Category Archives: Coffee News

My coffee journey

October 30, 2023Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), World Opinionadmin

I was five when I had my first taste of coffee. It was just a few drops, milky and sweet. I insisted on tasting it, as my coffee-loving mother always felt ‘refreshed’ after drinking ‘kaapi’. As a teenager, study time started with a cup of ‘good’ instant coffee. My Tamil Brahmin best friend’s paati (grandmother) introduced me to filter coffee a few years later. Raised in Delhi in the ’90s, coffee wasn’t necessarily a hot topic. There were no cafes and coffee chains then. Latte, cappuccino, and Americano were not part of my vocabulary yet.

I enjoyed my filter coffee everyday, but I rarely ventured beyond that. Over the years, I read about the coffee varieties and trends. I considered myself a coffee lover, but it wasn’t until a month ago that I realised my understanding of coffee was limited. First, I had the opportunity of visiting a coffee plantation in Kodagu. Intrigued by what I learned there, I felt compelled to attend the World Coffee Conference at Bengaluru Palace a few days later. It was in September, around International Coffee Day. It opened to me a world of coffee, with its variety of beans, processing and brewing methods, and roasts. Since then, I have signed up for coffee cupping sessions, interacted with coffee experts and sampled unusual brews.

At the India International Coffee Festival in Bengaluru 10 years ago, I got to paint with a coffee concoction. I also participated in latte art tutorials, and got to look at the latest farming equipment being used. Much has changed since.

What’s brewing?

Living in Karnataka, a state that accounts for more than 70 per cent of the country’s total coffee production, the beverage is hard to escape. Bengaluru is home to numerous cafes, besides international chains such as Costa Coffee, Starbucks and most recently, Tim Hortons.

Awareness about coffee has grown in recent years. People are clued in on the different roasts (light, medium or dark), where their beans are sourced from (estates and regions), and their flavour profiles (broadly earthy, fruity, nutty or floral).

[object Object] — Credit: DH IllustrationDeepak Harichandan

Arabica and robusta are the most common varieties grown in India. Arabica has a smoother and sweeter flavour, with hints of fruit, chocolate, nuts, and caramel. It is used mostly for speciality coffee. Robusta coffee is known to have a strong and bitter taste. It is earthy, with notes of burnt wood. It is the most commonly used variety in South India. Low grade robusta beans are used to make instant coffee powder. Chicory, often added to coffee powder, lends it the ‘roasted’ flavour. An excess of it can make the coffee feel stronger or bitter.

Broadly, there are two types of coffee processing — natural and washed. In the natural process, the cherry is allowed to dry out completely and fermentation is uncontrolled, as it happens inside the cherry itself. In washed processing, the pulp and skin are removed but the mucilage on the bean is broken down by the yeast and bacteria on the cherry and its skin.

A recent addition to my kitchen gear is a French press. After a wait of about five minutes, you can enjoy an aromatic cup of coffee with its oils retained. At the conference, I was introduced to other options: the pour over, aeropress, siphon, Chemex and percolator.

Home cafe

One of the stalls I visited was promoting the e-commerce platform Something’s Brewing, a part of Kaapi Machines, a company that sells coffee equipment and accessories. The start-up was born during the pandemic.

Vivek Vishwanathan, a representative of the company, took me through how I could brew a good cuppa with their Budan espresso machine, which has an inbuilt grinder. The brew, made from arabica coffee, had a heavy body and was intense on the palate. It tasted like it was processed with its oils, giving it the thick consistency that one experiences at good cafes. The machine is a time saver, he told me. He stressed the importance of the right grind size for each brewing method, the quality of coffee beans, and the importance of tamping the coffee evenly in the portafilter while brewing.

Of the many unique coffees I have tried, the bubblegum coffee and the toffee coffee from Hatti Kaapi have stayed in my mind. They brought back memories of Boomer, the strawberry-flavoured bubblegum of my childhood, and old-fashioned caramel candies.

The Coffee Board of India classifies speciality coffee into five broad categories — decaffeinated coffee (coffee with caffeine removed artificially), organic coffee (grown without using chemicals and pesticides), high grown coffee (grown at higher elevations — 4,000 ft and above), estate coffee or single origin coffees (highlighted by the special features of the estate it is grown in), and variety coffee (Indian varieties like Kents, Agaro, Cioccie, and CxR, which stand out for their quality).

Kents is a varietal of the arabica, and is known for better yield and its resistance to leaf rust, while CxR is a robusta coffee, developed for better yield and a better flavour profile. Agaro coffee is an arabica variety, mostly grown in Ethiopia. It is found in few farms in India. Cioccie is also an old Ethiopian variety.

In terms of speciality coffee, India has a long way to go, says Abhinav Mathur, managing director of Kaapi Machines. “The popularity of speciality roasters is just kicking off in our country, with companies like Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters and Third Wave Coffee Roasters getting funding,” he shared.

In the near future, beverage types will go through more innovations, he said. Abhinav says a majority of their consumers are well-travelled professionals who have sampled coffees across the world, and “the curious Gen-Z crowd who are getting started early”. “They ask many questions, some of which even we have to research. They are value and sustainability conscious, and are aware of the various flavour profiles and coffee types available now,” he added.

While coffee’s third wave is about the quality of the beans, sustainability and single origin bean-to-cup brews, the next wave will focus on cold brews, innovation, and a new approach to coffee marketing. Coffee experts say that innovation will revolve around home brewing and speciality equipment.

Farm to cup

Some are also paying attention to how their coffee is grown. I spoke to A M Ganapathy, the owner of Vivekananda Coffee Estate, a family-owned plantation in Chettalli, Kodagu. Here, regenerative agricultural practices put together by the Speciality Coffee Association, a trade body, have been diligently implemented.

