OUR STORY
From a Houston kitchen to the mountains of Yemen: how Hasan and Hussain Rangwala turned an idea into a mission that supports Yemeni farmers.
How it started
In 2017, Hasan traveled to Egypt, where he discovered something remarkable: Yemeni coffee was considered among the finest in the world. That moment sparked an idea.
Alongside his brother Hussain, he saw an opportunity to introduce this exceptional coffee to the American market while supporting the farmers behind it.
What began as a simple realization soon turned into a mission: to help the people of Yemen by promoting their coffee, and to bring one of the world's best coffees to the people of America.
The beginning of a bold vision
A Simple Idea
A Shared Vision
A Clear PurposeBack in Houston, Hasan and Hussain didn't wait. They built a plan with one goal: bring Yemen's world-class coffee to American homes, support farmers, and create real change.
With the support of their family, their father Amir Rangwala, a petrophysicist, and their mother Zahra, a digital entrepreneur, they turned their idea into action.
Al-Aqeeq was never just a dream. It was a name, a family behind it, and a mission with purpose.
Our roots are in Houston
Our vision is for the world
Family DrivenBuilt on faith, values, and togetherness.
Coffee HeritageHonoring the centuries-old coffee tradition of the Yemeni highlands.
Global MissionSharing Yemen's finest coffee with the world while uplifting local communities.
Impact That MattersEmpowering farmers, strengthening communities, and creating a better future for Yemen.
When the World Started Watching
In 2017, Al-Aqeeq officially launched. What started as an idea had become a real business sourcing directly from Yemeni farmers, roasting fresh to order, and delivering across the United States. It wasn't an easy journey, but every step forward mattered.
Each bag sold became more than just coffee. It was support for farming families in Yemen and beyond, helping create demand for sustainable coffee farming over qat. As their impact grew, so did the attention. News outlets such as FOX 26 Houston shared their story. The world was no longer just discovering the coffee; it was recognizing the purpose behind it.
The Movement
A Mission That Continues to Grow
Today, Al-Aqeeq is more than a coffee brand. What started as a dream in a Houston kitchen is now a certified minority business, still family-run, still mission-driven, still connecting two worlds one cup at a time. Hasan and Hussain are no longer teenagers, but their purpose hasn't aged a day. Every bag of Mocha Yemeni and Haraaz Fair Value still carries the same promise they made in 2017: that coffee can be a force for good, and that a cup brewed in America can change a life in Yemen. In 2019, Al-Aqeeq expanded its reach even further, launching on Amazon to bring authentic Yemeni coffee to doorsteps across the country.
2017Founded
1 Million+Total Page Visits
2-3 WeeksShipping Time
Meet the founders
Al-Aqeeq Yemen Coffee was founded in 2017 by brothers Hasan and Hussain Rangwala. They started as teenagers in Houston with one goal: bring Yemen's world-class coffee to American homes while supporting the farmers who grow it.
Co-Founder & former CEO
Hasan sparked Al-Aqeeq in 2017 after a trip to Egypt, where he learned that Yemeni coffee is considered among the finest in the world. He led the company as CEO, building direct relationships with Yemeni farmers and traders, launching the online store and taking Al-Aqeeq to Amazon.
Today Hasan is studying medicine at the University of Houston's Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, and he remains a proud co-founder of the family business.
Co-Founder & COO
Hussain runs Al-Aqeeq's day-to-day operations: sourcing sun-dried coffee cherries from Yemen, small-batch roasting schedules, fulfillment and customer care from Houston.
An Arabic major and pre-med student at the University of Houston, Hussain keeps the brand close to the language and culture behind every bag, and to the mission of helping Yemeni farmers choose coffee over qat.
Combine a sense of charity with an entrepreneur's mindset and you get a fresh idea: help people in Yemen while building a business. That idea became the Al-Aqeeq Coffee Company.
Yemen, about 8,300 miles from Houston, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Years of civil war have hurt its economy, and so has the widespread use of qat (khat), a shrub whose leaves are chewed as a mild stimulant. The plant contains cathinone, a Schedule I substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. Qat takes up farmland and scarce water that could grow food or coffee, and surveys have found that a large share of Yemeni adults chew it regularly.
Houston teens Hasan and Hussain Rangwala learned about this problem and wanted to help. Their idea was simple: sell high-quality Yemeni coffee in the United States. Yemeni coffee is one of the most prized coffees in the world, but because it is scarce, few Americans know it. Growing sales would increase demand at the source, and with fair prices, farmers would have a reason to replace qat with coffee plants, which can earn them more.
As every entrepreneur knows, turning an idea into a working business takes persistence. The brothers convinced their parents, Amir and Zahra Rangwala, to support the plan. Their father, a petrophysicist with a major Houston energy company, helped finance it. Their mother, Zahra, an entrepreneur who runs the digital agency K Business Solutions Inc., built the website and leads marketing. The brothers named the brand Al-Aqeeq in honor of their mother. It is a family business from top to bottom.
FAQ
Common questions about how Al-Aqeeq started and why.
In 2017 Hasan learned on a trip to Egypt that Yemeni coffee is prized worldwide. With his brother Hussain he set out to bring it to America and support the Yemeni farmers behind it.
Many Yemeni farmers switched to qat, a water-hungry stimulant crop. Steady demand and fair prices for Yemeni coffee give farmers a reason to grow coffee again. Why Yemeni farmers are returning to coffee.
Yes. Fox 26 Houston and the Daily Telescope have covered the brothers' story. Links are in the In the News section above.
Al-Aqeeq is the Arabic word for agate (carnelian), a precious stone long treasured in Yemen.
Yes. Al-Aqeeq is a family-run, certified minority business in Houston, Texas.
Find Hasan and Hussain on LinkedIn, or reach the team through our contact page.
Every purchase supports Yemeni farmers, preserves heritage, and delivers unmatched quality to your home.
Direct From Yemeni FarmersSourced ethically and sustainably from the heart of Yemen.
Freshly Roasted to OrderRoasted and dispatched for maximum freshness and flavor.
Delivered Across the USASecure shipping straight to your doorstep.
Supporting CommunitiesEmpowering farmers and building a better future for Yemen.
