Analysis · Commerce & Consumer Brands

India's specialty coffee market set to double by 2031

What they do

Blue Tokai Roasters is a specialty coffee brand selling beans, brewing gear, and ceramics

India's specialty coffee market is projected to grow from $3.01 billion in 2025 to $6.52 billion by 2031

Specialty brands largely avoid quick commerce due to quality control challenges at dark stores

India's specialty coffee market is projected to grow from $3.01 billion in 2025 to $6.52 billion by 2031.
Specialty coffee is defined by a score above 80 on a 100-point scale by a Q grader.
Key third-wave coffee brands in India include Blue Tokai Roasters, Third Wave Coffee, Araku, Maverick & Farmer, Subko, Roastery Coffee House, and Bili Hu.
Rajat Luthra is the CEO of Third Wave Coffee.
Ashish D'Abreo is cofounder of Maverick & Farmer and a certified Q Grader.
Shivam Shahi is cofounder and COO of Blue Tokai.
Sreeram Gangadharan is cofounder of Maverick & Farmer.
Specialty brands are largely absent from quick commerce due to product control issues at dark stores.

Consumer trends include black coffee, lighter roasts, manual brewing, fermented styles, cold brews, and microlots.
Cross-category innovation with matcha, fruit profiles, and alternate milks is rising.
Challenges include an expensive, fragile supply chain and limited consumer awareness beyond metros.

Blue Tokai sells brewing equipment, ceramics, and pour-over gear.
Maverick & Farmer grows coffee on its own farms and tests new experiments each harvest.
Specialty coffee peak flavour lasts 15-30 days for whole beans and shorter for ground coffee.