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From filler to specialty: a roadmap for Wayanad Robusta
- Partner
- Kerala Coffee Limited, Government of Kerala
- Where
- Wayanad, Kerala
- When
- 2024–25
- Kind of work
- Research and consultancy
A market study and business development plan to position Wayanad's coffee, grown by over 2,000 tribal and marginal farmers, as a high-value specialty coffee.
The question
Wayanad’s Robusta is grown by over 2,000 tribal and marginal farmers, but most of it is sold as a low-value commodity, often as filler in blends. Kerala Coffee Limited, a Government of Kerala undertaking, wanted a plan to change that under the Climate Smart Coffee Project (K-DISC), and to grow its new brand, Wayanad’s Indian Fine Robusta.
What we did
We studied the whole coffee value chain. Our team visited estates, tribal and marginal farms in Meenangadi, Thirunelli and Panavally, processing and marketing centres, and traders and exporters, and met researchers at the Regional Coffee Research Station in Chundale. Comparing estates with tribal farms showed us how far productivity could rise.
The work covered four areas:
- Production: growing methods, trends and the effect of climate change
- Markets: forecasts for Indian and global markets, barriers to entry and a consumer study
- Value addition: the value chain, infrastructure and new products
- Public relations: a PR strategy, content and social media support for the brand
What came of it
Our final report, From Filler to Specialty: A Roadmap for Developing Wayanad Robusta, sets out how to position the coffee as a specialty product, with a business development roadmap and PR strategy aimed at sustainable income for farmers. Along the way, we helped launch Wayanad’s Indian Fine Robusta, including at the World of Coffee 2024 event in Copenhagen.
