A SIP OF THAILAND ABROAD
From humble beginnings in Chiang Rai, Akha Ama coffee house opens in Tokyo after winning over Thai customers
Despite the wave of several leading Japanese cafes setting up shop in Bangkok, the popular Chiang Mai-based coffee house Akha Ama has made its way to Tokyo, opening its first overseas branch in the capital earlier this month. The opening is the result of a joint venture between Akha descendant Ayu Chuepa and Japanese restaurateurs Natsusa Yamashita and Jumpei Ichikawa to bring premium Thai coffee beans to the international market.
“Our team discussed where to go when we decided to expand our base outside Chiang Mai. Absolutely, Bangkok was on the top of the list, however, we picked Japan. The cost was not much different but Tokyo allowed us to go further. Our partners have served our roasted coffee in their restaurant for years, so they understand the brand’s identity,” Ayu said.
“Japan has a strong coffee culture. We also plan on approaching other restaurants and cafes to use our products. This is a good chance to promote our brand among Japanese, Thais and other foreign tourists in Tokyo.”
Located in Shinjuku district, a three-minute walk from the Kagurazaka station, the 12-seat Akha Ama Coffee Roasters is designed to look simple and homey but it also has detailed carpentry and photography which reflects the culture of the Akha people — who grow the coffee beans — and the philosophy of Akha Ama in developing communities.
“We spent four months to create our cafe. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we postponed the opening to this month as the roaster was not in operation. We had to send roasted coffee beans from Thailand,” Ayu said.
“Surprisingly, we got good feedback from Thai expats as well as Japanese fans who visited our cafe in Chiang Mai. The new branch was crowded with customers during a soft opening on June 27 and 28. My friends in the media in Thailand helped promote it also. It was like we were a Thai athlete going to the Olympic Games.”
Having grown up on a coffee plantation, Ayu has worked hard to boost the economy in his hometown and educate villagers about sustainable agriculture in order to enhance the quality of life. Back in 2010, he founded Akha Ama as a social enterprise in the faroff village of Mae Chan Tai in Chiang Rai. At that time, farmers invested in the venture with their organic java beans rather than cash.
The idea was to distribute roasted coffee to restaurants, hotels and cafes rather than sell red cherry coffee beans to the middleman. Now, his farmer network has expanded from Mae Chan Tai to five other communities — Doi Ngam, Mae Chan Luang, Ban Mai, Doi Chang and Ban Mae Lai in Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son provinces.
“At that time, it was hard to convince local villagers to try new things. We had no money or skill in business management. We just knew how to plant coffee. So, I started with my parents and submitted a business plan to the Child’s Dream Foundation who gave me 300,000 baht to set up a brand,” Ayu said.
“I showed them how to roast java beans to add value. This way, we could help increase household incomes and promote eco-friendly tourism in our village.”
While the initial feedback was good, Thai customers didn’t believe in the quality of Thai coffee. So Ayu sent beans of green coffee to the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) and Akha Ama was selected to roast and brew at coffee tasting events in London, the Netherlands and Austria between 2013 and 2015.
“The SCAE liked the raw materials and this proved the quality of Thai coffee. The world’s leading magazines and media agencies like
BBC, Discovery Channel and Lonely Planet interviewed me about Akha Ama. Our brand became known, drawing both Thai and foreign coffee lovers to explore our home,” Ayu said.
After making a name for himself on the international coffee scene, Akha Ama descended from the valley and settled in Chiang Mai where Ayu and his ethnic barista team were able to meet customers and demonstrate how coffee beans have been roasted and brewed.
The first outlet, Akha Ama Original, stood opposite Wat Santitham in tambon Chang Phuak before it expanded its base with Akha Ama La Fattoria on Rachadamnoen Road — home to the Sunday Walking Street and Wat Phra Singh.
To acquire knowledge about coffee roasting, marketing, branding and account management, Ayu flew to Portland and took part in a one-month intensive training course with Stumptown Coffee Roasters, who for years operated a direct trade scheme to support suppliers.
“There, specialists trained me in science and art. For coffee roasting techniques, we have to pay attention to chemical properties as subtle changes can have an effect on flavour. The cafe’s beautiful decoration also became a magnet to draw in customers. Yet, account management has always been very important for doing business and I observed and learned everything so that I could share knowledge with my team,” Ayu recounted.
“Upon my return home, I learned that people like a change of atmosphere. Not only do they want to drink good coffee but they also want to get new experiences. Good service, art and environment are the key to win the hearts of customers. We have to develop ourselves all the time.”
In 2017, Ayu launched the 5 rai Akha Ama Living Factory in the small town of Mae Rim, 20km from downtown Chiang Mai. It was designed to be a compound for coffee roasting, a coffee mill, a warehouse, a cafe and also double as a function room to host coffee roasting workshops.
“Fortunately, people have always supported me after they’ve heard of my ideas. For example, my friend lent me his garage to set up a temporary coffee roaster while a supplier and landlord allowed us to pay for coffee roasting machines and land by instalments,” Ayu said.
“For a decade, we’ve trained Thai youngsters from the local farmer families as well as foreigners from the US, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and Canada. My mission is to make the new generation appreciate the excellence of Thai coffee beans.”
Ayu pointed out that brands need to maintain the quality of their products in order to build a sustainable coffee culture in Thailand. Today, e-commerce platforms play a major role with 60% of Akha Ama’s revenue coming from online orders. During the Covid-19 crisis, people want to drink at home or the office rather than go out to a coffee shop.
‘‘My mission is to make the new generation appreciate the excellence of Thai coffee beans