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.
![Up to 33 kilograms of coffee cherries are required to produce just one kilogram of Black Ivory coffee. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/H44HCLQWNGJ4QPHB6FIJLEDNCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c73e806f019ed653880355a35a87a9fe4aaa1dd29c4dc529c0ee7dd6905dd2b&width=400&height=225)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3C6RWJVGJD7I2H2WFSV526PE4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff478611ad89abbffc05d3b48f8f488478c1c57cffef6a6b33131540d2268c0a&width=400&height=225)
![Cleaned coffee beans extracted from elephant dung are left to dryprior to roasting. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZP7KGEUGHTAZAPSEWN3FDHRRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=53914466db4fa0cbf48523f887fa6f26867d646b6be9086f4f0c6381f92df213&width=400&height=225)
![The wife of a mahout extracts coffee beans from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J5E5CBKOHD6ZHJNH76PK5MT7U4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3cdf66c29aee25d596b6d8795bf0d460588c3ca6aed03ad5712b9aeef1636e9&width=400&height=225)
![Blake Dinkin, the founder of Black Ivory coffee, left, and a worker spread cleaned coffee beans to dry them. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4LMT7XBEHN4GLHM2YBBLKYLJJI.jpg?smart=true&auth=00679ef731533b922aa71c14fa261b85b19a612b564322d2a0c768c7f599bc97&width=400&height=225)
![Roasted coffee beans, extracted from elephant dung, have been described to as earthly in flavour and soft on the palate. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ISKHO5EB3DV6B3CQKBVEU2GLJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=37a97b611125fa75b3f48f07b57fa293a14dd334ec3b69995e48b73d9c24a26a&width=400&height=225)
![Mahouts feed an elephant with a mixture containing coffee beans. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YRWKHYGZIH7FJ5NW2BXKLVOXZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e2177eb025402b7cef83dc5a7ee8fc9c040f6eb4a7bc319bcd2a2ec18547f488&width=400&height=225)
![Black Ivory Coffee is produced through elephants under the care of Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WRQ4GOADSUS25QME2A57CUNJQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3d8225f72e0e29b9fc14f6e163658e50598196e2ad463d87df2b23419db97f4&width=400&height=225)
![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](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMA6G7FDPMSUFS3KFCIDE2W42Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2f07f82f9058c7428166604a5d113124d4f0ddf387b217fc9e92e35a7536b82c&width=400&height=225)
![A staff prepares Black Ivory coffee for hotel guests at the luxury Anantara resort in Thailand. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LOKLYNB24Q2S7LPR4JKASYNDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d94d63b1230c03c00a5ddbe72f1f04f0a2837ebcd79b5eab0a4eae08b39257c8&width=400&height=225)
![A mahout’s wife cleans coffee beans extracted from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J23XX73COZAYCM6DVS3EQQ3RF4.jpg?smart=true&auth=717ba4b9823056bf9f557b05c85d386d92c64f9eb1992ecee707e5402b12e434&width=400&height=225)
![Up to 33 kilograms of coffee cherries are required to produce just one kilogram of Black Ivory coffee. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/H44HCLQWNGJ4QPHB6FIJLEDNCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c73e806f019ed653880355a35a87a9fe4aaa1dd29c4dc529c0ee7dd6905dd2b&width=400&height=225)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3C6RWJVGJD7I2H2WFSV526PE4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff478611ad89abbffc05d3b48f8f488478c1c57cffef6a6b33131540d2268c0a&width=400&height=225)
![Cleaned coffee beans extracted from elephant dung are left to dryprior to roasting. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZP7KGEUGHTAZAPSEWN3FDHRRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=53914466db4fa0cbf48523f887fa6f26867d646b6be9086f4f0c6381f92df213&width=400&height=225)
![The wife of a mahout extracts coffee beans from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J5E5CBKOHD6ZHJNH76PK5MT7U4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3cdf66c29aee25d596b6d8795bf0d460588c3ca6aed03ad5712b9aeef1636e9&width=400&height=225)
![Blake Dinkin, the founder of Black Ivory coffee, left, and a worker spread cleaned coffee beans to dry them. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4LMT7XBEHN4GLHM2YBBLKYLJJI.jpg?smart=true&auth=00679ef731533b922aa71c14fa261b85b19a612b564322d2a0c768c7f599bc97&width=400&height=225)
![Roasted coffee beans, extracted from elephant dung, have been described to as earthly in flavour and soft on the palate. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ISKHO5EB3DV6B3CQKBVEU2GLJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=37a97b611125fa75b3f48f07b57fa293a14dd334ec3b69995e48b73d9c24a26a&width=400&height=225)
![Mahouts feed an elephant with a mixture containing coffee beans. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YRWKHYGZIH7FJ5NW2BXKLVOXZU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e2177eb025402b7cef83dc5a7ee8fc9c040f6eb4a7bc319bcd2a2ec18547f488&width=400&height=225)
![Black Ivory Coffee is produced through elephants under the care of Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WRQ4GOADSUS25QME2A57CUNJQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b3d8225f72e0e29b9fc14f6e163658e50598196e2ad463d87df2b23419db97f4&width=400&height=225)
![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](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMA6G7FDPMSUFS3KFCIDE2W42Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=2f07f82f9058c7428166604a5d113124d4f0ddf387b217fc9e92e35a7536b82c&width=400&height=225)
![A staff prepares Black Ivory coffee for hotel guests at the luxury Anantara resort in Thailand. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LOKLYNB24Q2S7LPR4JKASYNDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d94d63b1230c03c00a5ddbe72f1f04f0a2837ebcd79b5eab0a4eae08b39257c8&width=400&height=225)
![A mahout’s wife cleans coffee beans extracted from elephant dung. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J23XX73COZAYCM6DVS3EQQ3RF4.jpg?smart=true&auth=717ba4b9823056bf9f557b05c85d386d92c64f9eb1992ecee707e5402b12e434&width=400&height=225)
![Up to 33 kilograms of coffee cherries are required to produce just one kilogram of Black Ivory coffee. Christophe Archambault / AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/H44HCLQWNGJ4QPHB6FIJLEDNCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c73e806f019ed653880355a35a87a9fe4aaa1dd29c4dc529c0ee7dd6905dd2b&width=400&height=225)
Black Ivory: Luxury coffee with a conscience – in pictures
Liz Claus
June 10, 2015
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic