The Coffee People Podcast: Shonali Paul, Paul John Caffeine

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We started the company with the objective of really highlighting Indian-origin coffee, and I think that’s where I would like to see it more mainstream, kind of have people know that India is not just chai or tea, but is also coffee. I think that is the future goal is to have Paul John associated with Indian coffee in the Western world.
• Shonali Paul

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SEASON 15. EPISODE 1.
Guests: Shonali Paul, Founder of Paul John Caffeine
Based: Tampa, FL & Remote
What they do: Specialize in premium roasted Indian coffees from the foothills of Coorg and Karnataka in southwestern India. They also offer green coffee.
What they drink: A black drip—no sugar, no anything.

We're back!

To be fair, it wasn't a long break. This week, I virtually chatted with entrepreneur Shonal Paul, the Founder of Paul John Caffeine. The company is named after her father and specializes in premium roasted and green coffee from India.

Shonali Paul's personal connection to the land, combined with the example of numerous entrepreneurs in her family and community, made starting a company the path Shonali was destined to travel. According to her, entrepreneurship is not only a familial ideal, but an Indian one. Having role models to follow and learn from on top of the foundational education she pursued with her MBA gave her the confidence needed to never really consider not going into business for herself.

Shonali Paul was the consummate professional guest. She walked the fine line of being forthright while also projecting confidence and strength in her business. A lot of being a CEO is presentation (not only that, but a lot), and speaking with Shonali left me confident that if the coffee tastes good, Paul John Caffeine is in good hands.*

Beyond sharing her entrepreneurial journey, Shonali offered some advice for burgeoning entrepreneurs in our Roastar Coffee Smarter segment.

*I’d note that I’ve only tasted the coffee as a sample at the SCA EXPO, and not enough to make any coherent notes about it.

Find them online at: https://pauljohncaffeine.com/
See more on the socials: @pauljohncaffeine

TAKEAWAYS

Holy moly! 15 seasons is unreal. Thank you.
You'll see the southwestern mountainous region of India coffee belt in the lower left of this map. Paul John Caffeine is sourcing primarily from the region of Karnataka, including Coorg.

©https://coffeegeography.com/indian-coffee-regions/

According to the Coffee Board of India:

Indian coffee is the most extraordinary of beverages, offering intriguing subtlety and stimulating intensity. India is the only country that grows all of its coffee under shade. Typically mild and not too acidic, these coffees possess an exotic full-bodied taste and a fine aroma.

Learn a lot more about India's coffee growing region here:

COFFEE BOARD OF INDIA

"Minority Women-Owned Certified.” It's there on the first page of the Paul John Caffeine website. Someday that may not be a talking point, but that day is not today. Shonali Paul is—intentionally or not—representation for a new era of entrepreneurs looking for inspiration.

My parents were role models for me, but I also had numerous examples in my community and popular culture of white guys who looked like me starting successful businesses. The more I learn about how the world works, the more I've come to value representation as being a core reason why young or inspired people believe they can succeed in starting a business, becoming an artist, or pursuing something they are passionate about. We need trailblazers to follow
The tariff situation is real, but due to the timing of the picking season (Jan-Feb) in India, Paul John Caffeine is well-suited to sustain short-term tariff instability. They’ve already brought in this year’s crop, and have time until the next season’s is ready.

Shonali plans to extend the stability she has to her green coffee customers instead of inflating the price points to take advantage of a squeezed market. She is more optimistic than I that the tariff instability will be resolved any time soon.

Regardless, the impact of tariffs on the coffee belt worldwide is already showing up in your local roasters in the form of higher prices on green coffee beans, wholesale roasted beans, and the ancillary products needed to produce and serve it. Smaller businesses will be impacted quicker than larger ones, as they have less of an ability to hedge or purchase in bulk, both for price and storage.*
Per Shonali, coffee farmers in India act as tenants of the land, not owners who control the outcome.
Coffee Smarter Advice: Build an arsenal of knowledge to guide you as you leap into the business. Seek it out.
When you’re proud of your product, you’ll be able to better represent the product. It creates confidence.
Paul John Caffeine packaging focuses on “Flavor-forward” information that allows for quick decision-making. The details don't need overwhelm, but can still be available somewhere else for those looking for more background on the coffee they are purchasing.
Find Paul John Single Malt Whisky online.

Good news: Roastar Design Lab™ now lets you create custom coffee bag labels directly on our site. No bouncing between software, no intimate knowledge of dielines. Just you, your brand, and a slick tool that turns bags into an irresistible billboard for your beans.

CHECK OUT ROASTAR'S DESIGN LAB

BIRD-FRIENDLY x SHADE GROWN

Shade grown coffee is traditionally bird-friendly coffee. Click here to learn more about the Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly Coffee Program, or listen to our interview with Kirstin Hill, the Bird-Friendly Program Manager at the Smithsonian.

OTHER BRANDS WE USE & HAVE PARTNERED WITH

The partner links below enable us to generate some affiliate revenue. As always, we don’t partner with brands we don’t use, coffee we don’t drink, or a brand we don't strongly recommend.