Not many people know that India ranks fourth in coffee exports, yet a majority of the Indian population has never even tasted this energetic beverage. Coffee, despite being cultivated extensively in India, has long remained either a regional drink or a functional one (especially in urban India); one that is consumed for alertness rather than experience. Tea still remains the dominant drink of India, while coffee remains confined to countries abroad or small, close-knit social groups.
In an interview with Business Today, Shivam Shahi, co-founder of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, speaks about the creation and ideation of building a coffee company, not another cafe chain. Their mission is the product itself: coffee. It was never meant to be a space-first or marketing-first brand. Instead, it was built around brewing coffee directly sourced from Indian farmers, with quality and authenticity taking precedence over hype or expansion.
This approach stands in contrast to other cafe chains such as Cafe Coffee Day and Barista. While I commend them for introducing coffee to urban Indian consumers, they treat coffee as something that is either high-status or convenient. These chains focused on accessibility and ambiance, not on educating customers about the coffee they were drinking. Blue Tokai deviated from this model by focusing on the product first, and then slowly building an ecosystem around it.
However, while Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters emphasizes the coffee being a product, they quietly created some of the most immersive coffee experiences in urban India.
How Blue Tokai Provides Immersive Caffeinated Experiences
Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters offers coffee-lovers the ability to participate in book clubs or even brew coffee. From in-cafe brewing explanations to tasting authentic flavors of coffee and visible roasting processes, coffee-lovers invite themselves to engage with the coffee they consume. This subtle shift from consumption to community marks the company’s acknowledgment of its coffee-guzzlers.
Of course, Cafe Coffee Day is fast, easy, and convenient, and has a cool ambiance, too, but nothing beats Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters for its authenticity and enthusiasm. A visit to a Blue Tokai cafe does not feel rushed. People bond over their love for coffee. That’s the essence of coffee.
Another aspect of Blue Tokai is its hands-on coffee classes. These workshops range from beginner brewing sessions to more advanced coffee appreciation courses. Shahi states that the process of brewing coffee is homegrown, so hope to be the best coffee maker while staying close to home.
These classes often bring together people who have never met before, united by a shared curiosity about coffee. Conversations flow easily, especially over coffee and cheese, and learning becomes a collective process. In this setting, coffee brings communities together.
From a business perspective, this is a powerful strategy. I admire how the company cares about providing an interactive environment for clients to understand the effort behind sourcing, roasting, and brewing coffee. Bonds are built, thanks to coffee.
Well, that’s not all. Blue Tokai hosts ceramic workshops and other creative collaborations. Pottery classes with a cup of coffee? That works. Ceramic mug-making workshops, in particular, create a connection between the customer and their daily coffee-guzzling ritual. Drinking coffee from a mug you created (imagine that!) is a liberating experience. These workshops also allow Blue Tokai to collaborate with local artists, expanding the brand’s community to artists and potters.
This is why Blue Tokai transitioned from just brewing and selling coffee to selling a 360-degree immersive experience. This aligns with the principles of a book I read called The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. According to the book, modern businesses create lasting value by providing meaningful experiences to their customers, rather than focusing on products or services. With the number of experiences Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters offers to their customers, they have fulfilled their promise of changing the way we Indians experience coffee.
To Bond Over Coffee: A Personal Experience
I would like to talk about my sister, a coffee fanatic who constantly experiments with flavors. Cold caramel brews, strawberry-lemon coffee, and mocha lattes, the list is endless. Coffee is her stimulant for her working days.
Months ago, after ordering a packet of Blue Tokai coffee, she decided to attend one of their events. She joined a workshop that combined coffee brewing with cheese pairing. She loved the environment and, of course, the lovely coffee she brewed. She even ended up making friends who still meet occasionally over coffee.
This is the benefit of a company following the Experience Economy: that memorable experiences are what attract customers and keep them loyal, too.
The Future of Coffee Culture in Urban India
Coffee culture in urban India is evolving, thanks to the introduction of cafe chains and specialty coffee chains, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters being one of them. In the Experience Economy, connection, learning, and active presence attract customers more than their products or services. By focusing on community-centric experiences, the brand has redefined what a coffee company can be.
Blue Tokai goes beyond the brew and into the coffee-guzzler in all of us.
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