Jul 13, 2024 - 06:09
By manilatimes.net

Rich coffee experience

«THE best coffee would be the one that's most impactful.»

A swift verdict from arguably the country's leading coffee connoisseur trumps certification and plaudits from the most elite coffee houses in the world.

Not for nothing is Rich Watanabe, the genitor of and the hard labor behind the annual Manila Coffee Festival (MCF).

His palate for the mystical bean has gone around, from Paris — where the valorization of agricultural products would be an Olympic level flex — to every corner of the Philippines where coffee beans grow.

It seems he had tasted everything, and we are the impressionable plebes gushing about cozy third waves and the next novelty latte.

He had been instrumental in giving local coffee beans global recognition.

«We're unlucky, because we don't have enough production [of coffee beans],» he began.

«But if we did, the whole world would be buying our coffee,» he capped off with finality.

And we'd believe it. There are certifications and awards, and relentless research backing this claim.

As founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Coffee Heritage Project (CHP), Watanabe had championed single origin coffees from the islands.

The website of CHP attributes this concept to heavily zoomed in geographies; that is, farms, microclimates, single estates and lots lending their specificities to final flavor.

Flavor profiles, distinct and memorable, could also be derived from processing and roasting methods. Single origin coffees are differentiated from blended mainstream ones vended by the big players, which could consolidate beans from different sources for uniform and consistent taste.

Watanabe is on a second wind making the gospel of Philippine coffees known.

The recent wins of Kalamansig coffee and Kulaman coffee from Sultan Kudarat in competitions organized by the Agence pour la valorisation des produits agricoles (AVPA) (Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products) in Paris, France, testify to the support of CHP for the award-winning farmers.

Ultimately, it's about the farmers, Watanabe said.

Changing course

Prior to founding CHP, Watanabe had it good. His name agreed with a lucrative destiny. He was in