed to perfection. In order to cater to different consumer segments, we have adapted our store formats uniquely basis the location it will be housed in.
What kind of funding was raised to set up the first cafe and then move on to the 14th? How receptive are VCs and PEs to fund coffee ventures in India?
While the initial funding was bootstrapped, the quality of our food and beverages was one of the main factors that helped us open 14 stores. For VCs and PEs to fund, it depends on how the offerings are positioned from the competitors.
Is it the physical coffee bars or the online sales which are garnering much of the revenues for you?
Currently, with the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, our takeaway sales are more or less equal to the sales fulfilled by our delivery partners.
What led you to have a dedicated app and how is it faring?
Well, a few years ago the idea of ‘pre-purchase’ was rare, and we realised early that the ‘app’ culture of today’s millennial would be the apt way to introduce them to the ‘experience of a perfect brew’. They were conscious of the fact that only a brand with remarkably high brand equity would make customers pre-buy future orders. Thus, we embarked on the ambitious project of creating an app that would sell subscriptions in India.
Through the app customers rewarded with Third Wave Coins for every transaction, and on reaching certain milestones the coins could be redeemed for free food and beverages. TWC then launched an array of attractive beverage offer packs on its app. A wide variety of packs were introduced for customers to choose from depending on their preferences. There are subscription packs for Summer Special packs, Cold Beverages pack, Cappuccino, Classic, Manual Brew, Coffee bean pack, etc. This was an ambitious project as there was no coffee app selling subscriptions in India. In just four weeks we witnessed 10,000 downloads, with 60% coming in from referrals, indicating the love consumers had for the brand.
You have bagged awards. Give us the details.
Our company was ranked 15th in the Top 50 Coffee Shops in the world by Big Seven Travel. The others are the National Barista Championship 2018, 2019, Won Women Star Brewing Barista Championship (WCAI) 2019, Top 10 Cafés to Open in India 2016, NDTV and the Café of the Year- Restaurant Awards 2019, South India edition and the India International Coffee Festival 2018- Best Micro Roaster-Café Award 2018 for French Press Coffee.
In this Covid-19 scenario how has the business been able to cope?
There is no doubt that the pandemic will have an impact on all businesses, but we have to stay resilient. We follow the state’s lockdown regulations with limited stores open for takeaways and deliveries. We did not want our customers to lose out on their favourite brews so went ahead with the launch of the new menu. To nudge consumers to make coffee at home, we had our Baristas create videos on making beverages at home without complex equipment. We have not let the pandemic come in the way of our customers enjoying their cup of coffee and we have ensured our coffee and coffee beans reach them through orders serviced by our delivery partners. We know our customers are missing their favourite café, so with every delivery to rekindle good memories we are sending across the ‘Spotify’ a digital music platform with playlists from our store.
What are the measures adopted to keep your staff safe? What are the likely future efforts to grow the business post this pandemic?
We have made a mandatory single-point-entry for our staff in our cafes while ensuring meticulous and regular sanitisation of our stores. We have regular temperature checks of our staff and delivery partners. We have additionally set up contactless delivery stations at our stores. We will follow the government guidelines to ensure safety of our patrons and employees.
source: http://www.fnbnews.com / FnBnews.com / Home / by Nandita Vijay / June 08th, 2020
If you’re a coffee fanatic, then maybe you should know a little bit more about your favorite drink. We’ve assembled some interesting facts for you, so read on and learn a little bit about the dark stuff that keeps you going.
1. ITS ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR 500 YEARS
Coffee’s origins go back to the early 15th century. At least, that’s where the solid records begin. They show people exporting coffee out of Ethiopia.
As you’d think, there are a lot of myths about coffee. One of the myths places the original use with a shepherd in Ethiopia who went for it after observing his livestock acting lively once they ate some of the beans. That particular myth may be part of how coffee was found, but it’s impossible to verify if the commonly accepted 500AD date was actually the first human use of the bean.
The history of coffee has actually been quite spotty. It was called out repeatedly and its introduction to the western world was quite controversial. It’s an amazing subject if you care to look into it.
While it’s commonplace today, that’s a recent development.
2. COFFEE BEANS ARE SEEDS
While many people think of coffee fruit as beans, the truth is a little more complicated than that. More accurately, they’re the pit of the berry and not a bean at all.
