Profile Overview
Rishwin Devaya is overlooking the Riverside Coffee estate in Coorg - a cherished family heirloom that has flourished for over a century. With his experience in the wine industry, he is redefining the way coffee is grown, processed and experienced in the estate. Besides specialty coffee, Riverside is also branching into coffee tourism within the estate, offering visitors the chance to discover and learn more about coffee through curated experiences and an in-house café.
Nestled in the lush coffee-growing region of Coorg, Riverside Coffee Estate has been a cherished family legacy for nearly a century. For Rishwin Devaya, this estate is not just a part of the family heirloom - it’s his canvas for innovation.
Originally a modest paddy field in 1898, the estate transitioned to coffee cultivation in 1932. Today, Riverside Estate has grown and created its mark in India’s specialty coffee scene, thanks to Rishwin’s creativity, vision, and determination that introduced a new level of innovation to the estate. And it all began with an epiphany.
You can’t make good wine from bad grapes, right? So I started focusing on the plants to help me get a better cup of coffee.
- Rishwin Devaya
Journey from Wine to Coffee
Born and raised in Bangalore, Rishwin’s path to coffee was not straightforward. After completing his college education in Hyderabad, he began working in the wine industry. With a Wine and Spirits Level 1 certification, Rishwin became a sommelier, focusing on marketing and sales of wine.
In 2014, while working at KRSMA, a wine company, the owners asked him, “You are telling me you have a family property of coffee for 100 years, and you can’t give me a cup of coffee?”
This question made him realise that the family had overlooked their rich heritage.
"We were always growing coffee; we have a 100-year-old legacy. But we were not drinking the coffee from this estate. The first goal was to be able to drink a good cup of coffee from the beans produced here,” he says.
This realisation sparked Rishwin’s journey into coffee. He took inspiration from his cousin Tejini Kariappa who had launched her coffee venture, Halliberri, by sourcing small batches of coffee from the Riverside Estate. She roasted, packaged, and sold the beans in small quantities to friends, and acquaintances. Rishwin decided to emulate this hands-on approach on a much broader scale.
Iced mocha at the Riverside Estate
Rishwin Devaya, the man reimagining his heirloom
From Burnt Beans To Specialty Brews
The early days of the new business were tough. When Rishwin began reaching out to various curing facilities and roasters, he found the lack of essential infrastructure in the industry. Sample roasters were rare, and most curing facilities demanded minimum orders of 1,000 kilograms, making it nearly impossible for newcomers to break into the market. After enduring many frustrating experiences, including receiving burnt coffee beans from local roasters, he eventually found a welcoming partner in Mr. Suresh Babu at Coffee Roasters in Bangalore. This partnership proved pivotal, allowing Rishwin to establish his first brand effectively.
In 2015, Rishwin launched the Riverside Coffee brand in Coorg, marking an important moment in his branding and marketing journey. Although initial sales to local cafés and friends were promising, the quality of coffee available at the time presented challenges. Washed coffees consistently met higher standards, while natural coffees often fell short due to inadequate processing techniques. Through relentless experimentation, Rishwin enhanced the estate’s coffee quality. By 2020, Riverside had successfully transitioned to producing speciality-grade coffee, solidifying its reputation in India's specialty coffee market.
The meticulous process of drying coffee in the Riverside Estate
The Shift to Specialty Coffee
Transitioning Riverside Estate from a traditional coffee grower to a specialty coffee producer was no small feat. Rishwin soon realised that quality coffee begins at the farm.
“I fundamentally understood that as a farmer, it all starts with us," he explains. “You can’t make good wine from bad grapes, right? So I started focusing on the plants to help me get a better cup of coffee.”
In 2020, Rishwin immersed himself in courses, starting with the ones offered by Pondicherry-based Marc’s Coffee to enhance farm-level processing. He then pursued a microbiology course to deepen his understanding of plant nutrition and optimise the yield of higher-quality beans.
Rishwin's shift toward specialty coffee became clear after he tasted the ‘Pranoy’s Pride’ blend by Marc’s Coffee. He realised that the coffee he served at his café needed improvements. The year 2020 marked the beginning of Rishwin's first specialty lot.
