Paris to Parl: Araku coffee aroma spreading far, wide

Araku valley coffee, the world’s first terroir-mapped coffee, has now found a place in Parliament canteens, arriving slightly later than its debut in European markets, including Paris.

Advertisement

Grown on India’s largest certified organic, fair-trade coffee plantation, Araku coffee is renowned for its distinctive aroma and taste, gaining increasing global recognition. While specialty coffee typically scores above 80 on a 100-point scale, Araku consistently scores above 90 — an unprecedented achievement for any Indian coffee.

That explains Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement last week to make Araku an international brand on par with Starbucks.

As Araku counters opened in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha canteens today in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Kiren Rijiju and Ram Mohan Naidu, MPs gathered to savour its taste.

“It is a matter of pride that the Andhra Pradesh Government has recognised Araku Valley coffee, a GI-tagged product, as something every Indian should experience,” Goyal said at the inauguration.

Reflecting on the nuances of the drinking specialty, Naidu said it hails from the Araku hills of Andhra and is a world-renowned product. “We have Araku counters in Paris and want to promote it further,” he said.

Araku coffee

Coffee grown in a specific region with unique environmental conditions, such as soil, climate and altitude, that influence the flavour profile of beans, similar to how terroir is used in wine and other food and beverage contexts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also promoted Araku in his 111th Mann ki Baat episode where he lauded Indian products going global.

“Great news for coffee enthusiasts in Parliament! You can now enjoy a freshly brewed cup of Araku coffee right on the premises. My heartfelt thanks to PM Modi for championing Araku coffee in ‘Mann ki Baat’ and to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for kindly granting permission to set up this stall. This is a moment of pride for all of us, especially our tribal farmers, whose dedication and hard work have brewed Araku coffee to the highest levels of national acclaim. As we enjoy each cup, let’s also remember their inspiring journey,” he said on X.

About 1.5 lakh tribal families are engaged in the cultivation of Araku coffee.