TRENDS 2020
TREND: WIDER GLOBAL COFFEE
David Motley, co-owner of cafe and bakery Kapihan, believes that branching out and buying from different regions can result in unique, undersung coffees and provide customers with a better choice.
Kapihan focuses on the Philippines, but we sell coffee from all around Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, China, Laos and Vietnam. I’m half-Filipino, so we understand some of the struggles the Philippines is going through, especially farming problems brought on by natural disasters. We also understand the coffee industry and we believed in the quality of Filipino coffee. It just needed a platform.
But when we first started, there were problems with consistency and supply, so we explored other neighbouring regions, particularly Yunnan and Myanmar. Their coffees were much easier to get hold of and had a similar situation, in that no-one was giving them a chance to shine. When we cupped them, we knew they were good enough to compete with the Latin American and African coffees. I think we were one of the first to bring these coffees into central London, but the bigger roasters are now starting to pay attention and diversify their catalogue by adding them to their range .
But when we first started, there were problems with consistency and supply, so we explored other neighbouring regions, particularly Yunnan and Myanmar. Their coffees were much easier to get hold of and had a similar situation, in that no-one was giving them a chance to shine. When we cupped them, we knew they were good enough to compete with the Latin American and African coffees. I think we were one of the first to bring these coffees into central London, but the bigger roasters are now starting to pay attention and diversify their catalogue by adding them to their range .
More coffee shops are now starting to sell coffee from Southeast Asia and other regions, and I think that will definitely continue in 2020. Some cafes used to sell the coffee as a bit of a novelty and people would buy it out of curiosity, rather than for the quality and taste. The coffees have also become more affordable, which I think is part of the reason we’re seeing more roasters using them.
Some of these coffees have very different flavour profiles. For example, there are two coffees we use from Yunnan that are both naturals and very heavily fermented in processing, which helps bring out some really interesting flavour profiles. We also sell a coffee from Xingang in China, and it tastes like Jack Daniels and Christmas pudding – a really boozy effect.
Some of these coffees have very different flavour profiles. For example, there are two coffees we use from Yunnan that are both naturals and very heavily fermented in processing, which helps bring out some really interesting flavour profiles. We also sell a coffee from Xingang in China, and it tastes like Jack Daniels and Christmas pudding – a really boozy effect.
“WE’RE PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR SMALL PRODUCERS TO GET BETTER AND BETTER, AND WE’VE SEEN THE COFFEE IMPROVE OVER THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS”
We have another coffee called Barako from the Philippines. It’s a traditional farmer’s blend and is made with a species of coffee plant called liberica, which is a crossbreed between robusta and arabica that you only find in the Philippines and Malaysia. It’s got a very particular taste, almost like roasted bananas or jackfruit.
We’re providing a platform for small producers to get better and better, and we’ve seen the coffee improve over the past four or five years, particularly in Myanmar and China. They’re really making waves now in the UK, especially in London, and in the next decade or so there will be a lot more coffee coming from China. It’s really interesting to see how specialty coffee is starting to evolve. You can see new concepts opening up from places like Japan and there are lots of new Asian food brands as well. I think there’ll be more produce, flavours and experiences from Asia – not just coffee. For example, in our bakery we fuse the croissant with a lot of Asian flavours, such as our kimchi croissant, which is very popular. So, it also comes down to what you’re pairing with the coffee. I think Asia is going to become a big powerhouse in the coffee world – it’s an exciting region to be involved with.
We’re providing a platform for small producers to get better and better, and we’ve seen the coffee improve over the past four or five years, particularly in Myanmar and China. They’re really making waves now in the UK, especially in London, and in the next decade or so there will be a lot more coffee coming from China. It’s really interesting to see how specialty coffee is starting to evolve. You can see new concepts opening up from places like Japan and there are lots of new Asian food brands as well. I think there’ll be more produce, flavours and experiences from Asia – not just coffee. For example, in our bakery we fuse the croissant with a lot of Asian flavours, such as our kimchi croissant, which is very popular. So, it also comes down to what you’re pairing with the coffee. I think Asia is going to become a big powerhouse in the coffee world – it’s an exciting region to be involved with.
