Coffee
Coffee drinking is a popular pastime in Hong Kong, but few of us are aware of the complex processes that bring the quality brew to our tables. While millions enjoy their cup, merchandisers and purchasers are searching high and low around the world to find the perfect bean.
Thomas Hahn, general manager of Starbucks Hong Kong, said the process of sourcing and purchasing coffee started with selecting the right beans.
Starbucks sources only Arabica beans, which are usually cultivated by small coffee farmers at high altitudes where crops are less susceptible to bad weather.
Clean air and high altitudes yield a better quality bean, which is naturally more expensive.
'Our success as a coffee company really depends on the success of the coffee farmers,' Mr Hahn said. 'It is in our interest that they make a living and continue to grow Arabica beans.'