General Santos City, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry General Santos City (DTI-GES), and the local government's City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office (CEMCDO), in collaboration with the GenSan Coffee Association (GCA) and the Barista Association of Region 12 (Bar12), recently hosted a Coffee Fair at Veranza Mall. The event, which ran from July 22–24, 2023, celebrated the hardworking individuals who have revitalized the city's coffee industry and showcased their achievements.
The Coffee Fair, which was part of the month-long celebration of YAMAN GenSan, provided a valuable platform for coffee producers and processors to showcase their products and support their businesses.
During the Coffee Fair event, 18 exhibitors showcased their coffee brands to the public. The 3-day event was packed with notable activities, including the first Brewed Masterpiece Coffee Art Competition. Participants demonstrated their creativity by using ground coffee extract as a medium for their art. Mark Gaquing emerged as the Coffee Art Champion, impressing the judges with his remarkable skills.
The coffee exhibitors were introduced during the opening ceremony, including the two coffee associations, GCA and Bar12. Fred Fredeluces of Greentropics Coffee Enterprise also shared insights about the coffee value chain.
On the second day, Coffee Farmer's Day was celebrated in honor of our local coffee farmers. Rey John Basco and Dione Ellaga, participants in the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition 2023, shared their inspiring success stories along with other farmers who were present during the celebration. A Public Cupping session, led by Q Robusta Grader Arnel Cadeliña, allowed participants to differentiate quality coffee and talked about its importance in the industry.
The third and final day of the event featured the Brewer's Cup, which showcased the brewing skills of nine participants. Joshua Delicana emerged as the Brewer's Cup Champion.
A coffee talk segment titled ‘Espresso Exchange’ was facilitated by advocacy blogger and writer Genory Vanz Alfasain (Yadu Karu). The segment shed light on the unique experiences and challenges faced by top coffee players in Gensan, providing valuable insights and perspectives.
Throughout the 3-day fair, exhibitors made an estimated PHP 120,000 in sales. Kape Padayon earned top seller recognition, achieving PHP 38,133 in sales and demonstrating the popularity and success of their coffee products.
"It is important to maintain confidence in your products, be knowledgeable about your innovations, and build personal relationships with customers to understand their needs and provide a personalized experience," Kape Padayon owner Dan Christopher Timtim said.
"Traveling to understand the market, visiting farms to check product quality, and sharing knowledge with baristas can help make the value chain more sustainable and contribute to the growth of the industry," he added.
"The most important aspect of the event was bringing together different sectors of the value chain in one place, allowing producers and buyers to meet and interact. This allowed farmers to see how talented baristas showcase and value their hard work," GCA President John Paul Velayo said.
"The event also provided a platform for MSMEs to gain consumers, educate, and showcase their craft, including coffee shop operators, roasters, and other parts of the supply chain. This helped motivate our passion for the industry," he added.
"Overall, the event was a success, and we hope to have more like it, as the coffee industry is thriving and such events provide opportunities for industry players to showcase their offerings to the city's residents," Bar12 President Francis Fredeluces said.
In their closing remarks, CEMCDO Assistant Department Head Jose Kevin Sienes and DTI-GES Head Eddie De Asis expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the participants and exhibitors for their unwavering support in revitalizing the coffee industry in GenSan.
In an interview, DTI 12 Regional Director Flora Politud-Gabunales stated that the event supports the positioning claim for Region 12 as the coffee capital of the country.
"This event aims to reinforce Region 12's position as the Coffee Capital of the Philippines, proudly holding the distinction of being the country's leading coffee producer, coupled with our advocacy for the production of quality coffee, exemplified by the Kape Dose Coffee Collective and Quality Mark initiative," said Politud-Gabunales.
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