About us
Gems of Araku
Gems of Araku, an annual coffee harvest festival curated by Naandi, celebrates the unique land and terroir of Araku, as well as the farmers who nurture it with care and skill. It is a tribute to the deep connection between nature and the people who grow this exceptional coffee. Join us in experiencing the magic of coffee crafted by them, one microlot at a time.
Over 1,400 micro-lots of single-origin specialty coffee are evaluated annually by globally recognised Coffee Cuppers who adhere to guidelines set by the Cup of Excellence and the Specialty Coffee Association.
Since 2009, the Gems of Araku has been celebrating this journey, honouring the farmers' dedication, unique terroir, and geography - creating coffee that feels like a warm hug from nature. Over the years, as the soils get richer the coffee profiles reflect nuanced and unique flavour notes scoring as high as 90 out 100 from professional coffee cuppers.
Led by Sherri Johns, Head Judge of Gem of Araku - a long-time ARAKU coffee advocate, mentor, and former Cup of Excellence Head Judge - the 17th Edition celebrates the land and the farmers who bring the flavors of Araku valley to your cup!
ARAKU Coffee Framework:
The ARAKU Coffee experience emerges from a holistic framework - PQR, that embodies sustainability in its truest sense.
Profit for Farmers
Providing farmers with premium pricing - two and half times the market price per kilogram of coffee produce - a simple yet effective model that ensures profit and agricultural growth for our ARAKU farmers.
Quality Produce
Providing ARAKU consumers with the highest quality coffee by following our seed-to-cup strategy - 19/91 Steps, a comprehensive approach to coffee production, processing, and sale that recognizes the diverse terroir and the skills of the coffee farmers, enhances the inherent flavor of coffee with state-of-the-art processing, and exports specialty coffee that is traceable back to the farmer.
Regenerative Agriculture
Providing ARAKU farmers with a formidable ecological foundation by advocating and implementing regenerative agriculture practices that restore soil fertility and soil microbial life and endure and ensure a sustained production of the highest quality coffee.
Araku, India: The land of specialty coffee
Nestled between lush forests and the giant rolling hills of the Eastern Ghats in southern India, Araku is 3,000-4,500 feet above sea level in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. This region has been home to indigenous tribal communities whose lives are intertwined with the land and soil, living in harmony with nature and relying on the forests for survival.
However, behind the stunning landscapes lie stores of hardship and a long journey towards transformation. For decades, the region struggled with low literacy rates, alarmingly high infant and maternal mortality rates, and unrest in the form of violent insurgency movement against government authorities. These challenges combined with environmental degradation - leading to biodiversity loss - left the tribal communities vulnerable and unable to break the cycle of poverty and ecological decline.
In the early 2000s, the Naandi Foundation, one of India's largest non-profit organizations, intervened. For over two decades, it worked closely with the tribal communities, creating biodiverse farms - generating sustainable, long-term profits, while combating climate change. The impact has been profound; the organization today works across 2,210 villages, supporting over 75,000+ farmers, and impacting approximately 300,000 people.
Araku is home to the world's largest Fairtrade, organically certified, single-origin 100% Arabica coffee. Araku farmers alongside coffee cultivation, have planted 49.8 million trees of 22 different species, restoring biodiversity, since 2010.
Araku has become a shining example of a one-of-a-kind transformational journey.
Araku Coffee: The Journey
What began as a practice in small parcels of land spread far and wide in the last 20 years.
Year after year, working in small parcels of land, each farmer produces the finest shade-grown Arabica. Chemical-free, regenerative agriculture nurtures these single-origin coffee farms. Co-existing in harmony with nature and in-house experts, farmers have also worked hand-in-hand with global experts to build on their traditional knowledge and improve the quality of the bean steadily.
Our Agriculture Philosophy
Born out of learnings from over 20 years of Naandi's work with farmers across India, we have arrived at a model reflective of an ideal food system.
A model we call Arakunomics.
In August 2020, Naandi's vision 'Arakunomics' was awarded the Food Vision 2050 prize by Rockefeller Foundation. Central to Arakunomics is the PQR framework ensuring Profits for farmers, Quality for consumers and Regenerative agriculture for the agri-ecosystem.
Our Experts
Sherri Johns
Head Judge Gems of Araku 2025
A globally recognized coffee expert, Sherri ensures the protocol for all cupping sessions meet exacting standards, enabling each and every cup to share its story. Coordinating and calibrating juries, ultimately helps the farmers and buyers understand quality which leads to sustainability.
Sherri is an Authorized SCA Trainer (AST), former Cup of Excellence Head Judge, leading national and international juries in 11 plus countries, including Brazil, Bolivia, Honduras. Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Colombia and East Africa. Apart from being an expert on the intricacies of cupping coffee and brewing the perfect cup, she's helped set up many multi-unit cafés around the world including our own Araku Coffee Roastery with India's first SCA Premier Training Campus in Bangalore.
A three-time Barista Champion in the first recorded Barista Championship, Sherri earned an apt title of 'Cappuccino Queen'. Her 40+ years in specialty coffee includes:
- Former International Coordinator and Head Judge - World Barista Championship
- Former Board Member of the International Women's Coffee Alliance & Specialty Coffee Association of America.
David Hogg
Chief Agriculture Advisor
David heads the Livelihoods division of Naandi Foundation as its Chief Agriculture Advisor. During David's 50 years in India, he was appointed to the Indian Coffee Board Advisory Council for the Palni Region in 2003, served as Co-Director of the BASIL Academy in Mysore, and has been a past consultant to SRTT, IFAD, and FAO. His special interest has been to apply regenerative principles in various fields of agriculture and develop regenerative protocols to elicit optimal coffee taste profiles and sustainable coffee production.
David oversees sustainable livelihoods for small and marginal farmers and gives expert advice in supply chain management to ensure agriculture is profitable.