Tread along the Malabar coast of southwest India and you will reach the picturesque port city of Mangalore, midway between Kerala and Goa. The arrival of the British in the seventeenth century and the influx of settlers saw the adjoining hilly forests of the Western mountain ranges turn into coffee plantations – the nearby port town becoming the logistics hub. Thus, while the forests of Coorg, Chikmaglur and Hassan became proud plantations of coffee, Mangalore became the two-way conduit, ensuring supplies to the plantations as well as export of the finished produce. Coffee curing became a major activity of the city.

Aspinwall established their facilities in the early 50’s to ensure quality supplies to the plantations as well as quality curing of the coffees and eventual export to Europe. The curing works of Aspinwall at this coastal town of India is the oldest, the best and the only one that still continues to operate with vigour. With the removal of restrictions on the commodity market of coffee, Aspinwall entered into direct export of coffee. The company had the requisite expertise and a team of dedicated people at the helm of affairs.