In the world of specialty coffee, value is not measured by quantity but by the story that each bean holds .
Today, Yemeni coffee is making headlines again after a single cup was sold for 90 Saudi Riyals in a global coffee shop — making it the most expensive cup of coffee ever served.
But what is the secret behind this amazing price?
The answer begins in the mountains of Haraz, Rima and Bani Matar , where Yemeni coffee is grown at altitudes exceeding 2000 meters above sea level.
The grains are grown entirely by hand, without machines, watered with rainwater, and dried naturally under the sun on old clay surfaces, just as they have been for hundreds of years.
This harsh environment and long history produce beans with a flavor unlike any other coffee in the world: a thick body, the sweetness of figs and dates, and a floral aroma with a hint of cocoa .
Yemeni coffee is considered one of the first types of coffee known to the world, and it was exported from the port of Mocha in the fifteenth century, from which the famous name “Mocha” was derived.
Today, centuries later, it is back in the spotlight, but this time as a symbol of luxury and scarcity — the quantity of the crop is very limited, and its extraction requires exceptional care from the farmer until roasting.
Major international roasters such as Port of Mokha , Blue Bottle and Intelligentsia compete to buy Yemeni coffee at the highest prices in international auctions, where the price per kilo sometimes exceeds 700 US dollars !
What makes the 90 riyal cup a logical result for an exceptional journey that begins in the highlands of Yemen and ends in a luxurious cup.
Yemeni coffee is not just a beverage, but a cultural and agricultural masterpiece that represents the roots of the first Arabic coffee — a flavor that carries identity and history, and a cup that tells the story of an entire nation.