Chikkamagaluru District

Chikkamagaluru is the birthplace of Indian coffee, where the first coffee plants were introduced in the 1600s around the sacred Baba Budangiri hills. This district is renowned for its high-elevation Arabica cultivation, producing some of India's most sought-after specialty coffees.

Legend has it that Indian coffee began not with a farmer, but a Sufi saint. In the 1600s, Baba Budan travelled to Mecca on pilgrimage and, passing through the Yemeni port of Mocha, encountered coffee – at the time a fiercely guarded Arab monopoly, where exporting a single live bean carried the death penalty. He is said to have smuggled seven raw beans home hidden in his beard, and planted them in the hills above what is now Chikkamagaluru. Those hills still bear his name – Baba Budangiri – and over 350 years later, we're still sourcing from them.

The higher elevations of Chikkamagaluru, ranging from 1000 to 1400 meters, create ideal conditions for growing bright, structured Arabica with pronounced acidity and floral character. The region's coffee estates are known for their single-origin offerings, with full traceability from farm to cup.

The district's coffee culture is deeply rooted in tradition, with many estates practicing shade-grown cultivation methods that help preserve the region's rich biodiversity and produce exceptional coffee quality.