GCP at International Coffee Week in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
The Global Coffee Platform (GCP) participated in the International Coffee Week (ICW) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on September 21-23. The ICW is one of the major coffee events in Brazil, unique for bringing together the whole coffee supply chain, from seed to cup, including coffee producers, traders, technicians, industry, baristas, coffee shops, etc. The event comprised more than 25 simultaneous events, 68 lectures, courses and workshops, and 30 cupping sessions with 2.250 cups tasted.
The event, organized by the Secretary of Agriculture of the State of Minas Gerais (SEAPA), the coffee extension and support services active in Minas Gerais (EMATER-MG, FAEMG/SENAR and SEBRAE) and Café Editora, attracted 14,000 visitors and generated a total of US$ 8 million in business transacted. The increase of 8% in the number of exhibitors and public compared to last year is outstanding considering Brazil´s current economic crises.
This year’s theme was Brazilian Coffee as a Sustainability Model. The GCP team was well represented by Ted van der Put (Chair of the GCP Board), Pedro Ronca (P&A Marketing and coordinator of GCP Brazil Program) and Nathália Monea (Regional Manager of GCP in Brazil).
Pedro Ronca, Ted van der Put and Nathália Monea representing GCP on the International Coffee Week. Photo Credit: International Coffee Week Facebook
Ahead of the International Coffee Week official opening, the held the GCP Brazil Working Group met to discuss priorities and next steps reflecting the results of the National Consultations on Vision2020 as well as the indicators for the Sustainability Coffee Curriculum.
Representatives of the GCP Brazil Working Group
After the Official Opening Ceremony in the Great Hall, Ted van der Put delivered the keynote speech entitled “The Paths of Sustainability in the World” to a packed audience and presented the GCP structure, governance and Vision 2020 as part of the International Seminar DNA Café. The hall was crowded with people. Ted’s lecture was followed by presentations by Nathan Herszkowicz, Executive Director of ABIC, the Brazilian Coffee Industry Association, Rocky Rhodes, from de International Coffee Consulting, Guilherme Amado, from Nespresso, Eduardo Heron, from Cecafé, the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council, and some fascinating case studies presented by coffee producers.
Ted van der Put delivers a presentation at the ICW
Day 2 was marked by the Sustainable Agriculture Forum, organized with the partnership of the Global Coffee Platform. Pedro Ronca led the presentation “Why Sustainability is Important and Benefits the Producer” and highlighted the Coffee Sustainability Curriculum (CSC) and its 18 Fundamental Items for the sustainability of coffee production. During the afternoon, coffee growers shared with the audience success cases on sustainability and its 3 pillars (economic, social and environment) and generated a high level debate.
The last day of the event started with a breakfast and meeting promoted by the Brazil Chapter of the International Women Coffee Association (IWCA), with presentations by Brigida Salgado (coffee producer and president of IWCA Brazil) Gelma Franco (owner of Il Barista), and Adriana Rodrigues (APEX, the Brazilian Agency of Export and Investments Promotion). The meeting gathered dozens of women from all stages of the coffee supply chain in Brazil. The event was also an opportunity to discuss research already under development, led by IWCA with support of GCP, Solidaridad and research institutes in Brazil, to identify who are the women in the coffee sector in Brazil.
IWCA breakfast and meeting gathered dozens of women from the coffee chain in Brazil, including producers, representatives from Cooperatives, baristas, etc. Credit: Marivi Haro
The IWCA meeting was followed by the International Seminar DNA Café with lectures and panels, prizes such as Coffee of the Year Brasil 2016 and 5th Barista Cup.
Another highlight of the event was the presence, for the first time, of Rondonia state with a booth that generated great interest and was crowded most of the time. Visitors were curious to taste high quality Robusta (82 points at SCAA scale) from the Amazon region and to understand the recovery of robusta production in the state, focused on genetics, mechanization and sustainability. The winners of the 1st Rondonia Coffee Quality Contest, supported by GCP, received their awards during the event.
Rondonia State booth. Photo Credit: Bruno Lavorato
Rondonia´s team and Coffee Quality Contest winners. Photo Credit: Bruno Lavorato
The GCP team believes that the International Coffee Week was a great occasion for all stakeholders in the coffee supply chain to exchange, negotiate and discuss the issues and opportunities for coffee in Brazil, to encourage the efforts for sustainability in the coffee sector and to engage actors in the Vision 2020. “This was a very important opportunity to meet GCP members and partners, for a real face to face exchange, mainly to clarify the news on the Global Coffee Platform and ideas on how we can join efforts to shape this new organization towards our common goals,” said Nathália Monéa. Pedro Ronca added: “Solid work is already in place, including the creation, dissemination and extensive training of the Coffee Sustainability Curriculum (CSC), that responds to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals with a view to continue advancing sustainability in the coffee business in Brazil, now under the umbrella of Vision 2020, as part of the GCP and focus on small and mid-size coffee growers.”