THE LADY

The Lady Specialty Coffee was created in 2017 by two leading lights of the Myanmar specialty scene, Su Nandar Linn and Thi Ha Gyawalie, to champion and support the women coffee farmers in Ywangan, southern Shan. All of their coffees are produced exclusively by women (from Pa-O and Danu ethnic minority groups). From initially engaging with 51 farmers from one village, Nwar Ban Gyi, they now work with over 400 female producers across seven villages in Ywangan: Nwar Ban Gyi, Taung Khaung Pwar, Pway Na Phar, Myaing, Myin Dwin, Myin Kya Doe Village and Ga Zat.

The Lady Specialty Coffee is founded on the deep desire to help small-scale families and communities within Ywangan with sustainable farming practices, quality control and fair pay. Su Nandar and Thiha train and support their all-female workforce in every aspect of coffee processing, and pay above average prices to farmers in nearby villages for their coffee cherries. They also support women farmers through:

• 20% profit sharing to farmers after final sales
• 3 x market rates for premium coffee cherries
• Seeds for new farmers and in potential areas
• Training for new, small producers in emerging regions

Both Su Nandar Linn and Thi Ha have family backgrounds in coffee and are themselves experts in all aspects of coffee growing and processing. Su Nandar Linn’s family owns Shwe Ywar Ngan Coffee, a farm, processor, and roaster in Ywangan, Shan State. Her father, Win Aung Kyaw, has been in the coffee business since 1975, and played an instrumental role in the development of Myanmar’s coffee industry, disseminating coffee cultivars and new coffee production technologies. A certified Q grader and Q processor, Su Nandar Linn continues this commitment to develop the country’s speciality industry through The Lady.

Thi Ha runs his family’s coffee estate Ruby Hills, based in Mogok. A Certified Q Grader and Processing Professional (CQI), Thi Ha is also a board member of the Myanmar Coffee Association, a non-profit trade association working to increase the prosperity of all sectors of the country’s coffee industry.