Coffee -- Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP); Boquete's Geisha Coffee; Coffee Competitions (Cuppings); Coffee Auctions

[Moderator_02]

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Panama’s Geisha queen of gourmet coffee

Posted on April 22, 2018 in Latin America, Panama, Panama

Post Views: 216

 

PANAMA  remains the small kid on the block in  Central America in terms of volume and dollar value of coffee exports but when it comes to quality its producer’s reign supreme.

The country’s Geisha coffee, cultivated at a height of 1,500 meters above sea level, tops the exquisite list of Asian consumers with seemingly no end in sight for what they are prepared to pay for the aroma and taste of tropical fruits in the Panama grain.

A  pound of geisha in the Asian market costs between $15 and $35, depending on its properties, Wilford Lamastus, a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) told La Prensa.

Coffee of the traditional Arabian variety produced by the lead exporters  Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica is quoted at $4 a pound.

But the price paid for a pound of Panamanian special category grain at the Best of Panama electronic auction averages above $60.

Last year Esmeralda Geisha Cañas Verdes Natural, cultivated in Hacienda La Esmeralda, set a record when quoted at $601 per pound and destined for well-heeled coffee lovers in Asia.

Thirty percent of local production for export is classified as special or gourmet.

The United States and Europe set their taste buds lower and buy a more commercial coffee, while delicacies like the geisha are sent mainly to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-4/panamas-geisha-queen-of-gourmet-coffee-sales

[Moderator_02]

On 2/2/2017 at 2:52 PM, NewsLady said:

              The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) was formed 21 years ago for the purpose of learning how to grow better coffee and help with marketing.  From four founders, it has grown to about 40 members and has developed a world reputation for Panama and Boquete as the gold standard for coffee quality.

              This is an open  organization and welcomes all growers of coffee, big and small, new and old, Boqueteno and expat..  Membership is $500 per year and the SCAP office is in the Alto across the street from Centro El Dorado.. SCAP participates in most of the big International coffee shows with a booth and samples. Members are encouraged to help man the booth, hand out samples and talk to buyers.  For more information contact the SCAP President, Wilford Lamastus (wlamastusb@gmail.com) or Rachel Peterson (rachel@haciendaesmeralda.com).

              Among its activities is the annual cupping competition/evaluation which generally occurs in May.  All the farmers submit a lot of at least 150 lbs of green coffee.  Samples are taken, coded and enter the competition of blind cupping. All the samples are first cupped/screened by a national jury which is followed by three days of intensive cupping by the International Jury of Judges.  There are opportunities for growers to talk with both national and international jurors to learn what might be done to improve their coffees. Finally, there is the big gala dinner on Saturday night where winners are announced and bragging rights established until the next year.

              I would urge all the newer growers, hobby or not, to participate.  This event originated as a learning activity for the growers and remains that today.  The only risk involved is…. not winning!

Regards,

Price Peterson

 

[Moderator_02]

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The XXII International Coffee Tasting of Panama began

Thu, 05/24/2018 - 14:06

Select lots of coffee from Panama compete today in an international tasting in which judges from Europe, Asia and America will choose the best grains of the special and traditional varieties produced in the Central American country.

This is the XXII International Coffee Tasting “The best of Panama”, which takes place in the mountainous town of Boquete, in Panama West, in which 75 batches of the grain of the geishas, traditional and Pacamara varieties compete.

In this event, which will run until next Saturday, judges from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, Australia, Romania and Japan, as well as 50 invited buyers who came to try Panama’s fine coffee, said the president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), Wilford Lamastus to ACAN-EFE.

Lamastus said that on this day the scores of traditional natural coffee and natural geishas were very good, and that the comments of the judges have been very positive.

There are 24 batches of natural geishas and 24 batches of washed geisha; 10 lots of natural traditional, 10 washed traditional and 7 lots of the Pacamara variety.

The special Geisha coffee is the star of Panama’s coffee production. In the last edition of this tasting, in 2017, it was sold at a record price of 601 dollars per pound (454 grams).

The Australian Will Young is the main judge of this international competition, and said he was impressed with the first cups they judged, where the naturals have reached scores that in some cases exceeded 90 points, out of 100 that is the maximum that in this category is rare.

“Some of the lots exceeded expectations and it may be that the producers focused on quality this year, because the production was lower,” the head judge told ACAN-EFE.

The Japanese international judge, Taro Suzuki, has repeatedly participated in this event and agreed with Young that the first tables tasted were very good with very tall struts and very nice flavors.

The judges evaluate in each cup attributes such as acidity, body, flavor and balance of each batch, and have found flavors and typical aromas of the geisha variety: fruity and abundant flowers.

Panama’s coffee industry is marginal, but the country has specialized in producing special coffees such as geisha, which is sold at record prices especially in Asia and Europe.

 

http://www.panamatoday.com/life-style/xxii-international-coffee-tasting-panama-began-6916

[Moderator_02]

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Panama Coffee sets new record in International Tasting

Sun, 05/27/2018 - 18:16

The producers of the special coffee of Panama were surprised, after knowing the final result of the 22nd International Tasting "The best of Panama", with the 94.66 points that the washed Geisha from the lot Elida Geisha Green Tip Washed by Lamatus Family Estates.

The award-winning grain was cultivated at 1,800 meters above sea level and won the best score of the competition, where three of the 17 international judges graded it with 97 points.

This is a new record imposed by Panama as a special coffee, with this winning lot, because it is the highest score achieved in coffee competitions in the world, an almost perfect cup, the chief judge of This international competition, Will Youn, from Australia told Acan-Efe.

Youn announced that he will return to Panama for the 100-point cup.

"The winning lot got very high scores, because the coffees that we tested in the Besf of Panama, we could find scores of 94, 96 and 97. This is the only country in the world where this happens," said Will Youn.

In the competition that took place in the town of Boquete, in the western mountainous region of Panama, in the category of Geisha Natural, the Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural Lot won the first place with 93.63 points from Lamastus Family Estates, by producer Wilford Lamastus.

The traditional washed coffee first place was won by the Esmeralda Cañas Verde Traditional lot with 90 points from the Peterson Family.

The first place of Traditional Natural coffee was won by the Dundcan lot with 90.25 points from Kotowa coffee and in the Pacamara category, the Dundcan lot won 92.13 points from Café Kotowa, both lots by producer Ricardo Koyner.

The judges were pleased with the coffee from Panama to say that in this country is where the best grains are found and the quality continues to improve every year, because these producers are pioneers in this type of coffee, although production was low this year, the quality was extraordinary, Mike Perry, a US judge, told Acan-Efe.

"I cannot even explain what this triumph means, I feel proud, this prize is won once in a lifetime or in a generation," producer Wilford Lamastus said excitedly.

The winner is also the president of the Special Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), and also won the "Panama Cup" award, for being the producer who won more awards in the competition.

Ricardo Koyner, producer of Boquete, added that this is the coffee effort of Panama and it is a great opportunity for international judges to evaluate that the Central American country has high quality coffees because coffee has triumphed and we are amazed and happy with the efforts of so many producers , because every year Panama shows the world that they have the best fine coffees.

Now SCAP is preparing with these unusual results for the electronic auction that will be held next July 19.

In this activity international buyers from the five continents put their eyes on the fine coffee of Panama and bet on the lots that reached the best scores in this competition, where for the first time, traditional natural coffees exceeded 90 points out of 100 in an international competition.

Marcelino Rosario

 

http://www.panamatoday.com/life-style/panama-coffee-sets-new-record-international-tasting-6937

[Moderator_02]

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‘Best of Panama geisha coffee record  score

Posted on May 27, 2018 in Panama

Lamastus family celebrate historic result

Post Views: 312

 

Panama’s geisha coffee is renowned worldwide and fetches hundreds of dollars a pound in international auctions.

On Saturday, May 27  The Elida Geisha Green coffee lot, owned by Lamastus Family Estates, recorded an all-time record score in the annual Best of Panama coffee tasting event.

The historical score of 94.66 won the washing geisha category.

In the natural geisha segment, the Elida Green-Tip Lamastus Family Estates also won first place with a 93.35 rating.

For traditional washing, first place went to the Cañas Verdes lot of the Hacienda La Esmeralda with a score of 90.6.

Kotowa won in the traditional natural and pacamara categories.

