The Terroir Story of Mount Apo Coffee: A Collaborative Journey

The coffee emerging from the slopes of Mount Apo, the Philippines’ majestic highest peak and a dormant volcano in Mindanao, tells a profound story of terroir, resilience, and a revitalized passion for specialty coffee. This narrative is now further enriched by a dedicated collaboration aimed at elevating its quality and presence on the global stage.

Mount Apo: The Heart of the Terroir

Mount Apo’s unique environment is the foundation of its distinct coffee profile:

• Altitude and Climate: Coffee thrives at elevations typically between 1,300 to 1,700+ meters above sea level (MASL). The high altitude provides cool, misty conditions that slow down the coffee cherry’s maturation. This longer development allows the bean to concentrate complex sugars and acids, resulting in a more flavorful cup. **
• Volcanic Soil: As a dormant volcano, Mount Apo boasts rich, fertile volcanic soil. This soil is abundant in essential minerals, contributing to the health of the coffee trees and imparting unique characteristics to the beans, often described as contributing to the coffee’s sweetness and body.
• Variety and Profile: The main variety cultivated is often Arabica Catimor, known for its resilience and good cup quality. The resulting flavor profiles are highly sought after, frequently featuring bright acidity and notes of apricot, caramel, brown sugar, wine, fruit, and berry, depending on the process (Washed or Honey/Natural).

The Collaborative Effort: From Farm to Global Cup

The commitment to quality is amplified by the combined expertise and shared vision of several key partners:

BACOFA Cooperative (Bansalan, Mount Apo)

The Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association (BACOFA), based in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, is the heart of this story. Formed by smallholder farmers, BACOFA is dedicated to producing high-quality Specialty Arabica green beans. They are the guardians of the Mount Apo terroir, employing meticulous harvesting (hand-picking ripe cherries) and processing methods (Washed, Honey, and Natural). Their continuous commitment to improving quality has led to their recognition in competitions like the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC).

Specialty Coffee Depot (Davao)

Based in Davao, the Specialty Coffee Depot plays a crucial role as the local expert and quality control hub. This partner works directly with the farmers, ensuring that the meticulous care taken at the farm level translates into specialty-grade green beans. They likely facilitate the necessary infrastructure, quality assessments (cupping), and logistics to prepare the beans for roasters both locally and internationally, championing the Mindanao origin.

Sir Raoul (Manila)

Sir Raoul represents the end-user perspective, often in the form of a roaster or a key coffee figure in Manila. Their involvement signifies the push for high-quality, traceable Philippine coffee within the national capital’s specialty scene. They connect the remote mountain origins to a sophisticated urban market, promoting the terroir story and ensuring the delicate flavors of Mount Apo are preserved and highlighted through expert roasting.

Biome Coffee (Myanmar)

The inclusion of Biome Coffee from Myanmar brings a vital international perspective and shared regional expertise. Biome Coffee, founded by Yar Sin, is known for its focus on sustainable practices and experimental processing techniques in the emerging specialty coffee scene of Myanmar. This partnership creates a powerful knowledge exchange:

• Cross-Pollination of Techniques: Biome can share advanced processing knowledge (like anaerobic fermentation) which could further enhance the unique flavor profiles of Mount Apo’s Catimor.
• Regional Solidarity: It unites two Southeast Asian specialty coffee origins, proving that high-quality coffee can emerge from the region and offering a collaborative front to the global market.
• Shared Commitment to Quality: The collaboration underscores a shared mission to lift Southeast Asian coffee standards and bring pride to local farmers.

Coong Rakkit (Thailand)

As a collaborator from Thailand, Coong Rakkit embodies the pan-regional network required for this project’s success. With a strong presence in the sophisticated Thai specialty coffee scene, Coong Rakkit involves sharing insights from the highly competitive and quality-focused Thai coffee community, potentially influencing flavor trends and presentation. His tireless advocacy binds the diverse partners (farmers, depots, roasters, and regional experts) together under the unified goal of making Mount Apo a globally recognized specialty origin.

This partnership is more than just trade; it is a regional movement to unlock the full potential of Mount Apo’s precious terroir and place Philippine coffee firmly among the world’s most desired single origins.