Faces of coffee harvest in Laos

Pharn Norlapha, 38, from Laos' Katang ethnic group, switched from rice and cassava farming to coffee in May 2024. Now, she's part of our team, helping harvest the season's crop.

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

Pharn picks 50-70 kilograms of cherries daily, choosing only the ripest fruit. Her steady hands show the skill and care that all our harvest workers put into every batch.

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

While Pharn works, her kids—Van, Tia, Souk and Thaya—play and learn at our on-site day care. 

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

The farm stretches beneath a canopy of trees, where coffee thrives in harmony with nature. During harvest, Pharn and the team work tirelessly ensuring every cherry is picked at its peak.

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

Vixay, 55, has been growing coffee on his six-hectare farm for over two decades, managing four separate plots. As a member of our cooperative, he sells coffee parchment to us while also working with other buyers to diversify his income. Despite challenges like pests and weather, Vixay continues to adapt and invest in his farm, with support from his family and the cooperative.

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

At the mill, the cherries are transformed into coffee beans, a process that preserves their flavour and quality. 

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala

The beans are spread out to dry under the sun, a crucial part of the process that ensures the beans are prepared to be roasted.

Photographed by Saosavanh Ketmala