Five years ago, Ramesh and Dipak only had a very small popcorn roaster to perform their coffee roasting, it was challenging for their Kathmandu-based business, High Mountain Coffee to expand the business further. The two brothers from realised early on that their passion was in business. They had some land and so started growing coffee as their father was also a coffee farmer. They then supplied seedlings and expertise to other farmers. At the same time, they started processing and selling coffee.
When we first met them, they were buying coffee from 100 farmers. They employed 10 women – otherwise unemployed – to sort the beans. They were selling on around 4 tonnes of coffee a year. A gradual light dawned on them as they realised that they could really make a difference through business. Ramesh spent weeks visiting farmers and advising them on coffee growing. The women employed were able to send their children to school – bear in mind that every year 400,000 people enter the workplace in Nepal and only 20,000 can get jobs. Every job is transformational.
We were a group of B4T Investors from Australia, Malaysia and USA. We discussed more about High Mountain Coffee and its potential, and soon it became apparent that purchasing a professional coffee roasting machine would expand their business and positively impact their communities. Our then B4T Developer, Paul Koker, worked with them to refine their business plan to include the loan of $25,000 repayable over 5 years at an agreed nominal interest rate per year. The coffee roaster was put in place and today, the business is expanding with more women and youths employed. More coffee farmers are able to grow and sell coffee and hence have a livelihood.
Investors in the High Mountain coffee business from Australia, Malaysia and USA are thrilled to witness positive impact in the lives of the communities through economic and social transformation.
Today Mountain High Coffee
● Employs >40 staff
● Provides a livelihood to >700 farming families who supply coffee
● Is growing and profitable
● Has given birth to a string of 2 coffee shops, training and employing youths as baristas.
● Is working actively on developing a franchise of cafes and coffee kiosks which will enable employment and business creation for many hundreds more
Coffee That Impacts Community
Five years ago, Ramesh and Dipak only had a very small popcorn roaster to perform their coffee roasting, it was challenging for their Kathmandu-based business, High Mountain Coffee to expand the business further. The two brothers from realised early on that their passion was in business. They had some land and so started growing coffee as their father was also a coffee farmer. They then supplied seedlings and expertise to other farmers. At the same time, they started processing and selling coffee.
When we first met them, they were buying coffee from 100 farmers. They employed 10 women – otherwise unemployed – to sort the beans. They were selling on around 4 tonnes of coffee a year. A gradual light dawned on them as they realised that they could really make a difference through business. Ramesh spent weeks visiting farmers and advising them on coffee growing. The women employed were able to send their children to school – bear in mind that every year 400,000 people enter the workplace in Nepal and only 20,000 can get jobs. Every job is transformational.
We were a group of B4T Investors from Australia, Malaysia and USA. We discussed more about High Mountain Coffee and its potential, and soon it became apparent that purchasing a professional coffee roasting machine would expand their business and positively impact their communities. Our then B4T Developer, Paul Koker, worked with them to refine their business plan to include the loan of $25,000 repayable over 5 years at an agreed nominal interest rate per year. The coffee roaster was put in place and today, the business is expanding with more women and youths employed. More coffee farmers are able to grow and sell coffee and hence have a livelihood.
Investors in the High Mountain coffee business from Australia, Malaysia and USA are thrilled to witness positive impact in the lives of the communities through economic and social transformation.
Today Mountain High Coffee
● Employs >40 staff
● Provides a livelihood to >700 farming families who supply coffee
● Is growing and profitable
● Has given birth to a string of 2 coffee shops, training and employing youths as baristas.
● Is working actively on developing a franchise of cafes and coffee kiosks which will enable employment and business creation for many hundreds more
Katherine Mah, 30 August 2018