Verve People
Text by Arunima Joshua
A post-therapy ritual for 19-year-old Deeptak Koley is visiting his favourite indie cafe in Kolkata. “They know exactly what I will order,” says Koley, a second-year liberal arts student, who enjoys the spot’s breakfast platter with iced tea and supporting “small businesses”. Events producer Shruti Shenoy often spent her Sunday afternoons at her go-to organic cafe in the winding lanes of Mumbai’s Bandra West, relishing a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. The 28-year-old has made a conscious decision to patron local, independent food businesses. Shenoy enthuses, “I will always be a cheerleader for any person or brand attempting sustainable and ethical practices.” Alongside an underlying distaste for retail chain experiences, the ideological allure of organic produce, sourcing from farmers, environmental sustainability and fair-trade values has led many like Koley and Shenoy to these urban…