“Coffee-na Narasu’s Coffee thaan… Besh Besh, romba nalla irukku.” Long before jingles became viral and brands chased influencers and social media trends, this simple line in an advertisement on television earned a place in the hearts of many people of Tamil Nadu. And now, this Salem-based brand, that became a part of the coffee culture, is celebrating its centenary.

The Narasu’s story began in 1926 with its founder, V. Lakshmi Narasimhan (fondly known as Narasu), introducing high-quality tea and coffee blends. The firm’s head office building was constructed in 1939 and inaugurated by V.V. Giri, who served as the Labour Minister during the British era and later became the President of India.

According to a report in The Hindu dated April 25, 1953, U. Krishna Rao, Minister for Industries and Labour opened a coffee factory of Narasu’s Manufacturing Co. at Guindy, Chennai. At that time, V.L. Narasu, its managing director, recalled that in 1926, he started a small roasting factory actuated by an ardent desire to supply the coffee-consuming public with the right type of roasting and ground coffee. The roasting was done in Salem in a novel method and roasted coffee seeds were supplied to the several branches of his organisation to be ground and delivered to customers.

Court auction and acquisition

Following his demise and subsequent financial challenges, the company faced a pivotal court auction in 1966. It was acquired by Narasu’s Coffee Co., a partnership firm of R.P. Sarathy, father of P. Sivanantham (now chairman of Narasu’s Coffee) and other family members.

“We took over the business in 1966 through a court auction and have continued operations without interruption. My father and his brothers acquired the company. As our family was already involved in coffee trade and had considerable expertise in the sector, the takeover was easy.” Mr. Sivanantham, who took over the business in 1983, told The Hindu.

In 1983, he travelled to exhibitions in Germany to master the nuances of advanced machinery and packaging technology. It culminated into a Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) automated packing system full-scale deployment by 1994. He designed and established the company’s coffee curing facility and drove the brand’s highest-ever retail store expansion. During his travels. Mr. Sivanantham observed a market gap in southern Tamil Nadu — consumers loved vara kaapi (black coffee) but lacked a blend with sufficient strength. He then formulated Delite Coffee — known as Pachchai Kaapi among consumers due to its vibrant green packaging.

The rise of ‘Udhayam Filter Coffee’

Mr. Sivanantham recalled that in 1993, the economic liberalisation had introduced the “Free Sale Quota” system. This allowed growers to sell a portion of their coffee in the open market, eventually leading to the 1996 abolition of the pooling system. While this completely deregulated the market, it caused raw material prices to skyrocket by an unprecedented 250% to 300%. To shield daily coffee aficionados from prohibitive costs without compromising on quality, Mr. Sivanantham launched Narasu’s Udhayam Filter Coffee. It became an instant classic and remains a favourite in many households today. The company’s first export was to Russia for 300 tonnes of order size. Simultaneously, the firm also exported to PepsiCo USA.

Story behind the hit advertisement

Narasu’s also holds the distinction of being the first Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in south India to introduce a theatrical advertisement so iconic that it is still remembered today. The commercial featuring yesteryear comedian Usilaimani alongside actor Charlie was rolled out during the advertising boom of the 1980s and early 1990s.

“The concept behind this campaign was born out of a desire to blend the rich, authentic tradition of south Indian filter coffee with everyday relatable humour. In those days, campaigns came together through deeply collaborative storytelling. Rather than relying entirely on isolated external agencies, our management worked hand-in-hand with creative directors, independent writers, and production houses to ensure the brand’s core values remained intact,” Mr. Sivanantham said. “Alongside legendary campaigns featuring stars like Manorama and Thengai Srinivasan, the Usilaimani commercial cemented our famous presence in pop culture,” he added.

The highly successful advertisement was shelved for a sole reason: a customer approached the present chairman and gently requested, “Mr. Usilaimani, the cast member of the advertisement, has passed away... please discontinue the ad.” Mr. Sivanantham immediately withdrew the commercial.

Future plans

As the firm completes 100 years, it has chalked out massive expansion plans. “Our production capacity is around 9,000 metric tonnes per year for roast and ground and around 8,000 metric tonnes per year for instant coffee. We started with pure coffee and we still hold a major share in that market,” S. Srudheep, managing director of Sri Narasu’s Coffee Pvt. Ltd., said. The company’s revenue last year was ₹641 crore and it expects to grow at 18-20% in the current fiscal. Currently, Narasu’s exports to over 45 countries.

“Narasu’s sources more than 30,075 tonnes of coffee beans annually. We have our own estates but we get small quantity from there. We source from other estates,” Mr. Srudheep said. To a query on e-commerce sales, he said: “Online sales currently contribute approximately 10–15% of Narasu’s overall sales, although the share varies depending on seasonality and promotional activity. “We have a network of 81 stores across Tamil Nadu, including one in Puducherry. All our outlets are equipped with grinders, allowing customers to purchase freshly ground coffee powder,” he said.

When asked how does it feel to be associated with a brand that managed to survive 100 years, the father-son duo felt: the company hasn’t just survived but has evolved. The 100-year history is not the final achievement, but rather as a solid foundation for the next century of serving the perfect cup, is what they believe.