Published in ABS CBN News by Annalyn “Apol Mabini of TFC News
TOKYO, JAPAN — Isinusulong sa Japan ang specialty coffee ng Pilipinas sa pangunguna ng Philippines Trade and Investment o PTIC Tokyo. Inilunsad ng ahensiya ang Philippine Specialty Coffee Tasting event sa Siazon Hall ng Philippine Embassy sa Tokyo noong June 14, 2022 na nilahukan ng 41 industry players kabilang ang coffee roasters, coffee shop owners, importers, coffee academy expert, at iba pa.
“To promote Philippine products that support marginalized producers in the countryside, support MSMEs and rural economic development. Promote Philippine food and beverages exports to Japan and most importantly position Philippine specialty coffee like Barako and Peaberries as gourmet beverages in niche markets in Japan. We also want to highlight tourism attractions of Davao, Benguet, Batangas, Cavite where these specialty coffee is grown and processed,” pahayag ni DTI Tokyo Commercial Counselor Dita Angara-Mathay.
Inorganisa rin ng DTI Tokyo ang dalawa pang event para makatulong sa Philippine specialty coffee na mapenetrate ang Japanese market tulad ng mga sumusunod: Philippine Independence Day Celebration noong June 10, 2022 na pinangunahan ng Philippine Embassy at Philippine Expo sa Ueno Park noong June 11 at 12, 2022.
Ibinahagi rin sa TFC News ni Commercial Counselor Dita Angara-Mathay ang pagnanais ng ahensiyang matulungan ang mga kababayang nasa coffee industry sa Pilipinas na maiposisyon sa Japan ang mga produktong Pilipino:
“We are targeting importers, retailers, baristas and aficionados turned baristas and entrepreneurs. We are also open to Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs), on the latter, when I mentored some students taking entrepreneurship courses in Japan and evaluated their business proposals (graduation requirement), I saw how many of these students wanted to support agribusiness-related ventures in their provinces.
We want to prove that local products can be positioned alongside the best foreign products in important international markets like Japan. We also want to support social entrepreneurs…who want to give back to producers and the marginalized (portion of profits are given to education of indigenous tribes, and others)…”
Nagbahagi ng kanilang expertise sa nasabing coffee tasting event ang dalawang Filipina na sina Chit Juan, president ng Philippine Coffee Board at Vanessa Velasco, founding partner ng VerraCoffee na isang social enterprise na nag-i-export ng PH coffee sa Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia at maging sa US.
Hinikayat ni Juan ang Japanese coffee connoisseurs na subukan ang exotic beans mula sa Pilipinas tulad ng Barako na tinatawag niyang “big bean” at ang pea berries na tinagurian niyang “one bean.” Habang ibinahagi ni Velasco ang authentic coffee ng Benguet, Mount Apo at Sultan kudarat mula sa mga pananim ng Filipino indigenous farmers.
Dagdag pa ng PTIC Tokyo, malapit na ring magtayo ng kanyang sariling coffee shop si former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Fumiya Sankai, isang Japanese vlogger/influencer na may 5 million followers sa kaniyang social media accounts, sa Roppongi malapit sa Philippine Embassy. Interesado si Sankai sa Peaberry na mula sa Philippine Mount Apo.
Nakatulong ang coffee tasting event para makilala ng Japanese coffee industry practitioners ang kapeng Pilipino. Ayon pa sa DTI Tokyo, may mga paunang usapan na sa pagitan Japanese importers at PH coffee exporters para sa trial orders mula 1,000 kilo ng green beans hanggang sa 25 kilo ng roasted specialty beans kung saan maaari pang madagdagan at maulit ang nasabing orders.
“This is something we can definitely work on. The Philippines is an archipelagic nation with more than 7,000 islands. The topography and microclimate have enabled the country to grow a wide range of interesting coffee varieties,” sabi ni DTI Tokyo Commercial Counselor Dita Angara-Mathay.
Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/25/22/specialty-coffee-ng-pilipinas-isinusulong-sa-japan