Café Latino, located at Guangzhou's Huadu, was officially opened on Friday. Featuring Panama's coffee, baking, trading, and raw coffee beans trade, it was set up by Rafael Pun, Chairman of Latin Mall, who has been trading between China and Panama for over 40 years.
(Photo provided to GDToday)
In 2019, Pun returned from Panama to invest in a plan to create a place of entertainment with characteristics of Latin American, which is today's Latin Mall. "Having been in Panama for more than 40 years, coffee has become an indispensable part of my life. Every time I came back to China, many friends would ask me to bring some Panama's coffee beans. A lot of Panama's coffee farm owners have been my long-time friends, and then I came upon this thought: to let people in my motherland get easy access to Panama's speciality coffee." said Pun.
According to him, from Panama's coffee farm to Guangzhou's café, it takes about a week by air and a month by boat for the coffee beans to arrive in Guangzhou.
Leonardo Kam, Panama's ambassador to China, said that "Today, Panama coffee's popularity in the world and the recognition of its high standards are largely due to the love of Chinese customers." He was glad that a café has been opened with Panama's speciality, which would be a bridge of friendship between Panama and China, "just as Mr. Pan's promotion of exchanges will bring the two countries closer together."
(Photo: GDToday)
(Photo provided to GDToday)
Statistics from Panama's Ministry of Commerce and Industries showed that from January to September 2022, the export volume of Panama's coffee reached 21.7 million USD, an increase of 8% compared to the same period in 2021, and the export volume in 2021 was 26.5 million USD, an increase of 6% year-on-year. The Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) are among the fastest growing markets for Panama's coffee exports.
Author | Hannah
Editor | Steven, Will
