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Some of the characteristics of Colombia&rsquo s specialty coffees form part of the demands that consumers in at least 45 countries seek in the drink, such as smoothness, quality of infusion and aroma.
As identified by PROCOLOMBIA, the potential is concentrated in established markets, specifically in the Americas, from Canada to Chile, as well as potential and developing markets in Europe and parts of Asia.
" It is important to understand the trends so that supply can be adjusted to what the market is demanding. For example, a natural image, an appropriate physical appearance and a combination of exotic flavors and diverse textures are factors associated with high quality,&rdquo explained María Claudia Lacouture, the president of PROCOLOMBIA Colombia.
The PROCOLOMBIA analysis also concluded that distribution channels such as coffee shops should be taken into consideration, where not only drinks are offered, but also snacks made from coffee beans.
" Certified sustainable coffees are also a trend, as they have become trust seals for consumers, along with the story behind the production. People who buy the product want to know where it was produced, and by whom, and therefore, fair trade is an important variable,&rdquo added Lacouture.
There is also room for innovation in its presentation. For example, coffee is offered in capsules or pods that are showing a strong penetration in international markets.
Established markets for Colombian coffee include the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay.
Some that are growing, meaning where Colombia is already an established coffee exporter, include Finland, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
And finally, other potential markets include the Baltic States, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
Figures based on data from Trademap estimate the global production of specialty coffees at 150.5 million bags, with Brazil, Vietnam, Mexico, Central America and Colombia being the main producers.
The countries that bought the most in 2013 were the United States, Germany, France, Italy and Japan.
And based on information from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism and data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), Colombia exported US$282.1Million in specialty coffees that year. Between January and July of 2014, sales totaled US$151.8Million.
First business roundtable at Expoespeciales 2014
Conscious of the specialty coffee sector&rsquo s potential, a year ago PROCOLOMBIA started an agreement with the National Federation of Coffee Producers, so that businesses in the sector can take advantage of business opportunities in international markets via different activities such as training sessions, participation in trade shows and exploratory missions.
With this goal, 54 exporter-training seminars were held in 2014, with the participation of 3,154 coffee producers from Antioquia, Caldas, Cauca, Huila, Magdalena, Nariño, Quindio, Risaralda, Santander and Tolima.
Workshops on best practices in farming and post-harvest management were also carried out, with close to 153 participants, as well as market studies in Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea, Japan and Turkey.
As part of the joint effort, PROCOLOMBIA and the Federation held the first business roundtable within the framework of Expoespeciales, a convention that will be carried out on October 2nd and 3rd in Medellin.
39 buyers from 15 countries will be there, who will have close to 528 appointments with 65 Colombian companies.
The buyers come from some of the markets where PROCOLOMBIA has identified business opportunities: Germany, Belgium, Canada, South Korea, Costa Rica, Spain, United States, Finland, Holland, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, United Kingdom and Taiwan.
