A SOPHISTICATED YOUNG ORIGIN

Fuadi plays many roles and wears many hats: he is a process designer, an importer, a dry miller, and a financier. He's also an academic and a great risk-taker. Thai coffee was relatively unknown in the international coffee scene before Fuadi and Jane created Beanspire in 2013. The increased production, accompanied by its processing innovation, is almost entirely thanks to Thai specialty roasters and the vibrant third-wave coffee scene. In fact, Thailand only exported 1% of its entire coffee production to the international market when Fuadi stepped in. Poised to bring these jewels to the specialty market, we cannot help but assume today's 10% is thanks to Beanspire.

When we met in 2016, we were struck by Fuadi's commitment to the farmers, particularly with the hill tribe minority communities. He aimed to offer alternatives to them that could last, that offered security and lifelong stability. He also aimed to offer Thai coffee to the world. 

 Beanspire was born with a clear strategy and a vision: to work closely with farmers to improve processes and quality; to be the alternative for the younger generations of coffee growers; to become, ultimately, the financial solution for the farmers. We are honoured to sit at the table when designing this future for an origin unlike any other.

 
 

These are the 2025-2026 season Beanspire Coffee farmers.
Click on their pictures to read their full bio.

Beanspire works with approximately 50 different coffees and 68 households.

 


huai chompu

hectares: 3
trees: 4,000

Nawin Yaesorkoo
Hua Chang

hectares: 8
trees: 1,500

ASOR
MERLEAKU
Huai Mae Liam

hectare: 3
trees: 6,000

"Nui" & "Aoy" Jaisooksern
Doi Saket

hectares: 32
trees: 40,000

 

MERLEAKU
FAMILY
Doi Pangkhon

hectare: 8
trees: 15,000

Jane KittiRAT- tanapaibooN
Wiang Pa Pao

hectares: 30
trees: 53,000

JAROON
JAIPIN
Khun Lao

hectare: 4.2
trees: 9,000

Watchara Yawirach
Mae Chedi

hectares: 3
trees: 40,000

 

THIS SIDE UP VALUE CHAIN:

Our Thai value chain is organised to a large degree by Beanspire. Not only did they acquire a dry mill this year, they also take care of the entire overseas shipping process for us.

Our Thai value chain is organised to a large degree by Beanspire. Not only did they acquire a dry mill this year, they also take care of the entire overseas shipping process for us.


Traceability

You can find all the signed contracts and shipping documents that we made with Thailand since 2021 below (Google Drive).


 

Key Achievements:

2016 : first sales of Beanspire coffee (Doi Saket and Doi Pangkhon) in Europe

2017 : imported natural, honey and experimental lots from Saket. Visited Mr. Opp for the first time to discuss future cooperation Connected barista Rob Clarijs to Beanspire who competed with Thai coffee in the New York Masters, bought 60% more coffee from Beanspire compared to the year before.

2018 : Beanspire helped build a new, state of the art wet mill at Doi Pangkhon. Many roasters and traders went to visit Ata and Pupae, their coffee popularity has reached a tipping point as most of it sold out before it arrived in Europe. At Doi Saket they created an experimental semi washed lot that should combine the best traits of the washed and honey processes.

2019 : visits by by several of our roaster clients continued and around 90% of Beanspire’s harvest was sold directly to loyal fans throughout Europe.

2020 : prominent roasters like Has Bean started to carry Beanspire’s coffees in their assortment, further raising the origin to prominence, especially the processing innovation which has reached world standards. Added the Wiang Pa Pao blend to our assortment that serves as a more affordable espresso blend.

2021 : added six new farms to our assortment, firmly establishing Beanspire as a local curator of specialty coffees for the European market. During the pandemic, coffee sales did not suffer and even increased by 30%

2022 : first full container of coffee from Thailand for This Side Up. Revamped our Beanspire page to showcase many more of the farmers that Beanspire works with. This year, the total household count is 68, and the number of different coffees with different processing methods totals 50!

