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Coffee farming industry in the Philippines is getting a big boost as Figaro Coffee Systems Inc., a Filipino-owned coffee chain, is encouraging the revival of coffee farming in the country’s mountain areas. Figaro Coffee said that more players in the coffee industry are now sourcing their coffee bean supply requirement from local coffee growers, many of which are located in the uplands.

Johanna Clavecilla, Figaro’s Marketing Services Manager, said that all of the products being served in their 70 outlets nationwide, except for the decaffeinated drinks, are using coffee beans bought from local coffee growers.

Figaro Coffee Systems, through its corporate social responsibility arm Figaro Foundation, is also contemplating on the production of organic gourmet coffee in the Philippines. The company said it could only be realized if the country’ coffee farming business is revitalized.

Clavecilla revealed that their company is set to pioneer the selling of organic coffee products in the country. She said that their company-initiated study indicates that there is growing consumer demand for organic beverage products in the country as well as overseas. It may take a while though to make available the organic coffee products, but Clavecilla said Figaro is working closely on this with a German-based consultancy agency.

She also said that at present, there are only a few coffee farms in the country who are working on organically produced coffee beans, majority of which export their products.  She added that they have been thinking about the concept of an organic coffee less than five years ago, however, they are still making studies if there is a market for such product.

She also mentioned about the process of getting international accreditation which means preparing for a mountain of documentary work and huge investment. She assured though that when organic coffee is made commercially available in the country, Figaro will the first coffee chain in the Philippines to offer such product.