Founded in 2016, London-based Qima Coffee has made its mission to reframe Yemen’s narrative from war-torn country to prized specialty coffee producer. That dream is now closer to reality following an innovative partnership with The Gentlemen Baristas to create a game-changing seed-to-cup specialty coffee group that is opening new frontiers on traceability and quality
Yemen produces some of the most prized coffees in the world, with the average price at the Best of Yemen 2024 auction reaching $369/kg and the top lot from Al Hayma Al Dakhiliya, Sanaa, selling for a record-breaking $1,159/ kg. Highly sought after for its earthy, fruity flavours and balanced acidity, Yemeni coffee is also among the world’s scarcest – a factor exacerbated by ongoing conflict and economic instability in the country.
However, a meeting of minds between Faris Sheibani, founder of specialty coffee exporter Qima Coffee, and Ed Parkes, co-founder of London-based specialty coffee roaster and café group, The Gentlemen Baristas, looks set to raise the profile of Yemeni coffee in the UK capital and beyond.
