About this Coffee

Coffee is grown in Yemen in mountainous areas up high on plateaus and in valleys that are between 1600 – 2100 MASL. It is known for being the first place to cultivate coffee after it was brought to the region in the 15th Century by Sufi Monks from here it grew with coffee being exported it the 16th Century from the port of Al-Makha which gave birth to the name of the Mocha drink known around the world today. In the 19th Century exports of coffee reached more than 57,000 metric tons at its peak which is a very different story to today with less than 20,000 metric tons. The coffee is produced on small, terraced farms in high mountains in very simple ways. All coffee is hand-picked, grown with the use of natural organic fertilizers and dried and dried on raised beds or roof tops.

These coffees have been sourced through Mocha Mill, who have been working since 2014 with farmers throughout Yemen while making them the focus of their work. They have been educating them on best agricultural practices to improve the yield and quality of the coffee produced from their trees. A key part of their strategy is to empower the farmers and especially the women as they make up about 75% of the farmers in Yemen. They work with full transparency with their farmers to build long lasting relationships. The farmers are paid on delivery of the cherry to the buying point in each of the regions that Mocha Mill has established.

This incorporates a shared striving to implement the highest coffee quality control standards, specifications and protocols to improve the lives of all Yemenis involved in the coffee supply chain. As part of their focus they are placing sustainability at the center of their business practices. Yemen is a country facing drought and water shortages. Mocha Mill is implementing innovative irrigation and dry processing techniques to address water scarcity and reduce impact on the communities and their access to such a precious source.