The practices help improve the quality of the soil. “Increasingly, there is a demand for chemical-free coffee. Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming system that focuses on soil health, food quality, biodiversity improvement, water and air quality. It improves soil health through practices that increase soil organic matter. It also aims at enhancing water holding capacity and carbon sequestration. The government is encouraging farmers to take up this practice,” Ganapathy explained.

The process also supports biodiversity and returns carbon and nutrients to the soil. “Soil organic carbon and soil organic matter are vital for plant growth. It also facilitates water infiltration, retention and nutrient cycling, reduces erosion, and provides habitat and food for diverse species,” he added.

Regenerative agriculture includes cover crops (that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested), integration of livestock and reduced or zero tillage, he shared. “Our annual yield is moderate and varies between three-fourth to one tonne per acre,” he said.

Taste notes

My newfound interest in brewing methods and roasts led me to sign up for a few tasting experiences. At the Starbucks Coffee outlet on Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, cupping sessions are held regularly. At one of their sessions, I tried their Diwali Blend and the Single Origin Kenya Coffee, sourced from Kenya.

At the slow coffee bar, four brewing methods awaited me — a siphon, Chemex, French press, and pour over. Though I had seen them at the Conference, I was taken by the chemistry lab-like setup. It was fascinating to watch the Diwali Blend being made in the siphon, and the Kenyan coffee in a Chemex.

The siphon is a vacuum-filtration method, which uses halogen lights to heat water. The movement of evaporated water from the lower chamber to the upper chamber and back was theatrical to watch. The Chemex is considered a hybrid brewing method. Its one-piece hourglass shape with a collar looked decorative, more than like coffee equipment.

The Diwali Blend was a blonde roast. It was sweet and aromatic (it had notes of dusted cocoa, apricot, and dried ginger). I took a whiff of the freshly ground Kenyan coffee. It was floral and fruity. When I took a sip it made my mouth water. This meant that it was highly acidic, I was told.

The brewmaster, Madhav, explained: “The brewing methods are based on how one likes one’s coffee, keeping in mind factors like intensity and taste.” Each brewing method has its own characteristics. A siphon is said to produce a delicate and aromatic cup, while the Chemex with its triple-layer paper filter makes a smooth and clean cup. The pour over method makes a cup of rich, clean and balanced coffee, and the French press is used to make a full-bodied, thick cup of coffee, where the oils are retained.

I then tasted the Sumatran coffee (a single origin coffee from Indonesia) made in a pour over. It had earthy and herbal notes. One whiff of it reminded me of the first rains of the monsoon season.

I also tasted two cold brews — one made with coarsely ground Kenyan coffee (smooth and sweet) and a nitrogen cold brew (infused with nitrogen) of the same bean, which was creamy, refreshing and smooth.

The interesting part about such cupping sessions is the number of common and not-so-common facts one comes across.

Slurping is important in the coffee world. At the handful of coffee cupping sessions I have attended, I was urged to slurp the drink. It is the best way to taste all the different flavour notes.

At another coffee cupping session at Maverick & Farmer Coffee, Halasuru, Bengaluru, I tasted a coffee I have wanted to for years — the civet coffee (it was not the original Indonesian Kopi Luwak but an Indian version of the same). Often referred to as the ‘poop coffee’, it is made from partially digested coffee cherries, eaten and defecated by a civet cat. It was from Pankajam Estate in Idukki, Kerala. This Indian version had a hint of cardamom. I was informed by Ashish D’abreo, coffee roaster and co-founder of Maverick, that the coffee plants were grown on a cardamon estate, which could possibly explain the presence of the spice note.

Acidity level, aged, body, dry, earthy, fine, flat, and grassy, were some of the terms I heard being used at these sessions. They made me realise there was so much more I needed to learn.

A Plantation Tour

A visit to Yemmigoondi estate in Pollibetta, Kodagu, owned by Tata Coffee, threw light on how these plants grow and are harvested. The plantation was spread across 1,500 acres (600 odd hectares). As I took in the view of the arabica plants on the left and the robusta plants on the right, I wondered when they would harvest. A company representative told us that robusta are stouter and grow almost twice the size of an arabica plant. “For robusta, the space maintained between two plants is around 10x10ft. After applying fertiliser and culturing, robusta starts yielding by the fifth year. Arabica gives yield by the fourth year,” he added.

I learnt that the two varieties require unique environments to thrive — robusta plants are smaller in number and need more heat. Arabica starts maturing by November, and robusta matures around December. Robusta makes up 60% of the estate’s entire crop, I was told.

Puneet Das, from Tata Consumer Products, explained that consumption of instant coffee remains high in the country. “For the south of the country, where coffee is a regular habit, hyperlocalisation as a strategy works as it has native appeal. Our new coffee decoctions like Chukku Kaapi (a popular Kerala drink made from dry ginger, black pepper and coffee powder), and the Coorg Kaapi are some examples,” he said.

What is a Wave in the Coffee World ?

It refers to a period of time in the evolution of coffee. The field has gone through several big changes and innovations. The first wave (started in the 1800s) represented a shift from coffee being a novelty drink to a commodity. In the second wave (started in the 1970s), it became a culture (characterised by the arrival of coffee chains). The third wave (started in the 2000s) revolves around consumer awareness, focus on flavour profiles and the coffee bean.

The fourth wave is said to be dominated by innovation. Coffee experts say that we are now entering the fourth wave. In coffee innovation, fermentation plays an important role in unlocking or creating new flavours. In the last decade, farmers have exprerimented with many controlled fermentation processes, while working with temperature, or introduction of yeast and bacteria from other fruits. Ashish, of Maverick, says, “In 2018, we created a fruit-fermented coffee. We introduced lightly-pulped oranges into the fermentation barrel. In another case, we extracted lactic acid from milk and added it into the fermentation, which rendered a honey flavour to the coffee,” he says. Ale yeast is also being added to fermentation barrels by many, which gives the coffee notes of beer, he adds.

