“It would have cost me 60,000 pesos or more, but I got it all for free,” says Jennifer Rimando, now a Q grader for Arabica beans, after attending the Q grader course, sponsored by ACDI/VOCA, PCBI, and Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) in 2016 and 2017. Jennifer was one of those who took the intensive course… Read More
Silca Coffee Roasting Company has been a byword in the local coffee industry since the company was founded in Silang, Cavite, in 1975 by husband and wife Enrile and Evelyn Asuncion. “My parents owned rural banks in Silang at the time, and I saw that many farmers were borrowing money for fertilizer, so there was… Read More
2011 was a breakthrough year for coffee and for women. What started as a trip to China to explore the exportation of coffee and textiles now becomes an advocacy to cultivate the uniqueness of women and coffee. The kismet meeting of Pacita Juan, President of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) in the Philippines, with… Read More
ASEAN coffee origins have come to the fore since the ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF) started almost seven years ago. After initial organizational meetings in Singapore and Laos, the annual coffee events Café Asia and THAIFEX have served as ACF’s launching pad for introducing exotic coffee origins of the ASEAN region. “Training the Trainer” courses also… Read More
After attending PCBI’s National Coffee Summit in 2009, I applied what I had learned. Delighted by the fruitful results of my backyard farm, I shared insights and knowledge with my community. Now, thanks to coffee, we enjoy peace and progress—that is my dream for others, too, where women are not of leading, and men are… Read More
“Upi has always been a coffee area,” says Jandatu Salik, a civil engineer turned farmpreneur in Upi, Maguindanao. Upi, at 1,600 feet above sea level, is indeed a perfect place to grow the Robusta and Barako varieties. Jandatu has some coffee trees in his Busikong Organik Farm, and all around his village, there are tall… Read More
With everyone concerned about saving the planet, coffee shop owners play a very important role in using fewer paper cups, paper or foil sachets for sugar, and plastic straws for iced drinks. Here’s how you as a consumer can help your favorite café towards sustainable, planet-friendly operations: Use only washable and reusable cups, mugs or… Read More
More and more Filipino women are sliding behind the coffee counter, and they are causing quite a stir in the global arena. Not only are they holding leadership roles in F&B establishments, they are taking home the biggest trophies in international competitions. These four lady baristas will make you proud to be Filipino and inspire… Read More