Nescafé caps 20 years of satellite buying stations for green coffee

Officials of Nestlé Philippines, Inc. (NPI), the makers of leading coffee brand Nescafé, recently gathered with coffee farmers and traders in the cities of Davao and Tagum in Davao del Sur to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Nestlé Satellite Buying Stations for green coffee beans.

The first stage of the two-part celebration was held at the Nestlé Satellite Buying Stations in Davao City. This was where the first buying station outside Nestlé’s Alabang and Cagayan de Oro factories were established in 1986. To cap the anniversary, a fiesta celebration was also held at the Nestlé Experimental and Demonstration Farm (NEDF) in Tagum City.

Throughout the past 20 years, these satellite buying stations were set-up in key coffee-producing areas throughout the Philippines to give coffee farmers the opportunity to sell their crops at prevailing world market prices, as well as provide easier access to Nestlé, the country’s leading coffee buyer.

The celebration was highlighted by the symbolic delivery of coffee beans by farmers Maximo and Gina Lamoste to NPI president Nandu Nandkishore. The morning celebration extended to a fiesta-style buffet lunch and farm tour of the NEDF where the guests were treated to musical performances by the Tagum National Comprehensive High School Rondalla and cultural dance numbers by the University of Mindanao-Tagum Dance Troupe.

"The Nestlé Satellite Buying Stations have contributed much to building and nurturing our partnership with Filipino coffee farmers through the years," said Nandkishore in his welcome speech. "It has created direct access between the farmers and Nescafé, which has resulted in long term benefits for all parties concerned."

Nandkishore reiterated Nescafé’s commitment to the Filipino farmers by ensuring "a long term partnership with mutual viability" through innovative grassroots programs such as the Direct Procurement System, NEDF, and Sustainable Agriculture Initiative of Nestlé (SAIN), a worldwide agricultural campaign that promotes Coffee-Based Sustainable Farming System (CBSFS) among other programs.

Meanwhile, NPI Business Executive Manager for coffee Bruno Olierhoek thanked the farmers for playing an important part in producing high quality beans, which he described as "the essence of Nescafé."

Olierhoek stressed that importance of continued cooperation in order to further strengthen coffee farming as a viable and sustainable proposition for the farmers. "We have to manage this good chain in the production of coffee, and make sure that every party in the chain sees sustainable development," he added.

Also present during the event were Mabini Antonio, head of Nestlé Corporate Affairs; Queenie Phan, head of Nestlé Purchasing Department; Joel Lumagbas, head of Nestlé Agricultural Services; Paolo Javier, representative of Congressman Ezequiel Javier; Conrado C. Baluran, Davao City Councilor and chairman of its agricultural committee; and Raama Rivas of Compostela Valley, Edwin Leuterio of Davao Del Norte, and Dante Eugenio of Sultan Kudarat–all coffee farmers and top suppliers of green coffee beans (GCB) to Nescafé.

Since 1986 Filipino coffee farmers have enjoyed fair and transparent grading of their produce and are offered prices in line with world market prices.

Transactions in all Nestlé Satellite Buying Stations are efficient and impartial. Independent farmers with just one sack of coffee to larger operations with truckloads of coffee are guaranteed payment within only eight hours after delivery.

Currently, Nestlé operates 11 satellite buying stations, strategically placed in proximity to areas with a high density of coffee farms; local banking facilities; and sound peace and order situation. They can be found in Davao, Iloilo, Isabela, Zamboanga, Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, Palawan, Tuguegarao, Solano, Bacolod, Bohol, Calamba, Alabang, and Cavite.