Mr. Paul, Consul of the Commercial Section of the Ecuadorian Consulate General in Guangzhou, will attend the first sub-forum, “International Coffee-growing Countries Promotion Conference” , on the afternoon of December 1 as a guest speaker. He will then give an in-depth introduction to Ecuadorian coffee to the audience.

Coffee History

Ecuador is home to the highest altitude Arabica coffee plantations in the world.

Since coffee trees were first introduced to Ecuador in 1875, the quality of its coffee has remained unchanged for 100 years, especially the coffee harvested in early June each year, which is known as " the best coffee in the world ."

Ecuadorian coffee beans are divided into two varieties, Galapagos and Gigante . Both of them are relatively large and heavy. In particular, the unique geographical conditions of the Galapagos Islands have endowed coffee beans with excellent genes that are superior to coffee beans from other origins. Its high quality comes from the fact that there are no chemical agents during planting. Since the land suitable for the growth of Arabica coffee trees in Ecuador is gradually decreasing, Galapagos coffee is even more precious. Ecuadorian coffee can be divided into two types according to quality: No. 1 and Extra Superior.

They are mainly exported to the Nordic countries of Scandinavia. The main problem facing coffee producers is trying to keep the quality consistent. The coffee here is generally very balanced and refreshing, and has a unique aroma. Ecuador is one of the few countries in South America that produces both Arabica and Robusta coffee. However, as the land suitable for growing Arabica coffee trees is decreasing, the production of Robusta coffee is gradually increasing. The best Arabica coffee is produced in the Andes , especially the Chanchamgo Valley. The Andes is divided into two mountain ranges that extend from south to north and reach central Ecuador.

Coffee flavor

Mr. Veneso, the champion of the 2014 Ecuadorian Coffee Competition, told reporters that among Ecuadorian coffees, some are espresso made from Ecuadorian high mountain coffee beans. This type of coffee is produced in mountainous areas at an altitude of about 1,000 to 2,000 meters. It has a mellow taste and the aroma and sweetness of fruit, grass and chocolate. There are many ways to make it: some add mint produced in the Amazon River basin to this espresso;

Some add Ecuadorian rose petals, known as the "Rolls-Royce of roses", to espresso.

The coffee beans produced on the Galapagos Islands with amazing taste are all organic coffee beans . This is due to the unique ecological environment such as the volcanic soil and microclimate of the Andes Mountains. In addition, it does not use any fertilizers and pesticides. It is recognized as a natural green boutique coffee. This naturally grown coffee has a mild taste with a light floral and fruity aroma and caramel aroma. It is understood that the Galapagos Islands are about 1,000 kilometers away from the Ecuadorian mainland and are located at the intersection of the eastern Pacific Ocean and the three major ocean currents. In 1978, the Galapagos Islands were declared a "World Natural Heritage" by UNESCO. The archipelago is known as the "Living Museum of Biological Evolution" and the "Melting Pot of Marine Life". Darwin's "The Origin of Species" was inspired by the Galapagos Islands.

Coffee Varieties

Galapagos Coffee: A Coffee Treasure from the Homeland of Giant Tortoises

The best Ecuadorian coffee is grown on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Islands, which has the unique natural geographical conditions to breed the best quality coffee in the world. A cup of Galapagos coffee, like the beautiful scenery of the Galapagos Islands, will definitely leave you with a deep impression.

In the mid-15th century, fishermen in the Pacific Ocean off the west of South America spread some legends about mysterious islands under a spell. It was said that the islands could sometimes be clearly seen from a distance, but when the boat approached, they disappeared; sometimes they looked like a large sailing ship, and sometimes they appeared in the shape of a witch. The fishermen called these islands "Enchanted Islands", thinking that they might be ruled by demons like the sea sirens in "The Odyssey". The islands called "Enchanted Islands" by the fishermen are today's Galapagos Islands.

