Buying Coffee Beans

[StevePettman]

Hi folks,

Been a very recent Retiree here in Phuket (have been coming to Thailand for over 12 years but now made the leap to the retirement visa) I am struggling to find coffee beans that are not ridiculously expensive. I am used to buying 1kg of coffee beans back in Australia for about $10-20 AUD...here in Thailand it seems much more expensive. Have any of you found a good supplier at a reasonable price to purchase from?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[soi3eddie]

I love making fresh coffee every morning and use a grinder and cafetiere (French press). Finding decent beans at a reasonable price in Thai supermarkets has been hit or miss for me. Nowadays I order online at Lazada. Finally, I have found a great coffee bean at fair price. Delivery normally a couple of days.

DOI CHANG from Siam Roastery offer medium and dark beans (possibly others) and these are the ones I use. I prefer the medium roast. They come in 500g bags. Well sealed. SEE HERE  for Doi Chang.

Daniels Coffee is quite good too but I now prefer Doi Chang.

 

Please post back and let us know how you get on with your search.

[Stocky]

I buy my beans from Bon Cafe, their 'All Day' coffee beans are about Bht500/kg. Can find Bon Cafe in most large supermarkets, though not always the beans, but option of going to the local Bon Cafe shop or ordering online.

[Jingthing]

I buy a wide variety of beans not available in retail stores from lazada.com. The choices vary a lot over time but I enjoy the adventure of trying new ones. Often direct from the source no middleman. Often the prices are quite good as well. I buy a kilogram at a time.  Either 4 bags of 250 grams or 2 of 500. Simply search for coffee beans Arabica and browse away. The user reviews are sometimes helpful but the suppliers do try to describe their beans as far as roast level and flavor profile. The beans are usually sold whole but of course make sure you know what you're getting. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Jingthing

[marin]

37 minutes ago, Stocky said:

I buy my beans from Bon Cafe, their 'All Day' coffee beans are about Bht500/kg. Can find Bon Cafe in most large supermarkets,

I have found these to be the best. Bon Cafe comes in 250g backs either beans or ground. Most supermarkets its about 140 baht, but at Makro the packages are only 114 Baht so quite a good deal. I like a strong cup so Dark French or Espresso blend for me.

[ehs818]

I buy whole beans at Makro and the brand name is SOLE. It's 155 baht for 500 grams. Good coffee, good price.

[cucme]

Check Big-C, nice variety, fantastic price for Casino, a french brand.

[NVass]

Macro! Cant remember the brand but nice flavour and I think 450b/Kg We use in a Bean to cup Machine.

[userabcd]

Makro coffee brands - sole, bon cafe and others. Coffee for about 450 baht a kilo.

 

Online lazada and shopee there are a lot of choices.

Edited December 26, 2020 by userabcd

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, StevePettman said:

Hi folks,

Been a very recent Retiree here in Phuket (have been coming to Thailand for over 12 years but now made the leap to the retirement visa) I am struggling to find coffee beans that are not ridiculously expensive. I am used to buying 1kg of coffee beans back in Australia for about $10-20 AUD...here in Thailand it seems much more expensive. Have any of you found a good supplier at a reasonable price to purchase from?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

A reasonable price, which is more than paid in Australia, allows the grower a reasonable return for their investment.

Just face the fact that prices for different products are different between countries and the Australian prices are no guide to Thai prices.

[kiteman9]

I have been happy with these beans from Lazada.  https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i995404065-s2170032410.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1

[khunjeff]

Shopee carries a lot of reasonably priced beans from various sellers, mostly located in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

 

Supermarkets usually don't sell much in the way of whole beans, and when they do, the beans tend to be imported and quite expensive. As several folks have mentioned, one exception is Bon Cafe, which is fairly widely available and has various varieties ranging in price from about 120 - 180 baht per 250g bag. The "All Day" variety is quite ok, and "Rama" is good but is more towards the higher end of the Bon Cafe price range.

[NanLaew]

At our makro, there's Phu brand from Nan that has arabica, robusta and expresso beans. Just paid 235 baht for a 500 gr bag of arabica beans which may be too rich for the OP but I think the other two are cheaper.

 

I also second the Casino Arome Delice beans currently on special at some Big C outlets. Blending them with the Phu beans has been rewarding.

 

I also liked Nayung beans from the west of Udon near the border with Loei. Three product lines, all decent but I like their 'Extra' the best. I get them locally but I see them on shopee at 175 baht for a 250 gr bag.

[Kwasaki]

My Mrs sells Bon café beads they have different names of coffee she stocks about 4 types and it gets delivered. 

[wolf81]

I like the Zolito brand coffee from Makro, especially the High Mountain variety. It's about 270 THB for 500 gram IIRC. Occasionally it seems Makro has very steep discounts, at some point I've been able to buy this coffee for only 165 THB for a bag. So my advise would be to check your local Makro occasionally. Online Zolito is more expensive.

 

But recently found an even cheaper alternative nearby from a local coffee shop, 240 THB for 500 gram with Italian and French roast varieties. So these are the ones I will try next.

Edited December 26, 2020 by wolf81

[Whip]

Order them on lazada. Lots of  choice

[terminatorchiangmai]

5 hours ago, ehs818 said:

I buy whole beans at Makro and the brand name is SOLE. It's 155 baht for 500 grams. Good coffee, good price.

Same for me , but i buy ground 155 baht for 500 gr. Very good coffee

[canerandagio]

Caffe Bruno, is good, reasonably priced and gor a good cause. They are growing coffee in lampang snd srll online.

