Black Ivory: Luxury coffee with a conscience – in pictures

Cleaned coffee beans extracted from elephant dung are left to dryprior to roasting. Christophe Archambault / AFP

The wife of a mahout extracts coffee beans from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Blake Dinkin, the founder of Black Ivory coffee, left, and a worker spread cleaned coffee beans to dry them. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Roasted coffee beans, extracted from elephant dung, have been described to as earthly in flavour and soft on the palate. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Mahouts feed an elephant with a mixture containing coffee beans. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Black Ivory Coffee is produced through elephants under the care of Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Christophe Archambault / AFP

A percentage from Black Ivory Coffee sales helps fund a specialist veterinarian to care for elephants in Thailand through the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Christophe Archambault / AFP

A staff prepares Black Ivory coffee for hotel guests at the luxury Anantara resort in Thailand. Christophe Archambault / AFP

A mahout’s wife cleans coffee beans extracted from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Up to 33 kilograms of coffee cherries are required to produce just one kilogram of Black Ivory coffee. Christophe Archambault / AFP

Black Ivory coffee is one of the world’s most expensive, thanks to pachyderms under the care of Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in northern Thailand.