Bean to bar: A conscious food choice

Indian chocolate and coffee makers are embracing the concept of mindfully sourcing beans to meet the shifting demands of consumers

New Delhi

Cocoa mass truffle balls from Toska chocolates.

Fruity, floral, earthy, herbal, spicy or tart — the vivid flavours of food and beverages derived from Indian-made beans are finding more takers than ever before. Known with various names such as bean to bar, crop to cup or farm to cup, the concept of mindfully sourcing beans and being involved in the entire process, has emerged as a major food trend to cater to consumers looking for sustainable alternatives.

“In the last couple of years, coffee choices were limited to large-scale international brands or only a couple of legacy Indian brands. However, the pandemic has had an enormous impact on people’s lives, and consumers have now intensified their search for mindful sourcing. As a consequence, farm to cup concept has emerged as a preferred choice,” says Grace Muivah, founder of nGarum, a bean to bar cafe in Gurugram that uses single-origin, handpicked and organically grown beans from the hills of northeast India.

According to market research reports, the Indian chocolate market has been estimated at $1687.23 million (over ₹13,400 crore) in 2022 and is expected to rise at an annual growth rate of over 6.69% on account of shifting consumer tastes. More businesses are now moving towards cutting-edge strategies to make organic chocolates to meet the demand in this segment, and bean to bar is one such concept.

Dessert made from locally and organically grown cocoa beans

In the conventional system, beverages and chocolates are made from beans that are ground-sourced from another party. But in the case of bean to bar, the chocolate maker works closely with the farmers, handpicks green beans from micro lots, roasts the beans themselves and finally, curls out desserts, dishes and beverages.

Brands that follow this concept are connected directly with the farmers, without any middlemen involved. These are relatively healthier as all the ingredients are non-processed and selected carefully. “It’s not a mass product. One cannot produce large quantities because of the time, care and attention needed at every step, from cultivation to processing,” says Nishant Sinha, founder, Roastery Coffee House, a cafe with branches across India. The brand handpicks beans from Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka and the Koraput Hills of Odisha.

These flavourful, naturally sourced beans lend themselves to a vast variety of dishes and combinations. Sanjana Patel, creative director at La Folie, an artisanal chocolate brand in Mumbai that sources beans from Karnataka and Kerala, says, “We make couverture chocolate, which is made purely with cocoa butter. We use different kinds of sugars like cane sugar, organic jaggery or organic coconut sugar and date powder. There is also the option of strawberry powder or beetroot powder for diabetics.”

The meticulousness and care that go into the process, make these products high-end. Ishan Pansuria, founder of Toska Chocolates, an artisanal chocolate brand, says, “The chocolates are incredibly flavourful with very few ingredients, mostly just sugar and cocoa. This allows for the flavours of the chocolate to shine.”

Bean to bar: A conscious food choice

RECIPE 

Cranberry Coffee

Total 280 ml

Espresso - 30ml

Cranberry - 120ml

Seven Up - 80 ml

Ice Cube - 3 pieces

Steps -

1. Take a wine glass and put three pieces ice in it

2. Add in the Cranberry Juice

3. Add in the Sweet Soda as the ice floats, right over the ice to maintain the second layer

4. Keeping up the layers intact, add in an espresso shot straight in a string over the ice

5. Let it sit for a while, swirl and relish the refreshing cranberry coffee

By Nishant Sinha, coffee expert