From Misty Hills to Modern Mugs: The Story of Koraput Coffee

Niraj Kumar

28th October, 2025

If you have ever sipped a cup of coffee that tasted not just rich but real, with a story behind every note, chances are you have heard of Koraput Coffee. In just a few years, this brew from the tribal highlands of Odisha has travelled from forest slopes to five-star cafés, from the hands of tribal farmers to the cups of India’s new generation of conscious consumers.

Because Koraput Coffee isn’t just coffee - it’s a story of revival, collaboration, and pride.

Photo credit: Pragatiwadi

From her hands to your cup — the soul of Koraput in every sip

Roots in the Mist: The Birth of Coffee in Koraput

Long before Koraput Coffee became a brand or a hashtag, it began as a quiet experiment on a mist-kissed hill. In the 1930s, a few British planters and Christian missionaries travelling through Odisha’s Eastern Ghats noticed something remarkable - cool hills even in summer, red-brown fertile soil, and an air that smelled of rain. It reminded them of the coffee estates of the Nilgiris and Chikmagalur.

“Maybe,” they thought, “these slopes can grow coffee too.”

Small nursery beds soon appeared near Semiliguda, Nandapur, and Lamtaput, where seeds from the south took root and thrived under forest shade, needing little more than tall trees, soft rain, and patience. For a while, it seemed coffee would transform the region until history intervened.

After Independence, the planters left, the missionaries moved on, and the coffee groves fell silent. With rough roads and no buyers, the tribal farmers had nowhere to sell their cherries. By the 1950s, the bushes still stood wild, green, and forgotten.

Then, in the late 1960s and 70s, the Coffee Board of India rediscovered Koraput. Officers brought seedlings, tools, and training, urging farmers to revive what they called “brown gold.” A few tried, tending small forest patches with care. The beans grew beautifully, but without a market or processing centre, they remained one of India's best-kept secrets, known only to a handful of traders and connoisseurs who recognised its delicate aroma.

The Revival: When the Hills Brewed Again

Fast-forward… early 2000s! India was changing. Gen Y in cities were discovering cappuccinos, and cafés were multiplying; the aroma of “premium Indian coffee” was beginning to compete with global blends. In Koraput, the Odisha government wove together two institutions, namely the  Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation of Odisha Ltd. (TDCCOL)  and the Coffee Development Trust (CDT) to blend a national trend with local lives.

With TDCCOL and the Coffee Board of India leading the way, Koraput’s coffee story found new life through the rejuvenation of ageing plantations, the planting of robust seedlings, and the training of farmers in modern plantation practices. As the new green leaves unfurled, a quiet revolution began to take root. Local cooperatives began linking farmers to markets, and processing centres rose in Sunabeda. What was once a scattered effort slowly got organised with purpose.  

 This was more than the revival of coffee cultivation; it was a cultural awakening. Coffee was no longer just a crop; it had become a symbol of Koraput’s pride and identity. The government recognised it, celebrated it, and finally gave it a name that resonated across the country. On October 1, 2021, International Coffee Day, the then Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, lifted a cup and launched the Koraput Coffee brand, accompanied by a flagship café in Bhubaneswar and an e-commerce platform to take its rich aroma to homes across India.

What began as a colonial experiment had come full circle: a people’s product, reborn with pride. From the quiet slopes of Koraput, a fragrance was travelling far, not just of coffee, but of hard work and hope for farmers brewed slowly and served strong.

Photo credit: justdial

From Koraput’s hills to your cup - a taste of purity, pride, and purpose

How Koraput Coffee Won India’s Heart

When the first sacks of branded Koraput Coffee rolled out of the Sunabeda processing centre, few imagined the storm they would stir. Within just a couple of years, this once-forgotten hill brew was being served in boutique cafés, featured in national dailies, and shipped from Odisha’s forests to urban homes in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. What made the world suddenly sit up and notice?