Wilford Lamastus won the title of producer of the year.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/best-of-panama-geisha-coffee-earns-record-score

[DannyB]

That's nice for the winners, but does anyone have a list of all the categories of coffee in the competition and the places 1-5 with their scores?  Would be nice to know.

[Moderator_02]

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Black Gold lifts Panama Geisha price to new world record

Posted on July 20, 2018 in Panama

 

Tasting the world's best

Post Views: 258

 

The record price of natural geisha coffee was broken twice in the electronic auction The Best of Panama 2018. on Thursday, July 19  finally ending up at $803 a pound paid by the  Taiwanese Black Gold Coffee Co for Elida Geisha Green Natural Tip produced by the Lamastus family.

The bidding began at 6:00 p.m. on  Thursday,  and ended at 1.20 a.m.   on, Friday,

Four hours after the auction started, the Elida Geisha Green Tip coffee washing process, from the Lamastus family broke the world record paid for a pound of geisha coffee by trading at $661 a pound.

An hour later, the Elida Geisha GreenNatural Tip l coffee also from the  Lamastus family set the new record price when $803 was quoted.

The Taiwanese Black Gold Coffee Co paid $ 80,300 for 100 pounds of the coffee from the Lamastus family.

The Japanese Saza Coffee company acquired a portion of the coveted istmeño geisha by paying $ 66,100 for 100 pounds of the Elida Geisha Green Tip washing process, grown at over 1,850 meters high in Alto Quiel, Boquete, Chiriquí province.

The Longboard Windy Ridge Geisha coffee, cultivated in Alto Jaramillo (Boquete), ranked third in the electronic auction and was quoted at $216 a pound.

“The auction was a success because the average price paid for a pound of Panamanian grain was exceeded.  last year at the XXI Best of Panama 2017 the average price per pound was $62 and this year it was $92, “said Wilford Lamastus, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama. (SCAP).

The traditional washing category also exceeded the previous prices for one pound of coffee. The Traditional Esmeralda, cultivated in the Hacienda La Esmeralda, Cañas Verdes, owned by the Peterson family was quoted at $100 a pound. The previous highest price in this category was $50 for one pound paid in 2016.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/black-gold-lifts-panama-geisha-price-to-new-world-record

[Uncle Doug]

I personally cannot tell the difference between a cup of coffee costing $50 and a cup that only costs $45.

[Moderator_02]

7 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

I personally cannot tell the difference between a cup of coffee costing $50 and a cup that only costs $45.

How disappointing. Maybe if you upped the ante then you could tell the difference between a $90 cup and a $100 cup?

[Moderator_02]

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Record Price Paid for Panamanian Coffee

A Taiwanese company has paid $803 for a pound of geisha coffee produced in the province of Chiriqui, surpassing the highest price of $601 paid for a grain of this type.

Monday, July 23, 2018

In the online auction 'The Best of Panama 2018', the Asian company Black Gold Coffee Co paid the highest amount per pound that has been registered for a coffee of the geisha variety, buying it from Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural which produces the grain in the District of Boquete.

The best-priced coffee in the 2018 edition of the contest was produced by the Lamastus family.

See also "Central America: Coffee price falls 31%"

Wilford Lamastus, president of the association and representative of the farms of the Lamastus family, told Prensa.com that " ... 'No one expected it in the global coffee industry. We at the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) are surprised and happy with these prices'." 

See "Coffee export figures in 2017"

The article adds that " ... The Taiwanese Black Gold Coffee Co. paid $80,300 for 100 pounds of natural geisha coffee Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural. While the Japanese Saza Coffee also acquired a share of the coveted Istmeño geisha, paying $66,100 for 100 pounds of the Elida Geisha Green Tip washing process, in Alto Quiel, Boquete, Chiriqui province."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Record_Price_Paid_for_Panamanian_Coffee

[Moderator_02]

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"Panamá: Café" book will portray the origin and tourist circuit of this fine grain

Tue, 07/31/2018 - 20:51

The editorial project "Panamá: Café" will be the first publication with a tourist stamp that will portray the origins and current situation of Panamanian coffee, a legacy that aims to cross borders when the value of the grain in the country is known, the initiative promoters said today.

The publication intends to take a tour through the history of the grain in Panama, recognize the hard work of coffee producers and highlight the value of special geisha coffee, recognized as one of the best in the world, highlighted a note by the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP).

The production, promoted by the tourist agency and the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), is published in partnership with the Editorial Sello de Agua.

According to the SCAP, the book is an editorial legacy that will transcend borders and constitute a new opportunity for the country brand to be present in various international venues, such as festivals, fairs, gastronomic meetings and even video clips.

The administrator of the ATP, Gustavo Him, emphasized that “Panamá-Café” will publicize the cultural and tourist attractions of the coffee regions such as the highlands of Chiriquí, in western Panama, attracting investors and international buyers.

"Our contribution to this project is to establish the coffee circuit and promote it as a new tourist product in the Chiriquí region," said Him, who has visited coffee plantations in Boquete and Tierras Altas.

The document includes a detailed portrait of the first coffee plantations in Panama, ranging from the climate of the regions where it is grown, farms, producers, processes, grain varieties, sustainable agriculture, the coffee circuit, agro-tourism and ecotourism; and the gastronomic proposal.

He also mentions the role of the indigenous Ngäbe Buglé ethnic group who have played a leading role in Panamanian coffee growing.

The edition will have a large format with photographs. It will be a reference for locals and foreigners interested in knowing the coffee region of the country and taste one of the best coffees in the world.

In 2017, the Coffee Exploration Center created by the ATP in Boquete became the gateway to the coffee circuit, allowing visitors to experience the process of the making of the delicious beverage.

In recent years, coffee has positioned itself as one of the most important agricultural products of the Panamanian highlands, since it has exotic varieties of grain such as geisha and the jewel in the coffee crown.

In 2017, the special geisha coffee, the star of Panama's coffee production, was sold at a record price of $ 601 per pound (454 grams) at the XXI TheBestofPanama electronic auction.

By 2016, coffee represented 0.6 percent of total food exports, increasing to 1.2 percent by 2017, according to official figures.

 

http://www.panamatoday.com/life-style/panama-cafe-book-will-portray-origin-and-tourist-circuit-fine-grain-7458

[Moderator_02]

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Panama’s royal family of geisha coffee retains crown

Experts from around the worldflock to coffee tasting event

Posted 27/05/2019

Panama’s  Lamastus family has again been crowned the royal family of  geisha coffee produced in the highlands of Chiriqui.

with a  score of 95.25 out  100, Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural, from Lamastus Family Estates, won the first prize in the geisha category with processes in the 23^rd  Best of Panama tasting

The family surpassed its own mark of last year and estimate that in the upcoming virtual auction it will be possible to break the world record price achieved last year when an Asian buyer paid   $803  per pound.

In each category judged by the 21  world gourmet coffee specialists, the quality of the Panamanian grain stood out, with the diversity of flavors and fragrances. senses.

Chief tasting judge Will Young,  equates  Panama the seat of good coffee, with  Bourbon, France, for good wine.

"There is a renaissance in luxury coffee in the world. And it is in this western part of the Isthmus that the amount of microclimates gives that particularity to coffee, "he said.

Plinio Ruiz, president of the Special Coffee Association of Panama, said that with the results of the tasting the Panamanian coffee industry won.

Wilford Lamastus said that the award-winning coffee was treated with anaerobic techniques, as part of novel systems that are implemented on the farm, which is located more than 2,000  feet above sea level.

"For my family, which has more than 100 years in coffee growing, this award is a great distinction," he said.

In second place in this category, with 94 points, came the Janson Family Selection; and the third place, with 93.50 points, went to to  the Santamaría Geisha Elixir Natural lot from the producer Edwin Santamaría.

 Washed geisha
the Lamastus family also triumphed. in the washed geisha category.,

They got the highest score, with  95 points for Elida Geisha Green Tip lot of Lamastus Family Estates. In second place, with 94.25 points, was the Esmeralda Special Jaramillo Geisha Washed lot from Peterson Family; and in the third place, with 93.50 points, was the lot Geisha L. Estela, owned by Estela Pitti.

 the Lamastus family also got the highest score, with 95 points for Elida Geisha Green Tip lot of Lamastus Family Estates. In second place, with 94.25 points, came was occupied by the Esmeralda Special Jaramillo Geisha Washed lot from Peterson Family; and in the third position, with 93.50 points, was the lot Geisha L. Estela, owned by Estela Pitti.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panamas-royal-family-of-geisha-coffee-retains-crown

[Moderator_02]

Moderator comment: Below is an article from La Prensa regarding the recent coffee competition mentioned in the previous posting. This article is in Spanish and an unedited automated translation is provided at the end of this posting.