 


Our QC’s Flavour
impressions

Coming soon

Renata Hardewijn, May 2025

RECOMMENDED IKAWA PROFILE:

We noticed in previous years that TSU Washed 1 wasn’t developing the beans as fully as possible so we tried Christopher Feran’s High Alt itude 1800m profile which gives fantastic results. We actually adapted our standard Washed profile to have a lower drop temperature (145 degrees Celsius) and a few more seconds total roast time so you can use both - they now develop acidities in these dense beans beyond citric into smooth malic flavours, allowing the chocolate body and layered sweetness to develop adequately. Cut the roast short if DTR exceeds 23%. 

CONTACT THE PRODUCER

We communicate with Fuadi at Beanspire for all our practical dealings, but Ata and Pupae are more than willing to answer any questions you might have directly.

 

CONTACT Ata and Pupae Becheku / Fuadi Pitsuwan

EMAIL fuadi@beanspirecoffee.com 

TEL +6682 191 4473 / +6602 594 3231

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

 

 
 

Doi Pangkhon, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

 

  • Thailand is not traditionally known as a specialty coffee producing country, yet it has been producing Arabica coffee since the early 80's. It started off as part of the Thai King’s opium eradication project. Because Arabica coffee thrives in a similar condition as opium, it was selected as a substituting crop against the cultivation of the illicit plant. Today, Thailand produces about 8,000 tons of Arabica coffee, mainly in the mountainous north of the country. On top of that, Thailand produces about ten times as much Robusta coffee, making it the third largest coffee producer in Asia. Thai specialty coffee is rarely seen in the top specialty roaster segment abroad. The main reasons for this are twofold. Thailand is a middle-income country and has a thriving local coffee market. That means relatively high production costs for a relatively undemanding coffee market.

    Having said this, a strong specialty coffee segment is emerging. At least on the consumer side, the Third Wave is quite well established, with artisan roasters and cafés in Bangkok and Chang Mai. These roasters have recently begun to develop and buy local coffees too, not in the least because of import tariffs on foreign coffees. However, this scene is still very small and for now, hardly creates enough incentives for farmers to improve the quality of their coffee to specialty grade. So even though they have been doing a great job at pushing the limits of Thai coffee, the specialty coffee scene would be greatly aided with more specialty coffee knowledge and global integration. 

    Why We Care

    This Side Up sees an important opportunity to showcase Thai coffee to the world's specialty coffee scene, not despite but precisely because of the higher production prices and living standards. Exposure to the specialty coffee phenomenon in relatively stable economies like Costa Rica and Panama has made them leaders in innovation, labour and environmental protection - and equally importantly, has made coffee farming, even on a micro-mill scale, lucrative for the next generation. On a larger scale, the gigantic coffee traders will eventually run out of cheap places to source bad coffee, and specialty coffee will surely continue to grow and disperse. These factors, in our view, mean that equality, quality focus and integration will slowly but inevitably become the future of the entire coffee producing world.

    As a global society, we should be getting used to consumer prices that reflect a higher level of country development and social justice. We therefore have the ambitious goal to demonstrate, however small we are, that by kickstarting an increase in exposure and quality investment, stable Thailand and its young generation of coffee entrepreneurs could enter into a race to the top, become a country known internationally for its superb coffees - and in time set an example for all of East Asia.

    Beanspire

    Enter Beanspire, an exporting company made up of a group of young Thai specialty coffee enthusiasts who exist to provide a window for Thai specialty coffee smallholder farmers to the world. Their mission is much like that of This Side Up - but since they are mainly based in origin, our combined value was apparent from the start. Fuadi Pitsuwan was introduced to me by a mutual friend and tea expert, Janjarang Pat Kijitkhun and we quickly became sparring partners about the possibilities of Thai coffee in the European market. We decided to do a pilot project with the 2016 harvest aimed at attracting the interest not only adventurous roasters, but of other, larger importers as well.

