Yemen's coffee boom - 4th October 2023

Yemeni coffee has always commanded a premium price as it's cultivated in harsh conditions, meaning a low yield in relation to other coffee producing areas. It also has a distinct and sought after flavour derived from the beans being dried in their husks.

With the highest returns in overseas markets, the best coffee was kept for export. However, years of conflict in Yemen, with ports blocked and innumerable restrictions on export, meant that many businesses were inspired to look inwards. This has resulted in specialty coffee shops once again springing up across the country.

Ghaleb Yahya Alharazi's the manager of the massive 1,000 seat Haraz Coffee House in the country's capital Sana'a.

Ghaleb Yahya Alharazi: "Our goal is to embark on a journey back to the glory days of Yemeni coffee, rediscovering its authentic culture and heritage."

The second most consumed beverage in the world, coffee is believed to have first been brewed by Sufi mystics. Hussein Ahmed, who runs Mocha Hunters Cafe, is grateful to the Yemeni diaspora for a surge in business.

Hussein Ahmed: "Due to the travel difficulties, if you could come to Yemen, it will cost you a lot of money and it is very hard to travel; Yemenis living abroad become more emotional, so they always buy Yemeni products, and I think it helps our business to become more popular among them."

Traditionally brewed via a drip or pour technique, Yemeni coffee is prided for its distinctive characteristics. Mocha Hunters Cafe regular Adel al-Moaid maintains that beyond the method of brewing, the coffee's characteristics mean that no other can match it.

Adel al-Moaid: "I can instantly identify this coffee. I know that it originates from Haraz. I know it underwent fermentation, was dripped for serving, and that its intensity is 13. It's like it has an ID card, and clearly, such a thing did not exist before."

It's this distinctive aroma which leaves the Yemeni diaspora nostalgic for home. And since Yemen's new, upmarket cafes are now offering their wares online, Yemenis living far from home are also playing a role in the resurgence of the local coffee industry.