KOTA KINABALU: Tenom is a small city by most Malaysian requirements, although it’s thought of a relatively necessary hub on this remoted a part of Sabah.
Whereas the view of rolling hills and luxurious greenery is a sight to behold, it’s straightforward to smell out the true thrill of Tenom – its espresso!
Being an agricultural city, Tenom is the centre of Sabah’s espresso trade. The truth is, one of many oldest espresso factories has been working right here for over 60 years now.
Yit Foh is a reputation most individuals residing in and round Tenom recognise at first point out; not stunning provided that locals right here usually take pleasure in brew within the morning.
Whereas Yit Foh is one in all three large espresso producers in Sabah, the corporate stays the oldest and arguably the most important.
And when you’re a customer to this a part of Sabah, why not pay a go to to Yit Foh Espresso & Park, a novel spot consisting of a café, an leisure venue in addition to chalets do you have to want to keep the evening.
When you’re fortunate, you may simply stumble upon Alex Yong, Yit Foh’s present proprietor, who could be comfortable to point out you round.
Alex has a private connection to each the place and the enterprise, together with his father, Yong Loong Vun, having based the enterprise again in 1960.
Apparently, Loong Vun took over the enterprise from a retiring Hainanese roaster, and established Yit Foh which quickly grew to become a family identify.
When his father died, Alex stepped as much as take his place, together with his 11 different siblings comfortable to let him run the household enterprise.
And since then, Yit Foh has been steadily rising, with a café and chalets launched in 2017.
Talking with FMT Life-style, Alex stated that the identify Yit Foh has an auspicious which means. “’Yit’ means goodness and ‘Foh’ means peaceable,” he stated, including that his father particularly selected that identify as a result of he believed his model of espresso was good for his clients’ well being.
However what precisely makes Yit Foh’s espresso totally different or higher from different manufacturers? Effectively, that might be their distinctive roasting course of.
At Yit Foh, the espresso beans are roasted utilizing solely the wooden of rubber timber as gasoline. In its early days, the choice to make use of rubber wooden was principally a matter of practicality, contemplating the various rubber plantations within the area.
Fortunately for Malaysian espresso lovers, it’s the exact same rubber wooden which supplies the espresso its distinct, sturdy and smoky aroma.
Along with the wooden, the espresso is produced utilizing the standard wooden hearth drum method, which leads to completely roasted beans, basic to any good model of espresso.
Every day, 300 containers consisting of 30 packets every, are processed, packaged and shipped out from the Tenom manufacturing unit to different components in Malaysia, and exported to Singapore and Brunei.
The array of merchandise Yit Foh affords has actually elevated since its early days, with clients now with the ability to take pleasure in choices such because the Yit Foh Musang King Durian White Espresso.
But, their two hottest merchandise are Yit Foh Kopi “O” and Yit Foh Serbuk Kopi; the latter packed in baggage emblazoned with a crimson aeroplane.
This FMT Life-style author had a sip of the Kopi “O” and it was a wonderful brew, with the bitterness excellent and the aroma nice.
Alex is hopeful that Yit Foh will finally attain its centenary. However till then, he stated: “We wish to diversify as espresso tradition is altering. We wish to preserve Yit Foh going, as it’s a uniquely Malaysian espresso. In any other case, it is going to be misplaced to time.”
Yit Foh Espresso Manufacturing facility & Park
3 Km, Jalan Tenom-Sapong
Kampung Chinta Mata
89908 Tenom
Sabah.
Manufacturing facility: 010-2635657
Park & Café: 016-2437337
Web site: yitfohcoffee.com
