Doi Chaang Coffee

Overview

Doi Chaang traces back to King Bhumibol's 1969 royal project replacing opium with arabica among Akha hill-tribe farmers in the mountains north of Chiang Rai. In 2003 the Pisailert family — led by Akha leader Wicha Promyong with Panachai Pisailert and co-founder Pitsanuchai Kaewpichai — incorporated the cooperative as Doi Chaang Coffee Original Co. Ltd., and in 2007 Vancouver-based Canadian John M. Darch agreed to a 50-50 international partnership in which Akha farmers retain full ownership of the Thai operation while the Canadian arm pays well above Fair Trade for green and shares North American profits.

Known for

• Thailand's flagship specialty coffee brand and Akha social enterprise
• Royal opium-replacement program origin (1969)
• Akha farmer cooperative ownership (Doi Chaang Coffee Original Co. Ltd.)
• 50/50 Thai-Canadian partnership with Vancouver's Doi Chaang Coffee Co.
• Doi Chaang Coffee Academy and Foundation (community education + infrastructure)

Why it matters

Doi Chaang is one of the world's clearest examples of producer-owned specialty coffee at scale — the Akha farmers retain ownership of the Thai cooperative rather than acting as suppliers to a foreign brand, and the model has anchored Doi Chang Village's transformation from impoverished opium-era hill tribe community to internationally exported specialty origin.

Production

destoning

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head roaster

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color sorting

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roaster machine

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filter equipment

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cupping frequency

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roastery location

Doi Chang Village, Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province (on-site farm roastery); North American roasting at Vancouver via Doi Chaang Coffee Co. Canada

espresso equipment

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annual volume tonnes

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Café

Doi Chang Village cafe and visitor center; Doi Chaang Coffee Farm House accommodation; multiple Thailand retail cafes

Recognitions

• Exported to 20+ countries
• Featured Fair Trade case study by Fair Trade Campaigns
• Royal Thai-German and Thai-Netherlands Department of Social Welfare cooperation projects (1983)

Sources

• https://doichaangcoffee.co.th/en/about-us/the-legend/
• https://www.bonvoyagethailand.com/chiang-rai/doi-chang-coffee-village/
• https://www.audleytravel.com/us/thailand/things-to-do/coffee-farm-and-traditional-village-visit
• https://www.gonomad.com/3171-thailand-coffee-doi-chaang-thailand
• https://globaleat.net/audio/doi-chaang-coffee-transforming-lives-one-cup-at-a-time/
• https://fairtradecampaigns.org/2017/06/fair-trade-on-the-ground-a-visit-to-doi-chaang-coffee-farm-in-thailand/
• https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/325390/mountain-brew
• https://olsentours.com/doi-chang-tours