Kelachandra Coffee, India’s largest privately held coffee plantation group and a key force in the country’s rapidly expanding specialty coffee movement, will showcase its EUDR-compliant, shade-grown specialty coffees at World of Coffee, Dubai 2026. The event takes place from January 18 to 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Left to Right – Neleema Rana George, Ryana Kuruvilla and Rishina Kuruvilla, Kelachandra Coffee
Grown across the misty slopes of the Western Ghats, Kelachandra’s coffees are cultivated under dense forest shade, hand-picked at high elevations, and processed with a focus on clean cup profiles and traceable origin, the exact combination global buyers are increasingly seeking as sustainability rules tighten and quality expectations rise.
Kelachandra manages 15 estates spanning 6,500 acres across Wayanad (Kerala) and Chikmagalur (Karnataka), two of India’s most iconic coffee-growing regions. Chikmagalur, often referred to as the birthplace of Indian coffee, sits within the broader Karnataka belt that contributes nearly 70% of India’s total coffee production.
What sets the group apart is its ability to scale terroir-specific cultivation while integrating global processing best practices. The company has strengthened on-estate processing capabilities using advanced equipment and technologies from Penagos (Colombia) and Pinhalense (Brazil) thereby reducing wastage while reinforcing sustainability goals such as water and energy conservation.
As the global market becomes more compliance-driven, Kelachandra has doubled down on science-backed agriculture and climate resilience. Its R&D programmes include soil analysis, Trichoderma culture, and initiatives focused on carbon sequestration. Several estates are already considered carbon negative, supported by long-standing regenerative practices and biodiversity-friendly cultivation methods.
These efforts have helped Kelachandra secure certifications such as Rainforest Alliance and become compliant with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), placing the plantation among a small group of private Indian producers to meet these standards across a multi-crop portfolio, including coffee, pepper, and turmeric.
Harvesting_001 – hand-picked to ensure only ripe cherries are selected
“For us, sustainability is not a marketing layer but rather the operating system of the plantation. Traceability, soil health, biodiversity, and worker welfare are all interconnected, and that’s what specialty buyers increasingly want to see,” says Rishina Kuruvilla, Head of Sustainability and CSR.
While Kelachandra’s estates are best known for cultivating Arabica and Robusta, the group is also actively expanding into Liberica, a climate-resilient variety gaining attention for its adaptability and distinct cup characteristics.
At the heart of Kelachandra’s quality promise is its people. Coffee is hand-picked by trained teams working at elevations up to 5,300 feet above mean sea level (MSL), where selective harvesting is essential for premium specialty lots. Alongside field practices, Kelachandra is modernising worker housing and community facilities, offering free electricity and water, access to dispensaries, grocery support, and spaces for worship, reinforcing a “people-first” approach to plantation life.
Kelachandra’s coffees are already sought after by specialty buyers across Japan, Denmark, Norway, Australia, and the Middle East, appreciated for their refined flavour profiles and consistency. “Dubai is a strategic market for us, not just for sales, but for building awareness of Indian specialty coffee as a serious, traceable origin. We’re here to have deeper conversations with roasters and traders who care about both compliance and cup quality,” says Neleema Rana George, Head of Technology and Coffee Works.
Over the past two years, the brand has showcased its coffees in Copenhagen, Busan, Tokyo, and Jakarta. World of Coffee Dubai 2026 marks Kelachandra’s second appearance in the emirate, underscoring its commitment to building long-term buyer relationships in the region.
Media & trade visitors are invited to explore Kelachandra’s EUDR-ready specialty lots and traceable origin story at World of Coffee Dubai 2026.
