Coffee grown in the
Western Ghats
Shade-grown Arabica from Coorg and Chikkamagaluru - two of India's most celebrated growing districts - sourced for UK specialty roasters seeking something their customers haven't tasted yet.
900–1400m
Altitude
0%
UK Import Duty
2
Growing Regions
500kg
Min. Trial Lot
One importer. One origin. No unnecessary layers.
Highland Origin was founded in London after noticing something obvious - Karnataka produces 70% of India's coffee, yet Indian single-origin barely exists on UK roaster menus. Not because the quality isn't there. Because the route wasn't. We work with trusted Karnataka exporters to bring traceable, single-origin Arabica to UK specialty roasters. Every lot ships with full documentation and direct communication with the people behind the import, and we're actively working with UK Q graders to bring independent cup scores to every trial lot too. No inflated claims. No corporate layers. Just good Indian coffee, properly brought to market.
Legend has it that Indian coffee's story starts not with a farmer but a Sufi saint - Baba Budan, said to have smuggled seven coffee beans out of Yemen in the 1600s and planted them in the hills above what is now Chikkamagaluru. Read the full story →
Traceable to Origin
Every lot is documented by growing region, altitude, screen size, and processing method. Nothing ships without full paperwork.
Direct Communication
You speak to us directly. No account managers, no automated replies. Every trade enquiry answered within 24 hours.
Independent Cupping
We're actively working with UK Q graders to establish honest, independent cup scores for every Arabica trial lot. No house scoring, no guesswork.
Two districts. Two distinct cup profiles.
Karnataka produces more coffee than any other Indian state. Coorg and Chikkamagaluru are its two most celebrated growing districts – each shaped by different terrain, altitude, and a centuries-old tradition of shade-grown cultivation.
Both regions sit within the Western Ghats – a UNESCO-recognised biodiversity hotspot – where coffee grows intercropped with pepper, cardamom, and native forest trees. This slows cherry ripening and builds complexity in the cup.
70%
of India's coffee grown in Karnataka
0%
UK import duty under India–UK FTA
350+
years of coffee cultivation in Karnataka
2
UNESCO biodiversity hotspot growing regions
What we're bringing to your roastery
We source Arabica Plantation grades, Monsooned Malabar, and Karnataka Robusta from trusted exporters across both districts. Sample lots can be arranged, with cupping notes accompanying every trial shipment.
Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold
India's most prestigious Arabica grade. Large bold beans, clean cup with structured body - grown at higher elevations across Chikkamagaluru estates.
Arabica Plantation AA
Premium screen-graded washed Arabica from Coorg with full origin traceability. Balanced cup, mild acidity - versatile across filter and espresso roast profiles.
Monsooned Malabar
Naturally monsoon-aged on the Malabar coast before export. Low acidity, full body, distinctive earthiness - one of India's most sought-after specialty lots by UK roasters.
This land has grown coffee for generations. We're now opening it to roasters and distributors who care where their coffee comes from.— Our Growing Partners, Coorg & Chikkamagaluru
From cherry to your roastery
We're working toward full specialty-grade documentation - moisture analysis, defect counts, and independent cupping scores - so every lot arrives with the data your QC team needs.
Selective Harvest
Cherries are picked in rounds as they ripen - not stripped all at once. This selective hand-picking is a key driver of cup quality and lot consistency across the estate.
Processing & Sorting
Beans are processed using washed or natural methods depending on lot and estate. Sun-dried on open patios and hand-sorted for defects before milling and grading at regional curing facilities.
Grading & Cupping
Lots are graded to Arabica Plantation and MNEB specifications. We're actively working with UK Q graders to establish independent cup scores for every export lot.
Export Documentation
Pre-shipment samples, moisture testing, phytosanitary certification, and full traceability documentation accompany every lot shipped to the UK.
Why source Indian green coffee?
India grows more coffee than most roasters realise. Karnataka alone produces 70% of it - yet Indian single-origin barely exists on UK roaster menus. That is not a gap in quality. That is a gap in access. Indian Arabica has everything specialty roasters look for. High altitude. Shade-grown under native forest canopy. Distinct cup profiles shaped by centuries of cultivation in the Western Ghats. And a story your customers genuinely have not heard before. Add Monsooned Malabar - a processing method unique to India, producing a low-acid, full-bodied cup impossible to replicate anywhere else in the world - and you have an origin that gives your menu something nobody else on the high street is offering. The demand is there. The quality is there. The only thing missing was a reliable route in. That is Highland Origin.
0% UK Import Duty
on green coffee under the India–UK Free Trade Agreement
Green coffee from India enters the UK duty-free under the India–UK Free Trade Agreement. No tariffs, no hidden costs.
Full Origin Traceability
growing region, altitude, and processing method on every lot
Every lot is documented by growing region, altitude, screen size, and processing method. You always know exactly what you are buying.
Underrepresented Origin
Indian Arabica is rarely seen on UK menus, giving you a distinctive offering
Indian Arabica is rarely seen on UK roaster menus. Sourcing it gives your customers a genuinely distinctive cup - and you a story worth telling.
Pre-shipment Samples
available for every lot before you commit to a full order
Pre-shipment samples are available for every lot. Cup it, approve it, then place your order. No surprises on arrival.
Independent Cupping Notes
in progress - we're working with UK Q graders
We're actively working with UK Q graders to verify every Arabica lot independently. The scores will be honest because they won't be ours.
Flexible Lot Sizes
500kg trial lots up to full container loads (19 tonnes)
Trial lots from 500kg up to full 19-tonne container loads. Start small, scale when you are ready.
GrainPro-lined Jute Bags
as standard - moisture protection throughout transit
GrainPro-lined jute bags as standard on every shipment. Moisture protection from Karnataka to your roastery door.
Direct Relationship
no broker in the middle, faster communication
You deal with us directly - not a sales team, not a CRM system. Faster answers, clearer decisions, proper accountability.
Karnataka Robusta -
Commercial and Espresso Grade
Bold, full-bodied Karnataka Robusta for espresso blends and high-volume roasting. Available in washed and natural processes. Competitively priced with container-load minimum order quantities.
SCA grading standards
100% supply chain visibility
Karnataka Robusta - Commercial and Espresso Grade
Bold, full-bodied Karnataka Robusta for espresso blends and high-volume roasting. Available in washed and natural processes. Competitively priced with container-load minimum order quantities.
SCA grading standards
100% supply chain visibility
Let's talk coffee
Roaster or producer - we want to hear from you.
Fill in the enquiry stub. We respond to every trade enquiry within 24 hours.