VARGINHA, Brazil, October 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) will take part in the 12th edition of the SCAJ World Specialty Coffee Conference and Exhibition 2015, to be held in Tokyo, at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, from September 30th to October 2nd.
Japan is already, traditionally, one of the largest global buyers of special coffee, and accounts for about 14% of exports by BSCA members. According to Euromonitor, there are approximately five thousand coffee outlets in the Empire of the Rising Sun. In general, the Japanese favor filter methods and coffee in cans, and they appreciate a smooth coffee beverage with delicate acidity and fruity and floral touches, hence the interest in special coffees.
Brazilian exports of special coffees have experienced significant growth over the past two years, maintaining an upward trajectory despite momentary fluctuations.
Japan is a major buyer of coffees that have won the "Cup of Excellence" competition, for both washed as well as natural coffees, and this is why they purchase significantly more than the winning lots from contests, those coffees deemed most outstanding for their quality.
The "Cup of Excellence" was created in Brazil by a group of seasoned connoisseurs of foreign and Brazilian coffee, and with the support of international institutions, with the aim of identifying and introducing the quality of Brazilian coffees to the world. At present, the Cup of Excellence is held in the 10 countries with the most substantial production.
The importance of Asia in the consumption of special coffee
In Asia, Japan is the largest importer of special coffees from Brazil, followed by South Korea. "Bourbon is the most prized variety, considering that our coffees are very widely accepted in Japan, chiefly those processed by the natural method," adds Maria Dirceia.
The Japanese contribution to Brazilian agriculture
Brazil is the largest Japanese community outside of Japan. The first Japanese immigrants left the port of Kobe on board the ship Kasato-Maru, which docked in Santos in 1908. The immigrants' arrival in Brazil was motivated by the interests of both countries: on one hand, Brazil - which already was, and continues to be the world's largest exporter of coffee - needed labor to work its coffee farms, while Japan, on the other hand, needed to alleviate social tension in the country caused by its high rate of population growth. To address this, the Japanese government adopted a policy of fostering emigration, beginning with its modernization in the Meiji period.
After a number of years, the Japanese in Brazil revolutionized the production of fruit (such as apples, melons, persimmons, mexerica and ponca varieties of tangerines, and strawberries), vegetables, seasonings (peppers), as well as vegetable fibers for clothing and wrapping (cotton, silk, and jute).
The success of the descendants of the Japanese in Brazil who are engaged in the production of special coffee
The family of Durval Fukuda immigrated to Brazil at the beginning of the last century. His grandfather, Mataiyoshi Fukuda, left Kumamoto Province in northern Japan and went straight to work on a farm in the state of Parana to grow fruit and vegetables.
Tomio Fukuda, the sixth son in a family of 10, got a job with the big Japanese multinational, Sumitomo, where he had the opportunity to live in Japan for almost two years. At the company, he learned the most modern techniques in management, such as the Toyota System, Kanban and 5 S. In 1988, when he retired, he decided to buy some land to grow a coffee crop in the Cerrado region of the state of Minas Gerais.
And so the Bau Fazenda was born, located in the Cerrado Mineiro, between the towns of Lagos Formosos and Presidente Olegario, 1100 meters above sea level. It has 1400 hectares of total area, where he plants more than 20 varieties of Arabic coffee species. Currently, Bau is made up of a set of four farms: Bau, Sao Joao, Vitoria and Gigante.
Through a partnership with the trading company Mitsui, Bau began sales of special coffees to Japan almost 20 years ago. Currently, it exports nearly 25 thousand sacks, or 70 containers per year of special coffee to the country, which is its principal market.
"The Japanese love to drink coffee, and they do it in a variety of ways, not just drinking coffee in a coffee cup, like a Brazilian, but also coffee sold in cans, which can be bought in vending machines spread all over the country. So it is possible to get an idea of the potential Japanese Market for us, which still has a lot of room for growth," Fukuda adds.
Of all the coffee produced on Fukuda farms, nearly 70% is special coffee. "Through high tech and lots of research, we've managed to deliver a high quality product to the Japanese market that is uniform, totally traceable, and with all seals of certification," explains Fukuda.
"In addition, the characteristics of our coffee, in particular the acidity of the Cerrado coffee and its accentuated body, make our product into an experience that is very much appreciated by Japanese consumers."
Further information:
MMSchuler/PR
Marcia Schuler
Phone. (55 11) 28989687/ 999896150
mschuler@mschuler.com.br
www.mschuler.com.br
skype:marciaschuler