 

BEATING THE PATRIARCHY

As the process designer, dry miller, and exporter of this coffee, Jane Kittirattanapaiboon has been working in Doi Panghkon area for 10 years. It is located in Chiang Rai, is home to 300 households, each typically producing 1–2 tons of parchment coffee per season. Unlike many origins where farms are remote and difficult to access, Thailand’s coffee farms arehighly accessible. The coffee industry in Thailand began as part of an opium eradication project initiated by the late King of Thailand. Compared to Myanmar and Laos, Thailand has been far more successful in this transition. In Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the country’s two largest coffee-producing provinces, farms can be reached in just 45 minutes from the airport. The country has a well- functioning coffee infrastructure, and many farmers’ children are returning to take over family farms. Jane sources parchment from two regions in Doi Panghkon to create Wiang Pa Pao Fully Washed & Kenya style washed. Both these coffees highlights woman-led effort to showcase Thailand’s potential as an emerging specialty coffee origin. Jane oversees the entire process, from wet milling to cupping, and sourced the parchment from a nearby wet mill located close to Beanspire’s dry mill. Thailand boasts a thriving local specialty coffee culture, ensuring that farmers receive fair and sustainable prices. Every cup of this coffee contributes to both economic stability and environmental conservation

 

CULTIVARS

Wiang Pa Pao : Catuai, Typica, Chiang Mai
Doi Pangkhon : Catuai, Typica, Chiang Mai, SJ133

ALTITUDE

1,200–1,450 MASL

NOTABLE

Many of the farmers and industry professionals we work with are young, averaging 25–35 years old. This younger generation is a testament to Thailand’s relative economic development compared to other coffee-growing regions. Wiang Pa Pao is expected to have clean caramel sweetness flavour, mild lemon acidity, and a full-bodied profile—perfect as a single-origin (SO) offering or can be blend component for roasters and cafés .Also, SJ133 is genetically identical to Costa Rica 95, while Chiang Mai is a local hybrid derived from SL28 × Caturra × Híbrido de Timor.

PROCESSING

FULLY WASHED This coffee underwent a 12–24-hour wet fermentation, depending on the weather. After pulping, the coffee was soaked in fresh water for an additional 12 hours before being thoroughly washed to remove all mucilage. The beans were then dried on bamboo raised beds and inside greenhouses for 15–20 days. The coffee went through a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, followed by hand-sorting. The green beans passed through the density table multiple times to ensure high quality. We shipped the coffee in triple-layered bags, consisting of a cotton outer layer, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) middle layer, and a hermetic GrainPro inner bag to preserve freshness.

KENYA STYLE WASHED This is done by extending the dry fermentation stage while minimizing the wet fermentation and soaking stages. Drying was done on bamboo raised beds for at least 14 days, then finished in the lowlands. For green coffee preparation, the beans went through a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, followed by hand-sorting. The coffee was packed in triple-layered bags, consisting of a cotton outer layer, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) middle layer, and a hermetic inner bag to ensure freshness and quality during export.Beanspire has dabbled with improvising the processing steps and this version has resulted in a more complex coffee and may become their new processing standard.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire - Wiang Pa Pao - fully washed
Beanspire - Doi pangkhon kenya-styled washed - Jane.

 

  • The price you pay for Wiang Pa Pao washed p/kg. We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin. Jane sources parchment from two farmer groups in Doi Panghkon, processing it as either fully washed or Kenya-style washed.

    Doi Pangkhon Kenya-styled Washed - Jane : € 7,79

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin.

    Doi Pangkhon Kenya-styled Washed - Jane : € 1,38

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects.

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Wiang Pa Pao. € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY


You may use them freely to promote Jane Kittirattanapaiboon among your customers.

