Founders — David Dale, Tou Dale

David Dale has worked in Laos over five years and has had a burden to help the poorest of the Lao farmers who live in the mountainous regions. David’s vision is to do economic development through agricultural promotion in which a sustainable market is provided to the people as well as a sustainable crop. This vision has been birthed in Saffron Coffee —the only coffee cooperative in Luang Prabang and all of northern Laos. Fluent in the Lao language, David enjoys working closely with the peoples of Laos, surveying new areas for coffee growing and seeing the faces of the farmers when they receive the benefit of their labor.

Tou Dale has played a key role in the formation and success of Saffron Coffee. Born in Vientiane (the capital of Laos) and married to David in 2005, Tou has provided critical support in the accounting, human resources and general leadership of the Saffron Coffee effort in Laos. Tou has a special gift for working with people and as a Lao national understands the heart and soul of all the people who help produce Saffron Coffee —the growers and workers. Tou is also managing the Saffron Caffè in Luang Prabang which brews the freshest of Saffron Coffee for all the international tourists to enjoy.

Workers — Likia Hur, Saeng Deuan, the people of Nong Tok village

Likia Hur is a memeber of the Hmong tribe and comes from Giutaloun village in the Xieng Nguen district of Luang Prabang province. Likia Hur graduated from the Pak Seuang Agricultural school just outside of Luang Prabang city and now oversees the coffee nursery of Saffron Coffee.

Saeng Deuan is a member of the Khmu tribe. Saeng Deuan is gifted in working with mountain farmers, building relationships and promoting coffee to new villages high in the mountains of Luang Prabang.

The many jubilant people of Nong Tok village do much of the work at Saffron Coffee’s nursery and current processing facility. Both Hmong and Khmu, the people of Nong Tok help to plant the 100,000’s of coffee seedlings, dry and sort parchment coffee and hand-grade green coffee before it is roasted. 

Growers — mountain villages of Hmong, Yao (Mien) and Khmu people

The growers are the heart of Saffron Coffee. They are the ones who carefully manage and cultivate each coffee tree, giving it the personal attention necessary to produce such a high-quality Arabica coffee. Saffron Coffee Growers come from many villages and hilltribes in the mountains that surround the World Heritage city of Luang Prabang. They are mostly Hmong, Yao (Mien) and Khmu. The growers are the focus of our efforts and the beneficiaries of the abundance imparted to them by you, when you purchase and enjoy a cup of Saffron Coffee.