Today we’d like to introduce you to Mohammed Al-Wadei.
Hi Mohammed, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. Before we get into specifics, please briefly describe how you got to where you are today.
My brother Hussan and I are from Yemen, and we grew up seeing our grandmother growing coffee beans. After she picked the beans and roasted them, she would share them with everyone to enjoy. Even after migrating to Tennessee, we enjoyed coffee from our homeland. Now that we can open a coffee shop, we want to share that delicious cup of coffee with the people of Memphis.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Despite its deep historical roots, Yemeni Coffee is new to the United States market. Yemen was the first to cultivate coffee 600 years ago, and that historical fact has been forgotten by many, even though the impact Yemeni Coffee had to this day is still present. For example, the Mocha Latte is attributed to the Mocha Port in Yemen, from which all Coffee Beans were exported. In addition, Mocha is attributed to chocolate due to the natural flavor of the Yemeni Coffee bean. Our biggest challenge is reviving historical information and educating the public about Yemeni Coffee. In addition, we are facing production challenges. Unlike coffee from other coffee shops, the coffee we make has to be brewed, and manual labor and talent go into it. We must rely on something other than automated machines as no machines are available for such types of coffee. So we faced many challenges, from trying to brew coffee promptly to training employees on how to brew coffee properly. Brewing coffee on a large scale is different when it’s brewed in the comfort of our homes.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Aldar Cafe?
We specialize in brewing Yemeni Coffee and Tea. Our coffee and tea goes back hundreds of years, and the method and style have only improved. We have a select few items that we bake in our shop and will expand more of that over time. If you want to have espresso drinks, we do have those too. However, we highly recommend you try Yemeni Coffee and Tea. You can always request a sample to help you decide what you would like to order.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up.
My favorite childhood memory is when we were all fasting during Ramadan. Before we started our fast, we would have Suhoor (a meal eaten early in the morning before dawn) with Qishr coffee. Qishr is light caffeinated coffee. It’s made from the shell of coffee beans and mixed with a few spices. The caffeine from the shell slowly awakens the mind rather than in a rush. Think of it as being woken up by the sunrise in the morning.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @aldarcafe901
- Facebook: @aldarcafe901
- Yelp: Aldar Cafe
- Other: https://order.dripos.com/Aldar-Cafe
