The Rise of Cafes as Social Hubs in a Remote Work Era

Coffee is more than a beverage—it’s a sensory ritual. But in 2025, global coffee prices are at a fifty-year high, sending shockwaves down to Indian households. Even long-trusted South Indian brands, staples of middle-class homes, are becoming costlier.

Will the “ordinary” filter kaapi or takeaway latte soon feel like a bigger luxury?

In this weekender episode, we explore the reasons behind rising prices, how it’s reshaping consumption, and whether there’s a way to hold on to our morning lifeline.

Guest: Divya Jaishankar, founder of a specialty café in Chennai and master roaster

Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran

Camera: Thamodharan B and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston

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