Ours begins in the mist-covered mountains of Yunnan, travels through a shared love of coffee, and carries the spirit of an ancient road.
GET TO KNOW USTea Horse Coffee started with a surprise: a visit to China that introduced one of us to the remarkable coffee growing in Yunnan. Surrounded by mountains and misty valleys, we discovered beans that were smooth, naturally sweet, aromatic, and different from the coffees we knew back home.
At the same time, coffee was becoming something special in our relationship. As a couple with connections to both China and New York, we found joy in discovering different origins, tasting new coffees, learning about processing and roasting, and swapping stories over a cup.
We kept coming back to one question: Why was coffee from Yunnan so hard to find in the United States?
So we created Tea Horse Coffee to share the coffee, places, and people that made us curious in the first place. We're a small independent business, built on a shared love of coffee and discovery—not just another bag of beans.
To introduce more people to the coffees of Yunnan—one thoughtful, delicious cup at a time.FROM YUNNAN, WITH CURIOSITY
We named our coffee company after the Ancient Tea Horse Road—Chá Mǎ Gǔ Dào (茶马古道)—a historic network of caravan trails that linked southwestern China with Tibet and communities beyond.
These routes carried tea, horses, salt, and much more. Just as importantly, they carried conversations, customs, and new ideas across the mountains.
That spirit felt right for our coffee. Yunnan was once famous for the tea that traveled these roads. Today, we're excited to help introduce another beautiful product from the region: coffee.
We like to imagine the Tea Horse continuing its journey, just carrying something a little different this time.
The Tea Horse Road was never one road. It was a network of highland paths shaped over centuries by traders, travelers, horses, mules, and the communities that depended on them.
Trade routes through southwestern China took shape over many centuries. By the Tang dynasty (618–907), tea was moving into Tibetan regions, and the exchange of tea for horses grew into an important relationship between highland and tea-growing communities.
Caravans traveled from the tea-growing regions of Yunnan and Sichuan toward Tibet, with branches reaching Nepal, India, and other nearby regions. The journeys crossed steep passes, deep valleys, and market towns—connecting communities as well as trading goods.
Trade along these routes expanded through later dynasties, carrying tea, salt, horses, and everyday necessities. As modern roads took over, the caravan network faded, but its legacy remains in the places, cultures, and stories it linked together.
Curious to explore the history further? Read more from The Ancient Tea Horse Road exhibition ↗ and China Culture ↗.
We may be starting small, but we believe a good cup can open the door to something bigger: learning about a place, appreciating the care behind a harvest, and finding your next favorite ritual.
Thank you for coming along for the ride.
EXPLORE OUR COFFEESFollow along for new coffees, behind-the-scenes moments, Yunnan stories, and upcoming pop-ups. Questions about your order or coffee? Our inbox is open.
