Minnesota Based Company is Changing the Game for Specialty Lao Coffee
An Interview with Uprooted Coffee owners, Saengmany Ratsabout and Gao Lee
Q: Share with us the story behind Uprooted Coffee
As former refugees and children of immigrants, we know all too well about the struggles of being uprooted from our homeland. Like the coffee plant, vibrant refugee communities like the one we grew up in continue to thrive and persevere in new and challenging environments.
Our mission at Uprooted is informed by our refugee and the immigrant experience in America. We seek to support and uplift communities we care about through our venture. We combine a love for our communities and a passion for specialty coffees to bring you smooth flavors with a great cause.
We are committed to donating a portion of all sales to immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations and organizations that are fighting for a more just and equitable society. As entrepreneurs, we are proud of our immigrant roots!
Q: Tell us about your first experience with Lao coffee!
Growing up as a refugee and immigrant kid in the U.S., I didn’t really have much exposure to coffee from Laos. The closest thing I had to Lao coffee was sneaking a sip of coffee that my parents made using Cafe Du Monde’s coffee and chicory and with lots of condensed milk. My first experience with Lao coffee was at a streetside shop in Vientiane in December 2003 when I made the first trip back since our family left in 1984. The shopkeeper used Dao Heung coffee and brewed it using the traditional Lao method of filtering it multiple times using a coffee sock.
The rich, velvety, dark-colored coffee was served over ice and with lots of condensed milk. That first sip brought me back to my childhood. My second trip to Laos was nearly 15 years later, in 2018. So much had changed between those two trips. The country now had a growing middle class and along with that were young entrepreneurs in the food and drink sector. There were plenty of cafes that served premium and specialty coffee grown in Laos. Some of my favorite spots were Kaogee Cafe and Common Grounds.
Coincidentally, the annual Lao Coffee Festival was held in Vientiane that year. My family and I were able to attend some of the festivities. I even volunteered to go on stage to join in a friendly competition and won two bags of specialty coffee!
Q: What have been your biggest challenges with sourcing coffee from Laos?
Like any small start-up, our biggest challenge is fostering relationships with producers and importers. Starting a company during a global pandemic is as uncertain as it gets. This has hindered our travel plans to build direct relationships with growers and producers. However, we were able to connect with a couple of producers through social media and work with existing importers in the U.S. that have access to import coffee beans from Laos. Through this slow growth, we are able to focus on intentional relationship-building with existing importers. Our goal is to continue exploring and building direct relationships with growers and producers in Laos.
Q: What is special about Lao coffee and Lao coffee farms?
With any industry, it’s about the people who put in the work to create the product. For us, recognizing that the beans are cultivated by our people in our homeland is really meaningful. Our families were farmers in Laos for many generations. We recognize and appreciate the hard labor that goes into producing commercial crops. For the coffee farms, it provides a source of income for the people that work the lands. The farms also provide another source of crops for ethnic minorities, in areas such as the northern part of Laos, to explore and specialize in. Lastly, Lao coffee is special because it tastes damn good. Because Lao coffee has not been available, people might not know the quality or taste, but it’s delicious. We want to play our part in introducing quality coffee to people who might not think of coffee when they think of Laos.
Q: What do you believe to be the future for Lao coffee?
We believe Lao coffee can compete in the global market. Growers are exploring different varieties and the climate there produces great growing conditions so it’s a win-win for all! Most small lots and micro-lot coffee in Laos are shade-grown under the existing forest canopy. The environment is a particularly important piece we need to pay attention to. We want to protect the trees and climate so the plants can continue to be grown in the shade which in turn creates rich flavorful coffee.
Q: For someone new to Uprooted, what do you suggest they try?
At Uprooted Coffee, we carefully source our beans for a well-balanced flavor that both the avid coffee drinkers and beginners can enjoy. We would recommend our coffee from Paksong, which is one of our most popular items. The beans are a city plus roast, a slightly darker medium, giving the coffee its rich velvety color. This Paksong coffee has a mild body with notes of raw sugars, nuts, cacao, and a hint of green tea. It is perfect for pour-over, cold brew, or espresso. We are also excited to introduce new coffee from Da Lat, Vietnam and Xieng Khouang, Laos in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Event
No one in business does it alone. We have support from many individuals and entities. We are thankful to our dear friend, Kayla Yang-Best, for graciously allowing her shop to be a local pick-up site at Seasoned Specialty Food Market in St. Paul. Seasoned is a producer-led market with a unique grocery model that helps food startups and emerging food businesses bring their finest products directly to consumers. Everyone should go support Seasoned, plus they have a little deli that has yummy sandwiches. Uprooted Coffee will be at Seasoned on Saturday, June 4th to help them celebrate their 4th anniversary. We will be providing samples of our coffee and have some products on-site for purchase.
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