The 2026 Taiwan International Coffee Forum takes place in Yunlin, connecting production and sales with international standards

(中央社訊息服務20261107 12:25:25)The 2026 Taiwan International Coffee Forum was held on Oct. 30 at the Gukeng Janfusun Resort Hotel. The Yunlin County Government invited domestic and foreign coffee industry experts and brand representatives to gather and exchange ideas on the theme of “Extreme Premium from Origin to Cup”. The forum explored issues such as regional development, quality improvement, and market cooperation from the three aspects of coffee production, manufacturing, and sales. The forum echoed the theme of this year’s Taiwan Coffee Festival, “Coffee for the World”. Through international industry experience sharing and exchange, the forum showcased the regional strength and brand value of Taiwan coffee and created more cooperation opportunities for the specialty coffee industry.

Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh Shu-ya (謝淑亞) stated that Gukeng is the birthplace of Taiwan’s coffee industry, blessed with unique mountain and forest landscapes and a well-established coffee sector. Now in its 24th edition, the Taiwan Coffee Festival started in Gukeng as a small local initiative and has since grown into a nationwide event with connections to the international market. It has not only witnessed the development of the Gukeng coffee industry but has also become an important tourist attraction and industrial brand in Yunlin.

Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh pointed out that this year's special focus is on the "Coffee Forum" and "Yunlin Champion Coffee" as two major highlights. In addition to allowing the public to taste high-quality coffee, the forum aims to echo the theme of "Coffee for the World" and bring together domestic and international experience in cultivation, processing, and distribution. This is not only a platform but also a bridge for dialogue and sharing with the international community, enabling Taiwanese coffee to gradually improve its quality, build brand characteristics, and further expand its international vision and market opportunities, starting from the production area.

Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh stated that the value of a good cup of coffee comes not only from the terroir of its origin but also from the profound meaning behind it; the farmers' dedicated cultivation, professional processing and roasting techniques, and various aspects such as brand management and marketing. This forum, centered on "production, processing, and sales," connects the complete process of coffee from production to the consumer market. Starting with the "production" aspect, it invited Vietnam’s ThyThy Farm Project Manager Vuong Thi Xuan Quy shared her insights on "Dalat Forest Ecological Farm—Let the World Taste the Unique Flavors of Vietnamese Coffee and Tea," highlighting how the Dalat highlands in Vietnam combine eco-friendly farming practices with precise post-processing techniques to create a unique coffee flavor.

Liu Chien-Ju, Associate Researcher at the Tea and Beverage Crop Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture, presented on "From Experience to Standards: Creating a Replicable Specialty Coffee Production Model," exploring how scientific management and standardized processes can enhance the quality stability and competitiveness of Taiwanese coffee. She also invited Kuo Liang-Chih, founder of Song Yue Coffee, to participate in the discussion and exchange practical experiences in origin management and quality improvement.

Continuing with the theme of "Production," the event invited Kei Kondo, founder of Ituka Coffee Taiwan, to share his insights on "Japanese Roasting × Taiwanese Terroir: Translating the Quality of International Specialty Coffee," discussing how to combine Japanese roasting expertise with the terroir of Taiwanese coffee to present the quality and flavor of specialty coffee. Lin Che-hao, convener of the Taiwan Coffee Industry Strategic Alliance, then presented on "From a Good Bean to a Strong Growing Region: How Taiwan's Specialty Coffee Establishes Quality Standards," exploring how to build a competitive advantage for Taiwan's specialty coffee market through quality standards and regional collaboration. Lai Yen-ho, head of Gu Feng Coffee, also participated in the discussion, exchanging ideas on coffee quality improvement and processing technology development from a local industry perspective.

Finally, the discussion explored how specialty coffee can enter the international market from a sales perspective. Kawano Takahiro, General Manager of TYPICA Taiwan, spoke on the topic "Flavor Is Not 'Made,' But Naturally Generated: From the Uniqueness of Land and People to New Markets," sharing how to connect coffee producers with international buyers to expand market opportunities for specialty coffee.

Lai Yu-Chuan, head of Yu-Hsin Food Co., Ltd., spoke on the topic "From World Champion to Market Value: Building a Specialty Coffee Flavor That Consumers Will Pay For," sharing how to transform professional coffee flavor into brand value recognized by consumers. Ceng Qing-Cuan, General Manager of Janfusun World Cool Coffee, also participated in the discussion, exchanging ideas on the development opportunities of Taiwanese specialty coffee from the perspectives of brand management and marketing.

Acting Director of the Agriculture Department, Tsai Keng-yu (蔡耿宇), stated that Yunlin has long been committed to promoting the development of the local coffee industry. From local cultivation and quality improvement to brand promotion, the industry characteristics and market reputation of Gukeng coffee have been gradually accumulated. This year, the Taiwan Coffee Festival further expands international exchanges, using forums as an important platform for sharing industry experiences. It is hoped that through exchanges and dialogues between domestic and foreign experts, cooperation among the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the industry can be promoted, so that high-quality Taiwanese coffee can not only be loved by consumers, but also demonstrate unique competitiveness in the international specialty coffee market.

The 2026 Taiwan Coffee Festival is scheduled for October 31, November 1, November 7, and November 8 at the Gukeng Green Tunnel. This year's theme is "Coffee for the World," bringing together 170 brands and combining international exchanges with Indonesia, Japan, and Vietnam, the "Yunlin Champion Coffee," four themed days, and the "Central Taiwan Coffee Map" connecting five counties and cities. The Yunlin County Government sincerely invites people from all over the country to come to Gukeng, taste the unique coffees from around the world, experience the unique charm of Taiwan's coffee hometown, and start from Yunlin to have a cup of coffee with the world.