In a significant achievement for South Asian specialty coffee, Mumbai-based Subko Coffee Roasters has won the Best Coffee Design 2025 – Packaging award at the Specialty Coffee Association Awards during World of Coffee Dubai. The recognition comes for Project Ceylanka, a collaboration with Sri Lanka’s Damn Fine Coffee Roasters aimed at reviving the island’s coffee industry.
The winning entry featured a Red Honey Arabica cultivated in Kotmale, Sri Lanka, and produced by Damn Fine Coffee. Beyond its striking design, Project Ceylanka represents a larger mission—to reintroduce Sri Lankan coffee to the global stage and solidify South Asia’s role in the specialty coffee movement.
Before Sri Lanka became known for tea, it was one of the world’s leading coffee producers, supplying a third of Europe’s coffee by the 1870s. However, the Coffee Rust Epidemic of 1869 devastated its plantations, leading to a shift toward tea cultivation. Now, Damn Fine Coffee is working to restore Sri Lanka’s coffee heritage, collaborating with over 300 smallholder farmers to develop a bold, world-class specialty coffee industry.
“Sri Lanka is back. And this win is proof that our coffee deserves a seat at the global specialty table,” said Yasas Kodituwakku, CEO of Damn Fine Coffee. “We’ve spent years building a movement—partnering with farmers, refining our process, and proving that Sri Lankan terroir can produce coffee that rivals the best in the world.”
At the core of this award-winning project is a rare Sachimor varietal, meticulously grown at 1,050–1,400 meters above sea level in Kotmale. This Red Honey Arabica undergoes a controlled fermentation process, creating a unique flavor profile with notes of raw mango, hazelnut, and cloves.
Damn Fine Coffee’s commitment to precision in cultivation and processing ensures that every nuance of the bean’s flavor is expressed in the final cup—expertly showcased by Subko. This recognition signals a new chapter for Sri Lankan coffee, blending tradition with innovation to reclaim its place on the global coffee map.
Related topics:
- Hanbury Hall Café Nominated for Prestigious Regional Award
- Endicott Coffee Shop Recognized as Finalist in Statewide RISE Awards for Social Media Excellence
- NESCAFÉ Plan Wins ‘Award of the Year’ for Sustainable Farming Impact
