Guwahati: Once a fashion and wedding photographer, Lichan Humtsoe of Nagaland is now a successful entrepreneur after he ventured into specialty coffee a few years back, owning everything from breweries to a coffee line and even a coffee school.

Lichan started with a mission to develop through in-depth research and scientific strategies. While narrating his entrepreneurial journey to Business Northeast, he recalls how youth unemployment had inspired him to conceptualize the idea for the company, despite the fact that it was not an easy start. He had quit his government job to create this business. 

"I noticed that thousands of new graduates lose their value to society each year as a result of the unemployment issue. We left our mainstream careers to create something on our own," he said. 

 "Our first objective is to offer sustainable employment opportunities to as many people as possible through our business. Sadly, our mainstream conventional education system does not necessarily prepare us for employment, particularly in a state like Nagaland where the corporate and private sectors have not yet developed,"  he added. 

He established Été Coffee, the first specialty coffee roasting company in Northeast India on July 2, 2016 with an initial investment of Rs. 6400.  According to Humtsoe, “Été” in Lotha Naga dialect means “us” or “ours”. Naga being a multi-tribal community, the company envisages advocating unity through its brand name. 

"Around that time, the third wave of the 1990s coffee revolution had shifted attention to specialty coffees that offered a variety of flavors and aromas. We progressed and today  Été Coffee has around 22 employees and an outlet, the Roastery and Coffee Bar. We were the first to introduce the concept of a roastery and coffee bar in the whole of Northeast India," said Humtsoe.

The atmosphere in his coffee bar is calm and cozy, with soft lighting, making it the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a cup of coffee. Customers are welcomed with a warm embrace of the bittersweet aroma of freshly roasted coffee awakening one's senses to pure delight.

Lichan today owns two coffee breweries, a retail line, a full-fledged roastery, and a production unit. He also has a consultation service, a coffee school, three observation farms, two nursery units, coffee laboratory services, and an approaching e-commerce area. 

The first coffee school by Été Coffee in Northeast India today offers eight courses in studies in this field, ranging from plantation up to preparing the final cup for consumption. Humtsoe's school and consultation services have been able to help other entrepreneurs open more than ten coffee shops throughout Nagaland and train and place baristas in several additional cafes as a result of the school and consulting services.

Été Coffee is also focusing on enhancing the economic status of the farmers and the growers throughout Naga Hills. "Farmers are a crucial component of the coffee industry and should have the opportunity to obtain optimum benefit. The resources used in production are optimized rather than exploited, thanks to our EML (educate, motivate and lead) network, which acts as a safety net against all forms of exploitation," he said.  
The resurgence of coffee production in Nagaland coincided with his endeavor.

The headquarter of Été Coffee is situated in Billy Graham Road, Kohima. They have two breweries, one of which is located at Billy Graham, near its headquarters, and the other at the CK Arcade in Downtown. Humtsoe invites everyone to Été Coffee to taste a freshly brewed cup while learning to brew a cup from the live demonstrations in the coffee bar.