It is our understanding that the actual chronological sequence of news articles is the reverse of how presented here on CL, i.e., this article was published first, but apparently contained some unintentional factual flaws, which resulted in the second news article (the one posted just prior to this one). Confusion reigns supreme here.

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Elida Estate Green Tip Coffee impone récord para liderar el mejor café geisha de Panamá

Flor Bocharel Q.,Especial para La Prensa | BOQUETE, Chiriquí 26 may 2019 - 09:32h

Temas: Café Boquete Chiriquí

Obteniendo una puntuación de 95.12 en una escala de 100, Elida Estate Green Tip Natural Coffee resultó el ganador de la variedad geisha natural en la vigésima tercera cata de café The Best of Panamá.

Esta competencia fue juzgada por 21 jueces procedentes de diversas partes del mundo.

El año pasado, una muestra de esta finca obtuvo el más alto galardón de este juzgamiento, mientras que en la subasta virtual el café geisha fue adquirido a 803 dólares la libra.

Wilford Lamastus, representante de la finca ubicada en Boquete, Chiriquí, dijo sentirse muy emocionado por el logro y ello se debe al esfuerzo que se hace en la caficultura. "Hemos implementado un nuevo proceso que se denomina anaeróbico, porque siempre estamos intercambiando e innovando", indicó.

La familia Peterson se adjudicó el reconocimiento The Panama Cup 2019 por los altos puntajes logrados por las muestras de café presentados en la cata.

Otras categorías de café especial premiadas fueron: en geisha lavado, que obtuvo 95 puntos Elida Estate Green Tip de la familia Lamastus; en la variedad pacamara obtuvo el primer lugar con 89.58 el café Damarli Pacamara Nolde Imperial de David Peck.

En tanto, en los cafés naturales con procesos, el galardón lo obtuvo la muestra Las Brumas Panamá Natural Citric con 89.27 puntos de la finca de César Araúz de Renacimiento.

Mientras que Hacienda Bárbara con 88.67 puntos se ubicó como el mejor café natural lavado.

Plinio Ruíz, presidente de la Specialty Coffee Association of Panamá señaló que cada año los productores se esfuerzan por presentar un mejor café. "Este es el resultado de un gran esfuerzo, los jueces internacionales confían en ese trabajo y están reconociendo, con altos puntajes, los cafés finos de Panamá", destacó.

 

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Elida Estate Green Tip Coffee imposes record to lead the best geisha coffee in Panama

Obtaining a score of 95.12 on a scale of 100, Elida Estate Green Tip Natural Coffee was the winner of the natural geisha variety at the 23rd Best of Panama coffee tasting.

This competition was judged by 21 judges from different parts of the world.

Last year, a sample of this farm won the highest award of this trial, while in the virtual auction the geisha coffee was purchased at 803 dollars per pound.

Wilford Lamastus, representative of the farm located in Boquete, Chiriquí, said he was very excited about the achievement and this is due to the effort that is made in coffee growing. "We have implemented a new process that is called anaerobic, because we are always exchanging and innovating," he said.

The Peterson family won the recognition of The Panama Cup 2019 for the high scores achieved by the coffee samples presented in the tasting.

Other categories of special coffee awarded were: in washed geisha, which earned 95 points Elida Estate Green Tip of the Lamastus family; in the pacamara variety he won the first place with 89.58 the Damarli Pacamara Nolde Imperial coffee by David Peck.

Meanwhile, in natural coffees with processes, the award was obtained by Las Brumas Panamá Natural Citric with 89.27 points on the estate of César Araúz de Renacimiento.

While Hacienda Bárbara with 88.67 points was ranked as the best washed natural coffee.

Plinio Ruíz, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, pointed out that every year producers strive to present a better coffee. "This is the result of a great effort, the international judges trust in this work and are recognizing, with high scores, the fine coffees of Panama," he said.

 

https://www.prensa.com/economia/Elida-Estate-Green-Coffee-Panama_0_5313218628.html

[Keith Woolford]

While the articles focus on the Lamastus family, the photos show the Petersen family.

[Keith Woolford]

This video clip posted yesterday on BBC News features a $75 cup of coffee from Lamastus Estates.

 

[Moderator_02]

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World buyers register for Panama specialty coffee auction

Tasters at Best of Panama event

Posted 13/06/2019

SOME  86  coffee buyers from around the world have registered for the online coffee auction that will take place in Panama on June 16. Last year a batch  of  a prizewinning  Geisha coffee fetched a world  record price of over $800 a pound,

Plinio Ruíz, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) confirmed the date of the online auction and noted that 49 lots of the best coffee in Panama have already been sent, both of the Geisha variety and of the other varieties recently judged. at the Best of Panama coffee tasting where international judges gave high scores to the lots of the product of the Chiriqui mountains.

"We sent a total of 18 samples of washed geishas, 18 samples of geishas with the process, 2 traditional washed coffees, 8 traditional with processes and 3 samples of Pacamara coffees", said Ruiz.

He indicated that the SCAP sends the samples to to  enable the interested buyers to evaluate the product and in the auction they will be able to bid for the sample they wish to obtain.

Buyers who have shown an interest in participating in this electronic auction come from France, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, and Japan.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/world/world-buyers-register-for-panama-specialty-coffee-auction

[Moderator_02]

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Panama world best coffee  at $1,029 a pound

WORLD experts rate Panama coffee

Posted 17/07/2019

Coffee buyers from around the world endorsed their previous decision that Panama produces the best coffee in the world on  Tuesday, July 16, and put their money on their taste buds, including a record payment of $1,029 for a  pound of natural geisha in the annual Specialty Coffee Association’s online auction.

IN 2018 geisha coffee produced by Elida Estate of the Lamastus family, topped the world with a price of $803 a pound. In  2017 the price reached $601.  This year a Japanese buyer showed that there is seemingly no ceiling to what connoisseurs are prepared to pay for the green beans grown in Boquete.  This year's top price was paid by Saza Coffee.

By the time the coffee has been roasted and processed it would likely retail at around $75, a cup.

"It means that the work we do for our coffee results from the effort of so many years of learning and mistakes, but we have remained passionate and the buyers of our coffees feel super satisfied and that is why the records are broken," said. Wilford Lamastus.

The auction with 197 bidders was closed at close to midnight with sales totaling  $568,937 for 49 lots with an average record high price of $100 a pound

Plinio Ruiz, president of the Special Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), points out that the quality of Panamanian coffee has been demonstrated in international markets and  year after year producers  and buyers are enthused  about participating in the auction which  is a recognition for Panama of having the best coffee in the world, leaving the name of the country high worldwide

Bidders from England, United States, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Greece, Sweden, Ireland, Vietnam, Kuwait and Spain bought

5,650 pounds of natural Geisha coffee and with Processes, Washed Geishas, Pacamaras, Traditional Naturals, and Processes, as well as Traditional Washes,

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-world-best-coffee-at-1029-a-pound

 

[Moderator_02]

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Virtual Auction of Gourmet Coffee

From July 27th to 30th, the XXIV International Tasting The Best of Panama will take place virtually, in which 45 producers registered a total of 161 specialty coffee lots.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Laestrella.com.pa reviews that "... The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) has completed the registration process and as of June 15 will receive 24,150 pounds of the world's most coveted coffee, which has been carefully selected by producers. There are 87 lots (13,050 pounds) of the geisha variety of coffee, 58 lots (8,700 pounds) of traditional varieties of coffee and 16 lots (2,400 pounds) of the Pacamara variety, according to an official statement."

You may be interested in "Coffee: Potential Market and Consumer Preferences"

Representatives of the association explained that the national tasting will be held in eight laboratories authorized by the entity in Boquete, Volcán and Piedra de Candela. There, the lots with the highest score will be selected.

