Karadykan Estate
The Sangameshwar Coffee Estates are one of the pioneers of speciality coffee in India, and still remain key innovators and one the most respected coffee growers in the country. Their plantations are spread over 810 Hectares in Chikmagalur in Karanataka, and the Billigiri Ranga Hills (BR Hills). The Estates are currently run by Mr. S Appadurai, and Mrs Hamsini Appadurai who are the third generation. Their plantations comprise of 4 estates: Attikan, Gungegiri, Kondadkan and Karadykan. Part of the original SCE estates, the Karadykan Estate was started in the early 1900s by Charles and William Crawford, and was taken over by Shri K.S. Vaidyanathan, Mr. Appadurai’s grandfather after independence. The Karadykan Estate which spans around 250 hectares in the hills of Chikamagalur, is surrounded by three hills, because of which it is also called “Trishul”. The estate features a big stream that runs through it, and is fed by small natural springs. Coffee here is grown keeping in mind the natural biodiversity, where you have pepper, areca nut, figs, etc. growing side by side.
Mr. S Appadurai and Mrs. Hamsini Appadurai spent four years living at the Karadykan Estate when they were starting to get into coffee, from 1997-2001. During which they learnt extensively about coffee, their estate, the shortcomings that were there and went on to make significant improvements to the estate through their learnings. They learnt and developed techniques to make their coffee better which included doing 3 rounds of picking only the ripest deepest red cherries, and doing lot wise picking that allows the very highest level of traceability. The duo works as a dynamic team, paying close attention to pre and post harvest processing, and are obsessed with making sure that they produce the highest quality of coffees year after year. To allow even greater control over quality and traceability, they have their own curing works at Hasan called “Lakshmi Curing Works” which is equipped with state of the art machines.
At SCE people and relationships are given tremendous importance. They provide free housing, and medicines for all their staff, who have access of amenities like hospitals, a Creche, a full time doctor and a nurse who live at the estate to tend to the medical needs of their staff. Having started our journey with a lot of coffees from the SCE from so many other roasters, it is really an honour for us to begin our relationship with them with some truly amazing specially processed micro lots. We are extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the SCE and give our expression to their delicious coffees!
Mr. S Appadurai and Mrs. Hamsini Appadurai