Page 73 - #51 English

Chiang Rai’s sophisticated growing 3 rd
wave coffee shops and roasters, their
continues to be a bright future. For the
first time in my coffee career, I sat with
rural coffee growers who drank their own
coffee that they roasted and could make
an espresso drink to boot with their own
coffee. That is a rare thing and it shows
in the cup.
I think we are witnessing the
beginnings of an intenational market that
is interested in seeing better coffees from
Thailand’s arabica farmers. Miguel Meza
from Isla Coffees suggests, “Success would
be a large willing market to purchase
varietal separations and specialty prepared
coffees at a price that would make it worth-
while for the growers and everyone in the
supply chain. Varietal seperation may not
make sense for all growers. Certainly for
lower elevation areas the gains to be made
in the cup and the risks on non rust resistant
strains wouldn’t likely be worth the trouble.
from what we have seen, in many areas
above 1200 - 1300m rust can be managed
with good maintenance even with typica spots such in Bangkok such as Kaizen, very cost prohibitive to bring in an exem-
and bourbon. many of the regions that Hands and Heart, Hello Stranger, Ceresia plary coffee from Ethiopia or Colombia
have had coffee established 30+ years still Coffee Roasters and Shroom Garden. due to the tariff. This is creating a
have a good amount of these cultivars at Even my three days in Chiang Rai, I was demand for more coffee to be grown
high altitudes that could be separated. if very impressed with both the Saturday from within Thailand’s borders, but
there is a willing market, plantings of these Café and The Roast coffee shop in their hurting it by not allowing the free impor-
varieties expanded.” This is a secondary execution and commitment to serving tation of coffees from other regions of
aspect of this success story and differs so excellent coffees. The hardest stumbling the world. Though Thailand has been
much from what we see in Latin America block to becoming a world recognized growing coffee for over 100 years (mosly
in coffee production. It is far easier to coffee country to that of Korea, Scandi- robusta) it sits at a crossroads if it is to
disconnect from farming coffee in other navia, Australia and the USA is the tariff be able to grow enough for the growing
countries due to the lack of a stable tax on imports from other countries. It is demand inside and outside of its country.
market that pays accordingly. Thailand
has an advantage and an opportunity to
put itself on the world stage as a Darrin Daniel began his coffee career in Eugene, Oregon in the
producing country with a quality propo- mid - 1980s. He has worked as a barista, roaster, trainer, techni-
sition. They’re certainly are more stories cian, quality control manager, and coffee - and - tea buyer for
such as Ata that will play itself out over companies such as Torrefazione Italia, Coffee Corner, and
the next decade in the regions of Chiang Stumptown Coffee Roasters. He has served on the SCAA
Rai, Mai Jen Tai, Lampong, Prao and Nan. Roasters Guild Executive Council, the SCAA Sustainability
Celebrating the Now Council. Daniel’s was Q certified in 2008 and has served as a
judge for Cup of Excellence in Honduras, Brazil, Colombia and
The other facet to my travel to El Salvador. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for Roast
Thailand was the growth and apprecia- Magazine. His writings have appeared in Roast Magazine, Barista Magazine and
tion of coffee within its borders; another other trade journals Daniel’s is currently the sourcing director for Allegro Coffee
story that differs from so many other Company in Denver, Colorado. He has served in various positions for Allegro for
producing coffee countries, with the nearly 20 years.
exceptions of the fabled story of coffee
in Ethiopia. The depth of cafes and roas-
teries entering the world stage in SE Asia
continues to defy all odds. Bangkok and Allegro Coffee Company began in 1977 in Boulder, Colorado. It was one of the first
Chiang Mai are at the epicenter of this US companies to specialize in single origin, organic certified and relationship model
trend. Even 25 years ago, it was not too coffees. Allegro services wholesale accounts around the world and was acquired
hard to find a decent cup of siphon by the Internationally recognized natural foods grocer, Whole Foods Market, in
around the touristed areas of Kho Sahn 1997. Whole Foods Market operates in over 440 locations in the Canada, the U.K.
road where I stayed in 1990. Today there and the USA.
are easily 10+ shops importing and roast- www.allegrocoffee.com, www.wholefoodsmarket.com
ing their own country’s coffee. These
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