"... The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), completed the registration process and from June 15 will receive 24,150 pounds of the most coveted coffee in the world, which has been carefully selected by producers.  There are 87 lots (13,050 pounds) of the geisha variety of coffee, 58 lots (8,700 pounds) of traditional varieties of coffee and 16 lots (2,400 pounds) of the Pacamara variety, according to an official statement."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Virtual_Auction_of_Gourmet_Coffee

[Moderator_02]

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Productores de cafés especiales postergan para julio competencia Best of Panama

Los jueces nacionales de la SCAP seleccionarán los mejores lotes, para luego enviar una muestra tostada a los jueces y compradores internacionales 

Por Mileika Lasso
Actualizado 28/04/2020 13:22

Los cafés 'gourmet' panameños compiten para seleccionar a los mejores que participarán en la subasta donde cada año imponen un nuevo récord.Cortesía

La Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Panamá (SCAP, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció a los miembros y a los jueces internacionales que debido a la pandemia COVID-19, la XXIV Cata Internacional “The Best of Panama” fue programada para el próximo mes julio.

La competencia es el primer paso para que los caficultores de cafés gourmet sean seleccionados para que posteriormente participen en la subasta electrónica, que cada año es muy concurrida, debido a que se impone un nuevo récord en cuanto al valor ofertado por la libra de café.

SCAP implementará por primera vez en su historia como organización de productores del café especial mejor vendido del mundo, el primer “Virtual Best Of Panama”, es una alternativa para que los jueces internacionales, en cada uno de sus países, sometan a su más estricto paladar, la muestra de cada uno de los lotes, explicó mediante un comunicado de prensa el presidente de la SCAP, Plinio Ruiz.

La competencia iniciará con la selección de los mejores lotes de café por un grupo de jueces nacionales de SCAP entre el 6 al 10 de julio. Ruiz comentó que luego "SCAP enviará a los Jueces Internacionales en sus respectivos países, las muestras de los lotes seleccionados con los mejores calificaciones y puntos en cada categoría (Geisha Natural, Geisha Lavado, Tradicional Natural, Tradicional Lavado y Pacamaras)".

Las muestras serán tostadas, empacadas con rigurosos códigos de seguridad y enviadas cada uno de los jueces internacionales para desarrollar la ronda internacional del 27 al 30 de julio.

Por tratarse de una competencia internacional de los mejores cafés especiales de Panamá, los resultados finales serán publicados el 31 de julio, después de ser revisados por el juez principal internacional y los auditores contratados por SCAP para mantener la transparencia del evento.

Se señaló que el próximo el 16 de septiembre, SCAP ofrecerá los lotes con mayor puntaje a los compradores interesados en participar en la subasta electrónica “The Best of Panama”.

En la cata de 2019 con 95.25 puntos sobre la base de 100 puntos, casi perfecto, el lote de café especial Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural de Lamastus Family Estates en la categoría de geisha con proceso, se alzó con el mayor puntaje de la competencia

Posteriormente en la subasta electrónica. la empresa japonesa Saza Coffee pagó la suma de $1,029 por la libra de café panameño Elida Geisha Green Trip Natural, y con eso se impuso un nuevo récord mundial en la subasta electrónica ‘The Best of Panama'.

En esa subasta, la SCAP subastó un total de 49 lotes, por la cual pagaron un total de $568,937. Los caficultores panameños subastaron un total de 5,650 libras del café especial. Entre ellos: 2,300 libras de Geishas Natural con Procesos, 1,900 libras de Geishas Lavados, 300 libras de Pacamaras, 950 libras de café Tradicional Natural y con Procesos, y 200 libras de Tradicionales Lavados.

En esa oportunidad se insribieron como compradores de café especial producido en Panamá personas procedentes de Inglaterra, Estados Unidos, China, Arabia Saudita, Corea de Sur, Nueva Zelanda, Taiwán, Japón, Singapur, Hong Kong, Australia, Canadá, Suiza, Colombia, Filipinas, Indonesia, Marruecos, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Grecia, Suecia, Irlanda, Vietnam, Kuwait y España.

 

Moderator comment: Below is an unedited automated translation of the above news article.

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Specialty coffee producers postpone July Best of Panama competition

National SCAP judges will select the best batches, then send a roasted sample to international judges and buyers

By Mileika Lasso
Updated 04/28/2020 13:22

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Panamanian 'gourmet' coffees compete to select the best that will participate in the auction where each year they set a new record.

The Panama Specialty Coffee Association (SCAP) announced to members and international judges that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the XXIV International Tasting “The Best of Panama” was scheduled for next July .

Competition is the first step for gourmet coffee growers to be selected to subsequently participate in the electronic auction, which is very popular every year, because a new record is set in terms of the value offered per pound of coffee.

SCAP will implement for the first time in its history as an organization of producers of the best-selling specialty coffee in the world, the first “Virtual Best Of Panama”, is an alternative for international judges, in each of their countries, to submit to their strictest palate, the sample from each of the lots, explained in a press release the president of SCAP, Plinio Ruiz.

The competition will begin with the selection of the best batches of coffee by a group of national SCAP judges from July 6 to 10. Ruiz commented that later "SCAP will send to the International Judges in their respective countries, the samples of the selected lots with the best marks and points in each category (Geisha Natural, Geisha Wash, Traditional Natural, Traditional Wash and Pacamaras)".

The samples will be roasted, packed with rigorous security codes and sent by each of the international judges to carry out the international round from July 27 to 30.

As it is an international competition for the best specialty coffees in Panama, the final results will be published on July 31, after being reviewed by the international chief judge and the auditors hired by SCAP to maintain the transparency of the event.

It was noted that next September 16, SCAP will offer the lots with the highest scores to buyers interested in participating in the electronic auction “The Best of Panama”.

At the 2019 tasting with 95.25 points on the basis of 100 points, almost perfect, the batch of special coffee Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural from Lamastus Family Estates in the geisha with process category, won the highest score of the competition

Later in the electronic auction. The Japanese company Saza Coffee paid the sum of $ 1,029 for the pound of Panamanian coffee Elida Geisha Green Trip Natural, and with that set a new world record in the electronic auction ‘The Best of Panama '.

In that auction, SCAP auctioned a total of 49 lots, for which they paid a total of $ 568,937. Panamanian coffee farmers auctioned a total of 5,650 pounds of the specialty coffee. Among them: 2,300 pounds of Natural Geishas with Processes, 1,900 pounds of Geishas Washed, 300 pounds of Pacamaras, 950 pounds of Traditional Natural and Processed coffee, and 200 pounds of Traditional Washed.

On that occasion, people from England, the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Colombia, were registered as buyers of special coffee produced in Panama. Philippines, Indonesia, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Greece, Sweden, Ireland, Vietnam, Kuwait and Spain.

 

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/economia/200428/productores-cafes-especiales-postergan-julio-competencia-best-of-panama

[Moderator_02]

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Virtual Auction of Gourmet Coffee

From July 27th to 30th, the XXIV International Tasting The Best of Panama will take place virtually, in which 45 producers registered a total of 161 specialty coffee lots.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Laestrella.com.pa reviews that "... The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) has completed the registration process and as of June 15 will receive 24,150 pounds of the world's most coveted coffee, which has been carefully selected by producers. There are 87 lots (13,050 pounds) of the geisha variety of coffee, 58 lots (8,700 pounds) of traditional varieties of coffee and 16 lots (2,400 pounds) of the Pacamara variety, according to an official statement."

You may be interested in "Coffee: Potential Market and Consumer Preferences"

Representatives of the association explained that the national tasting will be held in eight laboratories authorized by the entity in Boquete, Volcán and Piedra de Candela. There, the lots with the highest score will be selected.

"... The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), completed the registration process and from June 15 will receive 24,150 pounds of the most coveted coffee in the world, which has been carefully selected by producers.  There are 87 lots (13,050 pounds) of the geisha variety of coffee, 58 lots (8,700 pounds) of traditional varieties of coffee and 16 lots (2,400 pounds) of the Pacamara variety, according to an official statement."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/home/Virtual_Auction_of_Gourmet_Coffee

[Moderator_02]

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The Best of Panamá tiene nuevo rey Geisha

Panamá presenta sus mejores cafés al mundo y jueces internacionales validan la calidad de estos granos. El experimentado jurado reconoció en una conferencia virtual la dificultad de establecer un ganador en cada categoría calificada porque todos son cafés de excelencia.

 

Yolanda Sandoval

01 ago 2020 - 04:39 PM

Best of Panamá es la contienda más importante del entorno cafetalero nacional. En ella se presenta lo mejor del café local en los mercados mundiales. Archivo

La calidad de los cafés especiales panameños y la tenacidad de los productores locales superaron las actuales adversidades que dominan el comercio mundial. Ayer se conocieron los puntajes de la cata anual Best of Panamá, la prueba que debió realizarse el pasado mes de mayo y que a causa del nuevo coronavirus se cambió para julio.

