The Unbelievable Journey of Coffee | History of Coffee in Nepal
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Ever since the coffee was first brought in Nepal, almost a century ago, the crop has evolved from something that no one knew about to something that is widely used in different kinds of drinks, chocolates, biscuits, even cosmetics, and so on. It would not be an exaggeration to say that coffee is one of the most consumed food products in Nepal, and it is mostly preferred in the form of drinks. Compared to the last decade, this one has seen an exponential rise in the number of coffee houses offering organic coffee, in the form of drinks, desserts, beans, ground coffee, and so on.
For a long time, instant coffee was the only way for the people to enjoy coffee based drinks, but it changed when the people started realizing the difference between instant and organic coffee. Today, people prefer organic coffee over instant one at any given time in the day. They even prefer preparing organic coffee based drinks at home. It is not an uncommon thing anymore to buy coffee beans and grind them fresh at home. Thanks to companies like Himalayan Coffee Trading and many others. The recent present is undoubtedly the most significant phase in the history of coffee in Nepal.
The journey of coffee starts from Ethiopia, which is considered to be the birth place of coffee. By the late 15th and 16th century, the crop reached different parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and finally the America.
There are so many legends that surround the first consumption of coffee. One of them is about a Moroccan saint, who tasted coffee cherries after noticing the birds eating them. As a result, he is said to have gained vitality. This influenced others to try coffee as well. The first time coffee was consumed as a drink was in the 15th century by saints in Yemen. They imported coffee from Ethiopia itself.
Despite the fact that Catholic churches and various orthodox religious societies tried to ban the import and use of coffee, it reached all corners of the world, and currently it’s one of the widely grown and used crops in the world. This one of the aspects of coffee that make the history of coffee interesting.
Introduction of coffee in Nepal happened in the year 1938, because of the successful efforts of Hira Giri, a farmer and entrepreneur from Gulmi district. The man responsible for starting the history of coffee in Nepal. He got the seeds of coffee from Sindu province of Myanmar, and cultivated them in the hills around Aapchaur village of Gulmi district. The plant and the cherries that grew on it attracted the attention of other farmers in the area, and being the generous man he was, Giri gave the seeds to his fellow farmer buddies.
This is how the early plantations of coffee happened in Nepal. And this is how, from one farmer to another, the trend of growing coffee spread in Nepal. Currently, coffee is produced in 19 districts in Nepal, with the total quantity scaling up to 140 tons. Coffee grown in Nepal is even exported to countries like United States, Japan, England, and many other countries of Europe.
Specialty Coffee Association is a non-profit organization that was established to regulate the production, trade and use of high grade coffee, also known as specialty coffee, especially among its members. Anyone who’s associated with the coffee industry, whether it’s the farmer, the processing plant, the roaster, the barista, the coffee shop, and so on can become a member of Specialty Coffee Association. Currently, the organization has around 10,000 members, in around 40 countries all over the world.
Since its inception in 1982, it has worked not just to motivate and influence its members to produce, use and promote specialty coffee, but also to train and develop skillset in them, so that they are better equipped to follow the values and purse the mission set by the association. To make their community stronger and more supportive, they organize events and gatherings on a regular basis. Organizations like SCA, through their contributions, have impacted the modern history of coffee worldwide.
Considering the history of coffee in Nepal it can be assumed that the journey of coffee, from an alien crop to everyone’s favorite has been unbelievable. In this period of around 80 years, it has managed to become everyone’s favorite. And especially due to the inception of various creative coffee based drinks, you’ll rarely find someone who’d say no to coffee. Even when you go beyond the history of coffee in Nepal, into the global scenario, coffee has broken all barriers to extend its availability.
There was once a time when it was consumed only by the elite group. The then rulers and churches even prohibited the consumption and trade of coffee among the commoners, keeping the product quite exclusive. Currently, it’s accessible to everyone; in all the parts of the people, to all the people. This on its own is an unbelievable thing to fathom. History of Coffee in Nepal, a small part of the history of coffee in the world, has been an unbelievable journey overall. There’s absolutely no doubt about it.
Himalayan Coffee Trading is also among the companies that has played a role in the history of coffee in Nepal. Established almost a decade ago, the company, during its initial years, launched a campaign to educate the people about the difference between instant coffee and organic coffee. Himalayan coffee trading can be considered responsible up to an extent for the current popularity of organic coffee in Nepal.
Currently, the company offers quality organic coffee beans in its outlet. These coffee beans are locally grown in the hills of Nepal. Himalayan Coffee Trading also offers the best coffee machines from brands like Casadio and Faema. If you’re looking to buy coffee machines, or organic coffee beans contact Himalayan Coffee Trading. The company also offers barista training in Nepal. So, if you’re looking to learn the skill and be a professional in the field, go for Himalayan Coffee Trading.