In 1535, Fray Thomas de Berlanga and others from Spain accidentally discovered the Galapagos Islands. Thomas was born in 1487 on the banks of the Duero River in Soria Province, Spain. He was the fourth Bishop of Panama at the time and was ordered to go to Peru. When the ship he was on set off from Panama on February 23, they were brought to an unknown sea surface under the impact of a strong current and discovered a small island in the Galapagos Islands on March 10. At that time, there was only two days of fresh water left on the ship. The sailors landed in a lifeboat and found that the island was inhabited by a large number of seals, turtles, huge tortoises that could carry people, and iguanas that looked like venomous snakes. However, they did not find fresh water, so they sailed to another larger island more than 20 kilometers away.

As there was still no wind, it took them several days to get there. They soon ran out of water and had to endure hunger. Even the horses on the ship had no grass to eat. When Thomas and his crew landed on the island, they frantically searched for water. They were so thirsty that they squeezed juice from the fat petals of the cactus to drink. Finally, they found a source of water in a ravine in a rock. Thomas attributed it to God's gift because that day was Good Friday and they had prayed devoutly before setting out to find water. However, Thomas would never know that the island they landed on was the only island in the Galapagos Islands with sufficient fresh water. It is today's Saint Cristobal Island.

San Cristobal is a larger island in the Galapagos Islands. At 410 meters above sea level, there is a small lake called El Junco. The lake water forms several streams that flow along the rocks and volcanic rocks on the south slope of the island. The fresh water rich in minerals nourishes the land of San Cristobal, keeping the soil here moist and fertile, providing the most rare conditions for the growth of coffee here.

340 years after Fray Tomas de Berlanga discovered the island, in 1875, an indigenous man named Cobos came to San Cristobal Island, where he established the Hacienda coffee plantation and planted about 100 hectares of Arabica Bourbon coffee trees. Since the plantation is located between 140 meters and 275 meters above sea level, the climate is equivalent to the climate between 915 meters and 1830 meters inland. The unique geographical conditions are very suitable for the growth of high-acid extra hard coffee beans (SHB), so this high-quality coffee settled here.

As coffee was consumed by people all over the world, the world coffee industry also moved towards a mass production model, and the small-scale and quality-challenged coffee industry in San Cristobal fell into trouble and was likely to be abandoned as unprofitable. It was not until the early 1990s that the Gonzalez family bought the Hacienda coffee plantation . The local microclimate caused by the Humboldt Current, the strong equatorial sunlight and the drastic temperature changes (the temperature at sea level is 43°C and the temperature at 275 meters above sea level is 10°C~16°C) provided unique favorable conditions, prompting the Gonzalez family to expand the coffee plantation. The Gonzalez family doubled the area of ​​the coffee plantation by reclaiming the early land.

Due to the unique role of the Galapagos Islands in the historical process, the Ecuadorian government has designated the archipelago as a national park. It no longer allows the land to be reclaimed for new agricultural use, and it strictly prohibits the introduction and use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. Therefore, the coffee produced in the Galapagos Islands is recognized as a natural product .

Coffee Brand

ES Coffee

A well-known brand in South America, Ecuadorian A-grade coffee, with large state-owned plantations; 100% produced in natural vegetation areas at 1300-2000 meters altitude, popular in Europe and the United States, with exquisite world-class Arabica flavor at supermarket prices.

ES coffee is a clean organic coffee grown on the slopes of the Andes in Latin America. It is 100% pure coffee, and the quality of their coffee is guaranteed and improved by working hard to improve the economic and working conditions of the plantations, while maintaining the small scale of coffee plantations and the biodiversity of the yards. In addition, it is one of the very important economic sources of the coffee origin, because it is all dried and packaged locally, which ensures that it is a very unique coffee in the world! It also guarantees its unique taste.

The 2017 Hainan International Coffee Conference and Coffee and Beverage Exhibition received strong support from the Ecuadorian Embassy in China and the Commercial Office of the Guangzhou Consulate (PRO ECUADOR), and organized three well-known coffee companies in the country to participate in the exhibition. The list of companies is as follows:

●Bruhwercoffee

Hoja Verde

El Cafe