Araku Valley Coffee wins Changemaker of the Year Award 2025
Araku Valley Coffee, the flagship brand of Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC), has been awarded the Changemaker of the Year – 2025 in the Financial Transformation category. The accolade was presented by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, to GCC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Kalpana Kumari at the 7th Business Line Changemaker Awards in Mumbai on Friday.
Since its inception in 1956, GCC has worked to empower tribal communities through economic and social initiatives. Coffee cultivation in Araku Valley, introduced in the 1970s, has transformed subsistence farming into a sustainable livelihood while maintaining ecological balance.
“The success of Araku Coffee is the result of decades of dedication, especially over the last ten years, with our field teams supporting farmers and our corporate Coffee Department ensuring global standards,” said Kalpana Kumari. “This award honors not just GCC, but the thousands of tribal farmers whose hard work makes this possible.”
Notable milestones include the 2019 Geographical Indication (GI) tag, Organic Certification in 2024 for 6,000 acres managed by 2,600 farmers, and plans to expand certification to 15,000 acres covering coffee and other crops.
Farmers shared the impact of GCC’s initiatives. Ravi Kumar from Chintapalli mandal said, “Araku Coffee has changed our lives. We now have steady income and pride in our work.” Lakshmi, another farmer, added, “Training and support from GCC helped us improve quality and gain recognition internationally.”
During the Adivasi Divas celebrations on August 9, GCC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Consumer Products Ltd. to launch India’s first Organic Soluble Coffee, witnessed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.
GCC is also setting up a modern Integrated Coffee Processing Unit near Narsipatnam, with 12 acres allocated and Rs. 10 crore sanctioned by the state government.
Kalpana Kumari concluded, “Araku Valley Coffee represents national pride and the dignity of tribal communities. We are committed to expanding globally and using technology to further empower our farmers.”