 

Innovating at Altitude

Nawin Yaesorkoo, a 37-year-old innovative farmer, is known for his bold, risk-taking approach to coffee production. His farm, one of the highest in Thailand, is located 19 degrees north of the equator, where coffee typically struggles to thrive above 1,550 meters. Partnering with Beanspire, Nawin pushes the boundaries of flavor innovation through unique processing methods.
Hua Chang, meaning 'Elephant Head,' is the highest elevation area in Doi Chang, Thailand's largest coffee-producing region. This region benefits from a unique microclimate, with coffee trees growing under forest shade. The cool climate slows the ripening of cherries, fostering the development of complex flavors. Volcanic black soil enhances the fertility and nutrient-rich environment, supporting the production of top-quality coffee

 

CULTIVARS

Catuai, Typica, Chiang Mai

ALTITUDE

1,500 MASL

NOTABLE

The Chiang Mai varietal is a local hybrid derived from SL28, Caturra, and Híbrido de Timor. This catimor variant, similar to Colombia and Castillo varietals, has been backcrossed with SL28 to improve cup quality. It is a rust-resistant cultivar developed under the late King’s initiative to replace opium plantations in Northern Thailand’s hill tribe communities.

PROCESSING

NATURAL YEAST FERMENTATION : This coffee involves a sequential-inoculation fermentation process using two types of yeasts. The cherries were first inoculated with a yeast traditionally used for red wine and fermented in closed tanks with a one-way valve. To regulate the temperature, the tanks were partially submerged in water. After five days, additional nutrients were added to extend the fermentation, followed by the introduction of a second yeast strain typically used for white wine. The cherries were then left to ferment for another five days. This extended process enhances fruit-forward and chocolate-like flavors in the coffee. After fermentation, the cherries were laid out in a thin layer on raised bedsfor 25 days until the desired moisture level was achieved.

ANAEROBIC NATURAL : After the cherries were delivered to the mill at night, Nawin placed them in sealed tanks for five days, allowing for in-bean fermentation in an oxygen-free environment. This process enhances the complexity of the coffee. After five days, the tanks were opened, and the cherries were dried on raised beds. The drying house was designed for optimal ventilation, allowing for slow and even drying. Once dried, the cherries were delivered to our mill for hulling and sorting in preparation for export.For green coffee preparation, the beans were processed using a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, with multiple passes through the density table, followed by hand-sorting. The coffee was shipped in triple layered packaging: an outer cotton bag, a middle layer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and an innermost hermetic bag.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire - Hua Chang- natural yeast fermentation

Beanspire - Hua Chang anaerobic natural

 

  • The price you pay for Ishema youth farmer group lot (washed ) p/kg. We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

    Hua Chang Natural Yeast Fermentation : € 11,22

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin.

    Hua Chang Natural Yeast Fermentation : € 2,30

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects.

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Nawin Yaesorku . € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY


You may use them freely to promote Nawin among your customers.

 

Stirring Up Opportunities

Khun Lao Village, located in Mae Kha Jan District, Chiang Rai, primarily cultivates the Chiang Mai variety, a local hybrid derived from SL28, Caturra, and Híbrido de Timor. This Catimor variant, similar to the Colombia and Castillo cultivars, has been backcrossed with SL28 to enhance cup quality. Developed under the late King’s initiative, it was designed to replace opium plantations among the hill tribes of Northern Thailand due to its rust resistance.

Beanspire has traditionally sourced coffee exclusively from Jaroon Jaipin, but this year, for the first time, they are also working with Sri, another member of the Jaipin family. Sri’s coffee stood out from their family lot, making it a unique micro-lot.

 

CULTIVARS

Chiang Mai

ALTITUDE

1,100 MASL

NOTABLE

This is the third year that Beanspire exports this coffee.

