By Riza T. Olchondra, Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Stakeholders in the Philippine coffee industry are helping their peers in Southeast Asia create the Asean Coffee Federation to enhance cooperation and promote regional coffee varieties to the growing Asian beverage market.

In a statement, the Philippine Coffee Board (PCB) said that coffee industry groups and associations in Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand recently met in Pattaya, Thailand and Pakse, Laos to organize the federation.

According to PCB, the last decade has seen young Asians drinking more coffee and not just traditional tea, which is known to be the Asian beverage of choice.