2,500 women-run coffee kiosks to open under Rs 25-cr empowerment push

The Karnataka government has sanctioned ₹25 crore to establish 2,500 coffee kiosks across the state, to be run by women trained under Self-Help Groups (SHGs), in a move aimed at strengthening the coffee value chain while promoting livelihood generation and economic empowerment.

Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil announced the initiative on Thursday after inaugurating the India International Coffee Festival organised by the Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI) at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru.

Patil said the kiosks — branded as “Akka Cafe” — will create employment opportunities for women and encourage entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. As part of the programme, the Coffee Board, in collaboration with the National Rural Livelihood Mission–Karnataka, is training one lakh women associated with SHGs in coffee brewing, café operations and business management.

He added that the government is also extending scholarships to children of workers employed in coffee estates and large plantations in Kodagu district as part of broader welfare measures.

Highlighting branding initiatives, Patil noted that Karnataka-grown coffee is being showcased alongside over 45 GI-tagged products at the Industries Department’s ‘Kala Loka’ outlet at Kempegowda International Airport, helping promote local produce through distinctive packaging and marketing. Karnataka remains India’s largest coffee producer, with cultivation spread across about

2.2 lakh hectares. Nearly 75 per cent of the country’s coffee output comes from Hassan, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Describing the festival as a significant industry platform, Patil said it brings together growers, exporters, roasters, hospitality players and equipment manufacturers, helping foster collaboration and innovation in the sector.

Several officials, including MLA Rizwan Arshad and Coffee Board representatives, attended the event.