Sangai Hines-Brisbane is leading efforts to revive Liberia's Liberica coffee industry from her base in Monrovia. Facing financing hurdles, she promotes the native crop amid growing global interest. The government supports the initiative through a UN program.
In Monrovia, entrepreneur Sangai Hines-Brisbane operates Brisco Natural Liberica Coffee, focusing on reviving the country's indigenous coffee variety. As Chief Visionary Officer, she has promoted Liberica—scientifically Coffea liberica—for over a decade, developing products like roasted coffee, cherry tea, and flour. The business relies entirely on self-funding, with Hines-Brisbane reinvesting profits without government financial aid.
Liberica, native to West and Central Africa including Liberia, differs from dominant Arabica and Robusta types. Its beans are larger, offering fruity, smoky, and nutty flavors that appeal to specialty markets. Global coffee production hit 11.1 million metric tons in 2023, led by Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia, but Liberica holds a small share. Market projections show its value rising from US$972 million in 2021 to over US$1.45 billion by 2025 and exceeding US$3.2 billion by 2033, driven by demand for unique profiles and its resilience to warmer climates.
Liberia's coffee history peaked in the mid-1980s with over 200,000 bags annually, and earlier in the 20th century up to 10,000 metric tons. Civil conflicts and shifting global preferences reduced output to under 10,000 bags today, with much sold informally across borders. In 2024, Liberia joined the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's One Country One Priority Product initiative, naming Liberica coffee as its flagship commodity to boost production, research, and exports.
Hines-Brisbane faces barriers like limited grants—some exclude coffee despite its fruit classification—and high loan rates above 17 percent. She avoids big investments, such as a US$15,000 roaster, to cover packaging and marketing. Starting in 2012, she overcame retailer skepticism by directly pitching to stores, hotels, and restaurants in areas like Duala and Sinkor.
Looking forward, she plans a Coffee Lab and Rotisserie as a café and training hub for roasting, brewing, and barista skills. "Liberia has fertile soil and capable people," she said. "We don’t need to import everything when we can produce many things ourselves."