[sibille]

I buy organic fresh coffee for only 150 baht / kg from the hill tribes in northern Thailand - green beans and roast them myself! easy! and super fresh coffee - Arabica

[DUNROAMIN]

9 hours ago, StevePettman said:

Hi folks,

Been a very recent Retiree here in Phuket (have been coming to Thailand for over 12 years but now made the leap to the retirement visa) I am struggling to find coffee beans that are not ridiculously expensive. I am used to buying 1kg of coffee beans back in Australia for about $10-20 AUD...here in Thailand it seems much more expensive. Have any of you found a good supplier at a reasonable price to purchase from?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

Makro, 1 kg under 300B good blend.

[Carlos Primeros]

I buy my coffee bean from Redcliff Coffee in Chiang Rai. I order online and they send it by EMS all over Thailand. They grow their own coffee and toast the beans after ordering. So you get the freshest coffee there is. The quality is Arabica 100 % and the taste is very good. Price is reasonable. Shipment from Chiang Rai to the South in about 2 to 3 days. Just google Redcliff Coffee Chiang Rai.

Enjoy!

 

[khunPer]

Bon Café from Makro, about 450 baht a kilo for espresso, almost same price in BigC and Tesco-Lotus; Bon Café is all right average good coffee...????????

[4reaL]

Bon Cafe is decent for lack of better options in Thailand, lot's of Doi Tung varieties are just bad.

 

You can order from the site below who are probably a bit overpriced but have some interesting flavors.

 

www.benjamitcoffee.com 

[Jingthing]

6 hours ago, Whip said:

Order them on lazada. Lots of  choice

Yeah, me too.

Though I have to admit because I have been into testing a new supplier every time, occasionally I get some very boring beans. But that's well balanced with the ones that I like. I see it kind of like wine. A crappy wine has no complexity and better wines do. I suppose most people might stick with a supplier that they do like, but I'm into the thrill of the hunt for something new and different. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Jingthing

[Saraburi121]

16 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I love making fresh coffee every morning and use a grinder and cafetiere (French press). Finding decent beans at a reasonable price in Thai supermarkets has been hit or miss for me. Nowadays I order online at Lazada. Finally, I have found a great coffee bean at fair price. Delivery normally a couple of days.

DOI CHANG from Siam Roastery offer medium and dark beans (possibly others) and these are the ones I use. I prefer the medium roast. They come in 500g bags. Well sealed. SEE HERE  for Doi Chang.

Daniels Coffee is quite good too but I now prefer Doi Chang.

 

Please post back and let us know how you get on with your search.

Use the Doi Chang coffee as well and find it is one of the best beans, in my opinion, you can buy in Thailand.  Doi Chang dark beans work great for grinding for espresso or the press.

[ClockTower]

6 hours ago, Carlos Primeros said:

I buy my coffee bean from Redcliff Coffee in Chiang Rai. I order online and they send it by EMS all over Thailand. They grow their own coffee and toast the beans after ordering. So you get the freshest coffee there is. The quality is Arabica 100 % and the taste is very good. Price is reasonable. Shipment from Chiang Rai to the South in about 2 to 3 days. Just google Redcliff Coffee Chiang Rai.

Enjoy!

 

Well, thanks for that.  I ordered a kg to try them out.  I like what you say about roasting after ordering.  I also like that they send 4 * 250-g bags to keep it fresher over time. 

 

For years I have been getting my beans and Nespresso-compatible capsules from two French guys near Ekamai BTS, called CafeCaps.  The beans are a little cheaper than Red Cliff, but 500g is the smallest bag that they will do.  And I like the taste.  Also, the shipping is free after a 1000 baht or so, which was not the case at Red Cliff.

 

https://www.redcliffcoffee.com

https://cafecaps.com/th/

[elgenon]

17 hours ago, Stocky said:

I buy my beans from Bon Cafe, their 'All Day' coffee beans are about Bht500/kg. Can find Bon Cafe in most large supermarkets, though not always the beans, but option of going to the local Bon Cafe shop or ordering online.

Is that the same as Bon Pain or is it a different company? Was wondering if you shortened the name.

[khunjeff]

4 hours ago, elgenon said:

Is that the same as Bon Pain or is it a different company? Was wondering if you shortened the name.

 

Totally different company. Au Bon Pain is an international cafe/bakery/restaurant chain, and Bon Cafe is a Thai supplier of coffee beans, ground coffee, and coffee equipment that does not run its own cafes. 

[4reaL]

33 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

Totally different company. Au Bon Pain is an international cafe/bakery/restaurant chain, and Bon Cafe is a Thai supplier of coffee beans, ground coffee, and coffee equipment that does not run its own cafes. 

 

There is a nice Bon Cafe restaurant in Nakula that also sells commercial machines.

 

 

 

 

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah, me too.

Though I have to admit because I have been into testing a new supplier every time, occasionally I get some very boring beans. But that's well balanced with the ones that I like. I see it kind of like wine. A crappy wine has no complexity and better wines do. I suppose most people might stick with a supplier that they do like, but I'm into the thrill of the hunt for something new and different. 

 

I recall a lot of good words about Benjamit Coffee Roasters, a coffee shop facing the market at the south end of Buakhao and Pattaya Thai. I recall they would also do mail order? Did you ever try it and if so, how did it rate for you?

 

FWIW, their website fails security checks in Firefox, Chrome and Opera right now but here's the map info.

 

https://g.page/BenjamitCoffee?share