When the rest of India runs on chai, the people in Karnataka are in love with coffee. Here is a list of top 10 coffee producers in Karnataka.
Though our country has been growing and exporting coffee since the 1600s, the beverage gained popularity in recent times, owing to the evolving café culture.
Today, India is one of the biggest coffee producers in the world, with Karnataka contributing a whopping 71% of the overall production. You’ll find some of the most beautiful coffee plantations sprawling across Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, and Hassan.
Whether you’re looking for easily available coffee brands or gourmet coffee, most of them have had their humble beginnings in the state. Following are some of the best coffee producers in Karnataka.
All these brands specially handpick top quality coffee beans, usually Arabica and Robusta, and use unique techniques to formulate excellent blends.
A List Of Coffee Producers In Karnataka
1. Levista Coffee
Website: www.slncoffee.com
Levista Coffee is one of the subsidiaries of the reputable conglomerate, SLN Group. The coffee is specially grown in local estates in Coorg and is made into three types of blends – classic, premium and strong.
To ensure the coffee is of impeccable quality, the company uses Israeli drip irrigation technology and organic fertilizers for the cultivation process.
Levista Coffee is available online starting from Rs 69/ for a 50gm can and Rs 110/ for a 50gm pouch. They are also exported to several countries abroad.
2. Coffee Day Enterprises Limited
Website: https://www.cafecoffeeday.com/
Coffee Day Enterprises Limited is undoubtedly one of the most prominent coffee producers in Karnataka. Their coffee is cultivated locally in large estates of about 20,000 acres in Chikkamagaluru! They offer a range of exquisite blends starting from Rs 199 for a 200gm packet.
Their popular café chain, Café Coffee Day, aka CCD, is in over 200 Indian cities. When the first CCD outlet opened in Bengaluru in the mid-90s, it became a rage amongst the youth. The outlet’s massive success propelled the coffee culture in India. Today, you have over 1,722 CCD outlets in India and several outlets abroad.
3. Chik Coffee
Website: www.chikcoffee.com
Chik Coffee is another amazing product from the estates of Chikkamaguluru. Since 1903, this family-run business has cultivated coffee in their impeccably maintained estates. They offer high-quality coffee blends with a tinge of fruity flavors and floral aromatics.
You can check out Chik Coffee products online or in local stores starting from Rs 160 for a 150 g pouch. Moreover, if you visit their estates, you can participate in their coffee-making workshop and understand the process from the connoisseurs themselves.
4. Adavi Coffee
Adavi Coffee is the team effort of Karnataka’s Social Welfare Department and the Coffee Board to give a new lease of life to the Soliga tribal community from Biligiriranga Hills. Currently, MG Plantation in Chikkamagaluru procures about 90% of the coffee cultivated by the tribal farmers.
The coffee is then packaged and sold under the brand name ‘Adavi’. You can buy this coffee for Rs 142 per kg in many local stores across the state. You’ll also find the brand’s stalls in public places such as Mysuru Zoo.
The government is also considering giving the brand a ‘premium’ status to improve the community’s welfare.
5. Cothas Coffee
Website: www.cothas.com
When the Cotha family started their coffee business in Shivajinagar, Bangalore in 1949, little did they know that their coffee will set to become one of the most popular filter coffee brands in the state. Today, the company is operated from a huge plant at Jigani by the father-son duo, CK Sreenathan and CS Nitin.
The roasted and ground filter coffee products are sold locally and internationally. In fact, it is one of the most affordable brands you can find in the state. A 100gm pouch costs just Rs 38. Cothas Coffee is also very popular amongst filter coffee lovers in Tamil Nadu.
6. Panduranga Coffee Works
Website: www.pandurangacoffee.com
Established in 1938, Panduranga Coffee Works is one of the oldest and most prominent names in the coffee business. The coffee is grown in beautiful, lush estates in Chikkamagaluru using innovative techniques, such as cupping.
The whole process is undertaken with great precision so that the consumers can enjoy an amazing cup of coffee full of flavours and aromas. Their products are available online and at their local retail store at Chikkamagaluru in MG Road. The prices are highly affordable, starting from Rs 200 (for a 200ml pouch) onwards.
7. Bayar’s Coffee
Website: www.bayarscoffee.com
Most homes in Bengaluru have been enjoying Bayar’s Coffee for decades. Being ISO and UTZ certified, the company has gained a reputation for providing excellent quality products at reasonable prices for over 48 years. As a 4-time Best Roaster Award recipient, the company has carved a niche for itself in the coffee production business.
They source their coffee beans not just from Karnataka and other Southern states, but also from abroad. You can find their products online and at retail outlets from Rs 85 onwards. Currently, Bayar’s Coffee has 24 stores in Bengaluru, 1 in Tumkur and 1 in Mysuru.
8. Black Baza Coffee Company
Website: www.blackbazacoffee.com
Black Baza Coffee Company was established keeping in mind biodiversity-friendly farming principles to produce exceptional coffee blends. Their entire coffee cultivation process involves selective picking, roasting, hulling, blending, grading, grinding, and packaging.
This meticulous process doesn’t involve the usage of pesticides or chemicals, which ensures that the end-product is highly organic. Currently, the establishment has about 48 stores in India and abroad.
They sell regular coffee, sustainable coffee, and brewing equipment. Their regular coffee is priced from Rs 130 onwards and is also available online.
9. WoodiPeck’s Coffee
Website: www.woodpeckerscoffee.com
Established in 1935, WoodiPeck’s Coffee is one of the popular brands from Sakleshpura in Hassan District. With decades of experience, the company has been producing a variety of coffee products, including, green coffee beans, roasted beans, pure coffee, coffee with chicory, and instant coffee.
They’re quite affordable and are available for wholesalers as well. WoodiPeck’s Coffee has a store in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, where coffee enthusiasts can choose and blend coffee beans to make a personalized cup of coffee.
10. Halli Berri
Website: www.halliberri.com
Halli Berri is another artisan coffee producer in Karnataka that have become a hot favourite amongst coffee lovers. The coffee is grown at Kambihalli estates in Chikkamagaluru by an all-women team. The coffee is handpicked, sun-dried, and roasted in small batches for the perfect brew.
Quality checks are undertaken at each production stage to ensure that the best coffee is available for the public. The owners also have a popular café, Chikmagalur’s Blink and Miss Café, serving Halli Berri’s exquisite brews.
Indians are known for their love for chai, but coffee consumption has been catching up lately. Recent statistics show that coffee demand has increased by 40% in the last decade alone.
Most of the consumers are from Southern states, especially Karnataka. So, if you are an avid coffee drinker, bask in the aroma and flavours of your next cup of caffeine infusion and know that you are a part of the Indian coffee revolution.