Coffee Project

Background

Our roots in coffee go back to 1961, when Richard Mann began introducing Caturra and Catuai coffee hybrid seedlings to rural villages in the Thai highlands. With his program being widely successful, the United Nations recruited Richard to head an opium eradication project that ultimately battled opium production by providing a viable replacement – coffee. For nearly 2 decades, Richard worked with coffee as a tool to end years of oppression that resulted from the opium trade. During this time, Richard’s son Mike, would spend a lot of time with his father in villages, soaking up experiences that most can only dream of. Eventually, Mike would use this knowledge and experience to continue his father’s work by founding ITDF.   

Working With Farmers

Established in 1990, ITDF created a project that would become the first fair trade certified coffee co op in Thailand. The objective was to take coffee farming to the next level by producing a coffee that could reach international standards, and in turn provide more money and opportunity for the farmer. ITDF began helping farmers produce a coffee that would not just be good enough to get by, but a coffee that could compete with the top producers. We provide proper training, improved varieties that can thrive in these regions, and processing equipment in order to meet these standards.

Lanna Coffee Partnership

Our main international coffee partner is  Lanna Coffee Co.  based in Fresno, California, USA. Lanna Coffee Company’s coffee beans come directly from the hill tribe farmers & families supported by ITDF. In addition to selling roasted coffee throughout the U.S.A., Lanna Coffee aids by giving back portions of their sales to support the work we do. Most simply, Lanna Coffee is a practical way for people in the United States to support our cause here in Thailand. By purchasing your coffee from our partner, you are supporting us and providing hope for the hill tribe villages in northern Thailand.