It wasn’t clever marketing or coincidence; it was the result of a perfect blend of authenticity, timing, and teamwork, the same harmony that defines a great cup of coffee.

A Taste That Tells a Story: Koraput’s first impression was not in its marketing; it was in its taste. When professional cuppers and coffee connoisseurs sampled it, they found something rare—a coffee with its flavour dancing between richness and clarity, aroma and depth, creating a cup that was both grounded and graceful. Many began describing it as “wild yet refined,” or “Indian terroir with Ethiopian grace.”

Its inclusion under the Araku Valley Arabica Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019 gave it official recognition, tying the flavour to a place and a people. Koraput Coffee was no longer just a beverage; it had become a story that could be traced, tasted, and trusted.

When the Government Became the Brand Ambassador: Behind this newfound fame stood a government that believed in storytelling as much as it did in statistics. The Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation of Odisha Ltd. (TDCCOL) assumed the responsibility of marketing, purchasing directly from farmers, ensuring fair prices, and maintaining rigorous quality control.

When the Chief Minister launched the Koraput Coffee brand, the image of him raising a steaming cup made headlines in India Today, The Times of India, and The Financial Express, turning this rural initiative into a campaign.

The Perfect Consumer Moment: Koraput’s success also rode a cultural wave. Across India, coffee consumption was rising by 5–6% annually, fuelled by young consumers seeking meaning in what they sip. The new generation sought single-origin, traceable, and ethical brands, as well as beverages with a backstory – and Koraput Coffee provided all of this.

Independent roasters in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi began searching for fresh origins, and Koraput fit the bill perfectly, rich in flavour and even richer in purpose. Its story of tribal women hand-picking beans under forest canopies, of sustainability and self-reliance, resonated with urban India’s conscience.

Soon, hashtags like #KoraputCoffee and #MadeInOdisha began trending on social media, alongside pictures of French presses, pour-overs, and latte art. What once sold quietly in local mandis was now being celebrated on Instagram feeds and café counters. A rare journey from remote to relevant.

Collaboration, Not Competition: Perhaps the real secret behind Koraput Coffee’s rise lies in something that government projects rarely achieve - collaboration. The Coffee Board of India offered agronomic guidance and technical expertise; the Coffee Development Trust (CDT) managed on-ground training and plantation expansion; while TDCCOL handled procurement, branding, and retail.

Supporting departments like MSME and NITI Aayog added momentum by showcasing Koraput Coffee under the “Vocal for Local” and tribal entrepreneurship initiatives. Each institution played its role without overlap, creating a seamless value chain - from seed to shelf, from forest to café. This quiet coordination kept Koraput Coffee from becoming another forgotten government project. Instead, it became a living, evolving success.

Koraput Coffee: where every cup connects the hills, the hands, and the heart

 A Brand with a Soul: In a world of glossy brands, Koraput Coffee stands out for its heart. It doesn’t just sell flavour; it sells fairness. The profits don’t vanish into city boardrooms; they circle back to the hills, to the very hands that pluck the cherries.

For thousands of tribal families, this coffee is not just a livelihood but a legacy. And for consumers, it’s a cup that tells a story of resilience, respect, and revival. In an age of corporate caffeine, Koraput Coffee reminds us that some brews carry more than aroma; they carry purpose.

The Last Sip: A Cup of Hope and Heritage

Koraput Coffee’s journey is more than a tale of beans — it’s a story of belief and belonging. From forgotten British plantations to a celebrated brand, it embodies how authenticity, organisation, and community can transform a region. Tribal farmers nurtured it, the Coffee Board and Development Trust refined it, TDCCOL branded it, and the Odisha government gave it wings. Today, spanning 3,500 hectares and empowering over 4,000 tribal growers, it stands as a symbol of how rural enterprise can meet global demand. Its rise reminds us that when soil, people, and purpose align, even a remote hill can brew a legacy - one that carries the aroma of dignity, pride, and possibility in every cup.

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