Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Info provided by the
American Chamber of Commerce of Peru (AmCham Peru)

According to the numbers generated on the first trimester of 2008, between the months of January and March, Peruvian coffee exports totaled $41.9 million dollars registering a contraction of 34% in reference to the same period the year before. And even though we have exported less tons of coffee; our product has had the advantage of having higher prices. This situation responds directly to the increase of prices in the global market, but also to the given efforts our businessmen have invested in increasing the product quality and differentiating themselves from plain traditional coffee.

It is easy to observe that, not only have the coffee fields grew hectares for this product, but the industry itself has been creating the necessary measures to certify that its coffee is organic, which in turn allows us to get a grip of Premium prices in the United States as well as in the European market. According to the National Joint Coffee Association (JNC) 20,000 new hectares will be incorporated in the growth of coffee during the year 2008, with the sole intention of placing Peru as the first worldwide organic and special coffee exporter.

Undoubtedly, our fundamental export market for coffee is the U.S., and the gourmet grain preference there has been growing more and more. This, off course, represents an enormous opportunity for our exporters. The challenge is to place our product in the gourmet consumer – he who is not only looking for good flavor in his coffee, but is also searching for a total experience – and have him recognize Peruvian coffee just as he is able to recognize Colombian or Jamaican.

Hence, the commercial mission “Baristas 2008”, co-organized with the American Chamber of Commerce of Peru and Whole Cup Consulting, with the support of the Peruvian Chamber of Coffee and Cacao, as well as the regional government of the department of Junin in Peru, want to let everybody know the type of quality Peruvian coffee is capable of producing and to invigorate its sales in the U.S. robust market. The marketing strategy consists of bringing coffee experts to Peru. Experts who have a great deal of influence in the biggest consumption market cities in the U.S., in the likes of San Francisco and New York, and have them attend capacitating courses as well as travelling to the coffee fields and making them fall in love with our culture.

This way, dear reader, they would not only be betting for the differentiation of coffee but, through similar initiatives, directing our efforts towards telling the story of our products with the intentions of guaranteeing an increase of demand in a niche of the market that is getting to be more profitable and attractive.



*Translated by Joceline Frank

Frankly Speaking Inc.