PROCESSING

ANAEROBIC FULLY WASHED : Fermenting the cherries in airtight bags to create anaerobic condition for one day. We then pulped and fermented the wet parchment without water for 48 hours before adding water for 24 hours and soaked the coffee. We dried bamboo raised beds for at least 14 days  and finished off the drying in the lowland.
ANAEROBIC RED HONEY : The coffee underwent anaerobic red honey processing with a drying profile. The cherries were fermented in sealed HDPE bags and submerged underwater for three days. After fermentation, the cherries were pulped with water, soaked for an an additional day and dried on raised beds inside a greenhouse with the aid of a dehumidifier.
ANAEROBIC NATURAL: The cherries were fermented in sealed bags before being dried on raised beds. Sri dried her coffee in a self-made drying dome with raised beds for nearly 30 days, using a dehumidifier to assist with the process. This innovative method has resulted in a coffee with a more complex flavor profile.

KENYA STYLE WASHED METHOD : The coffee cherries were pulped, and the wet parchment was fermented without water in closed bags (anaerobic) for 24 hours. After fermentation, the coffee was washed and soaked in water for an additional 12 hours to complete the process. Sri dried her coffee in a self-made drying dome equipped with raised beds for at least 14 days, using a dehumidifier to assist with the drying process.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire -Khun lao Anaerobic fully washed - Jaroon
Beanspire - Khun lao Anaerobic natural - Sri.

 

  • The price you pay for Jaroon & Sri farmer group lot (p/kg). We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

    Khun Lao Anaerobic Red Honey - Jaroon : € 8,95
    Khun Lao Anaerobic Natural - Jaroon :€ 10,15
    Khun Lao Kenya-styled Washed - Sri :€ 7,79

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin

    Khun Lao Anaerobic Red Honey - Jaroon :€ 1,84
    Khun Lao Anaerobic Natural - Jaroon :€ 2,30
    Khun Lao Kenya-styled Washed - Sri :€ 1,38

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects.

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Jaroon & Sri . € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY

You may use them freely to promote Jaroon among your customers.

 

Filtering Tradition and Innovation: Mae Chedi’s Coffee Evolution

Watchara Yawirach, 36, leads a coffee cooperative in Mae Chedi, Chiang Rai, which consists of 19 members. Traditionally known for its tea plantations, where tea is the main cash crop, Mae Chedi has also incorporated coffee into its farmers’ livelihoods, though to a lesser degree. Coffee cultivation was introduced in 1977 as part of efforts to replace opium production in Thailand.

With the recent rise in demand for specialty coffee, the younger generation of farmers in Mae Chedi has begun to take coffee production more seriously. This marks the cooperative’s third year producing specialty coffee and its first year exporting. The cooperative consists of skilled farmers who borrow tea fermentation techniques and adapt them for coffee production. Beanspire also collaborates with the cooperative to experiment with innovative methods, making this coffee one of the finest naturally processed coffees from Thailand this season.

 

CULTIVARS

Chiang Mai

ALTITUDE

1250 MASL

NOTABLE

The Chiang Mai varietal is a local hybrid developed by crossing SL28, Caturra, and Híbrido de Timor. As a catimor variant, it is similar to Colombia and Castillo varietals but has been backcrossed with SL28 to improve cup quality. This rust-resistant cultivar was developed as part of the late King’s initiative to eradicate opium plantations among Northern Thailand’s hill tribes.

PROCESSING

Anaerobic Natural : The coffee cherries were fermented for 9 days in sealed HDPE bags, creating a near-zero oxygen environment. This anaerobic fermentation process encourages the production of lactic acid, which enhances the body, wine-like characteristics, sweetness, and complexity of the coffee. The process is inspired by the area’s traditional tea fermentation methods, which also involve long fermentation periods. After fermentation, the cherries were dried on raised beds to achieve the desired moisture level. The green coffee underwent thorough preparation, passing through a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table multiple times, followed by meticulous hand-sorting. To ensure freshness during shipping, the coffee was packed in triple-layered bags: an outer cotton bag, a middle layer of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and an innermost GrainPro bag.
Anaerobic Red Honey : The coffee cherries are fermented for nine days in sealed HDPE bags before being pulped and dried on raised beds. This creates a near-oxygen-free environment, allowing for the production of lactic acid during the anaerobic fermentation process. This imparts body, wine-like acidity, sweetness, and complexity to the coffee. The process is reminiscent of the area’s traditional tea fermentation methods, which involve long fermentation periods.For green coffee preparation, the beans are processed using a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, with multiple passes through the density table, followed by hand-sorting. The coffee is shipped in triple-layered packaging: an outer cotton layer, a middle HDPE layer, and an inner GrainPro layer, ensuring excellent protection and preservation during transport.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire - Mae Chedi - anaerobic red honey
Beanspire - Mae Chedi anaerobic natural

