“We are one of the top consumers of coffee, but we’re not efficient at producing it”
The Philippines was once one of the top exports of coffee in the world. In fact, we’ve been producing our beans since the middle of the 18th century. But when Philippine coffee trees got affected by La Roya or Coffee Rust Disease, many of them died, killing the chances of local farmers continuing exportation.
Today, we have recovered from La Roya, but we have become dependent on imported coffee. From 1990 to 2017, the country spent $4.5 billion on imports mainly coming from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. This is ironic, considering we have the ideal climate to grow and cultivate coffee.
“To me, this is really sad. It’s almost like we are not treasuring nature’s gift to us,” says Michael Harris Conlin.
The social entrepreneur and 2019 National Barista winner has been in the coffee industry for half his life. Despite the inclination of coffee-consuming Filipinos to foreign beans, Conlin is optimistic that there can be a shift in people’s mindsets prompted by the presence of foreign coffee spots arriving in the Philippines.
FRESHLY BREWED
Back in the early 2000s, coffee wasn’t a conversational topic says Conlin, although foreign brands have started penetrating the market.
“It’s not like now, when you’re hanging out with your friends, you’re talking about coffee,” he says, adding that people didn’t even know the species of coffee let alone their varieties.
Denne historien er fra Volume 2, 2021-utgaven av Lifestyle Asia.
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Denne historien er fra Volume 2, 2021-utgaven av Lifestyle Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BAUTISTA-OSMEÑA
A Simple Affair
INSPIRATIONAL BEAUTY
What JEWELMER’s stunning pieces and Miss Universe Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez stand for is a life filled with peace, harmony, courage, and passion.
LIVING LIFE LIKE NO OTHER
VICTOR CONSUNJI shares how VCDC simply doesn’t build houses. Instead, they help build better lives
ADORNED WITH THE STARS OF LOVE
Cartier’s Love Is All doesn’t just boast a star-studded cast of characters from different walks of life; it also packs a powerful message succinctly in-tune to the 1974 Roger Glover pop hit
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONS AND WIN-WIN SITUATIONS
EEI Corporation has intensified its digital transformation following positive gains for both its clients and the economy.
RUN WITH PURPOSE
TIM YAP shares the amount of work he had to do to check the New York Marathon off his bucket list, and why he was running for more than himself
CHANGE IS COMING
JUANA MANAHAN-YUPANGCO believes in the healing power of knowing what you eat, sharing that knowledge and your blessings with others, and the timelessness of sticking to your passions
OPEN SECRET
Hidden in a sprawling forest, LIHIM RESORT offers a luxuriously private accommodations and fantastic views of El Nido
SUN TO SEA
Shangri-La Boracay’s Villa Collections are designed to offer guests distinct island experiences.
TRUST AND TRIUMPH
As the CEO of TransUnion, Pia Arellano leads the mission to instill trust in the ever-changing financial services industry