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From tribal hamlets to world markets: The amazing journey of Araku coffee (Business Feature)

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By Mohammed Shafeeq
Araku (Andhra Pradesh), March 4 (IANS) From tribal hamlets to Paris, Araku coffee has come a long way and is set to lure the taste buds of New York’s coffee aficionados this year.

Started as a livelihood project for tribals by Naandi Foundation, a non-governmental organization, it has given to the world a top-notch coffee with a distinct aroma.

The picturesque valley, about 100 km from Visakhapatnam, is today a synonym for world-class coffee.

Mahindra&Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra, who is also chairman of Naandi Foundation, introduced the coffee in Paris with a flagship store in 2017. Araku Originals, a social enterprise formed by him along with three other life trustees of Foundation, is now looking to take the unique brand to New York and Tokyo.

A month ago, the company started selling the coffee online in India and plans to open cafes in Bengaluru and Mumbai this year.

Famous for delicious fruit flavour intertwined with caramel and a finish of
bittersweetness, Araku coffee scores 88-90, the world’s highest rating on a scale of 100 in quality marking by Specialty Coffee Association, a non-profit organisation that represents coffee professionals, from producers to baristas all over the world.

Naandi procures 100 tonnes of Araku coffee every year. Nowhere in the world is specialty coffee produced in such a huge quantity.

The region’s unique environment, bio-dynamic agriculture and the involvement of world’s top coffee experts in every stage of production makes it a world-class coffee.

“There are 21 steps and in every step we are best in the world. Ours is not industrial production,” Naandi CEO Manoj Kumar said.

The Foundation originally started its work in the tribal belt in 2001 to check the high maternal mortality rate. It later started giving coffee saplings to provide some cash to tribals.

Offering double wages to farmers growing dark red cherries, it motivated them to strive for the best quality.

The experts grouped 6,000 farms on the basis of their characteristics exactly the way the French group wine according to the “terroir” (earth, soil) of the grape farms.

The project also uses biodynamic agriculture, which looks at impact of moon on weather, which was introduced by David Hogg, Chief Agriculture Advisor of Naandi.

With 25,000 farmers across 720 villages, it is said to be the largest organic cooperative in the world, helping 100,000 tribals. On an average, farmers earn Rs 1 lakh every year. They get another Rs 1 lakh from black pepper, which they have planted as shade tree. The pepper also gives the coffee a special aroma.

As Araku was found to be too good a coffee, Naandi realized that in India, no one would buy coffee at that price and hence started building the brand abroad.

“If you have to create a brand, you have to create in place where they appreciate quality,” said Manoj Kumar, who is also Araku Originals co-founder. Currently, it has 50-55 distributors in Paris.

The four variants of Araku coffee are sold in France for a price range of Rs 2,800-Rs 7,000 a kg. It sells the same coffee at a third of the price in India

“The coffee, the brand and the story are all a tribute to the legacy of the adivasis. It was something emerged out of integrity, beauty and philosophy of adivasis. We only happen to be a medium,” Manoj Kumar noted.

(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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