New Delhi: How much chicory is in your coffee? If you’re not sure or don’t care, you will get to know starting in July, when the percentage of chicory will be displayed quite prominently on coffee powder packs.
India’s apex food regulator wants to ensure that customers are aware of the volume of chicory in their preferred brew, according to two government officials and a document reviewed by Mint.
In a major overhaul for beverage labelling, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has finalized a new mandate requiring ‘prominent declarations’ on the front of the pack so that blended coffee is not mistaken for 100% pure coffee. Also, the font sizes of these declarations must be proportionate to the logo dimensions, with a 1 July enforcement date.
Chicory is a popular additive that provides a darker colour and an earthy taste to the beverage. It is naturally caffeine-free and significantly less expensive than high-quality coffee. Most coffee powder brands in India’s $2 billion coffee market, including those from consumer giants Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever, contain 30% to 35% chicory.
The decision was taken at the 48th meeting of the FSSAI in September when it approved the final notification of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Amendment Regulations, 2025. The FSSAI has now tasked its science and standards division with implementing these rules.
Masking bitterness
“While regulations allow up to 49% chicory in coffee, the labeling was often hidden on the back of the packaging,” one of the government officials said, requesting anonymity. “Chicory is used to mask coffee's natural bitterness, effectively increasing consumer consumption. To improve transparency, a new amendment from the 48th Food Authority meeting mandates that these ratios be moved to the ‘front of the pack.' This ensures consumers can easily see the blend details alongside the brand name before deciding to purchase.”
Pure coffee remains exempt from these specific requirements, the official added.
The domestic coffee market is dominated by Nestlé India, which leads the instant coffee segment with its Nescafé brand, followed by Hindustan Unilever, known for its Bru range. Others include Tata Coffee from Tata Consumer Products, ITC’s Sunbean brand and Continental Coffee.
“Our products currently declare the chicory content clearly and transparently,” a Nestlé India spokesperson said in an email response. “We remain committed to complying with any changes in regulations.”
“Our products are fully compliant with existing FSSAI regulations,” a Hindustan Unilever spokesperson said. “If any revised regulations come into effect, we will update our declarations accordingly.”
Queries emailed to the spokespersons of the FSSAI and the health and family welfare ministry on 17 February remained unanswered till press time.
According to the government, India is the world’s seventh-largest coffee grower, producing 360,000 to 400,000 metric tonnes of coffee annually. As much as 75% of the domestic mass-market coffee consumption in India consists of coffee-chicory blends.
About 70% of India’s coffee production is exported. India primarily ships robusta beans that are favored in Italy, Germany and Belgium for their bold flavour and crema-producing qualities in espresso blends.
Consumer awareness
The Coffee Board of India, a statutory body under the commerce ministry that is responsible for the promotion of sale and consumption of Indian coffee globally, views this new labelling norm as a victory for consumer awareness.
“In this day and age, all the consumers are very aware – they want to know what they consume. So, I think this is a good move by FSSAI,” said Dr. Mandappa I.M, divisional head (coffee quality) at the Coffee Board.
The FSSAI has been working on consumer-friendly front-of-pack-labelling for packaged food items since 2022.
“This builds on previous efforts by the regulator, which earlier ratified amendments to the 2020 labeling regulations to set the stage for these stricter front-of-pack requirements,” the second government official said, asking not to be identified.
Public health experts said chicory usage is rooted more in economics than in nutrition.
“Chicory was historically introduced as an adulterant or a cheap substitute for coffee, that later got normalized by habit and commercial convenience,” said Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a public health expert, explaining the evolution of the blend. “Chicory was originally chosen due to its readily dissolving property, deep brown colour, flavour and aroma. It was introduced at a time when coffee supply was disrupted due to war. Long after the coffee bean shortage was resolved, the commercial appetite for chicory remained and became an accepted addition to coffee."
Jayadevan added that chicory is not coffee – it is a dried, roasted root, and does not contain caffeine or the organic oils that are naturally part of the coffee bean.
“It is important, therefore, for the consumer to also know the exact amount of chicory they are consuming. Hence the significance of mandating that it be labelled prominently on the package,” Dr. Jayadevan added.