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Chicory Coffee

This International Coffee Day 2026 And Why Filter Coffee Has It

Quick Summary

Chicory coffee blends have roasted coffee mixed with roasted chicory root in ratios ranging from under 10% to the legal cap of 49%. Different ratios produce different flavours and mouthfeel and have different caffeine levels. The practice began as a Napoleonic-era coffee substitute and now is an important ingredient in South Indian filter coffee and most of India's mass-produced instant coffee brands. Chicory can never be the majority ingredient, legally, and from July 2026, brands must print the exact ratio on the front of the pack. Read on to learn more this International Coffee Day 2026.

Deep Dive

Chicory coffee has been that quiet ingredient that has been in many cups of coffee that have powered everyone from busybody adults to students with their odd sleep schedules. It’s also in the frothy tumbler-and-dabara filter coffee poured across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, enjoyed by the local man, the food enthusiast tourist, and the instant sachets stocked in nearly every Indian kitchen. This blend of roasted coffee and roasted chicory root is paired to get a range of flavours, influence the cost, and also the caffeine strength, all at once. As International Coffee Day 2026 approaches on October 1st, it’s a great occasion to understand exactly how this root ended up in so many cups of hot coffee, and why the ratio in which it's added changes everything.

What Is Chicory And Why Is It Added To Coffee?

Chicory is the roasted, ground root of Cichorium intybus, a leafy plant more commonly recognised for its striking blue flowers growing wild along roadsides in Europe. When the root is kiln-dried, roasted and ground, its natural carbohydrate, inulin, caramelises into compounds that mimic coffee's dark colour and mild bitterness. That resemblance is exactly why chicory became coffee's most enduring stand-in: it looks like coffee, brews like coffee and, in the right ratio, tastes close enough to real coffee that most drinkers don't notice the swap in their chicory coffee.

Three practical reasons explain why this root plays such an integral role in coffee production. First, chicory costs noticeably less than roasted coffee beans, so blending it in reduces the overall cost per kilo without a manufacturer needing to compromise on the final retail price. Second, chicory contains zero caffeine, so any blend automatically dilutes the total caffeine content, appealing to drinkers who want the taste of a hot coffee without the full jolt. Third, chicory is more water-soluble than coffee, which means less powder is needed to achieve a strong-tasting decoction, an advantage that matters enormously once a brand is manufacturing chicory coffee at scale.

Blend Ratios Shape The Flavour Of Chicory Coffee

Chicory has earned a bad reputation of being a coffee adulterant, and by coffee purists it's seen as a way to increase the quantity of coffee at the expense of its quality. However, this root is crucial to certain coffee blends, especially filter coffee, and learning their ratios will help you pick the perfect blend and brew the perfect cuppa. 

• Chicory at 10-20%: the mellow undertones are barely noticeable, and such blends exist to make the coffee taste smoother and add some body.

• Chicory at 20-35%: the earthy flavour of chicory can be tasted here, and this is one of the categories that typical South Indian filter coffee uses.

• Chicory above 40%: Coffee flavour and caffeine drop as chicory dominates the cup. These kinds of coffee blends are more affordable, at the cost of the coffee experience.

In India, this isn't left to a brand's discretion, and FSSAI standards require that any product sold as a coffee-chicory mixture must contain coffee making up at least 51% of the mix by mass, meaning chicory can legally never be the majority ingredient. From July 2026, FSSAI has also tightened labelling rules, requiring packs to display the exact coffee-to-chicory percentage on the front, rather than in fine print, so buyers can compare chicory coffee products the way they'd compare any other beverage.

Chicory Coffee Is Crucial In Coffee’s Mass Production

Chicory’s importance comes down to cost, extraction and scale, and since chicory is considerably cheaper than coffee, it is an economical ingredient for large-scale coffee production. This is echoed by the Coffee Board of India, which mentions that chicory is nearly 10 times cheaper than coffee and that companies use it to manage costs and retain price-sensitive consumers.

It also works well in instant coffee production because roasted chicory is highly extractable. FSSAI specifically recognises instant coffee-chicory mixtures and sets standards for their solubility, including dissolution in hot and cold water. Industrial processing has adapted around these properties, and some brands which sell coffee have invested in mechanised chicory harvesting, improved drying and roasting equipment, and processing methods designed to increase extractability and consistency.

How A Wartime Substitute Became A Permanent Fixture

Chicory’s coffee story began in the Netherlands in the 17th century, where roasted chicory root was used as a coffee substitute and eventually spread across Northern Europe. By the 18th century, Germany had a sizable chicory industry; Brunswick alone had more than 20 chicory-processing factories by the 1790s.

Then came the Napoleonic Continental Blockade (1806-1814). With coffee imports disrupted, chicory became particularly important in France and neighbouring parts of Europe. In Belgium, historical records specifically describe chicory cultivation expanding as a replacement for coffee during the blockade.

But the crucial point is what happened after the shortages ended: chicory didn't disappear. It had developed its own industry and, more importantly, a taste for coffee-chicory blends had taken hold. By the mid-19th century, British parliamentary records described chicory as widely consumed across Europe, particularly in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Which Coffees Actually Use Chicory?

• French coffee blends: Chicory has been mixed with coffee in France since the 19th century, and coffee-chicory products remain part of the market.

• Belgian and broader European blends: Chicory became established across Europe as both a coffee extender and substitute during periods of coffee scarcity.

• New Orleans-style coffee: A dark roasted coffee blended with roasted and ground chicory is a defining part of New Orleans coffee culture, particularly in café au lait.

• South Indian filter coffee: The typical South Indian coffee has around 15-30% chicory. The rest is around 70-80% coffee, and it yields a cup with a better body and a deeper roasted flavour.

• British coffee-and-chicory drinks: Chicory became widespread in Britain during the 19th century. By the 1840s, historical records described blends containing roughly 20-33% chicory, while some commercial mixtures contained considerably more. 

Chicory coffee also has health benefits, as the root is naturally rich in inulin, a type of prebiotic fibre that can support beneficial gut bacteria, helping with good bowel movements. Coffee-chicory blends can also change the colour, viscosity and body of the brewed coffee, while chicory contributes its own phenolic compounds and other bioactive components. Despite the nutrition bit, chicory is no superfood in the way some leafy greens like kale might be, and too much intake can cause gas or bloating in some people. This is something worth remembering as International Coffee Day 2026 rolls around.

Chicory Coffee Ratio At A Glance

Whether you are stirring a concoction of instant coffee in hot water, or enjoying the froth from a freshly poured filter coffee in Chennai, chicory coffee's appeal comes down to the same few things that manufacturers have relied on for two centuries. Using chicory makes it cheaper, it dissolves better, and it softens the bitterness of caffeine without asking drinkers to give up their hot coffee habit. So, this International Coffee Day, read those labels and understand your local coffee powder or granules a bit better.