THE interest of millenials for coffee shops is slowly trickling down to the small-scale coffee farmers, as this interest helps cultivate the industry as well, said a Department of Agriculture (DA) Davao Region official.
In a data from the Davao City Investment and Promotions Center (DCIPC), there is a surge of 34.45 percent in the number of coffee shops in the city at 160 coffee shops in 2017 from only 119 coffee shops in 2016.
DA Davao Region High Value Crops Development Coordinator Melani Provido said most of the customers in these coffee shops are millenials with their interest fueled by social media posts and promotions.
With the current trend among millenials of coffee cups with logos photographed and posted on social media, Provido said the market for coffee among this generation is booming.
"Since there is a market like that - this seems like a pop culture among millenials - this trickled down to our small, local farmers," said Provido during the Business Forum press conference held at Dermpath, SM City Davao last Tuesday, July 3.
She said they are aware that some of this younger generation drink coffees and are in coffee shops because of the branding and the trend. Some of them may not even be aware yet of the difference of a high-quality coffee from what is not. She added most of the millenials are in coffee shops primarily because of the ambiance.
"That's why when we have conferences or seminars on coffee cupping or production, we really invite the roasters of coffee shops. We invite the baristas. This is because they are really the ones who know their coffee. They have the knowledge of good quality coffee," said Provido.
Currently, coffee beans produced by local coffee farmers in the region such as the Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association (Bacofa) are already being sold in popular coffee shops in the city such as Bo's Coffee, Blugré Coffee, Figaro Coffee, Coffee for Peace, and Frog Kaffee. These coffee shops do not only support social enterprises to make the livelihood of the farmers sustainable. They also have high standards for coffee beans which assure that the coffee beans produced by these local farmers are also of high quality.
"We would want that in the future, our millenials, who are actually coffee drinkers, will drink the locally-made coffees in our coffee shops, not only because they are helping our farmers but also because they find it really delicious. The coffees of our local farmers have a story to tell but more than that we want it to be known of its good quality," said Provido.
Because more millenials are into coffee shops, it increases investment opportunities for businessmen. In return, it also creates wider market and reach for local coffee farmers as well.