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India sees rise of home baristas as coffee culture evolves
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Thursday, 01 October, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
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India's relationship with coffee is changing. The shift is not simply about drinking more coffee, it is about becoming more curious about what is in the cup, how it is made and what the experience means to the consumer, said Vikram Khurana, CEO, Kaapi Solutions.
International Coffee Day 2026 is observed globally October 1, 2026 and this year’s theme ‘Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup.’
As we mark International Coffee Day, one of the most interesting developments is the rise of the home barista driven by younger consumers, the influence of specialty coffee and a growing desire to recreate the café experience at home, said Khurana.
India's domestic coffee consumption rose from around 84,000 tonnes in 2012 to 91,000 tonnes in 2023, with consumption estimated at approximately 96,000 tonnes in 2024. Alongside this growth, the nature of consumption is changing. Coffee is increasingly moving from being a functional morning beverage to becoming a lifestyle experience, he said.
For Gen Z, coffee is increasingly about more than caffeine. It can be a social experience, a creative ritual, a personal preference and even part of one's identity. Instagram and YouTube have made coffee preparation highly discoverable and highly shareable. A latte, an espresso shot, a pour-over or a carefully designed home coffee corner can become content in itself, Khurana told FnB News in an email.
Younger consumers are not simply asking for a cup of coffee anymore. They are asking what makes that cup different. They want to understand the bean, the roast, the brewing method and increasingly, how they can recreate that experience themselves, he said.
The growth of India's specialty coffee culture has played an important role in this transition. Consumers who discover single-origin coffees, different roast profiles, freshly ground beans and carefully prepared espresso at cafés begin to develop a more discerning palate. The café becomes a place of discovery and that knowledge often travels home. This is where brands like Kofihaus are seeing an important consumer shift. People are increasingly looking to recreate not just the taste of café coffee, but the ritual and experience of making it. In fact, it can start with discovering a new coffee at a café and eventually lead to buying fresh beans, exploring grinders, learning brewing techniques and investing in a home coffee setup, said Khurana.
The traditional expectation from a home coffee appliance was simple: make coffee quickly and conveniently. That expectation is evolving. Today's consumer increasingly wants the ability to personalise the experience. Some want the convenience of automation, while others enjoy the ritual of grinding fresh beans, preparing an espresso and texturing milk themselves, he noted.
The growing interest in home grinders is particularly telling. Consumers are becoming aware that grind size and consistency can influence extraction and flavour. Terms that were once familiar mainly to coffee professionals are entering everyday coffee conversations, he said.
Greater access to coffee knowledge has narrowed the gap between professional baristas and home enthusiasts. Today’s consumers are more informed, looking beyond the machine itself to consider the kind of coffee experience they want to create at home.
Our country’s growing café culture, specialty coffee movement, and digital platforms are creating a more informed and curious coffee consumer. Brands like Kofihaus are bringing this curiosity into the home, where the rise of the home barista reflects a shift from simply consuming coffee to actively understanding and personalising the experience, said Khurana.
India’s coffee opportunity lies in growing curiosity across the ecosystem. The future is not just where Indians drink coffee, but how they discover, brew, and experience it at home, said Khurana.
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