Coffee Manor Gentleman Panamanian Fine Coffee Association SCAP Founding History and its BOP Competition

In 1996, at the beginning of the international coffee low price crisis and specialty coffee categories, seven coffee producers from the Boquete and Volcan-Candela regions gathered to come up with the idea of making their coffee widely known. They are coffee farmers in Bouquete, Panama. From 1994 to 1995, when international coffee prices were low and farmers were at a loss, seven coffee farmers from two producing areas, Bokuidi and Volcan, on both sides of the Baru volcano, gathered to discuss. They are aware of two things: first, the international price of raw beans is weak, so we must face it squarely and find ways to deal with it; second, consumers have sent a signal of demand for high-quality coffee, and the demand for high-quality coffee is gradually taking shape. Countermeasures must be put forward to develop this market.

Coffee is the most important agricultural product in the Panamanian highlands, and global demand is growing. So they reached a consensus: hit a little embryonic boutique bean market! And decided to establish the Panamanian boutique coffee association (Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, referred to as SCAP), after integrating the opinions of its members, expand high-quality Panamanian high-altitude high-quality coffee externally, and unite the resources of the industry at home. At present, SCAP has more than 50 active members, and its specialty coffee varieties are exported all over the world and have won awards and recognition in different international taste competitions.

Due to the long-term asymmetry of information and financial resources, coffee producers are always on the side of exploitation and inability to change. The successful breakthrough of the Panamanian Fine Coffee Association (SCAP) is an example. The association's separate bidding for fine quality beans has not only turned the rose summer seed of the Jade Manor into famous beans, but also constantly rewrote the record of international bidding prices for coffee beans, which makes the Bana beans of the Association also become one of the synonyms for fine coffee. We can't help but wonder, when most coffee farmers can only bury their heads in farming and watch "beans hurt farmers", how can these pioneers of coffee farmers create the legendary story of shrimp defeating the big whale? The key to the creation of the Panamanian coffee legend lies in this group of highly knowledgeable manor owners who can seamlessly connect with the international boutique market.

After the creation of the Panamanian boutique coffee association, several members continued to visit the annual boutique coffee exhibition of the American boutique coffee association (SCAA) and the exhibitions of the Japan boutique coffee association (SCAJ) and the European boutique coffee association (SCAE). In the early days, the association was short of budget, so they had to go to the venue at their own expense and take a seat in person, calling for "boutique from the Panamanian highlands". On the booth, the sample beans of each manor are supplemented by a detailed explanation and attached text messages, one-step footprints, and over the years, international buyers have equated Panama with boutique coffee.

But that's not enough! The producers of Panama took the initiative to jump into the coffee competition, including the American Fine Coffee Association's Annual Coffee Competition (COTY) and the Rainforest Alliance competition. Bajiama boutique and coffee association's "Best Panama (Best of Panama- BOP)" successfully created the image of high-quality beans, and the cup test quality was used as the standard of winning batches in the competition. Quickly establish the reputation and foundation for the production of good beans in Panama.