History of Coffee

We being a Nepali, when it comes to coffee business, we tend to take it as a miniature business. We think of coffee, instant coffee perks in our head, what’s so BIG deal about making it. The specialty coffeehouse is a very new concept for Nepalese market, so it’s hard for us to imagine how big the coffee market is in the world today. Coffee is the second largest industry in the world after petroleum. As you must be aware of multi-national fast food chains like Mc Donald’s, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Wendi’s, Taco Bell and many more. Coffee house has similar chains such as Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Coffee World, Coffee Beans, and Caribou Coffee which are spread around the world. Starbucks coffee shop alone has almost 15000 coffee shops around the world. Sydney alone has more than 2500 coffee shops.

Barista Training

There are certain skills in creating high quality specialty coffee drinks that must be utilized in order to serve customers with the best possible coffee. The person who works behind the coffee bar and prepares espresso based specialty coffee beverages are known as Barista. Barista training is an art where you get to know how espresso machines are operated and how these specialty drinks are prepared and how these state of art Italian made machines are maintained.

Coffee History and Nepal Coffee

Coffee has a very rich and ancient history. It has been a beverage from the rich, the poor, the working class, royalty, and of warriors. Some believe coffee's first cultivation dates back to 575c.e. In Yemen. It is said that a pilgrims from India named Baba Budan smuggled out the first germinal seeds from the very tightly controlled areas of the Middle East. Coffee quickly found a place in South Asia's traditions and culture until the 1700's when a disease called rust wiped out many of the plantations. We are reintroducing coffee and coffee culture back to South Asia where it has very strong roots.

Coffee is grown at two elevations in Nepal. One area is called the Terai where Robusta coffee grows best at this low elevation. Robusta coffee lovers a warm tropical climate and does not like direct sun. We have discovered that different varieties of Robusta have been developed over the past few years. Coffee has been grown in Nepal and sub-continent for hundreds of years. Many of the tea plantations first planted which was resistant to the rust disease. In the 1980's coffee was replanted in the Terai and the hill regions of Nepal. The new varieties have thrived and are producing fair amounts of coffee. The second area where coffee grows in Nepal is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains between 3000 and 6000 feet. These areas are in the Gulmi Aapchour. The Arabica varieties of coffee grow best at these altitudes. Arabica coffee works best for the gourmet or specialty coffees. When buying our coffee you are helping us create jobs and develop the coffee industry of Nepal.

( Written by Mr. Gagan Pradhan, Proprietor for Himalayan Java, Nepal )