Quick answerAl-Aqeeq Yemen Coffee was founded in Houston, Texas in 2017 by brothers Hasan Rangwala and Hussain Rangwala. They started as teenagers with a mission to bring Yemen's world-class coffee to American homes and to help Yemeni farmers grow coffee instead of qat. Both brothers studied at the University of Houston.
How it started
In 2017, Hasan traveled to Egypt and discovered that Yemeni coffee is considered among the finest in the world. Back in Houston, he and his younger brother Hussain built a plan: source authentic Yemeni coffee directly from farmers and traders, roast it fresh in small batches, and share both the coffee and the story of Yemen with American coffee lovers.
With the support of their parents, Amir and Zahra Rangwala, the brothers launched Al-Aqeeq, named after the agate stone treasured in Yemen. In 2019 they expanded to Amazon, and their story was featured on Fox 26 Houston.
Hasan Rangwala, Co-Founder
Hasan led Al-Aqeeq as CEO, building the company's sourcing, online store and Amazon presence. He went on to study medicine at the University of Houston's Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Connect with Hasan on LinkedIn.
Hussain Rangwala, Co-Founder & COO
Hussain runs day-to-day operations, from sourcing sun-dried coffee cherries to roasting schedules and fulfillment. An Arabic major and pre-med student at the University of Houston, he keeps Al-Aqeeq close to the language and culture behind every bag. Connect with Hussain on LinkedIn.
The mission today
Al-Aqeeq is a family-run, certified minority business. Every bag of Mocha Yemeni and Haraaz Fair Value supports demand for Yemeni coffee and the farming families who grow it. Read the full Al-Aqeeq story.