Tuburan opens coffee distribution center

CEBU, Philippines — The Municipality of Tuburan opened its first coffee distribution center, further pushing the development of coffee farming industry.

Located in Mandaue City, the Tuburan, local government unit (LGU) led by Mayor Aljun Diamante, the distribution center is expected to help raise the awareness as well as demand for Tuburan-grown coffee bean, branded as Coffee Arcadio, said coffee chain owner Glenn Soco.

“The LGU and the different government agencies have been supporting local farmers and beneficiaries covering 16 barangays in Tuburan producing our first ever Cebu coffee. Coffee Dream is proud to be serving Tuburan coffee since last year under our brand, Kape Arcadio. A blend we can truly call our very own,” said Soco.

Soco’s Coffee shop chain, Coffee Dream plans to tap the hospitality sector to promote this tatak Cebu “Kape Arcadio.”

“We are promoting our Kape Arcadio and we are planning to tie-up with the different restaurants, resorts and restaurants that they can serve Coffee from Cebu,” added Soco.

Coffee Dream is one of the major bulk buyers to Tuburan-grown coffee, and it intends to encourage farmers to plant more, thereby improving their source of income.

Coffee Dream has close to 50 coffee shop outlets nationwide.

Kape Arcadio, is a blend made of the coffee produced from Tuburan coffee farm in the north-eastern part of Cebu.

The brand is a tribute to one of the most hailed heroes in Cebu’s history—General Arcadio Maxilom, a native of Tuburan.

Grown in the highland of Cebu, the coffee plantation covers 2,850 hectares of land that runs across 16 villages.

According to Diamante, the coffee farm, managed by Kafamco (Kabangkalan Agro Forestry Farmers Association Association Multipurpose Cooperative ), aims not only to give livelihood of the over a thousand farmers from coffee farming, but also taking advantage of the eco-tourism niche of Tuburan.

The farm alone has the capacity to produce P4.3 million kilos of beans a year. If this is roasted and sold at prevailing P600 per kilo, it has a potential to earn over P2 billion annually. (FREEMAN)