5THWAVE Podcast - Forward-thinking series examining the business of progressive coffee culture

30 June 2023 | 32 mins

Episode 70: The rapid rise of specialty coffee in India

In today's episode we're continuing our exploration of the Indian coffee market and turning the spotlight on the country's rapidly growing love for specialty coffee.

In conversations with Namrata Asthana and Matt Chitharanjan, Founders, Blue Tokai, Mike Khan, Area Export Manager, La Marzocco, and Rahul Reddy, Founder, Subko Specialty Coffee Roasters, we find out how specialty coffee is being adapted for the Indian consumer, what's driving the market's impressive growth and how leading specialty operators are embracing this exciting new era of Indian coffee.

Credits music: "Fast and Far" by Shrink the Giant in collaboration with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective

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Guests

Matt Chitharanjan

Co-Founder and CEO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

Matt Chitharanjan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, India’s largest specialty coffee brand. At Blue Tokai, Chitharanjan oversees the overall roastery and café business, while also lending his expertise to finance, production, e-commerce, customer service and people & culture.

Namrata Asthana

Co-Founder and CMO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

Namrata Asthana is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters. Starting her entrepreneurial stint with Blue Tokai in 2013, Asthana is the powerhouse behind the brand’s much-loved aesthetics and design and is also responsible for the company's training programme.

Rahul Reddy

Founder, Subko Specialty Coffee Roasters

Rahul Reddy is the Founder of Subko - a specialty coffee roaster and craft bakehouse based in Mumbai, India. Reddy brings a diverse skill set to the Indian coffee industry, including experience as a Starbucks barista in California, tech sales and marketing career in New York, and geopolitical risk consulting.

Mike Khan

Export Area Manager, La Marzocco

Mike Khan is the Export Area Manager for La Marzocco. With over two decades of experience in the coffee industry, and 10 years at La Marzocco, Khan is known for his technical acumen, strategic thinking and ability to bring together diverse groups of people to achieve common goals.