Pay through the nose for this aroma of coffee!

Pay through the nose for this aroma of coffee!
New INdian Express

BANGALORE: The heady whiff of coffee beans floated into the countries of the world from the desert lands of Ethiopia many centuries ago. Arabian merchants popularised the beverage among the common man while Baba Budan smuggled the beans into India. Branded coffee and instant drinks later, the connoisseurs of that perfect cuppa are still looking for the perfect blend.

This elusive search has lead many Bangaloreans to buy imported coffee that sells at hundreds of rupees per kilogram. Kalmane Koffees, the coffee conglomerate operating mainly from Chickmagalur, sells imported coffee powder at its various outlets around the City.

The Ethiopian Sidamo, imported from the place of its origin, is sold at Rs 950 per kilo including taxes. The Rich Colombian with a bold taste and a smooth flavour and the Exotic Costa Rican with its delicate aroma also sells at Rs 950 per kilo. The price is simply reflective of the rich taste and special flavour of the coffee.

Certain varieties of Indian beans are exotic enough to be sold at high prices too. The Mysore Nuggets, which are pure Arabica single beans, would leave a coffee enthusiast’s pocket lighter by Rs 450.

Specialty coffees like Calypsos, Cantata, Crescendo and Bluegrass that are sold without chicory are not easy on the pocket either.

Specialty coffee is a niche market by itself. Fresh and Honest Cafe Ltd has a tie-up with Illy, Italy’s premier brand of coffee. Coffee chains like Cafe Coffee Day and Barista sell their own brands of high end coffee powder too.

The patrons of Ethiopian and the other imported coffee are mainly foreigners who can afford to indulge their taste buds on a regular basis. The importers aim to sell them to a special section of loyal customers in the country. Assistants at the outlets say that in a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore with its many millionaires, business is also swift.

Not many can indulge in the Ethiopian experience. But there are other coffees that are less exotic and far more inexpensive. Thankfully, the utopian indulgence is still accessible at the local brewing outlet. It may not be Ethiopian or Colombian. But still, it is coffee.