Editor’s Note: This story is part of Momentum: The people and companies shaping what’s next, a weekly series that explores new ventures, founder support, and the resources powering entrepreneurship and small businesses across seven counties in Southwest Michigan. This project is sponsored by Southwest Michigan First.
Yemeni coffee is having a moment.
According to Food & Wine magazine, coffee from Yemen — rare, highly prized heirloom Coffea arabica grown on ancient mountain terraces — is drawing renewed attention in the United States. Cultivated using centuries-old, chemical-free dry-processing methods, the beans have a flavor profile unlike the coffee most Americans encounter every day: deep, earthy and wine-like, with rich chocolate notes.
Kalamazoo is getting a taste.
At Shibam Coffee, which opened last December at Campus Pointe Plaza, Yemeni-style coffee is served alongside cardamom-spiced teas, elaborate desserts and traditional snacks. The coffeehouse has quickly developed a following, particularly among Western Michigan University students looking for somewhere to linger long after many other cafés have closed…