Starbucks Launches Farmer Support Partnership to Bolster India’s Coffee Growers

The FSP, to be based in Karnataka, is designed to connect local agronomists and farmers with global best practices using open-source agronomy tools. Photo: Canva

Mumbai: Starbucks Coffee Company has recently announced a major push to strengthen India’s coffee value chain through a new Farmer Support Partnership (FSP), developed jointly with Tata Starbucks Private Limited.

According to a release, the initiative aims to equip thousands of growers across southern India with cutting-edge agronomy knowledge, climate-resilient farming techniques, and access to Starbucks global research network.

The FSP, to be based in Karnataka, is designed to connect local agronomists and farmers with global best practices using open-source agronomy tools. Starbucks Coffee Trading Company (SCTC), the brand’s global procurement arm, will work with Tata Starbucks to support 10,000 farmers by 2030, with a focus on major coffee-producing states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

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At the heart of the programme is the creation of technical “model farms”, developed in partnership with farmers to trial sustainable practices, test new coffee varietals and showcase methods to improve productivity, quality and climate resilience. These farms will draw from Starbucks’ established Farmer Support Centres in Indonesia, China and Costa Rica, sharing innovations from its global supply chain and agroforestry projects, release stated.

The partnership will also integrate Starbucks’ digital training tools set to be rolled out globally in 2026 to offer farmers online modules covering agronomy, coffee quality, ethical sourcing through C.A.F.E. Practices, and regenerative agriculture techniques. The tools are expected to help growers reduce carbon emissions, conserve water and improve soil health while boosting profitability.

Brian Niccol, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks, with N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons. Courtesy: Starbucks.

Over the next five years, the FSP will focus on three core goals: increasing coffee productivity, improving farm incomes and building resilience to climate change. To assist farmers in expanding their plantations, Tata Starbucks will donate one million high-yield Arabica seedlings during this period.

Calling India one of Starbucks’ fastest-growing markets, Brian Niccol, the company’s chairman and CEO, said the partnership reflected a long-term commitment to building “a stronger, more sustainable coffee ecosystem that benefits everyone, from bean to cup.” Tata Consumer Products’ MD & CEO Sunil D’Souza added that pairing Starbucks’ global agronomy leadership with Tata’s on-ground experience would “pave the way for the future of responsible coffee farming in India.”

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Sushant Dash, CEO of Tata Starbucks, said the FSP underlined the company’s focus on investing in farmers and securing the future of high-quality Indian Arabica. “Strengthening the coffee-growing community is essential to building a vibrant coffee culture,” he said.

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