Freshly roasted specialty coffee was almost unheard of in Colombo in the early 2010s, and locally grown Arabica beans were rare. While many saw a struggling market with little hope, Ijaz Ahmed saw possibility,an opportunity to challenge assumptions, elevate standards, and lead an entire industry toward excellence. As Founder and Roaster of The Beans Coffee Factory, Ahmed returned from London in 2010 with a vision that would redefine Sri Lanka’s specialty coffee landscape. “Great coffee starts with great beans,” he would later say, a principle that became the foundation of both his business and his leadership philosophy.
Sri Lanka, once known as Ceylon, had been one of the world’s most prominent Arabica producers in the 19th century. Coffee thrived until a devastating leaf rust disease decimated plantations and collapsed the industry, paving the way for tea to dominate as the island’s primary crop. Over decades, local cultivation and expertise dwindled, and coffee’s potential faded into the shadows of history.
Ahmed’s journey began not with a polished business plan but with frustration turned into action. In London, he had experienced the difference that freshly roasted specialty coffee made. Back home in Colombo, the contrast was stark cafés offered flat, uninspiring brews, nearly all reliant on imported beans that had lost their flavor long before reaching the grinder. For a country with rich soil and favorable climates, this seemed both ironic and unacceptable. Ahmed decided to change that reality, despite having no financial backing, industry connections, or roadmap.
Early batches of roasted beans were met with skepticism and dismissed with outright words “This can’t be Sri Lankan coffee.” For Ahmed, this rejection became confirmation that he was challenging entrenched assumptions. “If people doubt you,” he recalls, “you know you’re onto something real.” That conviction became a hallmark of his leadership persistence in the face of disbelief.
Building The Beans Coffee Factory was never just about launching a brand, it was about rebuilding an entire supply chain around specialty coffee. Farmers lacked expertise in cultivating Arabica varieties, processors needed training to refine their craft, and the infrastructure for producing and distributing freshly roasted specialty-grade coffee simply did not exist. The Beans Coffee Factory worked closely with growers and processors, sharing knowledge, experimenting with methods, and constantly reinvesting revenue into better equipment and techniques. This hands-on approach meant that processors who had
once relied on outdated methods were able to adopt new practices that significantly improved quality across the board, laying the foundation for Sri Lanka’s specialty coffee movement.
The first real breakthrough came in 2014 when Barefoot Garden Café, one of Colombo’s most iconic spaces began serving The Beans Coffee Factory’s specialty coffee. The response was immediate customers noticed the difference, cafés recognized the potential, and Sri Lankan specialty coffee finally began to earn recognition. That milestone validated Ahmed’s belief that local coffee, if nurtured properly, could stand on par with global imports.
From there, the ripple effect spread. Today, The Beans Coffee Factory supplies leading hotels, cafés, and international buyers, and has become synonymous with quality and authenticity. But the journey has also reshaped Sri Lanka’s wider coffee ecosystem. Their entry into the market introduced high-quality, locally roasted specialty coffee, complementing rather than completely replacing imported options. Over time, several other brands followed their lead, contributing to a more vibrant and competitive specialty coffee landscape.
As the country’s first specialty coffee roaster, The Beans Coffee Factory played a pioneering role in shaping the industry’s rebirth. In its early years, the company not only roasted for its own label but also supported other emerging businesses that have since grown into some of today’s most recognized Sri Lankan specialty coffee brands. Many of these names, now celebrated across cafés and hotels, began their journey with the guidance, facilities, and expertise of The Beans Coffee Factory. This leadership-through-collaboration ensured that the revival of Sri Lankan specialty coffee was not confined to one brand, but spread across an entire ecosystem.
This mission has required collaboration at every step. From the outset, Ahmed and his team worked closely with processors to modernize their techniques, improving consistency, refining methods of drying and fermenting, and elevating the quality of green beans available in the market. By raising awareness about Arabica cultivation and providing real-time support to processors, The Beans Coffee Factory strengthened the backbone of the supply chain. Even today, the company continues to open its roastery to emerging brands, processes their beans when needed, and shares knowledge that helps young entrepreneurs build their own identities.
“Reviving an industry is only possible if everyone in the chain grows together,” Ahmed emphasizes. This belief has shaped a business model that uplifts not just farmers and processors, but also the new generation of Sri Lankan specialty coffee entrepreneurs who proudly carry the movement forward.
Sustainability and authenticity have been guiding principles throughout the journey. Farmers are paid premium rates, ensuring they see value in returning to Arabica cultivation. Processors are given tools and training to refine quality, lifting standards across regions. Emerging brands are offered resources that help them grow without compromising authenticity. “We’ve never tried to copy global chains. Our focus is on building something rooted, original, and lasting,” Ahmed notes. That philosophy has set The Beans Coffee Factory apart, allowing it to retain credibility with farmers, partners, and customers alike.
Bootstrapping a homegrown specialty coffee brand in a skeptical market demanded resilience. Every setback in quality control, logistics, or market perception was treated as an opportunity to improve. Over the years, results became visible: farmers now earn higher incomes, processors consistently achieve better results, and local cafés increasingly choose Sri Lankan specialty coffee over imported alternatives. International recognition has followed, with Sri Lankan coffee being showcased at specialty events abroad, signaling its arrival on the global stage.
Inside the company, Ahmed has cultivated a culture of empowerment. Roasters, trainees, and collaborators are mentored and encouraged to take ownership of their roles. Leadership, in his view, is not a title but a responsibility demonstrated daily through action and accountability. By nurturing people as much as product, The Beans Coffee Factory has scaled without losing its artisanal standards or attention to detail.
Decision-making under uncertainty has defined Ahmed’s leadership style. Where others hesitated, he took bold steps investing in farming initiatives, pioneering training programs, and encouraging cafés to shift to local beans. These choices carried risk, but they were informed by data, deep market understanding, and a clear long-term vision. This decisiveness has established The Beans Coffee Factory as not only a market leader but also a benchmark for results-driven leadership in the specialty coffee sector.
The broader impact of Ahmed’s vision is evident today. Sri Lanka, once forgotten in the global coffee narrative, is emerging as a recognized specialty coffee origin. Farmers are re-engaging with coffee as a serious crop, local brands are innovating with confidence, and international buyers are beginning to view the island as a credible player. What began as one man’s determination to find a good cup of coffee has grown into an industry-wide specialty coffee movement.
The ethos behind it remains simple. “Spend more time perfecting your product than polishing your pitch deck,” Ahmed advises aspiring entrepreneurs. “In the end, it’s the product and the people behind it that carry you forward.” He cautions against shortcuts, trend-chasing, or complacency, insisting that authenticity and mastery of craft are the only sustainable paths to success.
Today, The Beans Coffee Factory stands as proof that vision, persistence, and values can reshape an industry. From challenging disbelief to planting the first seeds of specialty coffee in Sri Lanka, Ijaz Ahmed’s story is about more than building a company it’s about igniting a collective movement. Those seeds have now grown into a thriving community of local brands, many of which were once nurtured and guided directly by his factory, and all of which are proudly carrying forward the mission he began.
What started as curiosity has become a legacy. Through bold leadership and unwavering focus, Ahmed has revived a once-declined heritage, uplifted farmers, trained processors, guided new brands, and positioned Sri Lanka as a proud contributor to the global specialty coffee market. His journey is not just a business case study it is a blueprint for leaders determined to create lasting impact by uniting vision, authenticity, and collaboration.