Our Roots

In 1670, a mystic saint by the name of Baba Budan brought back exactly seven coffee beans from his pilgrimage to Mecca and planted them on the mountains of the Western Ghats in India. The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. For a long period, the coffee plants remained in the backyard gardens of Indigenous communities.

It was during the 18th century that commercial plantations of coffee emerged. Our founder Dr. Pete Poovanna's forefather, along with other Indigenous Peoples started cultivating eco-friendly coffee on land gifted to him by the last king of Coorg in India. Pete's ancestors had an intricate relationship with the land and animals. Their spiritually-rooted practices called "sacred grove farming" ensured that not a tree was felled nor a creature harmed within the boundaries of the farm. Even after six generations, his family continues this traditional farming technique while providing a natural habitat for a multitude of birds and animals to thrive alongside coffee beans.

Devan Cheppudira Ponnappa

In 2013, our founder moved to Canada to pursue a PhD. in Sustainable Engineering. He was surprised to witness Canada's love for coffee and started to realize how our addiction is affecting the environment. For every cup of coffee we consume, it is almost certain that one square inch of rainforest is destroyed. Deforestation not only decreases biodiversity but also displaces Indigenous Peoples. As the environment crisis deepens, he saw a potential solution in transforming the coffee economy to become sustainable. Therefore, Forest Bean Inc. was started with the core mission to inspire and foster harmony between people and nature by celebrating rich biodiversity, Indigenous culture, and the taste of Indian coffee. We are committed to creating a global brand of premium coffee that enhances biodiversity and forms partnerships with local Indigenous Peoples.

Our brand promise

For all coffee lovers who care about the environment, Forest Bean is a two-tiered shade-grown, naturally-grown coffee from a co-operative of micro-lot farms that best delivers a refreshing taste with the aroma of the forest. We partner with local Indigenous farmers, who handpick every bean and roast them to perfection. We at Forest Bean Inc. strive towards promoting traditional farming solutions to the environmental crisis by connecting beans to biodiversity.

Vision Statement

To create a global brand of premium coffee that enhances biodiversity and forms partnerships with local Indigenous Peoples.

Mission statement

To inspire and foster harmony between people and nature by celebrating rich biodiversity, culture, and the taste of Indian coffee.