UCC (Universal Coffee Co., Ltd.), a leading company in Japanese coffee culture, has expressed admiration for the high quality of Alishan coffee. On January 1, 2025, UCC signed a letter of intent for cooperation and promotion with Uyobas Marfi Coffee Manor, with plans to develop joint products. This partnership aims to introduce Alishan coffee to the international market, enhancing its visibility in the global coffee industry.
The signing ceremony took place at the Uyobas Alishan Tsou Cultural Tribe. Among the attendees were Uyobas Chairman Zheng Yuping and UCC General Manager Itoyama Eiji, who officially signed the letter of intent to establish a coffee cooperative farm. Local officials, including Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Zhangliang and Legislator Chen Guanting, were also present to witness the event.
Itoyama Eiji shared that UCC has imported raw coffee beans from Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica over the years, and has been operating in Taiwan for 40 years. He expressed the company’s desire to introduce high-quality coffee like Alishan coffee to consumers worldwide, while also fulfilling its corporate social responsibility and helping coffee farmers expand their marketing channels.
Zheng Yuping, Chairman of Uyobas, highlighted the remarkable growth of the coffee manor over the past 15 years. What started with just 200 coffee trees has expanded to more than 20,000 trees, with an annual production nearing 20 metric tons.
Zheng also noted that Uyobas’ coffee has been Rainforest Alliance-certified for three consecutive years. Due to climate-related production challenges last year, the price of one kilogram of coffee reached NT$1,300. For many farmers, finding reliable sales channels has been a significant challenge. With UCC‘s help, they hope to expand Alishan coffee’s international reach. Furthermore, 80% of the employees at the manor are Tsou indigenous people, helping provide job opportunities for indigenous youth to return to their hometowns.
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