NYCA Leadership
Mokhtar al Khanshali
“What makes specialty coffee special is one simple quality: excellence. Excellence from the moment a seedling is planted to the moment those marvelous flavor prof iles flood every millimeter of your palate. Every human being who touches this coffee—from the nursery, to the farm, to the mill, to the sorting station, to the warehouse, to the roastery, to the cafe—is called upon to achieve this excellence. And each of those human beings is of equal value. This auction is a step toward achieving that equality. And a step toward living up to the excellence we are called to.”
Founder, The Mokha Institute
“The first National Yemen Coffee Auction represents a real opportunity for coffee farmers and a source of hope to alleviate their suffering by creating a commercial bridge with the outside world. The National Yemen Coffee Auction is a link between the memory of our past and our future as well as a gift of one of our treasures to the world.”
Muhammad Hassan
President, the Union of Yemeni Coffee Farmers
Muhammad al Qassemi
“In a time in Yemen when there is great suffering and dire conditions that our people are enduring, in this year, the best Yemeni coffee is going out into the world. Despite all of the challenges and divisions, we came together. We built infrastructure, held conferences, trained new coffee professionals, and much more. All of this to present these gems to the world.”
President, the Unity of Coffee Organization
“The national auction is the most important outlet and effective means of sharing the pearls of Yemeni coffee with coffee lovers around the world—and an exceptional opportunity to learn about Yemen’s diverse coffee heritage with micro lots produced from throughout its different regions and terrains. We can’t wait for you to experience Yemen through these delicious coffees.”
Rasheed Ahmad
President, Coffee Exporters Association
Willem Boot
“Over the years, I have fallen in love with the flavors of Yemeni coffee. Rightfully, Yemen is considered as one of the true origins of the Arabica bean. This is the place where the commercial cultivation of Arabica coffee started. NYCA is an excellent opportunity to facilitate long-lasting relationships between farmers located in the remote regions of Yemen and roasters/retailers around the world. Coffee is intricately connected with the legacy of Yemen, and I sincerely hope that this auction will be the beginning of a campaign that revitalizes the coffee sector in this amazing country.”
Co-Founder, The Mokha Institute