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             She told me, “As a result of my participation in the   serving it at our storefront, where we strive to offer cus-
        World Barista Competition and using Thai Catimor Coffee,   tomers the ultimate coffee experience.” This coffee, devel-
        there was a significant increase in inquiries from people   oped for consumption in her cafés was part of what pro-
        eager to taste the coffee that represented Thailand on the   pelled her to ranking 13th in the world. She notes that she,
        world stage. Its remarkable flavor profile caught many by   her  team,  and  Thai  coffee  professionals  throughout  the
        surprise and it was truly gratifying to witness the positive   supply chain are “driven by the desire to present not only
        reception  and  a  newfound  appreciation  for  Thai  coffee.   the finest coffee to our customers but also to leave a mark
        This experience has reinforced my belief in the potential   on the international coffee community through the remark-
        of Thai coffee to captivate coffee lovers worldwide, and I   able coffees we showcase in competitions.”
        am thrilled to see it gaining well-deserved recognition on
        the global coffee scene.”                      The Future of Thai Coffee
            One  of  the  distinguishing  factors  of  Veraworawet’s
        coffee was, as mentioned before, her ability to work close-
                                                           As climate change and extreme weather threaten the
        ly with the producers to create an exceptional and specif-
                                                       future of Thai coffee, farm-level innovations and a strong
        ic the flavor profile of Thai Catimor coffee through fer-
                                                       consuming culture hold out hope. A producer, roaster, and
        mentation.  She  says,  “Our  collaboration  with  coffee
                                                       consumer himself, Jordan has a positive outlook regarding
        producers  has  been  ongoing,  as  we  consistently  provide
                                                       the trajectory of Thai coffee. He tells me, “Where I hope it
        feedback to ensure the production of top-notch, high-qual-
                                                       goes is a concerted effort in utilizing and preserving the
        ity coffee. Our primary focus has always been to showcase
                                                       integrity of interesting coffee varieties. I think there is a
        the  immense  potential  of  our  coffee,  particularly  when
                                                       lot of untapped potential here, both in improving taste and
                                                       quality and also in sustainability. There are already so many
                                                       cool things happening in the Thai specialty coffee industry,
                                                       but  I  hope  we  stay  on  this  trajectory  toward  even  more
                                                       farmer-producer-consumer interaction. That is really such
                                                       a helpful and enjoyable aspect of this business, and it real-
                                                       ly needs to keep moving forward.”
          From Right: Pack Katisomsakul, expert and entrepre-  Veraworawet shares a similar sentiment and hopes to
             neur in Thai coffee and founder of 50 Mill Street.  bring attention to Thai coffee to competition and beyond.
                                                       “Through  a  strong  culture  of  sharing  and  collaboration
                                                       across various sectors, we are dedicated to propelling Thai
                                                       coffee  back  onto  the  world  stage.  Our  collective  efforts
                                                       focus on achieving two crucial goals: showcasing Thai cof-
                                                       fee’s excellence globally and ensuring the long-term sus-
                                                       tainability of the Thai coffee industry.”
                                                           Despite its position as a newcomer to the coffee in-
                                                       dustry, Thailand is rapidly growing as a global coffee capi-
                                                       tal, for consumers, roasters, and producers alike. Its unique
                                                       cultural landscape collapses the distance between actors,
                                                       allowing for quick adaptation of new and innovative coffee
                                                       varieties, processing methods, and customer preferences.
                                                       Production is increasing as quickly as it can, despite climate
                                                       change challenges. Roasteries and cafés are popping up in
                                                       big cities and on small village farms around the country.
                                                       And consumers are thirsty for more education and better
                                                       coffee from down the road – or up the mountain. All aspects
                                                       of the Thai coffee scene are converging together to create
                                                       a brilliant feedback loop that sets the Thai coffee scene apart
                                                       from any other in the world.
                                                           Now that I have explored Thai coffee from afar and
                                                       talked to people intimately familiar with the scene, the next
                                                       step is to travel to Thailand and experience it myself. Want
                                                       to join me? I’ll see you in Chiang Mai.


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