 

  • The price you pay for Watchara Yawirach farrmer group lot (p/kg). We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

    Mae Chedi Anaerobic Natural :€ 10,71

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin.

    Mae Chedi Anaerobic Natural :€ 2,30

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects. Read more about the regenerative projects done by Rushashi here. (Webpage Coming soon)

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Watchara Yawirach . € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY

You may use them freely to promote Watchara Yawirach among your customers.

 

Tamping the Craftsmanship

This special lot comes from Doi Saket in Chiang Mai, where we collaborate with the Intakad family. Nui and Aoy Intakad, a young couple, left their white-collar jobs in the city seven years ago to return to their parents' coffee farm. Nui, aged 38, is an engineer, while Aoy, aged 35, is an accountant.

Doi Saket is the oldest coffee-growing area in Thailand, located in Chiang Mai province. In the late 1970s, the first Arabica trees were introduced as part of the Thai King’s opium replacement program. Unlike many other regions, these trees have not been replaced by higher-yield cultivars, allowing heirloom varietals—particularly Typica—to remain prevalent on many old farms. The coffee trees, some aged 30–40 years, are often older than the farmers themselves!

The forest in Doi Saket is exceptionally well-preserved, providing full shade for the coffee trees. This lush environment, located just 45 minutes from Chiang Mai, benefits from strong forest preservation efforts, especially close to urban centers, where authorities can more easily monitor and prevent land encroachment. This proximity helps maintain the area's rich biodiversity, making it ideal for specialty coffee cultivation.

Chiang Mai, often called 'The Coffee Capital of Southeast Asia,' boasts a vibrant ecosystem of coffee producers, roasters, and cafés, all thriving in close proximity. By enjoying this cup, you are not just savoring exceptional coffee—you’re supporting a thriving coffee ecosystem.

The majority of Thai coffee is consumed domestically, reflecting the strength of local collaboration among small-scale coffee producers. Much of the expertise in farm management and processing has been co-developed by local roasters and baristas, fostering a culture of innovation and mutual growth. These passionate coffee communities are now proudly showcasing their extraordinary coffee on the global stage, sharing the results of their dedication and craftsmanship with the world.

 

CULTIVARS

Typica

ALTITUDE

1100 -1450 MASL

NOTABLE

Beanspire’s goal is to demonstrate that there is a market for heirloom cultivars. Customers are willing to pay a premium to compensate for the lower yield of these rare varietals. Typica is now exceedingly rare, as most farmers have replaced it with higher-yield, rust-resistant strains. The meticulous processing approach resulted in a much lower cherry-to-green-bean conversion ratio than usual. While the typical ratio is 15% (1:0.15), this lot had a conversion ratio of just 5% (1:0.05) due to the rigorous selection process.

