Coffee, with a side of brownie points

There’s new brew on the menu at Indigo Deli, and it comes packaged with fresh karma. The deli’s outlets at Colaba, Phoenix Mills and Andheri (West) will now stock Araku Emerald coffee, which is grown by Adivasi farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

There’s new brew on the menu at Indigo Deli, and it comes packaged with fresh karma. The deli’s outlets at Colaba, Phoenix Mills and Andheri (West) will now stock Araku Emerald coffee, which is grown by Adivasi farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

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The coffee gets its name from the valley in which it is grown, Araku Valley. In the sixties, the coffee board of India decided to experiment with this valley, and deputed the local tribal communities land to try and grow coffee as a cash crop.

However, Araku Emerald became a world-class product only about ten years ago, when Naandi Foundation, a non-profit organisation, brought in coffee experts and biologists who trained the farmers to treat the soil, safeguard their crops and use farming methods to produce a quality cup of coffee. Thus was born the Araku Emerald brand: an organic, shade-grown, sun-dried and hand-picked Arabica coffee product.

After years of being subjected to international jury tests, Araku Emerald coffee is being exported to highest bidders in countries including Australia, Germany, Austria and South Korea. Indigo Deli will be the first gourmet store to carry the brand in India, as they plan to stock it in their retail store as well as offer it as part of their menu.

Currently, the two varieties of Araku coffee on offer at Indigo Deli are the Red Earth and Forest Trail blends. Red Earth is a lighter coffee, with a citrus tanginess and flavours of caramel and chocolate, while Forest Trail is stronger, with a smooth texture and hints of dark chocolate, caramelised fruit and brown sugar.