Beans are their own thing. The berries which grow on the coffee tree have a stony inner portion like an apricot. This is what we use to make our coffee.
The seeds we usually consume in our coffee come from ripe berries. As the berry matures, the chemical constituents of the coffee change. Green coffee beans from immature berries are sometimes used to create supplements but aren’t generally sold as coffee.
3. DECAFFEINATED COFFEE IS STILL COFFEE
Many people aren’t quite sure what decaf really is. Coffee fanatics often wonder if it’s just a pale imitation of the real thing.
The truth is that decaffeinated coffee is still made from coffee, it’s just been subjected to one or another of the various decaffeinating processes. The taste difference is due to the fact that 100% selective chemical removal is almost impossible.
And many people don’t care for the taste difference in the slightest.
That said, it’s a great option for those who aren’t able to drink regular stuff anymore. There’s still a very minor amount of caffeine left in the beans, but it’s not enough to affect most people.
It’s not the first pick of most people, but the fact remains that decaffeinated coffee is still derived from the same place.
4. BRAZIL PRODUCES MORE COFFEE THAN ANYONE
South America produces roughly 45% of the coffee in the world. Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee and has a large portion of the market share.
Turns out bringing the beans across the Atlantic was a great idea. Coffee thrives in the tropical client of South America, creating huge harvests. Most of the leading exporters in the world come from that region.
The second-largest single exporter is Vietnam, another tropical region that received the coffee plant relatively late.
Coffee comes from the tropical belt all over the globe. At the current time, however, the top three exporters are Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia. It’s a pretty amazing spread for a plant that originally showed up in Africa.
5. COFFEE HAS MORE CAFFEINE THAN ESPRESSO
Most people think of espresso as the strongest form of coffee.
And they’re not wrong. Ounce for ounce espresso has a bit more caffeine. A standard “shot” is 2oz of fluid, and contains roughly 80mg of caffeine.
On the other hand, coffee is usually measured in 12oz cups. A 12oz cup of coffee has around 120mg. So, the truth is that most people going for a cup of coffee in the morning will find it more to their benefit to use the simpler drip machine.
Of course, you can always add them together as well. It really does gives us a lot more variety in our caffeine choices, however, which is the most important part of the process.
6. COFFEE’S MODERN USE HAS 3 DISTINCT WAVES
Coffee has been through three main waves in modern use.
The first was in the 1850s onwards. Coffee was considered a standard good in many places. The roasting process was nearly identical and strong cups of black coffee were the norm. It was a utilitarian time and it was a utilitarian drink.
Eventually, cafes took over with a focus on creating the various drinks that we have today. Iced coffee, cold brew, lattes, and other coffee-based drinks became the norm. The focus was still on the drinks, however, rather than the original beans.
Nowadays there’s a lot of focus on the origin and process of different beans. This “artisanal coffee” trend is quite new and shows a massive rebranding of coffee in the last few decades.
Still, anything for a better cup right?
SATISFY YOUR ROASTED CURIOSITY
Coffee has a fascinating history, incredible chemistry, and an even better effect. Learning more about it should be at the top of any true enthusiast’s list. This is only a sampling of the strange information that abounds around our favorite drink, however, and there’s always more to learn!
source: http://www.t2online.com / Times Square Chronicles / Home> Food and Drink / May 14th, 2020
Now, filter coffee for conference calls: Chennai-based coffee startup Farmgate is bringing Arabica beans from Coorg to store shelves, and filter coffee machines to workplaces.
“We have been producing coffee for over 100 years,” says 30-year-old Lakshmanan Sevugan, about his family’s coffee estates in Coorg.
So far, however, the family has only been supplying quality Arabica and Robusta beans to coffee makers and agents. Now, the millennial entrepreneur is changing things. “Usually, these sales that happen through a farm gate, where agents come and buy, are called farm gate sales,” he says, explaining the logic behind the name of his new coffee brand.
Farmgate Coffee, ironically, aims to do the exact opposite of traditional farmgate sales. “We want to give our customers the direct farm to cup experience,” says Lakshmanan. This is what the startup has been trying to do ever since its launch in August.
Arabica beans are brought from the estates in Coorg to Chennai, roasted, ground and blended in Mylapore, and packaged in specific blends with chicory, at Farmgate’s corporate office in Nungambakam. They are then sent to clients like restaurants and coffee shops, each of which orders a unique blend for customers.
