You may feel like you have heard everything that there is to hear about coffee under the sun, but what do you know about rice coffee? Interestingly enough, rice coffee has been in production for quite some time, and it has origins going back to World War I. By the time that World War II came along, people were having to survive with very little income, which is why rice coffee did become more popular than ever.



Rice coffee was passed on to the Philippines when the Japanese Americans were fighting there during the war, and the Philippine people began to use seeds of rice to create their coffee. Rice is very inexpensive and easy to attain, which made it a logical choice for a coffee alternative. The rice at that time was roasted over an open flame until it turned dark brown. After that, it was pounded with a mortar and pestilent until it turned to powder, or sometimes , it was ground with a hand crank grinder. The powdered rice would then be used just like regular coffee grounds to create an alternative to a cup of Joe. All you had to do was add boiling water, and you had your rice coffee product.

This is an alternative to the more expensive coffee beans, and it is also easy to make, especially in countries that readily produce rice. From there, rice coffee became a profitable business because the cost of production was very minimal, and all you had to do was crush the rice into a powder with a machine or other tools. After the rice was roasted, there was also the option of putting them in tea bags, which can be done with a machine or manually. Larger machines do enable mass rice coffee production, which makes it a very feasible source of income in this market.

Again, this is an economical choice in coffee production because one rice cavan can yield 168 pouches of rice coffee grounds. This makes it a very inexpensive product, especially for farmers looking for steady income. The best way to produce rice coffee is in tea bags, and one rice cavan can make over 5000 teabags, which will turn an amazing profit.

Rice coffee definitely does not offer the same flavors and quality as true coffee beans do, but it is an inexpensive alternative for people on a budget or countries who do not have the means to import coffee. This is a classic example of countries making do with what they have, which is why rice coffee did become lucrative and popular in the Philippines since they were already able to produce rice themselves. You can be on the lookout for rice coffee packaged in tea bags if you do want to try this unique spin on a cup of Joe. Keep in mind that it does not offer the same properties as coffee, including caffeine. However, it is an interesting choice and alternative to your daily Java, perfect for any coffee lover on a budget!