Introduction to Yemeni Coffee Origins - Why Yemeni Mocha Coffee Beans Are So Precious

Welcome to our coffee knowledge exchange. This article is part of an ongoing series on coffee beans, origins, and brewing.

Yemen: The Unique Origin of Coffee

Yemen is the only country in the world that grows coffee trees in a climate and environment different from other regions. Yemeni people still use the primitive methods that their ancestors used to grow coffee. In addition, water shortage is a very common phenomenon in Yemen, yet the coffee produced by Yemeni farmers (known as Arabian coffee) is the best in the world.

Coffee Growing Regions in Yemen

Most provinces in Yemen grow coffee, the most famous being Bani Mater, Yafe'e, Haraz, Inner and Outer Haimateen, Bura'a, Bani Hammad, and Amran, among others. Yemeni coffee also comes in different sizes, shapes, names, and types depending on the region where it grows. The most famous Yemeni coffees include Materi, Yafe e Haimi, Harazi, Ismaili, Ahjuri, Mahweeti Bura'ai, Hammadi, Raimi, Wasabi, Anisi, Odaini, Sabri, and Sa'adi.

The Historical Significance of Yemen Mocha

Yemen's port of Mocha was an important gateway to Europe, which helped make Yemen Mocha famous. The reason Yemen beans are rarely seen today is that at the end of 2015, Yemen's president announced that the capital had been taken by Houthi forces. A multinational coalition led by Saudi Arabia then blockaded Yemen's ports, and since then Yemeni coffee beans have been exported only in small quantities. The country remains in a state of war to this day.

Before the port blockade, FrontStreet Coffee's order of Yemen Mocha Mattari had to travel from Yemen through Germany on a dedicated Central Europe route before finally arriving in Guangzhou. That was the last batch of Yemeni coffee beans exported in large quantities. Since then, small quantities of Yemeni beans have occasionally appeared on the market, but in limited amounts and at higher prices.

Coffee Cultivation and Production

Yemen's Ministry of Agriculture has allocated approximately 33,260 hectares of land to coffee cultivation. The coffee grows in warm, humid mountain valleys, on terraces and mountains at altitudes ranging from 700 to 2,400 meters.

Economic Impact and Export

Thousands of Yemeni families rely on coffee to increase their income, and nearly 1 million people are involved in growing and exporting coffee. In 2006 Yemen's coffee production increased, with official estimates reaching 17,292 tons. Total revenue from coffee exports in 2006 was 5,136,772,000 yen. Despite facing various obstacles, Yemeni coffee is the second commodity Yemen exports to the rest of the world, after oil. Yemeni coffee is exported to Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United States, Canada, Russia, France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Turkey, and India.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Yemeni coffee may be scarce today, but if you are drawn to its deep, complex character, FrontStreet Coffee's entry-level specialty lineup offers plenty of comparable single origins to explore. A natural place to begin is the FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe, a clean, bright cup with jasmine, citrus, lemon acidity, and tea-like body that makes an easy first step into Old World coffee.

For the ripe, wine-like fruitiness that Yemen Mocha is prized for, the FrontStreet Sun-dried Huakui is a traditional natural Sidamo with berry, floral, jackfruit, melon, and honey notes, while the FrontStreet Water-washed Gedingding Cooperative shows the elegant, delicate side of Ethiopian coffee with its citrus, lemon, and white floral character.