Indian Market

Indian coffee is considered one of the best in the world. It fetches a high premium in the international markets. Coffee is primarily an export commodity for India, and its consumption in the domestic market is 25 to 30% of the country’s production.

Cup Facts

Brazil is the biggest coffee producing country in the world, followed by Vietnam and Colombia. India comes sixth.

Decaffeinated coffee doesn’t mean that your drink is caffeine free. The decaffeination process removes about 97% of the caffeine in the beans, but it is never 100% removed.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Special / by Tini Sara Anien / October 28th, 2023

The rise of mushroom coffee in India

October 30, 2023Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)Mushroom Coffee, Rooted Active Naturals, Rooted Active Naturals - Gurugramadmin

Low on caffeine and high on protein, mushroom coffee is having its time in the sun and the rise in Indian homegrown brands in the segment is proof.

A cup of mushroom coffee contains about half the amount of caffeine than in a regular cup of coffee | Photo Credit: Getty Images

First, there were plant-based milks, then came avocados, and now there is mushroom coffee that appears to be the new kid on the block, driving a caffeinated generation to pick up a seemingly healthier alternative.

A quick Google search suggests there is curiosity rapidly building around the product. Especially in India where brands are taking a stab at it, and are now routinely answering questions on what indeed is mushroom coffee, or most importantly, how do these two ingredients even get along? “Imagine the same taste of coffee, but with about 25-30% of the coffee powder being made of mushrooms,” says Rakesh Bhatnagar, founder of Gurugram-based Rooted Active Naturals. Launched in 2020 with the aim to bring superfoods from across the globe to India, he says, “The idea was to introduce such superfoods in an easy-to-consume, potent, and tasty manner,” adding that this approach almost immediately led him to dig deeper into the medicinal qualities of mushrooms, which became the first launch category, and continues to be their top selling one.

Variants of mushroom coffee | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Think your regular earthy coffee flavours, but with a dash of nuttiness and without the cons of getting acid reflux or caffeine-induced insomnia. “It became a game changer for a caffeine addict like me, who started facing some health concerns, but also felt irritable throughout the day every time I tried to quit,” says Vinay Kumar, 33, a software engineer based in Pune. Vinay has been a shroom coffee loyalist since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when longer work hours at home, coupled with little to no movement meant a sleep cycle being thrown into complete disarray. “And the caffeine was only exacerbating everything. That’s when I stumbled upon mushroom coffee online and thought I should give it a shot,” says Vinay. And he never looked back. Initially, he would mostly spot international brands online, but within a year, he found more homegrown names listed on e-commerce websites. A 100-gram pack of this joe in India is priced anywhere between ₹400 and ₹1,000, with average prices hovering around ₹600 for 100 gms.

From the 1940s

Interestingly, the origins of mushroom coffee go back to a dark time in history — the World War II era to be precise, when in the 1940s, coffee became one of the first few goods to suffer from chronic and acute shortages across Europe. Consequently, an alternative was introduced in Finland, where people started to increasingly brew and consume chaga mushroom coffee. This variety of fungi grows on the back of birch trees in cold terrains like Northern Europe, Korea, Siberia, Russia, Northern Canada, and Alaska. It has traditionally been used in these cultures and other parts of Asia as an immunity booster.

An image of the processing unit at Rooted Active Naturals | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Our mushrooms undergo purely water-based extraction. This method preserves the critical bioactive components and ensures batch-to-batch consistency. It also prevents the loss of essential mushroom properties during the extraction process,” says Shivam Hingorani, founder of Ace Blend, a Mumbai-based company born in 2019 that deals in plant-based food.

While Rooted Active Naturals uses a blend of instant Arabica coffee with a mix of lion’s mane and chaga mushroom powder in their formulation, Ace Blend adopts a slightly different route. “We blend the chosen superfoods in their effective doses with 100 percent medium roast Arabica extract,” Shivam says of his brand that garnered over 10,000 customers in the past month. “As more consumers discover the remarkable advantages of mushroom-infused products, including improved cognitive function and jitter-free energy, we expect the demand for our mushroom coffee to continue surging worldwide at a rapid pace,” he adds.

The mushroom factbox

Some commonly used mushroom extracts to prepare coffee are derived from the chaga, reishi, lion’s mane, and cordyceps variants.These variants are known as adaptogenic mushrooms, which are considered herbs that, when consumed regularly, are known to help the body deal with stress.A cup of mushroom coffee contains about half the amount of caffeine than in a regular cup of coffee.

How to brew it?

Formulated as a powder, shroom coffee is brewed the usual way, with a teaspoon of it mixed in a cup of warm water or milk with sugar, as per taste. If one wants to have it cold, just brew it the regular way and let it cool down, before serving with ice. When this writer had her first cup of a shroom coffee blend brewed in warm water without sugar, the flavours reminded her of a well-made cappuccino, but in almond milk, as it comes with that distinctly nutty punch bearing a more velvety texture.

For 25-year-old Rosanna P from Goa — a recent shroom coffee convert — the switch happened after she had a cup of the brew at a friend’s place and did not realise it. “I actually thought it was a superior brew,” the self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur says. “The texture is just silkier. And for someone who picks her beans with utmost care, this discovery really surprised me,” she says.

If one wants to have mushroom cofee cold, just brew it the regular way and let it cool down, before serving with ice | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Rosanna recalls hearing about shroom-coffee back in 2016 from a friend who lives in the US, and it is a fact corroborated by Chirag Kenia, Founder, and CEO at Urban Platter, a “gourmet grocery brand” headquartered in Mumbai and established in 2015. Chirag’s platform has been selling mushroom coffee since 2018, and he remembers a buzz around it since as early as 2017. “The US as a market started adopting these products very voraciously around 2017-18, which is also when we introduced it in India,” he says.

