Akshay Vaidyanathan, kāpikottai.
Kāpikottai (which literally translates into “coffee beans” in Tamil) is an amazing, passion-fueled venture that started in 2018. Akshay Vaidyanathan, the man behind these thoughtfully-sourced beans, is all about showcasing the awesomeness and uniqueness of Indian coffees while starting a conversation about traceability, social equity, and the low environmental impact of the Indian coffee ecosystem.
He's passionate about sourcing directly from coffee farms and building lasting and empathetic relationships with growers. Making good coffee in India is hard work, so he’s keen on understanding the specific challenges of growers and doing his absolute best to support them.
His curiosity for coffee was an organic one and it started off with drinking a ton
of Southern-Indian Filter Coffee growing up. The simple question of why his stash of filter coffee powder tasted different each time led to him roasting coffee as a hobby and things just took off from there.
Akshay’s other big love is Carnatic Music. Ans he’s focused on blending his two passions - coffee and music - in a meaningful way. He's even come up with these raga-inspired names for his coffees (ragas are musical scales in Carnatic music). And get this - he's planning curated tastings and listening sessions where you can experience both the coffee and the music in one amazing event. How fun is that going to be?!
Here is Akshay's idea of the perfect cup of coffee: a fruity Arabica brewed with an AeroPress while overlooking a mountain or a beach, with some beautiful Carnatic music playing in the background. Talk about living the dream!
All-in-all, what we absolutely love about Kāpikottai is their vision to make excellent coffees more accessible and get people curious about where their cuppa' Joe comes from. We’ve stocked Kāpikottai’s dark roast to bring to you a nice, strong cuppa holiday coffee. So, when you’re here, don’t forget to try it!
Looking to replicate the rich, flavorful coffee experience you had at The Unallome?