“We are focusing on Arabica for now. I have grown up drinking this coffee. I like it to be 100% coffee, but the studies we did show that people prefer different blends,” shrugs Lakshmanan. In fact, 60% of the people they studied with preferred coffee mixed with chicory “because they do not like the pure bitterness of it,” says Lakshmanan.
The coffee is not only for businesses, however. A specific 80% medium-roast coffee to 20% chicory blend, called Namma Chennai, is packaged for retail, and has shown up at a few store shelves around the city. Two more will be up by the end of this year.
“We don’t have distributors as such; we operate the entire supply chain ourselves, since we are still a small startup,” says Lakshmanan. His ambitions don’t end there, probably because his love for coffee itself doesn’t end at the pick stage or with any particular roast, but in a dabara of steaming filter coffee. “I love filter coffee; I would take a break and walk out to drink some, back when I had an office job.”
Lakshmanan is convinced that most office-goers — not only in Chennai and Bengaluru but also Mumbai, Delhi and other parts of the country — would jump at the chance to have filter coffee at work. “But all they get are cappuccino machines, or the option of getting filter coffee delivered from somewhere. It doesn’t taste the same,” he says.
So next up Farmgate’s sleeve is a filter coffee solution, including a blend and a filter coffee machine. “It is a pure play filter coffee vending machine, a separate vessel where decoction is collected, and kept heated at 70 degrees Celsius over a hot plate,” he explains. The machine — currently used by the Farmgate team in their office — then lets the drinker choose a ‘filter coffee’ option.
The device is not developed by Farmgate, but by a private firm that they have tied up with. “We are still a small startup, we don’t have the budget to make our own machines. Just like we don’t have the budget to set up our own roastery, yet.”
Farmgates coffees are roasted and ground, according to its clients’ requirements, at Sundaram Coffee in Mylapore, which has been in the business for over 70 years. Coffee beans are sent to Sundaram every other day, and roasted, cooled, then ground in small batches of five kilos each. “The lesser the amount, the more attention we can give while roasting, and the better taste we get,” says Magan Pradeep, branch manager of Sundaram Coffees in Mylapore.
Back in the coffee estates, picking season has begun. “Arabica till January and Robusta till March. So I will be visiting Coorg more frequently over the next few months. I’m going there next week, in fact,” smiles Lakshmanan.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Food / by Megha Majumdar / November 18th, 2019
– Importers in coffee drinking nations have brought orders forward by a month
– Strong demand amid expectations of tightening supply has pushed up prices
– In Brazil they are near record levels at £85 per 60kg bag of coffee beans
________________
The price of coffee is set to rise as countries stockpile in case supply chains are hit by coronavirus.
Importers in major coffee-drinking nations are bringing forward orders by up to a month to avoid shortages.
Prices are heading upwards because of strong demand amid expectations that supplies, which were tight before the virus struck, will tighten further.
Coffee prices are soaring as importers in major coffee-drinking nations race to stockpile the bean amid fears of a global shortage due to coronavirus (stock image)
Prices in Brazil are close to record levels – nearing £85 per 60kg bag. Supply chains are backing up because of severe restrictions on international movement.
‘We had requests from buyers in all major countries,’ said the head of one of the largest coffee exporters in Brazil, the world’s leading producer, asking not to be named.
‘Basically all the largest roasters in the world. They want to have the beans there quicker, just in case.’
Carlos de Valdenebro, Colombia director for exporter Caravela Coffee, said: ‘Everyone is trying to speed things up.’
A UK-based coffee trader said: ‘Roasters and traders are stocking up because they anticipate supply disruption.’
In Brazil prices are already approaching near record levels of £85 per 60kg bag
Brazilian coffee exporters association Cecafe said shortages might occur in the coming months even though the country could harvest its biggest coffee crop ever, around 70million bags.
Roberto Velez, of Colombia’s growers federation, said: ‘We have maybe one of the best prices in history. But with that price we’re facing logistical problems – coronavirus, fear.
source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk / Mail Online / Home> News / by Daily Mail Reporter and Luke Andrews for MailOnline / April 01st, 2020
WELCOME. If you like what you see "SUBSCRIBE via EMAIL" to receive FREE regular UPDATES.
Read More »
