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C Story / Syed Naveed

Boram
Coffee as a Family Affair

and Garam Um

left: Boram, right: Garam

T he great expansion of coffee cultivation in first, I wanted to introspect about how much work

baristas put in competitions, since I had a chance to
São Paulo, Brazil, initiated an immigration
movement from Europe and some parts of
It grounded me in appreciation of the hard workers
Asia. What started at the end of the 19th take a peek at their preparation.
century resulted in São Paulo becoming one of the in the coffee industry. You are not only competing with
world’s largest diversified economic centers. Immigra- others but also with yourself. It’s not for the faint-heart-
tion success stories are plenty here, but in the district ed, but for those who are determined with grit and
of Bom Retiro, all eyes are on the Um brothers. dedication to the minutest level. From the inception of
Stefano Um, the head of the family, immigrated to the idea to the creation of the drinks, I didn’t expect
Brazil with his parents in 1976, and little did he know there was so much preparation involved in a 15-minute
that he would be considered an important figure in presentation that could change your fate.
elevating specialty coffee in Brazil. His love for the
country and coffee led him to acquire his first coffee
Boram Um was crowned the 2023 World Barista Champion farm in 2009.
at the World of Coffee Athens in Greece last month, and for There are two stories here, both interlinked, one
the first ever, a Brazilian has won. Garam’s achievement was following the other, from one generation to the next.
remarkable as well, placing third in the competition. I’ll get to the part where Stefano’s sons grew up to
capture the world coffee stage earlier this year. But 27

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