PROCESSING

Anaerobic Natural : This lot was processed at the end of the harvest season when the weather is more stable. Ripe cherries were picked in the morning from Typica trees, and processing began immediately to avoid unwanted fermentation. Only fully ripe cherries were selected through careful hand-sorting. The cherries were floated in water to remove defective ones. The cherries were laid in a single layer on raised beds, ensuring minimal contact between them to allow even moisture distribution and prevent unwanted fermentation. Drying was conducted in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. The process was carefully monitored over three weeks, with defective cherries removed regularly until the moisture content reached 10%. The green coffee underwent thorough preparation, including destoning, hulling, size grading, and density table sorting, followed by hand-sorting. The beans passed through the density table multiple times to ensure uniformity. The coffee was packed in triple-layered bags for shipping: an outer cotton bag, a middle layer of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and an innermost GrainPro bag to preserve freshness.
Anaerobic white Honey : In this white honey process, we aimed to preserve the cleanliness of a fully washed coffee while adding complexity. After the cherries were picked and delivered to our mill, they were floated and pulped at night. The coffee underwent partial anaerobic fermentation for 12 hours to remove some mucilage while leaving a thin layer of pectin intact. The beans were then dried on raised beds before being delivered to our dry mill for hulling and sorting. For green coffee preparation, the beans passed through a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, followed by hand-sorting to ensure the highest quality.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire- Doi Saket White Honey

Beanspire - Doi Saket Typica Anaerobic Natural.

 

  • The price you pay for Intakad family lot p/kg. We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

    Doi Saket Typica Anaerobic Natural :€ 10,15

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin

    Doi Saket Typica Anaerobic Natural : € 2,30

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects.

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Intakad family. € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY

You may use them freely to promote the Intakad family (Doi Saket) among your customers.

 

THE GRIND OF PROGRESS

At Beanspire, the journey toward improving coffee production has been marked by continuous growth, innovation, and a commitment to quality. In the 2017-2018 season, the company made a key investment in a wet mill operated by the Merlaeku family, a group of five brothers from the Akha Hilltribe minority. This investment gave Beanspire greater control over the process, beginning at the cherry stage, and allowed the company to source cherries from outside the family. The following year, in 2018-2019, the mill was upgraded with a roof, new pulpers, and improved workflows, streamlining the milling process. By the 2019-2020 harvest, Beanspire had taken further steps to enhance quality by investing in an electricity generator, building a cupping lab for farmers, and installing new concrete flooring.

In 2020-2021, the company leased additional space in the lowlands to improve drying efficiency. This decision proved to be crucial during the 2021-2022 harvest, when production increased by 20%, and the expanded drying space helped mitigate the effects of heavy rains that affected crop yields across Thailand. However, the 2022-2023 season presented a significant challenge. The climate crisis led to the lowest yields in years, driving prices to their highest levels. In 2024, the unpredictable effects of climate change and an influx of smuggled coffee from Myanmar and Laos flooded the market, leaving many farmers with surplus, unsellable coffee.

Despite these obstacles, Beanspire remains committed to supporting farmers, continuously refining processes, and adapting to an ever-evolving coffee industry.

 

CULTIVARS

Typica

ALTITUDE

1100 -1450 MASL

NOTABLE

The meticulous processing approach resulted in a much lower cherry-to-green-bean conversion ratio than usual. While the typical ratio is 15% (1:0.15), this lot had a conversion ratio of just 5% (1:0.05) due to the rigorous selection process.

PROCESSING

Natural : This natural processed microlot was crafted with precision. Cherries were floated to remove defects and laid in a one-inch layer on bamboo raised beds. Under-ripe and fermented cherries were continuously sorted out throughout the drying process. The cherries were raked multiple times daily and, after drying, were bagged to cure for two months before milling at our dry mill.
Kenya Style washed : This is done by extending the dry fermentation stage while minimizing the wet fermentation and soaking stages. Drying was done on bamboo raised beds for at least 14 days, then finished in the lowlands. For green coffee preparation, the beans went through a destoner, huller, size grader, and density table, followed by hand-sorting. The coffee was packed in triple-layered bags, consisting of a cotton outer layer, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) middle layer, and a hermetic inner bag to ensure freshness and quality during export.
Yellow Honey : This Yellow Honey microlot underwent a process designed to balance cleanliness with added body and sweetness. After harvesting, the cherries were floated to remove defects and pulped with water to remove about 50% of the mucilage. The parchment was dried on raised beds in thin layers, raked frequently to prevent fermentation and ensure even drying. Once the parchment reached a 10% moisture level, it was sent to our dry mill in the lowlands.

