Only 450 bags of Thailand Black Honey espresso are available! Buy it here before we sell out.

Thailand's burgeoning coffee industry

While the rest of Southeast Asia has produced coffee for centuries, specialty farming in Thailand began fairly recently in the 1970s when an opium eradication project introduced the first coffee trees to areas like Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, bordering Laos and Myanmar—an area known as the Golden Triangle. The region’s high mountains were once the epicenter of the country’s opium cultivation and smuggling routes. 

Yet, with just a few decades of concentrated reforestation behind them, Thailand is already seeing incredible environmental and social improvements. So much so that young entrepreneurs are flocking to Chiang Mai and crops like coffee, banana, coconut, and pineapple are thriving. Farms are easily accessible from the city and that proximity expedites the stages of processing to provide an extra level of quality assurance.

How does this Black Honey espresso taste? 

Noi Duongdee, the producer of this coffee, is an industry legend in Thailand, having worked as a coffee processor for over a decade. He cut his teeth at different mills across the country for a few years, before starting his coffee processing plant in Chaiprakarn, Chiang Mai. 

This Black Honey process from his farm is gorgeous and full of fruity, nutty, and even savory flavors—think strawberry, walnut, and lemongrass. Of course, a huge shoutout must be given to the team at Equator who roasted this coffee to absolute perfection. They said it would make a perfect espresso and we couldn't agree more.

Why Trade rarely gets coffee beans from Thailand

Thailand has a thriving specialty café and roaster scene, and domestic demand regularly outpaces the entire production volume of the country. Only 5% of Thailand’s specialty coffee is exported worldwide yearly, while the majority is very much enjoyed by Thai coffee drinkers.

A brewing tip from our friends at Equator

While there’s no “right” way to make espresso, Equator has produced delicious results with this recipe: 1:2.1 coffee-to-water ratio in 22-24 seconds.

If there's no espresso machine gracing your kitchen countertop, not to worry. Check out a few of our favorite ways to make espresso without one!