Sony Ericsson promotes RP coffee

For three consecutive years since the National Coffee Development Board staged its annual Coffee Break trade exhibition in Makati City, Sony Ericsson, the country’s second leading mobile phone manufacturer, has been actively participating in all coffee trade shows. Coffee Break is a partnership between the Coffee Board and the Ayala Center.

"This is because our company believes that in promoting the interest of the local coffee industry we help speed up the development of the sector and the coffee farmers of the country and the economy as well," Sony Ericsson’s marketing manager Patrick E.S. Larraga said.

The third annual Coffee Break, which started last Oct. 1 until today at the Glorietta 4 in Ayala Center, has 14 coffee traders offering free taste of coffee and selling fresh beans to the public.

Sony Ericsson also has a special promo called "Perfect Blends 2005" where purchases of Sony Ericsson phones, especially those marked with Perks Pack stickers, entitle the buyers to several coffee perks like two stubs for free coffee concoctions in participating merchant’s shops.

Outlets included in Sony’s promo program are: Bluegre, Cordillera Coffee, Coffee Dream, Coffee Nook, Gourmet Farms, Mocha Blends, McCafe, Siete Baracos and the Coffee Beanery plus selected outlets of Bo’s Coffee Club, Figaro and the Coffee Experience.

The annual Coffee Break held every October aims to create awareness among the people about the Philippine coffee sector–a major dollar earner in the sixties–which is now being revived by the private sector-led Coffee Board and the government. It was started by former Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr.

At the opening Coffee Board vice chairman Pacita Juan of Figaro Coffee said the Philippine coffee sector is the only one that has all four types of beans robusta, excelsa, Arabica and liberica or barako (or REAL for short) which has long been a stable source of foreign revenues for the country.

Major coffee growing areas include Basilan, Jolo, Kalamansig (Sultan Kudarat), Kitanglad (Bukidnon), Marawi (Lanao del Sur), Mt. Apo (Davao), Surigao del Sur, Batangas, Cavite, Benguet, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Bulacan, Orani (Bataan) and Calinog (Iloilo).

The number of participating coffee traders has also been increasing for the last three Coffee Breaks reaching 14 in the current coffee fair in Glorietta 4. These include: Batangas Brew, Boyds, Café Amadeo, Coffee Experience, Coffee Beanery, Cordillera Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, Figaro, Gourmet Coffee, Holsum Foods, Mocha Blends, Monks’ Blend, Montanosa Coffee and Siete Baracos.

The Coffee Board also offers Coffee 101 seminar on the basics of coffee, the different bean varieties, the beans’ path from the farm to the cup, coffee making equipment, how to brew the perfect cup of coffee and factors affecting coffee quality. Participants will also be taught how to start a coffee shop business.

A seminar on sustainable coffee and vegetable farming teaches participants to choose the best locations for coffee farms, the best time to plant coffee, how to choose the right varieties for particular locations, field preparations and coffee tree care in a sustainable and organic farming concept. This is accompanied with lessons on vegetable farming since vegetables are intercropped with coffee trees to provide revenues while waiting for the coffee tree to bear fruit. This seminar is on Oct. 20 at 2 to 4 p.m. at the second floor AIM Conference Center, Benavides St., Legaspi Village.