THE TRUE COST OF COFFEE: A Journey from Yemen to Your Cup

Care More Be Better: A Podcast For Sustainable Social Impact and Regeneration

Corinna Bellizzi

Personal Journals, Earth Sciences, Society & Culture, Documentary, Science

5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2024

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode was originally published July 7, 2021 as episode 24. It is re-shared today with a new intro by the host as she reflects on an upcoming episode featuring the co-founders of Biggby Coffee, Bob & Michelle Fish. This episode offers a great primer and context to the coffee issue in advance of that upcoming episode, which will be released on 10/23/2024.

Host: Corinna Bellizzi

Guest: Mokhtar Alkhanshali, CEO & Founder of Port of Mokha,

In this episode, Corinna Bellizzi is joined by Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Yemeni-American entrepreneur, historian, and coffee innovator, to discuss the fascinating journey of coffee from Yemen’s highlands to high-end coffee shops worldwide. Together, they explore the deep connections between coffee, social impact, and sustainability.

Key Topics Covered:

The Origins of Coffee in Yemen: Mokhtar shares the historical roots of coffee, which began in Yemen centuries ago, including the rise of the city of Mocha as the coffee trade center. He connects this rich history to the present and the coffee his company sources.
Mokhtar’s Personal Journey: From law school to community organizing, Mokhtar’s path took a surprising turn toward coffee, rooted in his desire to uplift coffee farmers and create a sustainable business model in Yemen.
Challenges in Yemen: Mokhtar recounts his harrowing experience bringing Yemeni coffee to market amidst Yemen's civil war. From dodging bombs to navigating civil unrest, his perseverance led to Port of Mokha’s success.
The Importance of Sustainability in Coffee: Mokhtar emphasizes the need for fair pay for coffee farmers and describes his vertically integrated business model. By working directly with Yemeni farmers, he ensures that they receive fair wages, which is critical to the long-term sustainability of their communities.
The Different Coffee "Waves": Mokhtar explains the evolution of coffee culture through the first, second, and third waves, noting the rise of specialty coffee and how consumers are becoming more conscious of origin, processing, and flavor.
Coffee Processing Methods: A deep dive into how different processing techniques (natural versus washed) impact flavor profiles, and why Mokhtar's naturally processed Yemeni coffee has unique and complex flavors, often compared to fine wine.
Taste Test: Corinna shares her experience tasting two different Port of Mokha coffees, highlighting how coffee tasting can be as nuanced as wine tasting. Mokhtar explains the difference between light and dark roasts and how each processing method brings out distinct flavors.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello, fellow do-goaters and friends. I'm your host, Karina Belizzi. I've been thinking a lot about the
0:05.6	true cost of our foods, our favorite beverages, and more over the course of the last few months.
0:12.5	It's not a new topic per se, as I've hit on this theme in a variety of episodes since launching
0:17.6	this show back in January 2021. But this is the first time I've really dug
0:22.7	into the science behind this concept. The things we consume have a carbon cost, sure,
0:28.3	but they also have a water cost, an energy cost, an environmental cost overall, and a very real
0:35.1	human cost. Long-time listeners already know that I love my coffee, love as
0:41.5	in with a capital, L-O-V-E. I drink it from shortly after I wake up in the morning until the
0:47.8	late afternoon. I love the ritual of coffee, the smell of it. I love the sound of it brewing and the satisfaction of
0:56.5	the very first sip right on to the last. This week, I got the chance to meet the founders of
1:04.1	Big Bee Coffee, Bob and Michelle Fish, to interview them for an upcoming episode. That will air on
1:10.2	October 23, 2024. And it's through
1:13.7	connecting with these cause-driven founders that are working to remake the face of coffee procurement.
1:19.7	It really got me thinking back to this earlier conversation I had with Mokhtar Alhanchali,
1:26.6	the founder of Port of Moka.
1:29.2	So it's for this reason that I am sharing that episode again with you today.
1:34.0	If you've heard it before, perhaps you'll just grab a cup of your favorite coffee and enjoy
1:38.7	this in the background, thinking anew about what coffee means to you.
1:43.0	What is it worth to you? What is the true cost of coffee?
1:49.4	Welcome to Care More Be Better, a podcast for people like you who care about the social impact of conscious companies and everyday heroes.
1:58.6	Hear inspiring stories from those who put people and planet before profit and personal gain.
2:04.1	You'll learn how you can make a difference, vote with your dollars, and get involved today.
	...

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