Tiger Bright coffee from Koraput’s tribal farmers featured in BRICS Summit media kits in New Delhi
BHUBANESWAR: From the shaded coffee plantations of Odisha’s Koraput district to the international diplomatic stage in New Delhi, a homegrown product rooted in the hills of the Eastern Ghats is telling a new story of the state to the world.
Tiger Bright, a premium 100 per cent Arabica coffee cultivated by tribal farmers in Koraput, has found a place in the media kits prepared for journalists covering the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The coffee has also been included among the products being showcased to delegates and guests, giving an international audience an opportunity to experience a distinctive product of Odisha.
The inclusion of Koraput Coffee in the BRICS media and delegate kits is significant not merely because of the global visibility it has received, but also because it brings the work of tribal farmers, the region’s unique agro-climatic conditions and Odisha’s emerging coffee economy into the international spotlight.
The initiative is part of the effort of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to showcase India’s diverse regional traditions, indigenous products and local enterprise before an international audience. Under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, states were invited to contribute distinctive homegrown products for the global gathering.
For Odisha, the choice of Koraput Coffee has provided an opportunity to present the state through a product that combines agriculture, tribal livelihoods, value addition, branding and local identity.
Tiger Bright is cultivated in the highland areas of Koraput at elevations of around 920–950 metres. Major coffee-growing areas include Nandapur, Machhkund, Laxmipur, Kashipur, Dasmantpur, Lamtaput, Koraput and Pottangi of Koraput district.
The plantations benefit from the region’s distinctive agro-climatic conditions and are generally grown under natural shade, with coffee plants surrounded by trees such as mango, jackfruit and citrus. The cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness and processed carefully to preserve their quality and flavour.
The coffee is a premium Arabica variety, washed-processed and roasted to a light-medium profile. Its flavour is characterised by bright tropical citrus notes of orange, lemon and sweet lime, accompanied by undertones of caramel, chocolate and cocoa.
Around 1,500 packets of Tiger Bright, each weighing 250 grams, were dispatched to New Delhi by the Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation of Odisha Limited (TDCCOL) following the MEA’s request.
The presence of Tiger Bright alongside regional products from other states has given Koraput Coffee a platform far beyond its conventional consumer base.
The MEA had sought indigenous and homegrown products from states for presentation at the BRICS Summit. Odisha responded with Koraput Coffee, while Bihar contributed traditional sattu and makhana and Gujarat showcased handicrafts.
The diverse collection reflects India’s effort to use a major international gathering not only for diplomatic engagement but also to highlight the country’s rich regional identities and locally produced goods.
For Koraput Coffee, the opportunity comes at a time when the brand has been steadily expanding its production, procurement, processing and retail network.
The international exposure could help strengthen the brand’s identity, widen its consumer base and create new opportunities for the tribal farmers associated with coffee cultivation in the district.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi welcomed the inclusion of Koraput Coffee at the BRICS India 2026 Summit and described it as another way of presenting Odisha’s story before the world.
In a social media post, Majhi said that over the past few days he had been speaking about Odisha on global platforms and inviting the world to see the opportunities, strength and potential of the state.
He said it was particularly heartening to see Koraput Coffee telling “another side of Odisha’s story” at the BRICS Summit.
Majhi said the development reflected the true spirit of “Vocal for Local”, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by giving local products an opportunity to reach the global stage.
“For me, it is a moment of immense pride to see the hard work of our people and the richness of our land being recognised beyond Odisha,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that he wanted the world to know an Odisha that was “rooted in its soil, proud of its identity and confident in sharing its story with the world.”
Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati also described the inclusion of Koraput Coffee in the BRICS media kits as a proud moment for the state.
In a social media post, the Governor said the showcase reflected the spirit of “Vocal for Local” by giving farmers, local products and Odisha’s rich regional heritage a global platform.
https://xtwittercom/GovernorOdisha/status/2098690528598774159?s=20
Kambhampati said India’s local strengths were reaching new horizons under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Governor’s remarks underline the broader significance of the development, with Koraput Coffee emerging not simply as an agricultural product but as a representation of Odisha’s regional identity and the efforts of its farming communities.
The organised development of the Koraput Coffee brand gained momentum with its formal launch on September 11, 2019.
The initiative was aimed at creating a structured market for coffee cultivated by tribal farmers and strengthening the value chain so that farmers and local communities could benefit more from the economic value generated by their produce.
Over the years, the initiative has evolved into a wider ecosystem covering procurement, drying, grading, processing, branding, marketing and retail.
The growth is reflected in procurement figures. During the 2025–26 season, TDCCOL procured a record 102.54 metric tonnes of coffee fruit. This was nearly three times the 34.68 MT procured in 2022–23 and significantly higher than the 34.41 MT recorded in 2024–25.
The increase in procurement has benefited around 360 tribal families, indicating the growing role of coffee cultivation as a livelihood opportunity in the region.
The procurement system has also been modernised to improve transparency and facilitate direct payments. TDCCOL has moved from traditional cash transactions to direct bank transfers, transferring Rs 1.07 crore directly into the bank accounts of tribal coffee farmers.
The initiative has also brought tribal women into the growing value chain. As many as 71 tribal women farmers are associated with the initiative, while Smart Cards have been adopted by 45.7 per cent of coffee growers to facilitate farmer identification and digital tracking.
