In a tea-drinking nation like India, coffee may be finally having its moment. Whether it is filter coffee for the purists or instant coffee for the hustlers, or a ₹250 cold brew in a chic café, Indians are consuming more coffee than ever before, and coffee companies are racing to keep pace.Betting on this shift, Tamil Nadu’s very own ‘besh! besh!’ Narasu’s Coffee, a familiar fixture in south Indian kitchens for years, is brewing a change in its 100th year.
One of Narasu’s Coffee’s legacy small stores
Narasu’s launched in 1926, named after the founder, V Lakshmi Narasimhan (called Narasu by all). The company’s headquarters in Salem, which was inaugurated by President VV Giri, still stands tall, housing its corporate office and the coffee roasting and grinding plants.In 1966, the company was auctioned and acquired by a partnership firm headed by RP Sarathy and comprising his family members. After a round of family settlements, the management was entrusted to Sarathy’s son Sivanantham P (the current chairman) and grandson Srudheep S, who is managing director.Instant shiftIn keeping with the times, the legacy brand has had a makeover. Although known for its pure blend (without chicory), the company is no longer confined to the aromatic ‘davara tumbler’ filter coffee, but caters to every taste bud — roasted-and-ground coffee powder, chicory blends, instant coffee mix, liquid decoction, premix packs, tea, and even a range of food products.“We started from filter coffee, became one of the largest producers and retailers of pure coffee. Then, when the market evolved, we have provided whatever the consumer asks,” says Sivanantham.Narasu’s is particularly popular for its iconic small stores, where one stands outside as the shopkeeper scoops up the correct measure of coffee powder and proceeds to seal the warm packet.
