One Valley faith-based organization jumped into the coffee business in Thailand and many people are benefiting from that connection.
Coffee drinkers can't wait for that first cup of the day. And Bryan Acosta is hoping and praying that the Central Valley will embrace these fresh roasted beans grown by the hill people in Thailand, "I saw there was a huge opportunity to come along side them and to help sponsor and support them."
The idea grew from a visit to the hill tribes there. Bryan was with a church group from Fresno working to build clean water systems for the villagers. Three years later dozens of hill country villages are growing coffee beans and selling the crop to the non-profit 'Lanna Cafe' now operating in the U.S.
Each village is provided training and Coffee trees that cost one dollar and fifty cents for just 5 cents to get them started, "Then we teach them the farming practice, harvesting, the entire process and then at the end of the season when they harvest and we pick up the coffee from them, we pay in them in advance for their coffee."
This year's crop of 18 tons of premium coffee beans is being roasted at the Lanna Cafe warehouse in Fresno. Acosta has help from several other young church members who also committed to this cause. Jared Young told us, "God just blessed me to be stable for the time being and support Bryan and Lanna Cafe."
This small, determined group is working to market these coffee beans in two roasting styles.
They have a steady retail outlet on the Lanna Cafe website and at a sandwich shop inside the Sierra Pacific Orthopedic Center in Northeast Fresno.
Angela Rerucha is one of the owners of The Hip Joint, It's a little slow right now but people are learning about it and we're excited to help 'em out, it's a good cause."
The proceeds will fund other villages so they can earn self sufficiency by growing what Acosta believes is one of the best cups of coffee money can.
You can learn more by visiting their website: www.lannacafeusa.org
Or connect on their Facebook : Lanna Cafe (USA)
Lanna Café is a faith-based organization founded by members of The Well Community Church