“It was a super insightful year,” he recalls. During COVID, he completed an online course with Marc Tormo Altimira, a seasoned coffee entrepreneur and founder of Marc’s Coffee. Later Altimira and his son visited Riverside Estate where they helped Rishwin to refine his coffee processing methods.
"We [processed] a lot of about 600 kilos, which included a little Arabica, a little Robusta, and it blew my mind." He recalls. "That's when I understood how much coffee can change from the farm level. My roaster was the same, my plants were the same. - just the days of processing made all the difference.”
To add structure to his processes, Rishwin took a Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) course that was both intense and detail-oriented, furthering his expertise and earning certification as a Q Processor for Arabica coffee. Riverside quickly became an ideal venue for workshops, offering practical learning opportunities thanks to its well-equipped facilities.
“We wanted to do a CQI course and we were looking at a venue to conduct it. That's when we realised Riverside is sort of the opportune place to do workshops, because we have the plants, we have the roasting, we have the space. It gives people the chance to work with the pulper, and gives chance to pick coffee,” Rishwin recalls.
Underlining the vital role of education in the coffee industry, he added “Education is the only thing that’s going to help us. Information is the only thing that will help us really improve in every way, not just any one particular field.”
Rishwin is committed to using Riverside as a platform to support other planters in enhancing their coffee quality, convinced that India has significant potential to elevate its specialty coffee market.
Riverside Coffee underwent a remarkable transformation through these efforts, shifting from bulk production to becoming a recognised name in India’s specialty coffee market by 2020. "It's both the farm side and the processing," Rishwin emphasises.
If you can visualise what it’s like on a coffee farm, it adds a whole new sensory layer to such a simple experience.
- Rishwin Devaya
Navigating the Coffee Value Chain
As Rishwin reflects on Riverside’s journey from a pure coffee grower to managing multiple aspects of the coffee value chain, he acknowledges the benefits and challenges of juggling various roles: grower, roaster, café owner, and estate operator.
“In retrospect, just being a grower and focusing on that might have been the better way to go,” he admits. The need to invest in different areas, whether it is new roasters, farm equipment, or café tools, complicates financial recovery.
“Every six months, I’m investing in a different part of the value chain, and that spreads your capital expenditure a little thin,” he observes.
Despite these challenges, Rishwin finds beauty in the coffee journey.
"The beauty of coffee is everyone is doing something in their own way, and we can all feed off each other because there's enough coffee for everyone,” he says.
A cup of joe by the Riverside? Yes, please!
Opening the Zero-Mile Café
One of Rishwin's boldest moves was launching the Zero-Mile Café on the estate, offering visitors a rare experience: sipping freshly brewed coffee while overlooking the very plants that produced it. This origin café allows guests to enjoy "zero-mile coffee" — served directly from plant to cup.
For Rishwin, coffee transcends mere consumption; it’s an experience. “If you can visualise what it’s like on a coffee farm, it adds a whole new sensory layer to such a simple experience,” he explains. The café forges a direct connection between consumers and the farm, deepening their appreciation for each cup and the journey from bean to brew.
To enhance this experience, Rishwin constructed four rooms around the estate, allowing visitors to stay and witness the coffee production process firsthand. "Everyone drinks coffee, but how many have seen a coffee plant?" he asks, highlighting the added depth this experience brings to every cup.
Additionally, the café serves as an educational hub where guests can tour the estate and learn about each stage of production, from planting to roasting. This combination of learning and sensory exploration transforms visitors into passionate coffee enthusiasts, fostering a deeper connection to the craft.
The beauty of coffee is everyone is doing something in their own way, and we can all feed off each other because there's enough coffee for everyone.
- Rishwin Devaya
The lush estate of Riverside
Looking into the Future
As Rishwin reflects on Riverside’s journey thus far, his focus remains firmly on the future. His vision is clear: to enhance coffee quality, expand the brand's reach, and uphold Riverside as a symbol of excellence in Indian specialty coffee.
Rishwin finds immense joy in his control over the coffee-making process, stating, “It goes full circle... My greatest joy when I drink my cup of coffee comes from the fact that I have controlled this coffee end to end.”
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