Port Manatee to get first shipment of Colombian coffee since 1993

Two Colombian coffee companies want to gain U.S. market share through a relationship with Port Manatee. Combined, Bunland and Monte Cielo will ship 2,200 pounds of coffee to Port Manatee at the end of August.

The companies began their relationship with the port through the International Trade Hub. Marina Besadalombana, trade hub consultant, and Ivan Mutis, trade hub consultant and coordinator, said they have conducted market tests and research to determine the level of interest in the type of coffee these companies will bring.

Many coffees sold in the U.S. undergo a significant amount of roasting before they hit store shelves or cafe coffee pots. Bunland and Monte Cielo’s coffees fall into the specialty coffee category. As such, they aren’t roasted as heavily and aim for a quality coffee-drinking experience.

“When coffee is highly roasted, you lose all of the qualities that coffee has,” Besadalombana said. “You lose the qualities from the oil in the beans. When you over-roast to get stronger coffee, you lose lots of the coffee’s features and benefits.”

Most coffee arrives in the U.S. in the raw, unroasted green bean form, according to Besadalombana. Then the coffee is roasted before being sold to distributors, who sell it to restaurants, cafes and supermarkets. The coffee from Bunland and Monte Cielo will arrive roasted, packaged and ready for distribution.

The 2,200-pound shipment will be the first coffee shipment to go through Port Manatee since 1993, when one shipment of Colombian coffee came through the port, according to port spokeswoman Virginia Zimmermann.

“Coffee is a strategic commodity for many U.S. ports,” said Port Manatee Executive Director Carlos Buqueras. “The coffee, sugar and cocoa exchange certifies warehouses for storage of green coffee for the commodities markets. Becoming a coffee import center would enhance our position as a major importer on the west coast of Florida.”

Demand for specialty coffee is largely coming from consumers who fall in the millennial generation, Besadalombana said. Although consumption of specialty coffee by millennials has mostly remained steady the past couple years, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, it did increase by 7 percent between 2013 and 2015.

Specialty coffee is defined by many factors. The growth process must occur in select altitudes and climates to produce the best possible bean. The same coffee bean grown at different altitudes can produce different tastes, Besadalombana said, and the two Colombian companies have coffee farms with varying degrees of altitude on site. Next comes the roasting and brewing processes, both of which must be done selectively and carefully to produce a specialty brew.

With these kinds of specialty coffees, the drinker is looking more for an experience rather than a quick jolt. The Bunland and Monte Cielo coffee will arrive ready for distribution and then sale to retailers, but Mutis said the companies are still working on building relationships with distributors and retailers. It is unknown where the coffee will end up for sale, whether in the whole-bean variety or per cup.

After establishing themselves, Bunland and Monte Cielo will use their base in the Southwest Florida market to appeal to other U.S. markets., Mutis said.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Port Manatee to get first shipment of Colombian coffee since 1993."