Varsha’s Viewpoint

For me, the last few months have felt incredibly hectic!

You may have seen in the news that, in September this year, large-scale anti-corruption protests and demonstrations rocked the capital Kathmandu, dethroning the prime minister of Nepal and destroying many public buildings. Sadly, many young people died in the unrest, which also reached Pokhara, making things feel unstable here too; the so-called GenZ revolution. Nepal now has a new female prime-minister, Sushila Karki. Things still feel unstable and we wonder how the cafe will survive through all the changes, but we also have a lot of hope for the future of Nepal.

There have been lots of other opportunities and challenges. I took a baking course in Kathmandu and had to leave my husband in charge of doing the roasting and running the cafe; however, he did have the help of two wonderful young ladies who were there to help and learn.

The cafe itself and the worldwide price of coffee, continue to present many challenges. On the one hand, we felt lots of hope because we suddenly had lots of interest from other cafes and hotels in forming partnerships with us. Likewise, there are some days when we are really busy and don’t get a chance to rest, and other days when the cafe is empty for a few hours; this can be the hardest time when you rely on the business to support your family. And then there is the price of green beans in Nepal, which rose really rapidly this year, leaving us unable to pass all that increase on to the customer in one go.

I have also been experimenting with new bakery items to sell, following the training I had. This has been fun, but also really hard work - a whole other level of stress! But then I remember that we have had customers that tell me how much they love our cafe environment and the time they had. And then I remember how often people who love our coffee, then buy some as a gift for their loved ones, often in different countries around the world. 

The ups and downs of learning to run a coffee roastery!