Meet Pi Wan: The Coffee Farmer Who Changed Thai Coffee Without Trying To

For many people, Pi Wan is one of the pioneers of Thailand's specialty coffee movement.

As the founder of Nine One Coffee in Northern Thailand, he became the first farmer in the country to produce a coffee scoring over 90 points on the SCA scale. It was a milestone that helped put Thai coffee on the international map and showed what was possible through careful farming and processing.

But when we met Pi Wan, it quickly became clear that chasing high scores was never the goal.

When we asked him what made his coffee so special, his answer had very little to do with coffee itself.

"Good-tasting coffee is a result of healthy land. I take care of my land because it is my home. I drink the water, I breathe the air. I eat the vegetables and fruits that grow here. I do not want chemicals in my food. The good-tasting crops are simply a positive effect of this. It was never my main intention."

It is a simple way of looking at farming, but one that says a lot.

Walking around the farm, it became obvious that everything starts with the land. Coffee grows alongside fruit trees, vegetables and native plants. The focus is not only on producing coffee, but on creating an environment that can support both nature and the people who live there.

That way of thinking is something we noticed throughout Northern Thailand.

In many Western countries, sustainability is often presented as a goal or a marketing term. Here, it feels much more practical. Farmers look after the land because it provides their food, their water and their livelihoods. Healthy coffee is simply one result of a healthy ecosystem.

Pi Wan never described himself as an environmentalist or someone trying to change the coffee industry. He spoke about taking care of his home.

Perhaps that is what makes his story so powerful.

The coffee that helped redefine Thailand's specialty coffee industry did not begin with a pursuit of high scores. It began with respect for the land.