Sagada-based Bana’s Cafe has won international critics’ recognition by bagging the Médaille Gourmet from the 3rd International Contest of Coffees Roasted in their Countries of Origin organized by the Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA), a Paris-based non-profit organization.
Bana’s Café entered the AVPA 2017 competition using “quality-focused heirloom coffees that the Coffee Heritage Project helped plant and grow” in Goad Sibayan’s 100% Arabica coffee farm in Sagada, according to SGD Coffee.
Consul Rapunzel Acop from the Philippine Embassy in Paris received the Médaille Gourmet (“Gourmet Award”) in July for Bana’s Coffee on behalf of Goad Sibayan, Butch Acop, and Rich Watanabe – the team behind the effort in presenting Bana’s Coffee to AVPA, revealed the Department of Foreign Affairs media release.
“We hope that with this recognition, we are able to highlight Philippines Coffee and the great work of Filipino coffee farmers like Goad, growing one of the finest coffees in the world to be the true artisans of the Philippines’ coffee industry.” Watanabe said in a media report.
Sixty coffee entries from 21 countries received various awards from AVPA 2017 jury which comprised of French-speaking Sensorial Analysis Experts, Coffee Sector Representatives, and Gastronomy and Taste Connoisseurs.
The Philippines joined coffee producers from Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, the United States and Vietnam.
