From Our Farm,
To Your Cup
Coffee, shaped by care for three generations.
Our Story
The Name "Nandan" comes from Sanskrit-meaning a place of joy. A garden. A forest of delight.
That idea sits at the heart of everything we do.
We believe care changes outcomes.
Care for the land. Care for the people who work with it. Care for the moments coffee creates.
When these things are tended to with intention, the result isn’t just better coffee-it’s a deeper, more meaningful experience.
Hansraj and Hansa Mariwala, Founders of Nandan Coffee,
Photographed at The Nandanvan Estate 1994
Where it began
Our story begins in the Heart of the Kodaikanal Sanctuary, in the Western Ghats of Southern India, at an organic, fenceless coffee estate called Nandanvan.
What was once near-barren land was patiently nurtured by my grandfather, Hansraj Mariwala, a biochemist and environmentalist, and my grandmother, Hansa Mariwala, who roasted coffee over an open fire for guests. One brought science to how coffee was grown; the other intuition to how it was roasted and shared. Together, they shaped a way of working that was patient, unforced, and attentive to the land and the people it served. In time, Nandanvan came to reflect that approach-fenceless, unhurried, and guided by seasons, soil, and time.
That philosophy has carried through three generations.
Today, every Nandan coffee is grown, processed, and roasted at origin—on the same land where it begins.
How we work
Coffee at Nandan is not rushed.
Cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness, pulped and washed using harvested rainwater, sun-dried, rested, and roasted in small batches. Each step is deliberate, shaped by what the land and the coffee require.
We choose organic farming, responsible processing, and long-term stewardship because this is how we have always believed good work should be done.
These choices are slower. They are harder.
They are also non-negotiable.
More than a cup
Nandan Coffee is not built only around what’s in the cup, but what surrounds it.
Our cafés, packaging, and experiences are designed to feel warm, grounded, and human—spaces where people can pause, connect, and feel at ease. Coffee becomes a ritual rather than a transaction.
Whether it’s your first visit or your hundredth, the intention remains the same: to offer a moment that feels thoughtful, unhurried, and quietly special.
Why we exist
We aim to build a coffee company rooted in empathy—for the land that gives us coffee, the people who grow and make it, and the community that gathers around it.
Every decision at Nandan Coffee is guided by that belief.
And we trust that care—when practiced consistently—will always be felt.
This is our story.
And with every cup, it continues.
Coffee, wildlife, and forest coexisting for thirty years.
No fences. No chemicals. Just Nandanvan.
A rare varietal of Arabica coffee grown in small lots at Nandanvan, Hawaiian Red Caturra is prized for its sweetness and structure. The plant thrives under shade, responding sensitively to soil health and altitude. Slow growth allows flavours to develop gradually, resulting in a cup that is layered, expressive, and reflective of estate’s careful farming practices.
A rare varietal of Arabica coffee grown in small lots at Nandanvan, Hawaiian Red Caturra is prized for its sweetness and structure. The plant thrives under shade, responding sensitively to soil health and altitude. Slow growth allows flavours to develop gradually, resulting in a cup that is layered, expressive, and reflective of estate’s careful farming practices.
Jackfruit trees grow across the estate, offering shade, nourishment, and biodiversity. Their broad canopies protect young coffee plants, while fallen fruit feeds both people and wildlife. At Nandanvan, jackfruit is not planted for yield alone-it plays a quiet but essential role in maintaining balance across the land.
Jackfruit trees grow across the estate, offering shade, nourishment, and biodiversity. Their broad canopies protect young coffee plants, while fallen fruit feeds both people and wildlife. At Nandanvan, jackfruit is not planted for yield alone-it plays a quiet but essential role in maintaining balance across the land.
Robusta S. 274 is cultivated selectively at Nandanvan for its resilience and depth. Grown with the same care as our Arabica, it benefits from rich soil and careful processing. The result is a clean, structured cup-proof that when Robusta is treated with respect, it can be both expressive and refined.
Robusta S. 274 is cultivated selectively at Nandanvan for its resilience and depth. Grown with the same care as our Arabica, it benefits from rich soil and careful processing. The result is a clean, structured cup-proof that when Robusta is treated with respect, it can be both expressive and refined.
Every coffee plant at Nandanvan begins its life in our nursery. Seedlings are nurtured slowly, protected from harsh weather, and observed closely before being transplanted. This early care ensures stronger root systems and healthier plants, laying the foundation for coffee that is resilient, expressive, and deeply tied to the estate.
Every coffee plant at Nandanvan begins its life in our nursery. Seedlings are nurtured slowly, protected from harsh weather, and observed closely before being transplanted. This early care ensures stronger root systems and healthier plants, laying the foundation for coffee that is resilient, expressive, and deeply tied to the estate.
Avocado trees grow alongside coffee at Nandanvan, enriching the soil and supporting biodiversity. Their deep roots improve ground health, while their shade regulates temperature across the estate. Like much of what grows here, avocado serves a purpose beyond produce-it contributes quietly to the ecosystem that sustains our coffee.
Avocado trees grow alongside coffee at Nandanvan, enriching the soil and supporting biodiversity. Their deep roots improve ground health, while their shade regulates temperature across the estate. Like much of what grows here, avocado serves a purpose beyond produce-it contributes quietly to the ecosystem that sustains our coffee.
