The slew of cafés that opened at the beginning of the 21st century, initiated by a few brands like Cafe Coffee Day and Barista, all across the country, lost momentum in the last decade with a host of other beverages flooding the market. If pop culture could serve as a barometer for trends, green tea was the buzzword a few years back.

And then, cyclic as trends are, a new wave of coffee emerged, sparking off yet another ream of openings. This time, it was all about the bean-to-cup movement. Shannon D'Souza, founder of KC Roasters, which opened in Mumbai in 2017, says that sustainability is a huge factor here.