The development of Koraput Coffee has increasingly moved beyond the production of raw coffee fruit.
The focus has expanded to processing, quality enhancement, branding, retail and consumer engagement, allowing a larger share of the value generated from coffee to remain within the organised value chain.
TDCCOL has established eight Koraput Coffee brand cafés across Odisha and Delhi, including an outlet at NALCO Damanjodi. These cafés have created direct consumer-facing platforms for the brand and helped tell the story behind the coffee.
The cafés recorded sales of Rs 1.64 crore during the 2023–24 financial year.
The product portfolio has also expanded beyond the flagship Tiger Bright blend to include roasted beans and instant coffee. More than 10,634 packs of Tiger Bright have been commercialised, signalling the transition of Koraput Coffee from a regional agricultural commodity into a branded consumer product.
This value-addition model is particularly important for tribal farming communities, as branding and processing can potentially generate greater economic returns than the sale of raw produce alone.
Koraput Coffee has also received recognition in national-level competitions.
The product won two Fine Cup Awards at KYK 2024 and secured fourth rank in the Coffee Board’s Flavour of India Fine Cup 2024.
These recognitions have helped strengthen Koraput’s credentials as an emerging coffee-growing region and contributed to wider awareness of a product that was once primarily known within Odisha.
The coffee’s growing reputation has also received attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on October 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted Koraput Coffee, praising its flavour and describing it as the “Pride of Odisha”.
Modi had noted that the coffee was gaining appreciation not only for its taste but also for the livelihood opportunities it was creating for people in the region, particularly women.
“I have been told that Koraput Coffee has an extraordinary taste. And not just that. Beyond its flavour, the coffee cultivation itself is proving beneficial for the people of the area,” he had said.
The Prime Minister had also spoken about people who entered coffee cultivation out of their passion for the beverage, including individuals who had previously worked in the corporate sector.
He had further highlighted the transformation experienced by women who took up coffee cultivation.
“Coffee farming has brought them both respect and prosperity. It is rightly said that Koraput coffee is exquisitely flavourful. It is the pride of Odisha,” Modi had said.
The Prime Minister’s earlier recognition helped draw national attention to Koraput Coffee. Its subsequent presence at the BRICS Summit has now provided the product with an even larger international platform.
Koraput Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said the coffee represented much more than a commercial product.
Koraput Coffee is not just a product; rather, it represents the richness of the soil, the uniqueness of the agro-climatic conditions of the region and the hard work of our tribal farmers,” he said.
Describing its presence at the BRICS Summit as a matter of great pride, Mahajan said the platform provided an opportunity to showcase the distinct identity of Koraput and the contribution of its tribal farming communities.
The statement captures the broader significance of the coffee initiative: its identity is inseparable from the geography in which it is grown and the communities that cultivate it.
Coffee growers in Koraput have welcomed the international exposure and expressed hope that the BRICS platform will help the brand reach larger markets within India and abroad.
Bindya Badnayak, a coffee grower from Punjisil village in Koraput district, said the inclusion of Tiger Bright in the BRICS kit had generated optimism among growers about wider market opportunities.
The exposure, she said, would allow delegates to experience not only the distinctive aroma and taste of Koraput Coffee but also the story of the tribal farmers and communities behind it.
For growers, wider recognition could translate into stronger demand, improved market access and greater visibility for the region’s coffee-producing communities.
The growth of Koraput Coffee reflects a wider shift in the approach to tribal livelihood development.
Instead of limiting rural and tribal communities to the production of raw commodities, the emerging model places greater emphasis on processing, branding, quality enhancement and market access.
Coffee offers an example of how such a model can work. A coffee cherry cultivated by a farmer can move through multiple stages—procurement, processing, roasting, packaging, branding and retail—before reaching consumers.
Each stage adds value to the original agricultural product and creates opportunities for greater economic participation.
The growth in procurement, the expansion of branded products, the establishment of cafés and the participation of tribal women indicate that the coffee ecosystem is gradually becoming more organised.
The international exposure at the BRICS Summit adds another layer to this journey by placing the product and its producers before an audience extending far beyond the state.
The story of Tiger Bright is ultimately a story of geography, people and enterprise coming together.
Grown in the forested and highland areas of Koraput, the coffee carries the character of its landscape. Cultivated by tribal farmers, it represents a livelihood opportunity. Processed and branded through an organised value chain, it has acquired a distinct identity. And showcased at the BRICS Summit, it has now become a vehicle for presenting that identity to the world.
The presence of Koraput Coffee at one of India’s most important international diplomatic gatherings demonstrates the growing potential of locally rooted products to become global ambassadors of their regions.
For Odisha, Tiger Bright offers a story that goes beyond coffee. It is a story of tribal enterprise, agricultural diversification, value addition, women’s participation, branding and market access.
For Koraput’s farmers, the BRICS showcase offers recognition of work that began in the hills and plantations of the district.
And for the state, it provides a powerful example of how the richness of its land and the skills of its people can find a place on the international stage.
From the shaded plantations of the Eastern Ghats to the tables of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Tiger Bright has travelled a remarkable distance.
The journey is still unfolding, but its message is already clear: when local products are supported with organised value chains, quality enhancement, branding and market access, they can carry the story of their communities far beyond their place of origin.
