Civet Coffee - Our Take On This Smelly Topic

I'm often asked what my take is on the whole ALAMID COFFEE hype. To be honest, I HAVEN'T TRIED IT, for a simple reason which I will reveal at the end of this post. Today is the perfect day to discuss this topic, as I sit down on a rainy Monday morning with Philippine Coffee Guru Mr. Robert Francisco to discuss our amalgamated plans for the upcoming Asia Food Expo from September 11-14, as well as other stuff (the weather, married life, parenthood, nanny blues, coffee industry gossip, etc.).  In his award-winning book A COFFEE JOURNAL, Robert devoted a whole chapter regarding this touchy (smelly even) subject.

Photo Courtest of CIVET COFFEE SHOP

To those hiding under a rock these past few years, Alamid coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world, derived from the droppings of the wild civet cat.  The process is long, tedious and thorough: The undigested beans from their poop, uhm droppings i mean are picked up from the forest floor, washed, cleaned, peeled off from their parchment, roasted, and ultimately consumed.

To quote Robert verbatim: "Some claim Alamid coffee has a distinct flavor or texture that regular coffee does not have. Well, they can always speak for themselves. I have tried and tasted Alamid coffee and I have to say that for me, it is no big wow."

Furthermore, Robert explains: "The 'exotic' nature of the Alamid coffee creates a demand from the curious, and effectively commands a very high price, causing a chain reaction among farmers, hunters, and pickers, enticing them to be as innovative (greedy) as the can possibly be. Unfortunately, there are those who have perhaps become too innovative in the trade, and the civet cats are the ones already paying for it. Of course, if supply does not meet demand, pretty sure it will be adulterated."

Case closed, thanks but not thanks! Oh, and as a final note, a wise man by the name of Fr. Louis Papilla, S.J. (my high school guidance councilor) taught me well that "A WISE DOG NEVER EATS ITS OWN DUNG!" Taking a cue from this statement, what more if a human being eats the poop of a cat??? Food for thought - pun intended!

A Coffee Journal, the book about anything and everything coffee

Wofex 2012, Giving Back...

MASTER CHEF Reggie Aspiras visiting
the BOYD COFFEE/FAR SKYES booth

Despite the terrible weather experienced from August 1-4, WOFEX 2012 pushed thru with resounding success - at least from our standpoint.

BOYD COFFEE Team CIRCA 2012,
great job guys!

As exhibitors, our main purpose is to CREATE AWARENESS - both be seen and heard by existing clients and prospects alike (competitors included)! And since the time of WOFEX's birth more than a decade ago, BOYD Coffee Company Philippines, Inc. has actively participated without fail. Our endless appreciation to BOYD President Roberto Francisco for inviting FAR SKYES ENTERPRISE to once again join forces with him - the products we represent have gained leaps and bounds thanks to Roberto's clout, good industry reputation and generosity!

BOYD President Roberto Francisco w/ Peaches Tiu of FAR SKYES
Another year of synergistic allegiance!♥

Compared to last year, the crowd was thinner YET we felt they were of better quality. Those who braved the flood (yes, you read it right) and rain came with a purpose - to touch base with existing suppliers, look for new ones, and to search for fresh concepts and ideas.

Our challenge this year was simple - given the short-list of attendees AND given the full participation of exhibitors, how do we set the bar higher compared to our competitors? Although selling price is a necessary evil in these hard times, on the other side of the matrix we all know that "you get what you pay for". The prices of all our QUALITY products are competitive, yet we still offer the intangibles necessary in helping our clients be the best they can be. And though it's common knowledge that pleasing everybody is next to impossible, intrinsically and extrinsically we do our very best to fill their needs!

Book Signing of Roberto Francisco's much-applauded
coffee table book - "A COFFEE JOURNEY"
Grab a copy now call 746-BOYD

What more can we say? See you all in 2013... Here's to scaling new heights, defying gravity even!

PAYING IT FORWARD...♥