Chirag, however, believes the product has only reached a niche consumer base thus far, so the only way to scale it further is to underline its nutritional values as a superfood. “Mushrooms are such wondrous, nutrient-rich ingredients that immediately elevate any dish they are a part of,” he says, before predicting that the next big mushroom innovation will be snacks made of it. Clearly, it’s a mushroom world, and we are only living in it.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Food> Features / by Arshia Dhar / October 27th, 2023

Why Coorg Is So Famous For Its Coffee And Plantation

October 27, 2023Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)admin

Coorg’s long-standing tradition of cultivating coffee, and the warm hospitality of its people have rightfully earned it the title of India’s Coffee Capital.

The history of coffee in Coorg goes back to the 17th century.

Coorg, located in Karnataka, India, is a captivating place known for its abundant green landscapes, hilly terrain, and the delightful aroma of coffee plantations. This region, which is situated in one of India’s leading coffee-producing states, is a perfect destination for both coffee enthusiasts and nature lovers. Coorg’s long-standing tradition of cultivating coffee, its breathtaking scenery, and the warm hospitality of its people have rightfully earned it the title of India’s Coffee Capital.

In fact, when it comes to coffee production in India, the majority of it happens in the hilly areas of South Indian states, with Karnataka being the leader, responsible for 71% of the country’s coffee production, and Coorg alone contributing a significant 40% to that total.

In simple terms, the history of coffee in Coorg goes back to the 17th Century when legendary Baba Budan brought the first coffee plants to the area. He got seven coffee beans from Yemen and planted them in the Baba Budan Giri range, which marked the beginning of coffee in India. But it was during the 19th Century when the British were in charge and coffee farming in Coorg really took off. The British realized that the climate and soil in Coorg were perfect for coffee, so they started a lot of coffee plantations, and they became a big part of Coorg’s landscape.

Coorg’s coffee farms thrived because the estate owners took great care of them. They used modern techniques to grow and process coffee. Nowadays, Coorg is one of India’s biggest coffee-producing areas, and it plays a big role in India’s coffee exports. Some estates still use traditional methods to grow coffee, which keeps the original and delightful taste of this beverage alive.

Coorg’s coffee plantations focus on sustainable and eco-friendly farming methods. This means the coffee you get from there is not only tasty but also safe from pesticides and chemicals.

In the coffee-rich region of Coorg, India, which is not far from Bengaluru, during February, you’ll discover many coffee trees covered in red and green berries. Each of these berries contains two green beans inside. These beans are carefully chosen, sorted, and roasted in small batches to preserve their unique flavours and aromas, resulting in an outstanding cup of coffee.

Many of the delicious and fragrant coffee beans come from coffee plantations in Karnataka. These beans are harvested, dried, roasted, and ground to create the perfect cup of coffee you hold in your hands.

source: http://www.news18.com / News 18 / Home> Lifestyle / by Nishad Thaivalappill / October 26th, 2023

‘With one sip of coffee, I can tell where the beans are from across the globe’

October 24, 2023Coffee News, World OpinionJasmine McNaught, Jasmine McNaught - Technical Manager - Nestle UK & Irelandadmin

How I Made It: Coffee taster — A coffee connoisseur (Picture: Lucy Ray / PA Wire)

Welcome back to How I Made It, Metro.co.uk’s weekly career journey series.

This week we’re chatting with Jasmine McNaught, who is the Technical Manager at Nestlé UK & Ireland, which essentially means she’s a professional coffee taster.

Aged 51 and based in Tutbury, she knows more than most people about coffee.

Her first experience of coffee came as a child, when helping her grandmother harvest beans in India. Now in the UK, she works on producing product, and can tell where a coffee bean has originated from with just one sip.

Here’s how she made it.

Hi Jasmine. Tell me about harvesting in India as a child, what was that like?

My earliest coffee memory is from when I was 10 years old, visiting my grandmother in Karakkad in Kerala, in southwest India.

People are very practical there and grow things to eat and use.

My grandmother had a beautiful plot; I remember feeding plantain skins to her cows, and she grew all sorts of tropical plants from black pepper and pineapples to coffee.

She let me help her harvest the ripe, red coffee berries, and she made sweets from the coffee pulp.

We then dried the beans in the sun before roasting them, taking their skins off and making cups of coffee.

I know most 10-year-olds don’t drink coffee, but this is a really special memory that will always stay with me.

Jasmine McNaught — A lifelong love of coffee (Picture: Lucy Ray/PA Wire)

How did you get into working in coffee?

After completing my degree in chemical and biochemical engineering, I started out in the oil and gas industry, but quickly realised I wanted to work in food manufacturing.

When I first joined Nestlé, I worked across lots of different sites, which were manufacturing everything from pickles to condensed milk and coffee.

The coffee process particularly interested me – you start off with a natural raw material, which is then transformed into the Nescafé instant coffee that so many of us know and love.

Did you know that 6,000 cups of Nescafé are drunk around the world every single second?

I knew I wanted to specialize in coffee production, and Nestlé helped me to do just that.

Have you done any training?

I’ve done an external sensory science course with the Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Sensory science is about how humans respond to the properties of a product they experience through their senses i.e. sight, smell, taste etc.

Do you go back to India at all?

Throughout my life, I’ve tended to visit my family in Kerala every few years.

I spent a whole summer in Kerala with my grandmother when I was 19, and although she had a slightly smaller plot by then, she still had coffee bushes and I remember making my own coffee from them.

My husband’s English and we’ve got two kids – it’s really important to us that they’re connected to their Indian heritage, and they love visiting my family members that still live out there.

