b'S C S A F O O D B U S I N E S SSustainable Coffee Still Flying HighSC Guatemala Exports Bird-Friendly Coffee to JapanCOMIDA Snce 2001, SC Guatemala has expedited the export of coffee from Mexico,iCentral America and Andes countries to the Japanese market, but its mostsustainability-aligned coffee is its Bird Friendly (BF) Coffee, which continues to hold its place as the standard for environmentally-conscious coffee exportsfrom Central and South America. BF Coffee is organic-certified coffee grown on farmscoffee to the Japanese market. Actually, I was looking with a shade cover that provides substantial habitatfor a new concept, Mr. Sasaki explained.The basic for migratory and resident birds in tropical landscapes.concept of Bird Friendly is environmentally friendly. Created in the late 1990s by the staff of the SmithsonianThere were not many food products with this kind of Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) at the National Zoolog- concept in Japan at that time. Although there were or-ical Park in Washington D.C., the BF certification markganic products, they sounded safe and healthy rather than and seal of approval is based on ornithological researcheco-friendly. And at this time, the Japanese were getting across several Latin American countries.more interested in environmental issues. Therefore, I had Sumitomo became involved with BF coffee when Mr.a confidence that the concept of Bird Friendly would Takuro Sasaki of Sumitomo Corporation in Japan visitedwork in exports to Japan.a coffee farm in Guatemala in 2003. The grower toldMr. Sasaki added, The criteria of certifying coffee or-me that they were planning to obtain the Bird Friendlyganic is the same as the other organic products under the certification under the program established by SMBC,JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) organic regulation Mr. Sasaki told VISIONS in 2008. That was my firstin the Japanese market. The original criteria established contact with Bird Friendly.The farm was forest-likeby SMBC requires at least 40% shade cover and at leastand organic so I could easily understand how the Birda 12-meter-high main canopy, as well as 11 different tree Friendly farm was environmentally friendly. species composing the shade canopy.According to the Smithsonian National Zoological ParkMr. Sasaki contacted SMBC and met with Dr. Robert website, the underlying rationale for these bird-friendlyRice who was a research scientist of SMBC and estab-coffee farms is that if the habitat is there, then birds willlished the Bird Friendly program. This meeting sprung use it and benefit from iteven if it is an agricultural set- this unique and strong partnership. After six months of ting. Many farms in Latin America meet the criteria andnegotiation, Mr. Sasaki and Mr. Rice reached an exclu-do provide large areas of suitable habitat for many birds. sive agreement for the commercialization of this coffee in the Japanese market. As part of the introduction of After returning home to Japan from the coffee farm, Mr.Bird Friendly coffee to Japanese consumers, Sumitomo Sasaki wondered whether Sumitomo could import this continued next pageSumitomo Corporation of Americas 13'