Why coffee was never the main goal: Meet Pi Lee - Founder of Akha Ama Coffee Roastery

The Akha people are an Indigenous community originally from the Yunnan region of China. Today, many Akha families live in the mountains of Northern Thailand, where coffee has become an important part of both their livelihoods and their identity.

One of the people helping shape that future is Pi Li, founder of Akha Ama Coffee. More than a coffee company, Akha Ama is a social enterprise built around the idea that coffee can create opportunities for Indigenous communities.

The company works directly with Akha farmers, supports sustainable agriculture, and has grown into a respected specialty coffee brand with cafés in Chiang Mai and Tokyo.

During one of our visits to an Akha village, we had the chance to meet Pi Li and spend time with the farmers behind the coffee.

When we asked him what coffee means to him, his answer surprised us.

"Coffee has never been the main focus for me. My main focus was, and will always be, social enterprise. Coffee is a product of that."

That perspective became much easier to understand after spending time on the farms.

Seeing the work behind each coffee tree gave us a completely different appreciation for coffee. A coffee tree takes around five years before it begins producing cherries. During that time it requires constant care, from pruning and watering to protecting it from pests and changing weather. Once the cherries are ripe, they are picked by hand, selecting only the best fruit.

The work doesn't stop there. Climate change, unpredictable harvests and the decision to farm without chemicals make coffee growing even more demanding. It requires patience and a genuine belief in what you're building.

One of the moments that stayed with us most was drinking coffee with the farmers, 1,400 metres above sea level, surrounded by the very trees the coffee came from. Despite speaking different languages, coffee became a way to connect. We shared meals, stories, laughter and conversations about farming, markets and the future.

It became clear that Akha Ama is about much more than producing great coffee. It is about creating opportunities, strengthening Indigenous communities and ensuring that the value created by coffee stays with the people who grow it.