Background

Tsiese Coffee Estate sits in Tsiesema village, about 5 km from Kohima city in Nagaland, Northeast India — a region with little prior presence in specialty coffee. The estate was founded in 2015 by Lhouvilie Yhor, an architect by training, with initial backing from the Coffee Board of India (10,000 saplings at founding).

Coffee grows under the natural forest canopy at ~1,500 MASL using sustainable and traditional farming practices. Primary varieties are SL9 and SL13 Arabica. Yhor won the Coffee Board of India's Know Your Kaapi competition (Arabica Naturals category), marking one of the first significant recognitions for a Northeast Indian producer.

In December 2024, an IFAD-funded market access facility for coffee processing and storage was inaugurated at Tsiesema, improving infrastructure for the wider Nagaland coffee community.

Grey Soul Coffee Roasters is among the buyers working with this estate.