Sanker’s Coffee & Tea: A seven-decade-old tale of a sweet aroma
Commuters who make their way from Pulimoodu Junction, past the Secretariat, and towards MG Road, are almost always treated to a whiff of sweet aroma emanating from Sanker’s Coffee & Tea, a nearly 75-year-old establishment.
Here, if you stop to observe, you’ll notice the large sacks of glossy brown coffee beans neatly tucked into the shop’s corner. The aroma, it is clear, is from when the roasted beans are ground. The steady hum of an old grinder could also be heard.
K P Sivaram, the shop’s owner, watches the machine closely. He ensures that the beans are roasted just right—not too light or too dark. Only then will they create a perfect balance, a smooth yet textured taste that promises a strong, flavourful cup of coffee.
“It was my father P K Parameswaran Nair who started the business. He supplied freshly ground coffee powder and tea leaves to restaurants and hotels across the city. He would buy raw coffee beans from wholesalers, roast and grind them at home, then personally goes and delivers them,” Sivaram recalls.
“Later, when he realised that the demand was growing, my father opened a shop, and that’s how this place came to be — in 1952. Back then, shops like this were rare. I think we were the first in Thiruvananthapuram. It started small, but as the business grew, we expanded,” he adds.
Sivaram took over the business upon his father’s retirement. Having grown up observing his father at work, he was an expert in the art of roasting, grinding and packaging coffee right from childhood.
“We don’t sell branded products. Every day, we roast the beans fresh. We grind them only when a customer asks for one — and we do it on the spot. It takes a lot of effort and requires careful attention,” Sivaram says.
The shop stocks only Indian coffee. As to why, the man says, “In terms of taste, Indian coffee is the best. Our beans mostly come from Karnataka and Wayanad, with Arabica and Robusta being the most popular varieties.”
After he took over, Sivaram introduced a variety of teas, including green and white teas and flavoured options like lemon and hibiscus teas.
Following his father’s tips, he selects tea and coffee only after personally testing the samples at home, starting his day with coffee and ending it with tea. This routine helps him understand the flavours, ensuring only the best make it to the market.
“Many famous personalities including Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Ramesh Chennithala’s household have been regular customers, along with many from the Secretariat,” Sivaram says.
“There are plenty of familiar faces who keep coming back, including tourists. When people visit Varkala and Kovalam, they often make a stop here. Lately, a lot of Russians have been dropping by. This, I believe is because of the quality products we serve, and I make sure they get exactly what they expect every time,” he further adds.
Since the early days, when coffee powder was priced at `20-30, the shop has come a long way. Today, the best quality coffee powder costs `1,300, with the lowest priced variety available at `900.
Sanker’s Coffee & Tea also takes orders via WhatsApp or email and sends the packets to their customers across India.