A Kolhapur-based avid hiker brewed a necessity into an eco-friendly business idea
The easy-to-use tube form makes for convenient access to coffee in the outdoors. Pics Courtesy/Subodh Patil
For someone who has her daily coffee poured from a French press or a Moka Pot, squeezing it from a tube seems dubious. So, using coffee paste instead seems strange. We have just ordered a tube of Arabica coffee paste from High Altitude out of curiosity over an Instagram ad.
The kettle whistles and signals us that it is ready as usual for our daily cuppa. We poke a hole in the foil seal and squeeze a teaspoon of the paste into the cup, and top it with hot water. The sip is strong, bold, and dense. We make a mental note to add a lesser amount than recommended for our black pour. Although with milk, the amount is just right.
For 30-year-old Subodh Patil, the founder of High Altitude, it was a personal need that led to the inception of the product, the Kolhapur-based entrepreneur tells us. “I am an avid hiker, and getting a good cup of coffee on a peak, or on the route, means carrying plastic sachet packs,” says Patil, who is known as @thestartupguy on Instagram. On his channel, he took up the challenge to build a 100-crore startup.
Subodh Patil serves tube coffee at an event
“When looking for business ideas, I was inspired by butter in a tube which is common in Spain and France. As a hiker, my immediate thought was to have coffee in a tube. It is an eco-friendly option to carry with you on a hike,” says Patil.
A computer science professional with hands-on manufacturing exposure at a family-run soda shop, Patil built the brand as a sole proprietorship, with operational support from his wife. “We didn’t want to rely on a third party for the production,” he adds. Currently, they offer 100 per cent Arabica coffee; Robusta, as well as oat milk and almond milk, are in the pipeline.
Be it Amba Ghat with views of the Konkan valley, or the nearby Jyotiba Hill and the Sondai Fort, Patil spent three months after launching the product in January for research and development and market research. “We set up stalls on hiking tracks around Kolhapur. We served 5000 coffees to ensure it was a flawless product,” he adds.
Tube tales
The high-quality Arabica and Robusta coffee are sourced from Indian high-altitude estates. The Arabica is grown in the Chikkamagaluru region, while the Robusta comes from Wayanad.
The production follows freeze drying similar to making instant coffee, with a slight difference. “We don’t freeze dry it into powder, we stop at thick liquid consistency. We just get that extract out and mix it with micro-grind coffee — it is Irish and Italian coffee-consistency of very fine grind size. One tube can make up to 50 cups, but we claim 30. Honey, which is added as a preservative, also acts as a natural energiser in the drink. It is a great combo to consume as performance fuel,” says Patil.
Currently, High Altitude is available via its own website with pan-India delivery. The brand is planning to enter delivery platforms in early 2026, with Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru on the roadmap. “We are completely bootstrapped. But caffeinated,” Patil says.
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