Philippine coffee wins big in 5th int'l coffee contest in Milan

MANILA - Two Philippine coffee firms won top prizes at the 5th International Contest of Locally Roasted Coffees in Milan, Italy last month, the trade department said.

Mirabueno Coffee, harvested in Bukidnon, and SGD Bodega Coffee, grown in Sagada, bested 700 other producers from 25 countries for the Gourmet and Bronze prizes in separate categories.

The competition aims to "recognize the excellence of some producers, too often forgotten in the midst of mass marketing," the Coffee Heritage Project (CHP) said in a statement.

"We hope that with this recognition, we are able to highlight Philippines coffee and the great work of Filipino coffee farmers like those behind Mirabueno Coffee and SGD Coffee, growing one of the finest coffees in the world to be the true artisans of the Philippines' coffee industry," CHP official Richard Watanabe said.

This marks the second time that the Philippines prevailed in the competition following the victory of the collaboration of Bana's Coffee from Sagada and the CHP in 2017.

Mirabueno Coffee and SGD Coffee are part of the CHP, a non-profit private initiative which takes "quality-focused approaches in coffee production," according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

“The coffee competition helps us showcase the broader work we do to reforest land with sustainable and ecological integration of coffee, the high returns and quality of life offered to coffee growers, and our endless pursuit of the next frontiers in coffee roasting and taste," CHP official Butch Acop said.

The Philippine Consul General's Office in Milan received the prizes on Oct. 21 on behalf of Acop, Watanabe, Raymund Mirabueno, Andrew and Mary Tomeg, Felipa Villicana, and Zo Lim.