VISITUS - Food Business Gulf & Middle East

34BEVERAGESThe coffees of India are a diverse range of16 coffees. Grown in different regions, atvarious elevations, nourished by manydifferent soils and tended to by the lovinghands of various kinds of people, it's notsurprising that the coffees are so different fromeach other. Each one is distinctive. Each oneunique. But they're all deliciously Indian.'Monsooned Malabar' is the onlymonsooned coffee in the world.Many years ago, coffee beans from Indiawere accidentally 'monsooned' over a longvoyage. Monsoon winds caused the beans toswell to one-and-a-half times their normal sizeand take on a purer, paler colour. Somethingmagical seemed to have happened to thecoffee… and consumers around Europe lovedits unique flavour.Today India has perfected the art ofCREATING THEWORLD'S MOSTEXOTIC COFFEEdeliberately 'monsooning' coffee at specialcuring works along the Malabar Coast,creating the world's most exotic specialtycoffee. In the cup, Monsooned Malabar hasmedium strength and a mild, mellow, sweetishtaste.“Robusta Kaapi Royale' is India's flagshipWashed Robusta brand.Thanks to a unique washing process, IndianWashed Robustas are nearest in taste of that ofArabicas and make for great standalonebrewed coffee. The beans appear to be bold,round with pointed ends and are gray to bluishgray in colour. These intensely aromatic coffeeshave a soft, mild taste with a chocolatey note.'Mysore Nuggets' is a rare, premium coffeethat represents the best quality coffee fromIndia.This wonderful and exotic coffee is preparedfrom washed Arabicas grown in the regions ofChikmaglur, Coorg, Biligiris, Bababudangirisand Shevaroys. The beans are very large,uniformly bluish green in colour and have aclean polished appearance.In the cup, the coffee exhibits full aroma,medium to good body, good acidity and fineflavour with a hint of spice.Sustainable CultivationThe Coffees of India are grown in asymbiotic relationship with their environment.They are grown in natural forests, withoutcutting down shade trees. In all our estates, ourcoffees are grown under a two-tier mixedshade canopy. Some of these shade treesproduce fruits and vegetables, which becomean additional source of income for growers.Our coffee country is also a natural habitat forbirds, insects and animals.At Araku Valley, coffee cultivation has givena new life to once barren hills. Coffee estateshave replaced the earlier custom of shiftingcultivation, which had left the hills denuded.Our coffees also provide a livelihood to theeconomically marginalized, by providing localtribes a sustainable livelihood. The estates alsoprovide healthcare, education and housing forworkers and their families, making theiroccupation a holistically rewarding one.FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2012