Cupping notes

2024 HARVEST

Beanspire - Doi Pangkhon Kenya-styled washed - Merlaeku.

Beanspire - Doi pangkhon yellow honey - Merlaeku

Beanspire - Doi pangkhon natural - Merlaeku

 

  • The price you pay for Doi Panghkon (p/kg). We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

    Doi Pangkhon Kenya-styled Washed - Merlaeku :€ 7,79

    Doi Pangkhon Yellow Honey : € 8,95

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin.

    Doi Pangkhon Kenya-styled Washed - Merlaeku : € 1,38
    Doi Pangkhon Yellow Honey :€ 1,84

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects. Read more about the regenerative projects done by Rushashi here. (Webpage Coming soon)

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Merlaeku. € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY

You may use them freely to promote Merlaeku among your customers.

 

BLOSSMING POSSIBILITIES

Huai Chomphu, located in Chiang Rai, is a coffee-growing region with approximately 500 households, each typically producing 1-2 tons of coffee. Beanspire sources coffee from these smallholder farmers. The name 'Huai Chomphu' translates to 'Pink Valley,' named for the cherry blossoms that bloom during the harvest season. All of the villagers belong to the Akha Hilltribe. This particular coffee is from Stidkhun Wuiyaku (34), who works closely with Beanspire in Huai Chomphu district.

 

CULTIVARS

Catuai, Typica, Chiang Mai, SJ133

ALTITUDE

1450 MASL

NOTABLE

The varieties here are a mixture of Typica, Catuai, Chiang Mai and SJ133 (with many unknowns as well). Chiang Mai is a local hybrid that is a cross between SL28 x Caturra x Hibrido de Timor. So it's a catimor variant (like Colombia and Castillo varieties!) that's backcrossed with SL28 in order to improve the cup quality. It's a rust resistant cultivar that's been developed by their late King as part of his effort to eradicate opium plantation by the hill tribe in the North. SJ133 (San Jose 133) has an exact genetic phenotype as Costa Rica 95. It was brought into Thailand via Nestle in the late 80s.


PROCESSING

Anaerobic Natural : The coffee cherries are floated to remove defects, then lay on the raised beds to dry off the water. Then the coffee cherries are anaerobically fermented in double-layered plastic bags for 3 days and the bags are flipped and turned side to side. Then, left to ferment for 3 additional days then removed and dried on raised beds for 25 days.



CUPPING NOTES
2024 HARVEST

Beanspire - Huai Chomphu Anaerobic natural

 

  • The price you pay for Huai Chompu (p/kg). We agreed on this price directly with the farmers, disregarding the volatile US Coffee C price.

  • The farm gate price includes the payment to farmers for the coffee, wet milling, and margin.

  • Beanspire collaborates with producers to mill their coffee, coordinate local freight from farm to port, and manage export paperwork, marketing and sales. The price break down also includes the cost of these services along with Beanspire's profit margin.

  • Shipping is arranged from Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot in Thailand to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with all logistics and paperwork managed by Beanspire.

  • Average financing cost owed to (mostly social) lenders. This ensures immediate payment to the farmers when the coffee leaves the farm or port.

  • A standard TSU premium on all coffees designated exclusively to accelerate farmers’ own regenerative agriculture projects. Read more about the regenerative projects done by Rushashi here. (Webpage Coming soon)

  • This Side Up compensation for spending time and resources importing this coffee. Our work includes year-round contact with producers, managing export, shipping, import, warehousing, grading, sampling, finding and keeping roasting partners for Merlaeku. € 1,65 is This Side Up’s Model 1 markup. For a full overview of our modular margin construction, see the Trade Models page.

PHOTO GALLERY

You may use them freely to promote Stidkhun Wuiyaku among your customers.