Con un puntaje de 95.01 puntos sobre un total de 100 puntos, el lote Olympus Geisha Lavado, de Hellen Russell y Willem J. Boot, obtuvo el primer lugar de la categoría Geisha Lavado, con la calificación más alta entre los competidores.

Por primera vez la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Panamá organizó una cata virtual, debido a las restricciones de movilidad que norman al mundo tras la Covid-19.

Usualmente, los jueces de la cata que le otorgan las puntuaciones al café panameño, llegan al país desde Australia, Estados Unidos, Europa y Asia, para validar el proceso de producción en las fincas cafetaleras de la Tierras Altas de Chiriquí y someter a una estricta degustación los lotes de café seleccionados.

Este año, sin embargo, se les enviaron a cada juez internacional las muestras de los lotes de mejor calidad, seleccionados de las categorías geishas natural y lavado, tradicionales natural y lavado, y pacamara. La cata se cumplió en 17 laboratorios con jueces ubicados en 8 países.

El tratamiento de las muestras enviadas requirió de un esfuerzo titánico para preservar las calidades del grano.

Best of Panamá es la contienda más importante del entorno cafetalero panameño. En ella se presenta lo mejor del café local en los mercados mundiales. De ahí la relevancia de estos jueces experimentados, quienes determinan los granos situados en la cima de la excelencia.

El lote Geisha Black Jaguar Natural Limited de Tessie Palacios de Hartman -área de Los Pozos de Volcán y Santa Clara de Renacimiento-, obtuvo 94.71 puntos y se alzó con el primer lugar de los segmentos geishas naturales y con procesos.

En la categoría pacamara el primer lugar fue para el lote Janson Estate Pacamara, de Family Janson, con 90.47 puntos. En los cafés tradicionales naturales y con procesos, el primer lugar se lo llevó el lote Mama Cata Mokkita Process, de Teodoro Garrido. Su calificación: 90.88.

Jueces ubicados en ocho países calificaron a los participantes de la cata internacional de café. Archivo

En los tradicionales lavado, el primer lugar fue para el lote Carmen Gran Reserva de Panamá Red Carmen Café Trading S.A. con 89.29.

El campeón de la Copa Panamá, premio otorgado al productor que mayor cantidad de puntos acumuló dentro de la competencia, fue para la dupla de productores Hellen Russell y Willem J. Boot.

En cada categoría resultaron ganadores 8 lotes que obtuvieron los mayores puntajes en la competencia internacional, dijo Plinio Ruiz, presidente de la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Panamá (SCAP por sus siglas en inglés).

Se trató de un proceso largo y riguroso en el que Panamá demostró la calidad de sus granos de altura, tras someterse a jueces internacionales bajo el liderazgo del australiano Will Young, junto con jueces de Taiwán, China, Corea, Japón, Estados Unidos y Hong Kong.

A primeras horas de la madrugada panameña del pasado viernes 31 de julio, los árbitros anunciaron los ganadores.

La Asociación inicia ahora otro proceso, el de empacar las muestras de los lotes ganadores para enviarlas a los compradores inscritos en la subasta electrónica global planificada para el 16 de septiembre de 2020. En dicha subasta los participantes empiezan otra vez de cero. No necesariamente los que obtuvieron los puntajes más altos en Best of Panamá, alcanzarán el mejor precio.

El récord mundial por un café especial panameño se obtuvo en Best of Panamá 2019, cuando el Elida Geisha de la familia Lamastus alcanzó un puntaje de 95.25 sobre una escala de 100 puntos.

La producción de esta familia sigue estando entre las mejores.

Este año, en la categoría de los Geishas Lavados, con 94 puntos, el lote Elida Greentip Geisha Washed de Lamatus Family se alzó con el segundo lugar, muy cerca del mejor calificado.

 

Moderator comment: Below is an unedited automated translation of the above news article.

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The Best of Panama has a new Geisha king

Panama presents its best coffees to the world and international judges validate the quality of these beans. The experienced jury recognized in a virtual conference the difficulty of establishing a winner in each qualified category because they are all excellent coffees.

Yolanda Sandoval
Aug 01, 2020 - 04:39 PM

<<UZ55E7ZSLFF3HGWTCEFDAAY2FM.jpg>>
Best of Panama is the most important contest in the national coffee environment. It presents the best of local coffee in world markets. Archive

The quality of Panamanian specialty coffees and the tenacity of local producers overcame the current adversities that dominate world trade. Yesterday the scores of the annual Best of Panama tasting were known, the test that had to be carried out last May and that because of the new coronavirus was changed for July.

With a score of 95.01 points out of a total of 100 points, Hellen Russell and Willem J. Boot's Olympus Geisha Wash lot took first place in the Geisha Wash category, with the highest rating among the competitors.

For the first time, the Panama Specialty Coffee Association organized a virtual tasting, due to the mobility restrictions that rule the world after Covid-19.

Usually, the tasting judges who give the scores to Panamanian coffee arrive in the country from Australia, the United States, Europe and Asia, to validate the production process in the coffee farms of the Highlands of Chiriquí and submit to a strict tasting the selected coffee batches.

This year, however, samples of the best quality batches, selected from the natural and washed geisha, traditional natural and washed, and pacamara categories, were sent to each international judge. The tasting was carried out in 17 laboratories with judges located in 8 countries.

The treatment of the samples sent required a titanic effort to preserve the qualities of the grain.

Best of Panama is the most important contest in the Panamanian coffee environment. It presents the best of local coffee in world markets. Hence the relevance of these seasoned judges, who determine the beans at the peak of excellence.

The Geisha Black Jaguar Natural Limited lot of Tessie Palacios de Hartman -Area of Los Pozos de Volcán and Santa Clara de Renacimiento- obtained 94.71 points and won first place in the natural geisha and process segments.

In the pacamara category the first place went to the Janson Estate Pacamara lot, by Family Janson, with 90.47 points. In traditional natural and process coffees, the first place was won by the Mama Cata Mokkita Process batch, by Teodoro Garrido. Her rating: 90.88.

<<JAASUVHTMVCGBD3BIEPGBKVVMI.jpeg>>
Judges located in eight countries rated the participants of the international coffee tasting. Archive

In traditional washing, the first place went to the Carmen Gran Reserva de Panamá batch Red Carmen Café Trading S.A. with 89.29.

The Panama Cup champion, the award given to the producer who accumulated the most points within the competition, went to the pair of producers Hellen Russell and Willem J. Boot.

In each category, 8 lots were the winners who obtained the highest scores in the international competition, said Plinio Ruiz, president of the Association of Special Cafes of Panama (SCAP).

It was a long and rigorous process in which Panama demonstrated the quality of its high altitude grains, after submitting itself to international judges under the leadership of Australian Will Young, along with judges from Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan, the United States and Hong Kong.

In the early hours of the Panamanian dawn of last Friday, July 31, the referees announced the winners.

The Association is now starting another process, that of packing the samples of the winning lots to send them to the buyers registered in the global electronic auction planned for September 16, 2020. In this auction, the participants start again from scratch. Not necessarily the ones that got the highest scores in Best of Panama, will achieve the best price.

The world record for a Panamanian specialty coffee was obtained at Best of Panama 2019, when the Elida Geisha of the Lamastus family reached a score of 95.25 on a scale of 100 points.

The production of this family continues to be among the best.

This year, in the Geishas Washed category, with 94 points, Lamatus Family's Elida Greentip Geisha Washed lot took second place, very close to the best qualified.

 

https://www.prensa.com/economia/the-best-of-panama-tiene-nuevo-rey-geisha/

[Moderator_02]

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International  judges choose Panama’s new king of geisha

Posted 02/08/2020

The annual Best of Panama tasting has produced a  new king of Geisha coffee which last year was auctioned for a record price of $1,029  a pound. This year’s auction will be in  September.

The tasting was to have taken place in May, drawing tasters from around the world to Panama. but in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was delayed until July and the Panama Specialty Coffee Association organized for the first time a virtual tasting with judges in 17  laboratories in 8 countries participating.

 With a score of 95.01 points out of 100, Hellen Russell and Willem J. Boot's Olympus Geisha Wash lot took first place in the Geisha Wash category earning them The Panama Cup Champion award.

