After South, coffee culture picking up fast in rest of India

While coffee consumption grew by 2.5 per cent in southern states, consumption across the rest of India jumped almost 20 times between 2003 and 2008.A large number of retail outlets operated by well-known brands like Costa Coffee, Cafe Coffee Day and Barista have played a role in popularising the beverage, particularly among youth in the North and West.
"North Indians are traditionally into tea drinking. But now, drinking coffee has also become a habit and the coffee shops are the prime reason for it," Costa Coffee Chief Executive Officer Santhosh Unni said. However, he said the fast expansion in states other than the South is because of the low consumption base in the past.

Unni expected the trend would continue for at least three to four years.
According to Coffee Board data, country-wide consumption is also growing significantly, rising by 6 per cent between 2000 and 2009.The demand for Arabica coffee produced in the country, which is considered superior to other varieties and has less caffeine content, has been increasing in the domestic market, in line with the global trend. This has been reflected in the spiralling rise in prices of this particular coffee variety compared to the other major variety produced in India -- Robusta -- according to industry officials.