YAOUNDE, Cameroon – According to Cameroon Tribune, the fifth edition of Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Board, NCCB, Festicoffee took place at the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex with about 200 participants from different sectors of the industry in Cameroon.
This year’s activities was based on the promotion of instant coffee as well as a show case of other coffee-based products. The event that took place from April 20-22 2017 and is out to promote and celebrate the richness of coffee produced in Cameroon.
Coffee from specific regions like Bafoussam, Bamenda, Melon and Foumban were exposed. According to the organizers, the objectives of organizing this festival is to train the youths on what coffee is all about as well as promote local coffee consumption.
While addressing the Minister of Trade, Mr Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana and participants, the Managing Director of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, Mr Ndoping said Festicoffee 2017 is aimed at encouraging coffee consumption in Cameroon by not only consuming instant coffee but also other coffee-related products like iced drinks and pastries.
The NCCB worked in partnership with IYA, a group that has expertize in producing a wide variety of coffee-based drinks as well as pastries.
Some products that could be seen at the event included cookies made from coffee and cocoa, raisin and coffee bread, coffee-smoked fish steaks, cold-brew coffee with a mix of liquor, rum and coke, coffee blended with cream, whiskey and fresh lemon juice and so on.
The coffee tasting day, April 21, 2017 was presided over by Cameroon’s Minister of Trade. The theme for this years Festicoffee was « les cafés du Cameroun : terroirs d’exception ».
Throughout the event, a stand was dedicated for coffee tasting for visitors to taste and appreciate “Coffee made in Cameroon”. Another stand was put in place for B2B exchanges whereby investors could meet with those operating in the coffee sector in other to discuss economic partnership.
Apart from the exhibition and coffee tasting workshop, a scientific conference was also added to the list of activities with theme “Promoting our coffee growing heritage”.
Festicoffee is in its fifth edition and is organized every first half of the year to provide a platform for the promotion and trade of Cameroonian coffee.
The 3-day event aims at promoting local coffee consumption in its various forms and varieties. It also highlights the local producers know-how while raising awareness on how to cultivate, process and consume coffee and its related products in Cameroon.
Lobga Derick Sullivan
