Coffee from Asia

For centuries, a wide variety of coffees have been cultivated in diverse countries across Asia. Often, all Asian coffees are lumped together because—apart from the production of inexpensive, processed Robusta beans—they don't represent a significant share of the global market. However, a closer look reveals that Asia, and especially countries not directly associated with Asia, also produce a diverse range of specialty coffees.

The most important coffee-producing countries in Asia include:

• India
• China
• Vietnam
• Thailand
• Papua New Guinea
• Australia
• and many Indonesian islands

India

Although India now has its own, quite unique coffee culture and produces increasing quantities of coffee, tea remains the national drink. The gigantic and beautifully landscaped tea plantations of India and Sri Lanka are world-renowned.

India is best known for its monsoon coffee. In the highlands of this vast country, both Arabica and Robusta beans are cultivated, including specialty coffees prized worldwide. Following the model of traditional tea cultivation, the plantations often practice mixed cropping. In tropical regions, coffee and tea bushes thrive particularly well under shade-providing trees such as bananas, figs, mangoes, pepper, cloves, or cinnamon. This makes the plants more resistant to diseases that are common in monocultures in other countries.

Indian coffee is primarily remembered for its monsoon coffee. During the historically long transport routes to Europe, the raw coffee beans were exposed to moisture for months in the holds of ships, due to the tropical climate and monsoon rains. The slow fermentation process altered the flavor. Depending on personal taste, monsoon coffee is described as ranging from very mild to slightly musty. It remains very popular today.

China

Like India, China is primarily a tea-drinking country. However, for the past two decades, the popularity of Western products, including coffee, has been growing. Statistically, the Chinese drink only about three cups of coffee per capita per year, but the expanding middle class is rapidly increasing the demand for fresh coffee beans.

More and more farmers are switching from tea to coffee. However, cultivation is still in its infancy, which is why most locally produced coffees are not yet of noteworthy quality. A large proportion is processed by large companies into instant coffee for the domestic market.

Nevertheless, the ideal growing conditions and hardworking small farmers on the high plateaus of China could soon produce high-quality coffees.

Vietnam

Despite its relatively small size, Vietnam is now the world's second-largest coffee producer after Brazil. The GDR and the World Bank played a significant role in the country's success, promoting reconstruction and coffee cultivation after the Vietnam War. This enabled production to expand rapidly within a short period.

Vietnam is primarily known for Robusta coffee, though unfortunately not always of the best quality. The Canephora plants that produce Robusta beans are less demanding than Arabica, which proved advantageous for post-war reconstruction: even inexperienced farmers were able to produce palatable coffee in many regions.

Although Robusta accounts for about 90% of Vietnamese coffee today, high-quality Arabica and other specialty coffees are also produced in Vietnam's tropical highlands. The growing conditions in this mountainous country are nearly perfect for coffee in many areas. A large portion of Vietnam's coffee is used for the production of coffee capsules, pods, and especially instant coffee.

The traditional preparation method of Vietnamese coffee is also internationally renowned: a very strong filter coffee is brewed and mixed with thick condensed milk and sugar. It is usually served in a small plastic bag with a straw, as plastic or paper cups are too expensive.

Thailand

Thailand is one of the relatively young coffee producers in Asia.

From opium to coffee

The former "Golden Opium Triangle" is located in northern Thailand. Coffee culture in Thailand only began in the 1970s, when the government at the time launched an initiative to offer opium farmers in the north an alternative livelihood. The Akha hill tribe in the village of Doi Chaang received support in establishing a coffee plantation. The UN and the Thai royal court assisted in its implementation.

Environment and coffee cultivation in harmony

Of particular note is the ecological and sustainable implementation of the project: The existing forest was not cleared, but rather integrated into the plantations. Large, shade-providing trees of various species form a symbiotic system with the coffee plants. Even areas previously devastated by overexploitation were first reforested with fruit trees and then planted with coffee plants. This diversity significantly increases the coffee plants' resilience to weather, diseases, and pests.

The mountain slopes of Thailand lie at an altitude of 1,500 to 1,700 meters. The climate is consistently mild, with only slight temperature fluctuations – ideal conditions for the Arabica bean. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand. Only perfectly ripe coffee cherries are picked between mid-November and mid-March.

The cooperative operates according to a self-developed quality management system with almost 50 defined work steps, including cultivation, harvesting, washing, drying, and storage. Today, Thailand is among the 20 largest coffee producers, and the Arabica variety DOI CHAANG is considered one of the highest quality beans in the world.

Characteristics of DOI CHAANG

The coffee is balanced, harmonious, and mild, yet expressive and complex in flavor. The bouquet combines exotic aromas with subtly spicy notes, complemented by hints of freshly baked bread, pistachio, cocoa, and caramel. A gently tingling acidity rounds out the taste experience. On the palate, the coffee is mild, creamy, and full-bodied.

As the only roaster in Italy, it uses ORO Caffe this excellent variety at the ORO Caffe DOI CHAANG.

Beyond Fair Trade

Fair Trade is a good start – but only a start. Beyond Fair Trade It goes far beyond simply paying a higher price for coffee. Thai entrepreneur and visionary Wicha Promyong and Canadian businessman John Darch made it possible for a hill tribe in a remote Thai village, marked by poverty and hardship, to achieve international renown with their Doi Chaang coffee. They created the conditions to integrate this isolated community into the global trade for ethically sourced boutique coffee.

The formerly uneducated and impoverished Akha mountain people, once dependent on drug dealers and robbed of their habitat by deforestation, found their way to freedom. A culturally traumatized people achieved the successful transformation from opium poppy cultivation to the cultivation of a globally popular crop.

The story of the Doi Chaang Coffee Company shows conscientious coffee drinkers that fairer trading models are possible – models that go beyond fair trade.The cooperative reinvests all income to continuously improve the living conditions of the local community – a project that will hopefully set a precedent.

Indonesia

Most of Indonesia's tropical islands also offer ideal growing conditions for coffee. Arabica plants were introduced by Dutch coffee settlers in the 17th century. Today, Indonesia is the world's fourth-largest coffee supplier. The plantations suffered massive setbacks due to the dreaded coffee rust disease, which destroyed a large portion of the Arabica growing areas.

Since then, Indonesian farmers have primarily cultivated Robusta beans; the Canephora plants on which they grow are more resistant to coffee rust and have less demanding environmental requirements. Many of the country's Robusta products are of mediocre to low quality and are mostly processed into instant coffee or other inexpensive products.

However, Indonesia also boasts world-renowned specialty coffees. Mandheling Arabica from Sumatra is prized for its excellent body. Furthermore, Kopi Luwak, made from honey excreted by wildcats, originates from Indonesia – another example of the country's high-quality and exceptional coffees.