The 8th rendition of Blue Mountain Coffee Day will be celebrated Friday in the misty climes of Guava Ridge in St Andrew under the theme, “Rebuilding a Climate Resilient Coffee Industry”.

The day commemorates the first shipment of Blue Mountain coffee to Japan on January 9, 1967, when 60 per cent of the year’s harvest was shipped from Kingston’s port. That first shipment was executed by the late Keble Munn, who founded the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory in March 1953.

Chairman of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA) and CEO and Managing Director of the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Norman Grant, in his message marking this year’s eight anniversary of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day, noted that it is being held at a time when the industry is recovering from a number of climate induced shocks, the latest being Hurricane Melissa, underlining the need for rebuilding a climate resilient coffee industry locally.

The event will feature special guest presentations, including from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, and Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, Yasuhiro Atsumi.

Blue Mountain Coffee Day is taking place in collaboration with the JCEA, the industry’s 5,000 coffee farmers, the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) and the ministries of agriculture and foreign affairs and the All Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee (AJIJC).

With its unique flavour profile and exclusive growing conditions, Blue Mountain coffee is among the most renowned brands globally. It is grown at elevations of 3,000 to 5,500 feet in the Blue Mountains, where the cool, misty climate and rich volcanic soil create the perfect environment for coffee production.

The coffee is known for its mild flavour, low acidity, and smooth profile, making it one of the world’s most sought-after and expensive coffees. Over 80 per cent of Jamaica’s Blue Mountain coffee is exported to Japan, where it’s highly prized.
The celebration of Blue Mountain Coffee Day was first introduced by the All Japanese Importers of Jamaican Coffee in Japan in 2018 under the theme “Jamaica Blue Mountain, the King of Coffees and the Winning Bean”.