Araku Originals Pvt. Ltd. set up operations in Bengaluru in March 2021.
Company Brief
ARAKU is India’s first coffee to shape the complete seed-to-cup journey with flagships in Paris, Bangalore and Mumbai. It’s the first terroir-mapped coffee to also champion the world’s largest certified organic plantation in the Eastern Ghats of India. Araku, in Andhra Pradesh, has proven to be excellent highlands for growing 100% Arabica coffee.
Supported by Naandi Foundation, it’s the first fair-trade certified homegrown coffee to bypass any middlemen, and put forward an equitable system in the form of Arakunomics – a model endorsed by The Rockefeller Foundation’s ‘Food System Vision 2050 Prize’. In 2018, the World Economic Forum shared our journey, describing “how indigenous Indian farmers are fighting deforestation with gourmet coffee.”
Grown with an emphasis on regenerative agriculture, ARAKU Coffee is nurtured in micro plots and selectively harvested to fully express the richness of its unique character. In 2018 it also became the first specialty coffee from India to receive international acclaim receiving Epicure D’or at Prix Épicures De L’Épicerie Fine Awards, in France. It has scored as high as 90 (out of 100) by independent, professional cuppers associated with the renowned Specialty Coffee Association – marking another first for Indian coffee.
Challenges
When the founders decided to implement a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) in response to customer demand, the primary challenges they faced included space constraints, competency gaps, and the need to streamline processes. To address these, the company aimed to comply with global food safety standards such as ISO 22000, aligning with customer expectations and working toward certification. As the first company in the market to integrate FSMS into its core processes, maintaining strict quality control (QC) from farm to cup was essential for building the brand’s reputation.
Solutioning
Space constraints posed a major challenge for implementing FSMS, and finding an alternative storage solution became a priority. A system was developed to track materials in a timely manner while ensuring all food safety and hygiene requirements were met. Competency levels were evaluated, and teamwork was encouraged through training and monitoring. The team assessed the business’s risks and opportunities, ensuring that global food safety standards were understood and followed correctly. Once both the team and top management realized the importance of implementing the right processes, a food safety culture spread throughout the company. This culture facilitated audits and certifications, allowing us to achieve certification within just four months after starting the FSMS implementation.
— Kunal Ross, AGM Sales & Operations
“Food Safety Works was a pleasure to collaborate with. They worked closely with ARAKU Coffee to establish our systems and processes for ISO certification. Their knowledge and expertise are unparalleled. They meticulously handled documentation and followed up during internal audits. Thanks to Mythri and the entire team.”
Value Proposition
By implementing an integrated food safety management system, we were able to shorten the certification process from stage 1 to stage 2. Throughout the implementation, we have refined the existing processes, maintained effective communication with stakeholders. This comprehensive approach ensured that the system aligned with the required standards.