The estate’s vegetable patch supplies fresh produce for the main house and guests. Grown organically and seasonally, it reflects the same principles that guide our coffee-care, patience, and respect for the land. This patch keeps daily life at Nandanvan grounded in what the estate naturally provides.
The estate’s vegetable patch supplies fresh produce for the main house and guests. Grown organically and seasonally, it reflects the same principles that guide our coffee-care, patience, and respect for the land. This patch keeps daily life at Nandanvan grounded in what the estate naturally provides.
Our roastery sits on the land where the coffee is grown. Small-batch roasting allows for precision and restraint, letting each coffee express its character without force. Being at origin keeps decisions close to the source-where farming, processing, and roasting remain part of a single, continuous conversation.
Our roastery sits on the land where the coffee is grown. Small-batch roasting allows for precision and restraint, letting each coffee express its character without force. Being at origin keeps decisions close to the source-where farming, processing, and roasting remain part of a single, continuous conversation.
The main house has always been the heart of Nandanvan. It is where guests gather, meals are shared, and coffee is brewed slowly. Hospitality here is instinctive and unpretentious, shaped by decades of hosting. The warmth of this space continues to influence how Nandan Coffee welcomes people today.
The main house has always been the heart of Nandanvan. It is where guests gather, meals are shared, and coffee is brewed slowly. Hospitality here is instinctive and unpretentious, shaped by decades of hosting. The warmth of this space continues to influence how Nandan Coffee welcomes people today.
The pulping room is where harvested cherries begin their transformation. Processing is done with restraint and precision, using harvested rainwater and careful timing. Each batch is monitored closely, ensuring clarity and balance in the final cup. This space reflects the estate’s belief that good coffee is shaped as much by care as by technique.
The pulping room is where harvested cherries begin their transformation. Processing is done with restraint and precision, using harvested rainwater and careful timing. Each batch is monitored closely, ensuring clarity and balance in the final cup. This space reflects the estate’s belief that good coffee is shaped as much by care as by technique.
Certain parts of Nandanvan are intentionally left undisturbed, serving as natural corridors for wildlife. The bison area is one such zone. By allowing animals to move freely, the estate maintains ecological balance-an approach rooted in coexistence rather than control.
Certain parts of Nandanvan are intentionally left undisturbed, serving as natural corridors for wildlife. The bison area is one such zone. By allowing animals to move freely, the estate maintains ecological balance-an approach rooted in coexistence rather than control.
Elephant crossings pass directly through the estate, a reminder that Nandanvan exists within a living ecosystem. The land remains unfenced, allowing herds to move along their natural paths. Coffee farming here adapts to wildlife-not the other way around-shaping an estate that prioritises harmony over expansion.
Elephant crossings pass directly through the estate, a reminder that Nandanvan exists within a living ecosystem. The land remains unfenced, allowing herds to move along their natural paths. Coffee farming here adapts to wildlife-not the other way around-shaping an estate that prioritises harmony over expansion.
The Nandanvan Estate has multiple rainwater harvesting tanks that collect and store lakhs of litres of water each year. Processing coffee is a water-intensive process, and this system allows us to rely on captured rainwater rather than drawing from external sources. Every harvest is shaped by this cycle — water that falls on the estate is held, used with care, and returned to the land — ensuring that the way we process coffee remains as considered as the way it is grown.
The Nandanvan Estate has multiple rainwater harvesting tanks that collect and store lakhs of litres of water each year. Processing coffee is a water-intensive process, and this system allows us to rely on captured rainwater rather than drawing from external sources. Every harvest is shaped by this cycle — water that falls on the estate is held, used with care, and returned to the land — ensuring that the way we process coffee remains as considered as the way it is grown.
As you enter Nandanvan, a cosy two-bedroom cottage sits at its highest point, surrounded by avocado trees and Selection 9 coffee.
As you enter Nandanvan, a cosy two-bedroom cottage sits at its highest point, surrounded by avocado trees and Selection 9 coffee.
S-9 Arabica is grown at select elevations across the estate, chosen for its adaptability and cup quality. The varietal responds well to shade and slow maturation, developing nuanced flavours over time. At Nandanvan, S-9 is cultivated patiently, allowing its natural sweetness and structure to emerge without intervention.
S-9 Arabica is grown at select elevations across the estate, chosen for its adaptability and cup quality. The varietal responds well to shade and slow maturation, developing nuanced flavours over time. At Nandanvan, S-9 is cultivated patiently, allowing its natural sweetness and structure to emerge without intervention.
Certified Organic Since 2001
Grown at Nandanvan, nestled 4,500 ft in the Western Ghats, where cooler temperatures slow ripening and deepen structure. Cultivated organically within a regenerative, shade-grown ecosystem, this award-winning coffee develops with balance and clarity.
Harvest & Care
At Nandanvan, ripe coffee cherries are handpicked, pulped, washed with harvested rainwater, then sun-dried and rested—preserving clarity, character, and a true sense of place.
Roasted at Origin
Roasted at the Nandanvan estate-where the coffee is grown and processed-our roastery is run by an all-women roasting and production team from Pethuparai. Solar-powered, small-batch roasting and four layers of quality checks ensure the same care that goes into the estate carries through to the roastery. Each coffee is then packed in recyclable packaging before finally making its way to you.