Judges in  Australia, the United States, Europe and participated to validate the production process in the coffee farms of the Highlands of Chiriquí and submit to rigorous testing of the selected batches.

Samples of the best quality batches, selected from the natural and washed geisha, traditional natural and washed, and pacamara categories, were sent to each international judge. 

The treatment of the samples sent required a titanic effort to preserve the qualities of the grain.

Best of Panama is the most important contest in the Panamanian coffee environment presenting the best of local coffee in world markets. 

The Geisha Black Jaguar Natural Limited lot of Tessie Palacios de Hartman -Area of Los Pozos de Volcán and Santa Clara de Renacimiento- obtained 94.71 points and won first place in the natural geisha and process segments.

In the pacamera category, the first place went to the Janson Estate Pacamara lot, by Family Janson, with 90.47 points. 

The first place In traditional natural and process coffees was won by the Mama Cata Mokkita Process batch, by Teodoro Garrido. His rating: 90.88.

In traditional washing, the first place went to the Carmen Gran Reserva de Panamá batch Red Carmen Café Trading SA with 89.29.

It was a long and rigorous process in which Panama demonstrated the quality of its high altitude grains, after submitting itself to international judges under the leadership of Australian Will Young, along with judges from Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan, the United States, and Hong Kong.

The Association of Special Cafes of Panama (SCAP).is now starting another process, packing the samples of the winning lots to send them to the buyers registered in the global electronic auction planned for September 16, In this auction, the participants start again from scratch. Not necessarily the ones that got the highest scores in Best of Panama, will achieve the best price.

The world record for a Panamanian specialty coffee was obtained at Best of Panama 2019 when the Elida Geisha of the Lamastus family reached a score of 95.25 on a scale of 100 points.

The production of the family continues to be among the best. This year, in the Geishas Washed category, with 94 points, Lamatus Family's Elida Greentip Geisha Washed lot took second place.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/international-judges-choose-panamas-new-king-of-geisha

[Moderator_02]

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Plinio Ruiz: 'El productor nacional debe tener inventiva para competir en el mercado local'

El presidente de la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Panamá está convencido de que solo la creatividad con planes estratégicos permitirá darle al café de especialidad, proveniente de nuestras fincas, el sitial que merece en el mercado nacional

Por Yandira Núñez
Actualizado 22/08/2020 00:00

Plinio Ruiz, presidente de la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Panamá (SCAP) y vinculado a una larga historia familiar que ha mantenido por generaciones su pasión por el cultivo de este producto, conversa abiertamente sobre los esfuerzos de nuestros cafetaleros en Tierras Altas; un distrito rico y pintoresco, donde la producción del café de especialidad marcó un antes y un después en el carácter de la mirada internacional hacia Panamá. Ruiz también lidera Best of Panamá (BoP), una plataforma que atiende a los productores panameños interesados en la especialización de cafés de alto nivel. Deste esta posición, y como brazo ejecutor de iniciativas que visibilizan la calidad del café proveniente de nuestro suelo, confiesa que lograr que el producto nacional alcance buenos precios y nuevos mercados ha sido una estrategia difícil de ejecutar por la falta de presupuesto, además, la competencia “es enorme”. “Hay una gran cantidad de países y de fincas ofreciendo café de calidad y a un menor precio que nosotros; penetrar ese mercado y hacer el milagro de que se compre el café de Panamá es un esfuerzo muy grande, que hacemos los cafetaleros”. Desde Boquete, el presidente de SCAP nos habla en una entrevista e insiste en la necesidad de educar al consumidor local para elevar la posición de nuestros productos a los que no siempre se les da la oportunidad.

Plinio Ruiz apuesta por la necesidad de innovar, ejecutar nuevos esfuerzos e impulsar la industria nacional de café de especialidad.Cedida

 

Plinio, The Best of Panamá se llevó a cabo hace un par de semanas. Allí los jueces evaluaron los mejores lotes de café 'gourmet' panameño. ¿Qué sabor te dejó la experiencia de este año?

Esta edición XXIV exigió de cada uno de nosotros poner en práctica los conocimientos adquiridos en lo que se refiere no solo a la producción de café, sino en materia de logística, coordinación de envíos internacionales, de transmisión de comunicación y en la coordinación de toda la entrega de premios y reconocimientos, lo que requería que estuviésemos totalmente alineados como si fuese una producción televisiva o de eventos. Fue una experiencia totalmente nueva, pero gracias a Dios la llevamos a cabo muy bien.

Históricamente, ¿cuál fue el punto de inflexión que nos posicionó en el foco internacional en cuanto a la producción de café de especialidad?

Esto trae una historia de generaciones de productores y siempre el café de Tierras Altas se distinguió por tener una muy buena calidad. En el año 1996 se fundó la Asociación de Cafés Especiales, con un pequeño grupo de caficultores muy estudiados, que soñaba con el producto para hacer cosas que no se habían hecho nunca antes. Con ellos, en el año 2000 se realizó la primera subasta electrónica de café en el mundo. Posteriormente, descubrimos en la Asociación que no se pueden vender lotes muy grandes en las subastas, sino lotes pequeños, que ya estaban destinados a ser una herramienta de mercadeo del café panameño; al comprender eso, entre los años 2002 y 2003 comenzamos a educarnos y traer a las personas que tenían un mayor conocimiento acerca de lo que era el café especial alrededor del mundo; trajimos a gente de Brasil, Inglaterra, Estados Unidos, y nos fueron nutriendo con conocimiento. En 2004, durante un taller, uno de los más destacados catadores internacionales, Ric Rhinehart, de la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Estados Unidos (SCAA), descubrió que entre las muestras que se habían presentado había un café extraordinario y le pidió a la familia Peterson que las muestras se presentaran en una competencia internacional, y resultó salir ganadora por la votación del 99,9% de los jueces, y al final del año teníamos a mucha gente buscando ese café en Panamá; ese fue el descubrimiento del geisha que revolucionó la industria de café especial en el mundo. A partir de allí, el geisha comenzó a recibir mucha promoción, publicidad y nombre, y se fue incluyendo en The Best of Panamá; con ello surgió el interés de muchos jueces internacionales de venir voluntariamente para catar el café. Hemos tenido hasta el año pasado mucho éxito trayendo a jueces internacionales, de tal manera que el evento se transformó al punto de que las personas interesadas en el café de la más alta calidad del mundo esperaban venir a Boquete o Volcán, para ser catadores de estos lotes de cafés, preparados por los panameños. La misma política (del evento) hace que la subasta produzca suficiente ruido mediático y de mercadeo para que el producto de Panamá pueda alcanzar buenos precios y los mejores mercados que apetecen los cafés de calidad. Ha sido una estrategia difícil de llevar a cabo porque no tenemos el dinero, pero se puede lograr a través de la calidad del producto que presentamos.

Debido a que este año todos los eventos se han hecho de forma virtual, los costos del The Best of Panamá fueron un 30% menores que en 2019, ¿migraremos a un modelo de cata más práctico?

Nada como visitar el lugar, y en nuestro caso, estos sitios presentan características muy favorables para la visita de los jueces internacionales. Si tenemos que mantenernos en una cata virtual, vamos a tener que ser más innovadores y dar con una fórmula que también exhiba a los jueces para que puedan ser vistos, porque lo que se ve, es lo que se vende, y en el caso del café lo que se ve y se prueba, es lo que se vende. Esperamos que el descubrimiento de la vacuna y los tratamientos nos permita tener una apertura en el mundo en unos meses.

¿Existe una valoración sociocultural real de nuestro café?

Internamente Panamá es un mercado muy abierto; recibimos cafés de todas partes del mundo y casi no hay barreras para impedir que entren cafés de donde sea. Últimamente negociamos con el Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias para que durante unos meses o unos años podamos tener los aranceles de contención al tope, porque la industria nacional necesita vender su producto. El buen café es un ritual; es un espacio de tiempo que nos permite meditar y disfrutar de nuestros productos, que a su vez consumen en otros lugares del mundo y muchas veces despreciamos; tenemos muchos productos de nuestro sector agropecuario de muchísima calidad y no se les da la oportunidad. El pacamara, por ejemplo, es una de las variedades que ha alcanzado renombre; en la competencia de este año han surgido dos nuevas variedades que ganaron posiciones y premios, como maragogipe y mocca, que son parte de la innovación que los cafetaleros de cafés especiales han ido introduciendo.