How can you tell where coffee is from around the world when you sip it? How much experience goes into that?

There are some origins with really distinct flavours, and with enough time and training, you can start to distinguish them.

As an example, Brazilian coffee can have a distinctive chocolate note. And Columbian coffee tends to be fruity.

What does coffee mean to you?

I’m always struck by how many lives coffee touches around the world.

It’s at the heart of our social and professional lives and culture here in Europe and whole communities are centred around coffee in the places where it’s grown as a crop.

An average working day in the life of Jasmine McNaught

9am: Catch up on emails with a cup of coffee (of course!)
9.30am: Coffee tasting – checking the quality of the raw material we’ve got coming into the factory, and the quality of the finished product before we send it out.
10.30am: Virtual meeting with my European colleagues to update on the latest innovations and projects.
12.15pm: Daily factory leadership team meeting to discuss team, processes and factory output.

12:30pm: Lunch.
1.30pm: Mentoring session with Nestlé colleagues who are working towards becoming chartered engineers.
2.30pm: Visit to industrial services team on-site to check in on steam production.
3.30pm: Waste Committee meeting (a passion point of mine) where we discuss how to minimise waste from the factory – over and above the fact that we already send zero waste to landfill.
4.30pm: Catch up and training refresher with fellow mental health first aiders.
5.30pm: Home.

What’s your favourite kind of coffee?

I love a strong, Italian-style roast. I especially love the strong, rich roast of Nescafe Alta Rica and the balanced delivery of Azera Americano.

What’s your favourite part of your job?

I love working with a really diverse group of people – understanding their personal stories and what gets them out of bed in the morning.

What’s your least favourite part of your job?

In some ways it’s similar to my favourite! I do spend quite a lot of time talking to people across our organisation when we’ve got important decisions to make – explaining why we recommend making a recipe change or altering the way we do things in the factory.

I recognise though that being responsible for a product like Nescafé is a huge privilege and a responsibility, so we have to take the time to get everything spot on. If I ever start feeling impatient, I just have to remind myself of that.

source: http://www.metro.co.uk / Metro / Home> Food> Lifestyle / by Tanyel Mustafa / October 24th, 2023

How coffee makes concrete stronger

October 24, 2023Business & Economy, Coffee News, Science & Technology, World Opinionadmin

It can wake you up, it is an anti-oxidant, it is said to be nature’s best pre-workout drink when it comes to burning fat while working out, and now, it can make stronger houses.

No, this writer has not had too much coffee. Just the usual four cups since morning. The last fact mentioned above is supported by scientific research, detailed in a research paper titled Transforming spent coffee grounds into a valuable resource for the enhancement of concrete strength, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production this year. And the lead author of this research paper is Dr Rajeev Roychand, an Australian national originally from sadda Punjab.

Born in the Gurdaspur district, Roychand grew up in Amritsar and moved to Australia in 2005 for higher studies, after completing his Masters in Civil Engineering.

“I was living a carefree life on my father’s hard-earned money, with absolutely no vision for my future,” Roychand tells mid-day through an email interaction. “It was making my father quite anxious. He finally decided to send me to Australia, hoping that I may become serious when I won’t find anybody to pamper me all the time and when I feel the realities of the harsh life.”

The move came as a blessing in disguise for Roychand, who, for the first time, learned the importance of money during his first job at a restaurant.

“The owner called me for a day. It was a very busy restaurant and I worked from 3 pm to 11 pm. without a single second’s break. I worked so hard that the owner of the restaurant asked me to become a regular employee of the restaurant. This extreme hard work was like a sudden shock for me, and I was not mentally prepared to accept this job offer. Seeing that I wasn’t interested, the owner refused to pay me. I went to the station to go back home and cried a lot at the station,” he recalls

Roychand went on to work as a taxi driver till 2008, during which time he also got his citizenship, and then worked as a structural engineer at a private firm. Research, however, was always his calling.

“I was always fascinated by the research field, so in year 2013, I decided to do my PhD at RMIT University, Melbourne,” Roychand says. “The focus of my research was developing a low carbon footprint alternative to the conventional Portland cement. By the time I completed my PhD in year 2017, I was successful in developing a high durability zero cement concrete utilising different industrial by-products like fly ash, slag, silica fume and some chemical additives.”

The road to Roychand’s Eureka moment in his latest project, funnily enough, started over a cup of coffee, when the research group he is part of at RMIT met to discuss transformation of different waste materials to strengthen concrete.

“We decided to start with coffee waste, taking it as a challenge. We worked on this project for about a year, and finally we came up with a solution that could transform this waste into a valuable additive for strengthening concrete,” he says.

For the benefit of the lay reader, he breaks down the research into simple words.

“Concrete is made up of cement, water, sand, and gravel. In this project, we found that heating spent coffee grounds at 350°C temperature in the absence of oxygen significantly improves its properties. When this treated coffee waste is used as a replacement for sand, it provides a 30 per cent improvement in the strength of concrete,” he explains.

The team, guided by Professor Jie Li and comprising Roychand and his fellow researchers Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch and Mohammad Saberian, Roychand, made their findings public earlier this month, leading to widespread fame. Apart from several research enthusiasts and experts who spoke about the feat, even the official account of the Australian Consulate in India lauded their achievement.

But for them, the most exciting part is that the waste that was ending up in landfills is now ready to be tried out as a high value by-product for construction applications. But that’s not all. Roychand’s research might soon be coming to India, he reveals.

