“There is value in being part of IWCA PH,” Juan continued. “This is for women, not just in the coffee farms but for women throughout the supply chain. So we also engage processors, roasters and cafe owners who are all women.”

Imelda Dagus of Dennis Coffee Garden―an IWCA PH member since 2013―wholeheartedly agrees with Juan’s vision for IWCA PH. She said, “It has given me inspiration, having met different women who have been successful in the coffee business, be it in retail or roasting. You can easily network with women in the same industry who can help you build your business.”

Imelda Dagus (Photo by Keith Dador)

Apart from the seminars that IWCA PH provides, Dagus is thankful for the connections she has made with the suppliers. Finding suppliers for the many things you need in a big cafe is a challenge as well,” she said. Through the networking opportunities IWCA PH has presented to her, Dagus continues with her mission of “preserving the coffee culture of the Tausug people, and sharing it with the rest of the world.”

For Commune‘s Ros Juan, IWCA PH made her coffee world bigger when she learned about women in big producing countries and meeting women from different parts of the coffee supply chain.

Coffee at Commune (Photo by Ricky Ladia)

She also found inspiration with fellow IWCA-PH member Princess Kumalah Sug Elardo and what she has achieved in her community by “not just uplifting lives of people in her community, but bringing peace.

” The mission is not just to upgrade the quality of coffee, but to use it to uplift the lives of the people in the community.

Sulu Royal Coffee of Princess Kumala (Photo by Keith Dador)

IWCA PH has been actively conducting seminars to support farmers, women leaders, and organizations to access new technologies in coffee and new ways of marketing coffee.

Princess Kumala (Photo by Keith Dador)

IWCA PH’s “Women in Coffee” seminar held in Davao last year tackled a variety of topics such as “Quality Coffee, Empowering Women Through Quality” under Princess Kumala, Programs on Gender discussed by ACDI/VOCA, “An Introduction to Markets” with Ros Juan, as well as “Technical Sessions on Processing and Cupping” with Jennifer Rimando.

“IWCA PH invites women in the coffee sector to become members, so their coffee can not only be sold here, but exported also,” Pacita Juan stated. “That’s why there is something we call women in coffee. Having women in coffee spells the difference in harvesting, sorting, and processing coffee.”

For more information about IWCA PH activities and membership, follow IWCA Philippines Women in Coffee on Facebook.
Email: iwcaphils@gmail.com
Mobile: (0917) 800-1899
www.womenincoffee.org

(article by Marilen Fontanilla)

The post WOMEN IN COFFEE appeared first on Philippine Coffee Board.

Through the invitation of Price Waterhouse Coopers or PwC to fuel their Knowledge Café at the APEC CEO SUMMIT, The Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCBI) will be serving the award-winning coffee from Kapatagan, Mt. Apo, Davao to the APEC visitors. There also will be coffee from famed Cordillera care of the Department of Trade and Industry Cordillera (DTI_CAR)  and Specialty coffees from South Cotabato in the Mt. Matutum area.

The Barista & Coffee Academy of Asia (BCAA), Equilibrium Intertrade Corporation, Alaska Milk and the PCBI will be serving coffee on all three days Nov 16-18 of the APEC CEO Summit.

“We are proud of our coffees which can be at par or better than many coffee producers even those from Latin America and Asia, some members of which will be at the Summit,” says Nicholas Matti, PCBI chair. “It’s time we showed the world we have great coffee,” he continues.

The award-winning coffees won two awards in the Roasters Choice competition in Thailand last year. Next year, the Benguet coffee and Matutum will also be competing to hopefully get worldwide attention as well.

The same Philippine coffees will also be served at the APEC SME SUMMIT at Green Sun on Nov 17 in cooperation with the women partners of PCBI—the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA)- Commune Café and Kickstart coffee. IWCA members Ros Juan and Carolyn Asuncion will be serving over 1000 guests of Go Negosyo and Asia Society who organized the SME event.

For more information, check our Facebook pages: Philippine Coffee Board and IWCA-Philippines.

The post APEC Sidelines: What Coffee Will the CEOs Be Drinking? appeared first on Philippine Coffee Board.