TWO friends from Basingstoke have set up a new business to give people a chance to try coffee from Vietnam. 

Arjun Karnad, 33 and Akid Zolkifli, 34, who both live in Brighton Hill, set up Nomad Bean Coffee late in 2023, to give lovers of the beverage the opportunity to try beans from one of the biggest exporters of coffee in the world - Asia, and in this case, Vietnam. 

The business hosted a pop-up stall outside Kitchen Chef in Chineham Shopping Centre on Saturday, February 17, meeting members of the public who were given the chance to try some Nomad Bean Coffee and scan a QR code for the chance to win a free box of coffee.

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Basingstoke Gazette: Akid Zolkifli, 34 and Arjun Karnad, 33 own Nomad Bean CoffeeAkid Zolkifli, 34 and Arjun Karnad, 33 own Nomad Bean Coffee (Image: Newsquest)

The business is primarily online but has plans to expand into the community with more pop up stalls across Basingstoke and Hampshire, and eventually to the possibility of having its own coffee shop.

Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world, with Nomad Bean Coffee sourcing its coffee from a farm in Sơn La Vietnam by female farmers who 'are honorary members of the Vietnam chapter of a global organization dedicated to empowering women in the coffee community and acknowledging the finest coffee'.

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Akid said: "This is actually our first pop-up stall, so its been nice to actually get out and meet people in the streets, offer them our coffee and hearing what they think about it.

"We've had lots of positive comments so far and we've been overwhelmed by peoples commitment and desire to support local business, and we're over the moon with the response we've had so far.

"We've had a great time and we're looking forward to what this year holds in store."