“No doubt, India could immensely benefit from this research. I will be the happiest person if any of my research could benefit my motherland. We are in consultation with one of the companies from India,” he shares, adding, “I still do miss a lot of things, like Amritsari food, and visiting friends and relatives during festivals. But my world revolves around science,” he concludes.

source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid-Day / Home> Sunday Mid-Day News / by Gautam S Mengle / September 10th, 2023

COFFEE STORY–The Rise of Indian Coffee on the Global Stage, and new Entrepreneur Opportunities

October 16, 2023Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Records, All, World Opinionadmin

In our concluding photo essay from the World Coffee Conference and Exhibition, we feature more trends and insights for startups.

Coffee Story–the rise of Indian coffee on the global stage, and new entrepreneur opportunities

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 720 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

The coffee ecosystem is opening up a wide range of entrepreneurship opportunities for coffee growers, roasters, curers, blenders, packagers, and cafes. The World Coffee Conference and Exhibition (WCC), held recently in Bengaluru, showcased a broad spectrum of players in equipment manufacturing, home brewing, and associated products like alternative milk.

“Demand for coffee has overtaken production in India. GenZ and millennials in particular are driving the coffee culture in India,” said Kailash Natani, MD, Sucafina. Indian youth are also driving trends such as the use of plant-based milk in coffees. “More than 50% of our global customer base are GenZ and millennials. 70% of the beverage that we sell is cold coffee,” observed Kelly Goodejohn, Vice President, Global Coffee Sustainability and Education, Starbucks.

WCC 2023 was inaugurated by a galaxy of national and international leaders such as Joe Kuli, Minister for Coffee from Papua New Guinea; Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director, International Coffee Organisation; and KG Jagadeesha, Secretary, Coffee Board of India.

Tennis champion Rohan Bopanna was designated as Brand Ambassador of WCC 2023. The event also featured traditional folk dances from coffee growing states of Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and the North-East.

In Part I and Part II of our coverage of WCC 2023, we showcased the diversity and range of exhibits. See also our earlier photo essays on Coffee Santhe 2015, Mango Mela 2018, and Mango Diversity Fair 2019.

Climate and soil diversity around the world lead to a rich tapestry of artisanal coffee flavours. “They can range from fruity and floral to nutty and chocolatey, catering to different cultures,” observed Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of US-based Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).

“Specialty coffee fosters a sense of community. We are trying to build a market in India for specialty coffees and have made good headway. The future of India as a coffee leader looks very promising,” added DM Purnesh, President, Specialty Coffee Association of India.

Sustainability in the coffee chain was one of the key conference themes this year. “The success of the future of the coffee industry is based on the partnerships we forge with the farming community. A wholistic approach is key to reducing our environmental footprint,” said Michelle Burns, Executive Vice President- Global Coffee, Social Impact and Sustainability, Starbucks.

Harald Friedl, CEO, Green Leadership, urged the industry to explore the use of coffee in alternate products, not just as a beverage. Salvador Urrutia Loucel, Latin American Director, World Coffee Research, called for more R&D in breeding climate-resilient variants of the coffee bean.

“The sector needs to look at alternative coffee species beyond Arabica and Robusta – the two dominant varieties today,” added Dr. Aaron Davis, Kew Gardens (UK).

“India’s growing reputation in the coffee industry, known for its sustainable and high-quality production, is gaining global recognition,” observed Dr. K.G. Jagadeesha, Secretary, Coffee Board of India.

India reportedly has six Geographical Indication (GI) tagged coffees. Many ‘coffeepreneurs’ and ‘cafepreneurs’ are finding opportunity along the entire coffee value chain, and new coffee shops have also transformed into creative hubs.

One of the highlights of WCC 2023 was the coffee competitions. Awards were bestowed upon the National Barista Champion (Hrishikesh Mohite), Women’s Star Brewer Skills Champion (Priti Pradhan), Latte Art Champion (Mohammad Afsar), and Indian Filter Coffee Champion (Vani Shree N from Brown Bean Artistry). Other awards were given for best natural and washed coffee beans in Robusta and Arabica categories.

“This competition not only celebrated the art of coffee making but also highlighted the dedication and talent of baristas,” explains Anisha Kumari, Assistant Manager, Beverage Innovation, at leading coffee chain Cafe Coffee Day (CCD).

She was earlier part of the quality team at Hatti Kaapi. An expert in beverage development, portfolio management, and product quality, Kumari studied at BITS Mesra and Coffee Board of India, specialising in food technology and processing.

She particularly appreciated the session on the quality profile of Indian specialty and fine coffees. “This was a significant highlight as it emphasised India’s growing presence in the global coffee market and the exceptional quality of its coffee offerings,” she tells YourStory.

During the conference, Kumari worked at the CCD bar, crafting and serving coffees to delegates and visitors. “The response was overwhelming, as CCD has become an emotional connection for many. CCD has significantly contributed to introducing café culture in India,” she affirms.

The international event gave her a chance to hold discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions with both Indian and foreign stakeholders over a cup of coffee. “The WCC events serve as a pivotal platform for coffee entrepreneurs, offering invaluable opportunities for networking and collaboration with global coffee professionals,” Kumari says.

There is a wealth of market insights and trends, particularly within the specialty coffee sector. “Furthermore, the conference provides a conducive environment for staying informed about industry innovations,” she adds.

“Notably, prominent brands presented a range of B2B services, spanning coffee trade and comprehensive machinery solutions encompassing packaging and connectivity,” Kumari says. Networking was facilitated between small and large coffee growers, factory mills, roasters, and distributors of café machinery.

Such forums promote collaboration and foster growth within the coffee industry. Kumari looks forward to more such events such as the Blend Bazaar and World Coffee and Tea Expo.

“I plan to conduct coffee workshops and training sessions across India, aiming to share knowledge and expertise with aspiring baristas, coffee enthusiasts, and professionals, thereby contributing to the growth and development of the coffee community,” she enthuses.