Quote

'El buen café es un ritual; es un espacio de tiempo que nos permite meditar y disfrutar de los productos que muchas veces despreciamos'

PLINIO RUIZ,
PRESIDENTE DE SCAP

¿Está Panamá lista para continuar capacitándose en la producción del café?

Es algo que de manera privada hemos hecho todos los caficultores, prepararnos y educarnos. Tenemos a muchas personas preocupadas por la educación en esta materia. Muchas veces en la Facultad de Agronomía, no se consigue que se pueda seguir dando esta especialización, así que luchamos para que lo hagan instituciones educativas internacionales y hay influencia en la Universidad Agrícola Zamorano en Honduras, también en las universidades de Estados Unidos en Gainesville, Florida, Texas y en California. Se trabaja a esos niveles porque muchas veces localmente no se le da importancia y es imprescindible que el café se pueda mantener en estudio.

¿Qué tan atractivo comercialmente es nuestro producto y qué nos diferencia en el mercado internacional?

El geisha de Panamá es muy atractivo por el nombre que ha adquirido; ellos (los vendedores) necesitan tener el geisha de Panamá, necesitan tener pacamara de Panamá y los lotes que producimos, por el nombre que hemos alcanzado, y ahí es donde aprovechamos el esfuerzo que se hace en The Best of Panamá y en la subasta internacional para colocar también el resto del café que se produce.

La constancia de nuestros caficultores ha sido clave en la producción de un café prestigioso como el geisha. ¿Cómo describes al productor nacional?

El productor nacional es una persona muy sufrida, porque espera todo un año y solo unos pocos reciben premios (risas). Además de eso, tenemos que cosechar el producto a mano, utilizando mano de obra indígena, lo que representa tener una familia extendida, donde debemos atender a estas personas si se enferman, si hay que vacunarlas, y muchas veces no contamos con las condiciones ideales para ello. Nuestros hermanos ngäbe buglé ya saben, han aprendido cómo se cosecha el geisha, el typica, el catuay, el caturra, y es una mano de obra que ya se está especializando. El productor debe estar detrás de todos los detalles para obtener un café de calidad, de lo contrario, al final tu producto será mediocre.

Desde SCAP, ¿cómo proyectan el mercado para los próximos meses?

La cosecha de café se efectúa hasta abril. Un café especial de alta calidad necesita mínimo 100 días de reposo para añejar la bebida; entonces nuestros cafés están listos para la venta en los meses de junio y julio, lo que viene a ser en el hemisferio norte, la época de verano, cuando se aprovisionan los tostadores para otoño e invierno y el momento de más alto consumo de café. Debemos ser lo suficientemente capaces de colocar los cafés mientras los tostadores en el hemisferio norte tienen capacidad de compra. Para Asia y Australia, el mercado es diferente y tenemos que calcular las fechas de celebraciones, como el Año Nuevo chino, la Navidad, y colocarlo en las cafeterías de más prestigio, lo que requiere una inversión para visitar estos países. Lo que hacíamos en SCAP era asistir a los shows de café que se hacen en Seúl, Tokio, Taipei y Australia, para generar la necesidad de que tengan café panameño; pero la competencia es enorme, hay una gran cantidad de países productores y de fincas ofreciendo café de calidad y a un menor precio que nosotros, entonces penetrar ese mercado y hacer el milagro de que se compre el café de Panamá es un esfuerzo muy grande que hacemos los cafetaleros cuando vamos, y la única manera es que la gente tenga la experiencia de probar el café.

 

Moderator comment: Below is an unedited automated traslation of the above news article.

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Plinio Ruiz: 'The national producer must have inventiveness to compete in the local market'

The president of the Association of Specialty Coffee of Panama is convinced that only creativity with strategic plans will allow to give specialty coffee, from our farms, the place it deserves in the national market

By Yandira Núñez
Updated 08/22/2020 00:00

Plinio Ruiz, president of the Association of Specialty Coffee of Panama (SCAP) and linked to a long family history that has maintained his passion for the cultivation of this product for generations, talks openly about the efforts of our coffee growers in the Highlands; a rich and picturesque district, where the production of specialty coffee marked a before and after in the international outlook towards Panama. Ruiz also leads Best of Panama (BoP), a platform that serves Panamanian producers interested in specializing high-level coffees. From this position, and as the executing arm of initiatives that make the quality of the coffee from our soil visible, he confesses that getting the national product to reach good prices and new markets has been a difficult strategy to execute due to the lack of budget, in addition, the competition "is huge." “There are a large number of countries and farms offering quality coffee at a lower price than us; To penetrate that market and to make the miracle that Panama's coffee is bought is a very great effort, which we coffee growers do ”. From Boquete, the president of SCAP speaks to us in an interview and insists on the need to educate the local consumer to raise the position of our products that are not always given the opportunity.

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Plinio Ruiz is committed to the need to innovate, execute new efforts and promote the national specialty coffee industry.

Plinio, The Best of Panama took place a couple of weeks ago. There the judges evaluated the best batches of Panamanian 'gourmet' coffee. What flavor did the experience of this year leave you?

This XXIV edition required each of us to put into practice the knowledge acquired in regard not only to coffee production, but also in terms of logistics, coordination of international shipments, transmission of communication and in the coordination of the entire awards and recognitions, which required us to be fully aligned as if it were a television or event production. It was a totally new experience, but thank God we did it very well.

Historically, what was the turning point that positioned us in the international spotlight in terms of specialty coffee production?

This brings a history of generations of producers and the Highlands coffee has always distinguished itself by having a very good quality. In 1996 the Special Coffee Association was founded, with a small group of well-studied coffee growers, who dreamed of the product to do things that had never been done before. With them, in 2000 the first electronic coffee auction was held in the world. Later, we discovered in the Association that very large lots cannot be sold at auctions, but small lots, which were already destined to be a marketing tool for Panamanian coffee; Understanding that, between 2002 and 2003 we began to educate ourselves and bring in people who had a greater knowledge about what specialty coffee was around the world; We brought people from Brazil, England, the United States, and they nurtured us with knowledge. In 2004, during a workshop, one of the most prominent international tasters, Ric Rhinehart of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), discovered that among the samples that had been presented was extraordinary coffee and asked the family Peterson that the samples were presented in an international competition, and it turned out to be the winner by the vote of 99.9% of the judges, and at the end of the year we had a lot of people looking for that coffee in Panama; That was the discovery of the geisha that revolutionized the specialty coffee industry in the world. From there, the geisha began to receive a lot of promotion, publicity and name, and was included in The Best of Panama; With this arose the interest of many international judges to come voluntarily to taste the coffee. Until last year, we have had great success in bringing international judges, in such a way that the event was transformed to the point that people interested in the highest quality coffee in the world expected to come to Boquete or Volcán, to be tasters of these. lots of coffees, prepared by Panamanians. The same policy (of the event) makes the auction produce enough media and marketing noise so that the product from Panama can reach good prices and the best markets that crave quality coffees. It has been a difficult strategy to carry out because we do not have the money, but it can be achieved through the quality of the product that we present.

Since this year all the events have been held virtually, the costs of The Best of Panama were 30% lower than in 2019, will we migrate to a more practical tasting model?

Nothing like visiting the place, and in our case, these sites have very favorable characteristics for the visit of international judges. If we have to stick with a virtual tasting, we are going to have to be more innovative and come up with a formula that also displays the judges so that they can be seen, because what is seen is what is sold, and in the case of coffee what is seen and tasted is what is sold. We hope that the discovery of the vaccine and the treatments will allow us to have an opening in the world in a few months.

Is there a real sociocultural assessment of our coffee?

Internally Panama is a very open market; we receive coffees from all over the world and there are almost no barriers to prevent coffees from entering from anywhere. Lately we have been negotiating with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries so that for a few months or a few years we can have the containment tariffs at the top, because the national industry needs to sell its product. Good coffee is a ritual; It is a space of time that allows us to meditate and enjoy our products, which in turn are consumed in other parts of the world and many times we despise; We have many products from our agricultural sector of a high quality and they are not given the opportunity. The pacamara, for example, is one of the varieties that has achieved popularity; In this year's competition, two new varieties have emerged that won positions and prizes, such as maragogipe and mocca, which are part of the innovation that specialty coffee growers have been introducing.

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'Good coffee is a ritual; it is a space of time that allows us to meditate and enjoy the products that we often despise '

PLINIO RUIZ,
SCAP PRESIDENT

Is Panama ready to continue training in coffee production?

