 About
the Company:
Established in 1992 by myself, Ed Wethli, I started with
retail stores in Pittsburgh, PA and quickly moved into
coffee roasting and wholesale operations. Actually though,
our story begins with my good friend Sir Edmund Moore. You
see, Sir Edmund is key to our business and you will see him
more and more often as we move forward but first we must go
back and I am going to share with you the beginning. Enjoy!
Sir Edmund Moore was the impetus for my getting into the
coffee industry. He was my mentor and friend. In 1989, after
graduating from Penn State with a Masters degree, I took a
hiatus in Europe. After back packing around Europe for 6
weeks on my return flight home I ordered a cup of coffee.
When the flight attendant returned with my coffee the
gentleman sitting beside me, in a refined British accent,
asked me how much I knew about the beverage for which I was
about to partake. In my best Pittsburgh accent I said I
simply knew that it helped wake me up in the morning. It was
then that he began to give me my first lesson in the
vita-culture, history, and romance of coffee. This chance
acquaintance on a 7 hour flight from Europe was the
beginning of my career in coffee and the start of a great
friendship. On my trip through Europe I had time to think
about the course my life would now take. My undergraduate
degree was in History and I wanted a career that balanced my
love of history and cultures with a Masters degree in
business. Sir Edmund taught me that life gives us answers in
the strangest places. As Sir Edmund began to give me a
lesson in coffee I recognized that a career in the coffee
industry would balance my business acumen, love of history,
and my desire to travel.
What would I name this coffee company? Well here is
the story…
Sir Edmund, while traveling one day in the ancient city of
Istanbul, a city nestled between Europe and Asia, with a
mingling of both traditions and cultures, was directed
toward a little-known piece of history by a man who looked
as if he had the wisdom of the world. Sir Edmund turned
around and gazed upon the original Kiva Han, established in
1471. There was not much to the shop from the outside, but
inside, oh what splendor. Jars full of the most exquisite
coffees graced the shelves. While enjoying a cup of coffee,
Sir Edmund and the shop keeper began discussing the subtle
differences in each coffee, which give them their own
individual character and flavor. Sir Edmund was himself a
seasoned coffee drinker. Yet, he was intrigued. After hours
of "Coffee Education," Sir Edmund decided that these secrets
could no longer be confined. The rest of the world should
experience the “fineness” in coffee. Thus began his quest to
find the best coffees of the world and I had found the name
for my new venture, Kiva Han Coffee.
At Kiva Han, we take pride in our commitment to service and
quality. We use only the highest grade Arabica beans,
harvested from select regions the world over. Grown at
elevations above 3,000 feet and with an extended growing
cycle, Arabica beans are plumper and contain more oils and
flavor than robusta beans – the typical store brand coffee
bean. To ensure the finest quality of each aromatic cup,
Kiva Han chooses only the freshest, plumpest beans and only
roasts on demand. We hope you enjoy exploring our company
and products and will join us in “Enjoying Life’s Journey”.
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