She also offers tips for aspiring coffee entrepreneurs. “Keep exploring and trying various coffees from different cafes and experiment with innovative coffee beverages from various brands,” she says.

“By doing so, you not only support the industry but also expand your own palate and appreciation for coffee,” she suggests.

Continuous learning is needed to keep up with new farm-level processing techniques, roasting methods, and brewing approaches. “This knowledge will not only deepen your understanding of coffee but also enhance your enjoyment of this beloved beverage,” she adds.

“So, savour the journey of coffee exploration and continue to appreciate the hard work that goes into every cup,” Kumari signs off.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and showcase the breadth of your creative side?

(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at WCC2023.)

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.

Edited by Megha Reddy

source: http://www.yourstory.com / Your Story / Home> Events / by Madanmohan Rao / edited by Megha Reddy / October 15th, 2023

Brewing memories: Rediscover the bitter-sweet trail of coffee

October 8, 2023Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)Arabica Coffee, Baragalli Estate & Puttana Koppalu Estate, Coorg, Dope Coffee Roasters, Estate Monkeys, Kodagu District, Kodagu First, Korebi Coffees Barbara Estate Beans, Nilgiri Coffee Beans, North Coorg, Robusta coffeeadmin

Every person has a different relationship with coffee- some are purists – you know the ones who will talk about their beans, roasts, and brewing methods.

Every person has a different relationship with coffee- some are purists – you know the ones who will talk about their beans, roasts, and brewing methods. Others just want a caffeine hit, regardless of where and how it comes from. Then you have the adventurers, the experimentals who enjoy their beverage with a twist- they’ll try raspberry, mint, bubblegum, and be risque with their drink. What we are trying to say is the way we intake coffee might differ, but we’re all united by our need for this concoction.

You’ve heard of Champagne from France, but did you know that coffee also has its GI tags – namely from Kodagu (Coorg), Bababudangiri, Chikkamagaluru, Araku Valley and Wayanad?

Currently, India is the only country in the world where the entire coffee cultivation is grown under shade, hand-picked and sun dried. Indian coffee beans are exported widely around the globe, and valued especially in European markets as ‘premium’ coffee. In 2022-2023 alone, India is estimated to have produced about 3,52,000 metric tonnes of coffee beans (Arabica and Robusta), with the southern regions dominating the landscape with a produce of 326,415 metric tonnes.

In India, our southern counterpart shares an intimate relation with these dark beans- A steaming cup of filter kaapi is very personal to the residents here and rightfully so since, this is where coffee was born and grew up. Coffee has been an innate part of life in these hilly regions and it has everything to do with these four places- Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu (Coorg), Wayanad, Araku Valley.

Chikkamagaluru – Arabica

The birthplace of the world’s most adored beverage is known for tall lush green trees and huge coffee estate produces 96,180 Metric tonnes of coffee, making it India’s largest producer. Arabica and Robusta are the two kinds found in these regions the most. Visit Chikkamagaluru and go on a tour of the coffee plantations to discover how coffee is made. You can also try Korebi Coffee’s Barbara Estate Beans, available on CRED Store.

Kodagu (Coorg) – Arabica

Coorg is a tiny district tucked away into the deep valleys of a fertile stretch famous for Arabica and Robusta. Score some of this 100% authentic Arabica coffee from Estate Monkeys single estate range, and while you’re at it, don’t miss out on a tour of these rich, dense plantations!

Estate Monkeys brings you fresh, 100% pure and premium Arabica beans from Baragalli Estate & Puttana Koppalu Estate plantations across North Coorg. Selectivity, traceability, transparency and quality describes and complements this coffee. From growing to brewing, every step is monitored and accounted for.

The first step of quality check takes place at the estate level. Shade-grown coffee supports biodiversity, native flora and fauna and migratory birds. They retain huge biodiversity thus complementing the coffee plants with various fruit bearing trees and spices which as a matter of fact adds on to the flavours of coffee. The hand-picked ripe cherries are hand-sorted with utmost care. They are introduced into machines to remove the fruit pulp and later washed in clear water to remove the mucilage. The washed beans are laid out in thin layers and dried naturally under the sun for a few days constantly by using rakes and later transferred into hulling machines for removal of the skin.

Wayanad – Robusta

In the Wayanad district of Kerala, Robusta coffee is grown both as a pure crop and in combination with pepper. The majority of Kerala’s coffee is grown in Wayanad, which also serves as the foundation of the state’s coffee industry. The region has a lot to offer to nature enthusiasts and people looking for a quiet, serene break.

Araku Valley – Arabica

Arabica here has a light to medium strength and a lovely acidity with a grapefruit citrus note combined with a faint jaggery-like sweetness. It is grown in areas of the Koraput district in Odisha and Visakhapatnam.

Barring these GI-tagged beans, some other lesser-known but equally exciting types of coffee include Monsoon Malabar, an exclusive variety found in the Malabar region of Kerala. You can find this whole bean roasted variety through Dope Coffee Roasters, along with another infamous variety staple to the Nilgiri Regions in the south, Nilgiri Coffee Beans.

If you want to know more about the coffee world, maybe it is time for you and your family to have your own little adventure in these dense, thriving mountain regions- freshly brewed cups of bitter coffee served alongside some sweet, sweet memories.

source: http://www.thestatesman.com / The Stateman / Home> Lifestyle / by IANS, New Delhi / October 08th, 2023

Full of beans and beats: Coffee-growing tribal women farmers enthral global audience at WCC with folk dance

October 4, 2023Coffee Newsadmin

For coffee farmers and coffee roasters from Keezhanthoor, the bean is not just livelihood but also culture.