It is something that all coffee growers have done privately, prepare and educate ourselves. We have many people concerned about education in this matter. Many times in the Faculty of Agronomy, it is not possible to continue giving this specialization, so we fight for international educational institutions to do so and there is influence in the Zamorano Agricultural University in Honduras, also in the United States universities in Gainesville, Florida, Texas and California. We work at these levels because many times locally it is not given importance and it is essential that the coffee can be kept under study.

How commercially attractive is our product and what sets us apart in the international market?

The geisha of Panama is very attractive because of the name it has acquired; They (the sellers) need to have the geisha from Panama, they need to have pacamara from Panama and the lots that we produce, because of the name that we have reached, and that is where we take advantage of the effort that is made in The Best of Panama and in the international auction to also place the rest of the coffee that is produced.

The perseverance of our coffee growers has been key in the production of a prestigious coffee such as geisha. How do you describe the national producer?

The national producer is a very long-suffering person, because he waits a whole year and only a few receive awards (laughs). Besides that, we have to harvest the product by hand, using indigenous labor, which represents having an extended family, where we must take care of these people if they get sick, if they have to be vaccinated, and many times we do not have the ideal conditions. for it. Our ngäbe buglé brothers already know, they have learned how the geisha, the typica, the catuay, the caturra are harvested, and it is a workforce that is already specializing. The producer must be behind all the details to obtain a quality coffee, otherwise, in the end your product will be mediocre.

From SCAP, how do you project the market for the next few months?

The coffee harvest lasts until April. A high-quality specialty coffee needs at least 100 days of rest to age the drink; So our coffees are ready for sale in the months of June and July, which is in the northern hemisphere, the summer time, when the roasters are supplied for autumn and winter and the time of highest coffee consumption. We must be capable enough to place the coffees while the roasters in the northern hemisphere have purchasing power. For Asia and Australia, the market is different and we have to calculate the dates of celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, Christmas, and place it in the most prestigious coffee shops, which requires an investment to visit these countries. What we did at SCAP was to attend the coffee shows that are held in Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei and Australia, to generate the need for them to have Panamanian coffee; But the competition is enormous, there are a large number of producing countries and farms offering quality coffee at a lower price than us, so penetrating that market and making the miracle of buying Panama coffee is a very big effort that we make coffee growers when we go, and the only way is for people to have the experience of trying the coffee.

 

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/cafe-estrella/cultura/200822/plinio-ruiz-productor-nacional-debe

[Moderator_02]

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Café de finca Sophia logra más de mil 300 dólares por libra en subasta virtual

En medio de contracción económica mundial por pandemia Panamá logra nuevamente romper récord en precio por libra de su café.

 

Flor Bocharel Q.

16 sep 2020 - 11:37 PM

Los administradores de las fincas Sophia y Guarumo Coffee, junto a su equipo de trabajo, atentos a la subasta virtual. Cortesía

 

VOLCÁN, Chiriquí. En medio de la contracción económica que vive el mundo por efectos de la Covid-19, Panamá logró superar su récord en el precio del café por libra, a través de una subasta virtual, donde compradores internacionales pujaron y repujaron para llevarse el lote del Olympus geisha lavado de finca Sophia, al cierre de esta nota, este grano logró mil 300 dólares con 50 centésimos.

Otro café que logró un alto precio, fue el geisha natural Jaguar de Tessie y Rattibor Hartmann, con mil dólares 50 centésimos por libra, de la finca Guarumo Coffee, ubicada en Santa Clara de Renacimiento.

“Esto es la prueba que el trabajo duro, la disciplina, la humildad y encomendarnos a Dios, ha permitido que lleguemos a estos precios. Esto es un aliciente para continuar produciendo el café de especialidad que pone a Panamá en el mapa mundial de los mejores cafés”, expresó Plinio Ruiz, presidente de la Asociación de Productores de Café Especial de Panamá, al conocer los resultados de la subasta.

Desde las 6:00 p.m., hora local de Panamá, inició la subasta por internet, donde se ofertaron 50 lotes de café en las variedades: Geisha Natural, Geisha lavado, pacamara, tradicional lavado y tradicional natural.  Pasada las 10:30 p.m. la puja y repuja de los compradores continuaba.

El Olympus de Finca Sophia

Es un grano que se cultiva en una finca ubicada en Nueva Suiza, distrito de Tierras Altas a una altura de 2,100 MSNM, sus propietarios son Hellen Russel, Brooke Mc Donnell, Willem Boot y Catherine Cadloni, es administrada por el experto en café Kelly Harttmann.

Harttmann señaló que este logro es un reconocimiento para tanto trabajo en equipo, desde el que limpia las parcelas, el que recolecta el grano, para el que lo procesa y para todos los involucrados en la actividad.

El año pasado, durante la subasta virtual, el precio más alto pagado por el café de Panamá fue mil 29 dólares por libra por el Elida Geisha de la familia Lamastus.

 

Moderator comment: Below is an unedited automated translation of the above news article.

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Sophia farm coffee achieves more than 1,300 dollars per pound in virtual auction

In the midst of the global economic contraction due to a pandemic, Panama again manages to break a record in the price per pound of its coffee.

Flower Bocharel Q.
Sep 16, 2020 - 11:37 PM

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The managers of the Sophia and Guarumo Coffee farms, together with their work team, are attentive to the virtual auction. Courtesy

VOLCANO, Chiriquí. In the midst of the economic contraction that the world is experiencing due to the effects of Covid-19, Panama managed to surpass its record in the price of coffee per pound, through a virtual auction, where international buyers bid and embossed to take the Olympus lot geisha washed farm Sophia, at the end of this note, this grain achieved 1,300 dollars and 50 hundredths.

Another coffee that achieved a high price was the natural geisha Jaguar by Tessie and Rattibor Hartmann, with a thousand dollars 50 hundredths per pound, from the Guarumo Coffee farm, located in Santa Clara de Renacimiento.

“This is proof that hard work, discipline, humility and entrusting ourselves to God, has allowed us to reach these prices. This is an incentive to continue producing the specialty coffee that puts Panama on the world map of the best coffees, "said Plinio Ruiz, president of the Association of Special Coffee Producers of Panama, upon learning of the auction results.

From 6:00 p.m., local time in Panama, the online auction began, where 50 lots of coffee were offered in the varieties: Natural Geisha, washed Geisha, pacamara, traditional washed and traditional natural. After 10:30 p.m. the bidding and embossing of buyers continued.

The Olympus of Finca Sophia

It is a grain that is grown on a farm located in New Switzerland, Highlands district at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, its owners are Hellen Russel, Brooke Mc Donnell, Willem Boot and Catherine Cadloni, it is managed by coffee expert Kelly Harttmann .

Harttmann pointed out that this achievement is a recognition for so much teamwork, from the one who cleans the plots, the one who collects the grain, for the one who processes it and for all those involved in the activity.

Last year, during the virtual auction, the highest price paid for Panama coffee was $ 1,229 per pound for the Elida Geisha of the Lamastus family.

 

https://www.prensa.com/provincias/cafe-de-finca-sophia-logra-mas-de-mil-300-dolares-por-libra-en-subasta-virtual/

[Moderator_02]

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Panama specialty coffees add new varieties for world auction

Posted 16/09/2020

Some 50 lots of Panama’s best coffee including two new varieties which enter the world’s major leagues in which Geisha and Pacamara participate will be auctioned, on world markets on Wednesday evening, September  16. 

Panama  is  renowned for producing  the best- and most expensive specialty coffees in the world

The lots are coffee, which obtained the highest scores in the annual Best of Panama tasting, where international judges evaluated each sample of the Panamanian bean with the highest standards.

Plinio Ruíz, president of the Association of Special Coffee Producers of Panama (SCAP), confirmed that in the virtual auction the two new varieties that will be auctioned are Maragogype, from the farm of Benjamín de Dianous and Stefan Muller, which stands out for its intense fruit flavors and fragrance; and the Mokka variety, from the Teodoro Garrido estate, which stands out for its fruit flavors.

“We hope to achieve an attractive average price per pound of coffee this year, after carrying out the traditional local and international cupping, with the help of technological tools and at a distance, to carry forward the name of Panama,” said Ruíz.

The electronic auction will begin at 6:00 pm Panama time and will end three minutes after the last bids.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-specialty-coffees-add-new-varieties-for-world-auction