Cimbali Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional coffee machines, is pleased to announce the addition of Fresh & Honest to Faema’s official distribution network in India. This important step is paired with a strategic investment in a local Area Manager, appointed to directly and effectively support the Indian market, one of the most dynamic and fast-growing coffee markets globally.
The Indian market is managed by Cimbali Group’s MEIA Branch, headquartered in Dubai, which is committed to delivering comprehensive and widespread support across the local distribution network. The goal is clear: to bring the Group’s Total Coffee Solution to life by offering technical and commercial training, key account support, and high-value services that go well beyond the coffee machine.
India: a rapidly expanding market
Despite a historical tradition in tea, India is undergoing a major transformation in coffee consumption. A new generation of urban consumers is driving growing demand for quality experiences, specialty coffee, and premium cafés. According to industry data, the coffee equipment sector is following suit, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 10%. In this context, 2024 marked a record year for Cimbali Group in India, with volume growth of 50% and value growth of 134% compared to the previous year, results that confirm the strength of the Group’s strategy and the strong appeal of the Indian market.
A new partner for shared growth
The choice of Fresh & Honest as a new distributor in India represents a key element in the Group’s segmentation and market penetration strategy.
Established in 1996, Fresh & Honest is one of India’s most trusted names in coffee, recognised for delivering consistently high-quality brews across market segments, and is the market leader in the star hotels segment. With nearly three decades of experience, the brand has been instrumental in shaping India’s evolving coffee culture through its commitment to taste, reliability, and innovation. Fresh & Honest operates as a joint venture between Culinary Brands Pvt. Ltd. and the Lavazza Group, combining deep-rooted local market expertise with world-class coffee knowledge. The recent collaboration with Indonesian premium coffee chain Kopi Kenangan marks a significant milestone in delivering a comprehensive coffee solution for retail. This partnership underscores the Group’s premium advisory capabilities in designing high-quality coffee beverage menus and providing robust after-sales management and support.
The Faema brand will be at the heart of the offering, targeting both the Ho.Re.Ca. segment and the rapidly growing specialty coffee sector. The shared goal with the new partner is ambitious: to achieve 25–30% market share, standing out not only for the quality of the technological solutions but also for the excellence of the services provided.
“Fresh & Honest shares with us the core values that define our way of doing business: quality, innovation, customer proximity, and an authentic passion for coffee. It is precisely this passion that drives us every day as we bring our solutions to a vibrant market like India, with the aim of creating concrete and lasting value”, said Boris Nava, MEIA Branch Director of Cimbali Group.
Quote from Mr. Madhav
“This partnership marks a significant step in the brand’s mission to democratise access to premium coffee experiences across India, bringing global standards to local tastes”, commented Venu Madhav, Fresh & Honest CEO.
With a structure increasingly close to the local market, targeted investments, and high-value partnerships, Cimbali Group confirms its position as a global benchmark in professional coffee, ready to write a new chapter in its journey within the Indian market.
