Being Coffee-Savvy in India

Being Coffee Savvy in India
Being Coffee Savvy in India

A lot can actually happen over a cup of coffee! For many of us, a simple cup of coffee means a lot more than just a beverage. It can be a lover’s delight, a wake-up call, a source of energy or just a mere addiction! Reasons might differ but their unconditional love for coffee can never be any less than the other. Coffee is the second most consumed beverage after tea in the world. Although India is traditionally a tea-loving country, the growing trend of coffee over tea has questioned the years-old norms. Both coffee and tea have been touted for their health benefits, then why is it that in the case of java versus tea, people have to start opting for the former?

Strong in taste, stronger in the aroma; coffee naturally has more strength than tea! Had the comparison between the two been based on just the attributes, coffee would have quickly been deemed as the winner. But as we take into consideration the health value that each of the beverages offers, one can really not choose between the two! India has been one of the world’s largest tea-drinking nations, yet the coffee culture is eventually taking over. With the setting up of a good number of cafes and international coffee chains in the country, the intake of coffee has increased substantially. And it is the younger generation which seems to have been taken over by this culture foremost.

For a strange reason, coffee has become a trend amongst youngsters. It is so much cooler to ask for a cup of coffee than a cup of tea. Tea has suddenly become an elderly beverage. The college students love to hang out during their breaks and a café is a most conveniently accessible place for them. It is easy to find a café at every place and a cup of coffee doesn’t even do much harm to their pockets. And thus, a coffee cup has slowly become a part of their lifestyle now. Apart from these students, the people who sit in the office for long hours are the second most coffee consumers in India. A single cup of coffee keeps them going throughout the day!

If we look at the demographic distribution of coffee plantations in India, the southern part rules the chart. The South-Indian states dominate the other regions in coffee production. States like Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the traditional producers of coffee in India. However, areas like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and other eastern states have also set up their business in the coffee plantations. It may be interesting to know that 80 percent of the coffee production in India is exported to the rest of the world. Indian coffee is said to be one of the finest coffees in the world.

Even though the south-Indian states are the major coffee producers, it is the north that enjoys coffee more! As per the survey of the Coffee Board of India, there is a role reversal when it comes to the consumption of this beverage. Ironically, the north likes coffee while the south prefers tea! Well, preferring a particular beverage over the other is totally a matter of choice. Which one of two is better is a question we do not know an answer to, but we do know is the fact the taste of India is changing gradually! Coffee versus Tea- which one wins the battle for you?