There’s been an explosion of interest in speciality coffee in Asia, with a new generation of coffee houses popping up in cities all over the region. But where do the coffee beans come from? Gain an insight into the coffee industry by going back to the source, on these tours.
Indonesia
As the fourth biggest coffee producer, Indonesia’s coffee beans are well-known and exported around the globe. Nearly all of the coffee grown in Indonesia used to be Arabica coffee beans, but gradually Robusta has taken over, which is cheaper to grow and has a more bitter taste. The island of Java is synonymous with coffee and some of its arabica production still comes from estates that were originally built by the Dutch, who brought coffee to Southeast Asia in the 17th Century. As well as Sumatra and Java, the country’s other main islands of Sulawesi, Flores and Bali also produce coffee.
Vietnam
Coffee was introduced to Vietnam by the French in the late 19th century but the country quickly became a strong exporter as vast swathes of the highlands were given over to this important new cash crop.
Today, the Vietnamese have taken coffee to new gastronomical levels! The robusta variety of coffee is most commonly grown here.
Laos
Although not as well-known internationally as Vietnam’s coffee, Laos beans are top quality and coffee is Laos’ fifth largest export product.
It was first brought to the country by French colonists, who realised that the Bolaven Plateau in Southern Laos was ideal for growing coffee beans. This region is still the primary producer of coffee in Laos today and is home to the country’s best plantations.
Thailand
Thais can’t get enough of coffee – even though Thailand has only been growing coffee for little over a century. Coffee production was given a boost back in the 1960s by the Thai Royal Project, created by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This government sponsored programme sought to alleviate poverty in Northern Thailand by encouraging locals to start growing coffee, as a means of investing in sustainable industries. The northern highlands offer great climate and soil for growing coffee and produces some exceptional arabica, although the country as a whole mostly produces robusta coffee beans.
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