Colombian Specialty Coffee Faces Hurdles

By Bruce Kamich

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Despite a commitment to spend $2.3 million over the next 3 years, Colombia may find it difficult to promote its specialty coffee and double its exports, roasters and importers said.

"We used to buy a lot more of it. But we found the quality varied a lot, and we started to switch to Nicaraguan beans,'' said Larry Challain, president of Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters in Olympia, Washington.

Specialty coffee commands a premium in the marketplace and Colombian growers want more for their efforts. They face a number of hurdles though, industry experts said.

"There are good opportunities to find high-quality coffee in Colombia, but you have to be prepared to take an active role because quality-wise things can be a little dicey,'' said Lindsey Bolger, coffee manager for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) of Waterbury, Vermont.


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