Ayu Chuepa, or Lee, literally struck liquid gold. Hailing from the Akha tribe –native to Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Yunan – his Maejantai village has transformed from an unprofitable coffee plantation to an internationally acclaimed production. Seeing the rise of sustainable coffee, Ayu thought, “there’s no reason why Thailand’s beans should be inferior”. Ayu founded Akha Ama Coffee in 2010 (Ama is for mother), to centralize the process with sustainability practices. The village started selling coffee directly, implemented intercropping and multi-cropping, and reduced chemical usage. Villagers grew two strains of Arabica, receiving high financial compensation and training, allowing them to establish their own ventures. Recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (2010, 2011), they were also one of the selected 21 variations at World Coffee Events (2010). This led to a friendship with Chef Andy Ricker, and training with the founders of Portland’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Additionally, Lee runs the often sold-out biannual Coffee Journey project, where participants can go to the jungle and experience living as a coffee farmer. With two cafes and a factory in Chiang Mai, Lee is building his third with Jai Baan Studio, another social enterprise. Lee was awarded Thailand Smart Farmer Award (2016).