This February, Bengaluru welcomed the second edition of the India International Coffee Festival — a celebration of coffee’s journey from farm to cup. For three days (12–14 Feb), Chamara Vajra turned into a buzzing hub of brews, workshops, competitions, brands, and conversations that captured the heartbeat of India’s coffee community.
India International Coffee Festival 2026 wasn’t just an event. It was a movement. And here’s what stood out.
What IICF 2026 Got Right
1. Workshops & Panel Discussions Added Depth
IICF 2026 wasn’t just about tasting. It was about thinking.
Workshops covered brewing techniques, sensory skills, roasting fundamentals, and home brewing methods. Beginners felt included. Professionals found value.
Panel discussions opened up bigger conversations — sustainability, market growth, consumer awareness, and the future of Indian specialty coffee. These sessions brought voices from across the value chain into one room.
Education didn’t feel like a side activity. It felt central.
2. Championships Elevated Craft
Live competitions added excitement and showcased skill. National Barista, Brewers Cup, Latte Art, Cup Tasters, Coffee in Good Spirits, and even an Instant Coffee Championship powered by NESCAFÉ, gave baristas and brewers a stage to perform, compete, and innovate. These formats honoured both precision and creativity.
3. Diversity of Experiences
IICF wasn’t just about coffee tasting. There were tasting zones with rare blends, open cupping sessions that highlighted unique regional coffees, networking spaces, and a lively exhibition floor with 70+ brands and 20,000+ visitors. The festival balanced learning with fun, even adding music and performances.
4. Farm-to-Cup Narrative Made Visible
For many, one of the strongest takeaways was seeing the coffee journey materialise: from growers and roasters to brewing and serving. It wasn’t abstract — it was real, honest, and traceable.
5. Community Energy Was Genuine
Conversations were as rich as the coffee. Whether at brew bars, brand stalls, or cupping tables, the festival felt like a shared exploration rather than a sales floor.
Where the Festival Can Improve
IICF 2026 showed progress. But growth must come with direction. Here are three gaps the Indian coffee ecosystem still needs to address.
1. Farmer Visibility Needs a Stronger Spotlight
Farm-to-cup stories must go deeper.
Producers deserve more than a mention on packaging or a slide in a presentation. They deserve stage time. They deserve visibility in panels. They deserve structured storytelling.
When farmers become central to the narrative — not peripheral — consumers connect differently. And value perception shifts.
2. Specialty Must Move Beyond Metros
Specialty coffee still feels urban-centric.
Most conversations, activations, and awareness campaigns revolve around metro cities. But Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are evolving fast. Consumers are curious. Cafés are emerging. Home brewers are experimenting.
The next wave of growth lies beyond metro boundaries. Outreach, education drives, and regional engagement can unlock that potential.
3. Marketing & Branding Need Encouragement
Exceptional coffee exists in India. But it doesn’t always reach the masses.
Many producers and small roasters focus deeply on quality — but lack structured marketing support. Stronger storytelling frameworks, clearer positioning, and collaborative branding initiatives can make specialty coffee more accessible and aspirational.
Good coffee should not feel intimidating. It should feel inviting.
Final Thoughts
India International Coffee Festival 2026 proved that Indian coffee culture is maturing, expanding, and becoming more collaborative. It wasn’t a show about coffee only — it was about community, craft, education, and possibility.
For Curly Brew, experiences like these reaffirm our purpose: to share stories that matter, spotlight craft that inspires, and bridge gaps between growers, roasters, baristas, and lovers of coffee.
This festival was a milestone. But the journey — like great coffee — continues.
What do you think Indian coffee needs most right now? Visibility, education, marketing, or policy support?
Let’s talk.
You are absolutely right indian coffee today indian speciality coffee have made a name in metros and internationally as well but it lack its presence in one of the major high spending population of tier 2 towns, in north india these towns are looking to have speciality coffee or big brands in coffee
And the young generation in India is looking at coffee as a healthy beverage in all sector of India so reach, visibility and right marketing should be focus for indias speciality coffee with in country