A group of tribal women coffee farmers from Keezhanthoor, a biodiversity protected village from Anamalai Cholai of Idukki, Kerala with their folk dance performance for the 5th Coffee World Conference concluded in Bengaluru recently | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A group of six tribal women coffee farmers and coffee roasters from Keezhanthoor, a biodiversity hotspot from Anamalai Cholai of Idukki district in Kerala, enthralled with their spectacular bean dance a large global audience gathered at the 5th World Coffee Conference (WCC) that concluded recently in Bengaluru.

The folk dance of these Arabica-growing tribal farmers is special during the coffee harvest season every year at Keezhanthoor and their performances depict how coffee is inseparably linked to their lives, livelihood, culture and cuisine.

Traditional methods

The coffee farmers/dancers, including Mahalakshmi Shivkumar, Mahalakshmi N., Ganthimathi, Gayathri, Palaniyammal, Aruna, Seetha, Sheena, Anjana, Divya, Swapna, also narrated how organically grown and manually roasted coffees in earthenware and ironware using traditional methods and with much care, craftsmanship and love for the classic beverage has ensured better market reach and increased sustainability across the bean’s journey from farm to cup.

“At Keezhanthoor, we have lived with coffee for generations. Coffee is everything for us. It is our livelihood, culture and celebrations. Although growing, harvesting and processing involves a lot of hard work, we enjoy doing it together with songs and dance,’‘ explained Ms. Palaniyammal.

Helping farmers grow world-class coffees

Plantrich, an export house of organic produce, works with various farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and NGOs across the country that support farmers with growing world-class coffees and fetching international price for the commodity. Manarcadu Social Service Society, a Kottayam-based NGO, is assisting a network of over 5,000 organic and tribal coffee farmers in Kerala and another 5,000 small and sustainability-certified farmers in Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu and in other coffee-growing areas in the country.

These tribal farmers are playing a key role in preserving traditional coffee roasting techniques and are a testament to India’s rich heritage of coffee culture. Their folk performance and narration offers an immersive journey into the heart and soul of coffee craftsmanship, said M.S. Sreekumar, CEO, Plantrich.

“We support coffee farmers by offering fair prices for their products, supplying organic input, building capacity of women farmers, scholarships to children of tribal farmers for education, annual yield bonuses and farming and safety equipment,’‘ he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Mini Tejaswi / October 03rd, 2023

Winners Revealed at the 5th World Coffee Conference 2023: Coffee Championships Attracting Enthusiastic Youth Participation

October 2, 2023Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Barista Championship (wef. July 28th, 2022), Coffee News, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022), World Opinionadmin

Mumbai / Bengaluru:

The International Coffee Organization, in partnership with the Coffee Board of India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, the Government of Karnataka, and the coffee industry, announced the National Latte Art, Barista, Filter Coffee, Women’s Star Brewer and Fine Cup Award Championships on the last day of the 5th World Coffee Conference 2023 at Bengaluru Palace.

WCC 2023 hosted competitions and championships during the 4-day event the most coveted of which is the National Barista Championship. The prestigious competition is designed to recognize the most technically proficient and talented baristas in the field. It is dedicated to promoting excellence throughout the entire coffee value chain, fostering skill development, and cultivating a thriving café culture in India. The winner will represent India in The World Barista Championship to be held in South Korea, and a cash prize was also awarded. Mr. Hrishikesh Mohite from Café’ De Meet won the National Barista Championship 2024 at the WCC 2023.

At the Women’s Star Brewer Skills Championship, female baristas and home brewers were offered a platform to proudly display their coffee brewing prowess, demonstrating their skills. Participants were allowed to craft a ‘Signature Beverage’ utilizing home brewing equipment. The Women’s Star Brewer Skills Championship is awarded to Priti Pradhan.

The National Latte Art Championship made its debut in India, bringing an exciting blend of artistic expression and barista skills to the forefront. This unique competition challenges baristas with on-the-spot performances that showcase their creativity and precision. From over 150 contestants, Mr. Mohammad Afsar was awarded as the champion who will now participate in the International Latte Art Championship in Taiwan.

The Great Indian Filter Coffee Championship is a celebration of traditional Indian coffee craftsmanship, designed to promote and nurture the art of brewing the quintessential Filter Coffee. From 27 participants went head-to-head Vani Shree N from Brown Bean Artistry was declared the winner.

1758 contestants participated in the ‘Flavour of India – The Fine Cup Award Cupping Competition’ which was on a mission to award the production of high-quality coffees in India.

-The winner of Best Washed Arabica is awarded to Mrs. Killo Aswini

–Best Arabica Naturals is awarded to M/s. Kruthi Coffee, Kindriguda Tribal Farmers Group

–Best Washed Robusta is awarded to Mr. Jacob Mammen, M/s Badra Estate Balehonnur Estate

–Best Robusta Naturals is awarded to Mr. Jacob Mammen M/s. Badra Balehonnur Estate.

The 4-day international event featured Conferences, Skill Building Workshops, a Growers Conclave, CEOs and global Leaders Forums, Startup Conclave, Competitions, and awards, and an Exhibition showcasing cutting-edge coffee products and services.

source: http://www.apnnews.com / APN News / Home> Youth / October 02nd, 2023

Chikkamagaluru To Kodagu: Rediscover The Bitter-sweet Trail Of Coffee

September 30, 2023Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)admin

Every person has a different relationship with coffee. While some are purists, others just want a caffeine hit, regardless of where and how it comes from.

You’ve heard of Champagne from France, but did you know that coffee also has its GI tags – namely from Kodagu (Coorg), Bababudangiri, Chikkamagaluru, Araku Valley and Wayanad?

Chikkamagaluru – Arabica

Kodagu (Coorg) – Arabica

Wayanad – Robusta

Araku Valley – Arabica

source: http://www.republicworld.com / Republic World.com / Home> English News> Lifestyle> Food / by Indo-Asian News Service – IANS / September 30th, 2023