Kelachandra Coffee, India’s largest privately held coffee plantation group, will showcase its EUDR-compliant, shade-grown speciality coffees at World of Coffee Dubai 2026. The event will take place from January 18 to 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Kelachandra Coffee, a division of the historic Kelachandra Group (established in 1786), cultivates premium, shade-grown, hand-harvested Arabica and Robusta coffees across its estates in Karnataka and Kerala.
The company manages 15 estates spanning nearly 6,500 acres across Wayanad in Kerala and Chikmagalur in Karnataka, two of India’s most iconic coffee-growing regions. Chikmagalur, often referred to as the birthplace of Indian coffee, is situated within the broader Karnataka coffee belt, which accounts for nearly 70 per cent of India’s total coffee production.
Kelachandra has strengthened its on-estate processing capabilities by utilising advanced equipment and technologies from Penagos of Colombia and Pinhalense of Brazil, thereby reducing waste while reinforcing its sustainability goals, including water and energy conservation.
As the global market becomes increasingly compliance-driven, Kelachandra has intensified its focus on science-backed agriculture and climate resilience. Its research and development programs 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)," said a company press release.
Left to Right - Neleema Rana George, Ryana Kuruvilla and Rishina Kuruvilla of Kelachandra Coffee
“For us, sustainability is not a marketing layer but the operating system of the plantation. Traceability, soil health, biodiversity, and worker welfare are interconnected, and that is what speciality buyers increasingly want to see,” said Rishina Kuruvilla, Head of Sustainability and CSR.
While Kelachandra’s estates are best known for Arabica and Robusta, the group is also actively expanding into Liberica, a climate-resilient variety gaining attention for its adaptability and distinct cup characteristics.
“Dubai is a strategic market for us, not just for sales, but for building awareness of Indian speciality coffee as a serious, traceable origin. We are here to have deeper conversations with roasters and traders who care about both compliance and cup quality,” said Neleema Rana George, Head of Technology and Coffee Works.
The company places strong emphasis on worker welfare, with trained teams hand-picking coffee at elevations of up to 5,300 feet above mean sea level. Estates are supported by upgraded housing, free electricity and water, access to dispensaries, grocery support, and spaces for worship, reinforcing a people-first approach to plantation life.