GENEVA, Switzerland – Is it the taste, the aroma or the packaging? The secret is, it’s all three. As countries begin to recover from the global health pandemic, three big trends are driving the international demand for coffee. First, consumers are looking for premium, speciality coffees. Hyper-specific beans, innovative brewing methods and unique growing conditions are driving the market’s attention. Second, consumers want sustainability and ethics.
They want to know that they are drinking coffee from ethically and environmentally friendly producers. Finally, the world is looking for value for money.
These trends focus the world’s attention on emerging coffee producers such as Papua New Guinea. Although Brazil, Indonesia and Ethiopia will remain the major exporting countries, PNG coffee producers are learning the secrets of making great speciality coffees and how to sell their coffee to a changing world.
Earlier this year, PNG coffee producers have been sharing their coffee-making stories as part of a series of webinars and online training sessions. The courses were conducted under the auspices of the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships Programme (UKTP) in PNG, a project implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and funded by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Gathering experts from Hong Kong, Australia and the United Kingdom, the webinars took Papua New Guinea coffee producers on a journey of discovery through the entire production process from quality farming practices at one end to the branding and marketing at the other.
The Papua New Guinea producers learnt how to understand the changing global market from a buyer’s perspective.
They were given practical training in the logistics surrounding micro-lots including the preparation, storage and shipping the finished product by air or sea. Contractual negotiations and obligations, such a critical aspect of international trade, were also key themes during the webinars.
For the PNG participants, understanding the basic aspects of a European Coffee Contract was a great opportunity to learn the legalities of exporting and how to present their product for maximum impact.
PNG coffee continues to gain international attention: samples were presented at the CaffeCultureShow in London on 2-3 September 2021; attendance of selected coffee producers is planned for the World of Coffee fair in 2022; and producers will be holding an online coffee auction later this year.
So, what makes PNG coffee ‘special’? The real secret lies in the highlands of PNG and the dedication of thousands of young coffee workers perfecting their craft for a world where quality, sustainability and ethical production have become much more important.
