How Coffee Traceability Program Transforms PH Coffee Industry

How Coffee Traceability Program Transforms PH Coffee Industry

At Intuit Coffee, we take pride in sourcing certified, high-quality beans from our trusted partner farmers across the Philippines. More than delivering exceptional coffee, we value the trust of our consumers, ensuring that every bag we offer has been rigorously assessed and recognized by formal institutions.

Our locally auctioned Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) beans have undergone strict coffee traceability measures. This process verifies not only the origin of the beans but also the farming practices behind them, giving consumers the assurance of authenticity, transparency, and quality in every cup.

To shed more light on this important program, Intuit Coffee had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Emmanuel “Mel” Garcia, the project leader of the De Lasalle University Food and Water Institute’s Coffee and Cacao Research and also the Chairperson of the Philippine Coffee Guild, who shared valuable insights on how coffee traceability works and why it is vital for the Philippine coffee industry. As coffee culture in the country continues to flourish, initiatives like this ensure that both farmers, sellers, and consumers benefit from a system built on credibility and shared trust.


What Started the Coffee Traceability Program

The Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) has long been the benchmark for identifying the country’s best coffees. But in 2017, questions surfaced about the authenticity of certain entries, sparking an important conversation: how do we ensure that the beans submitted truly come from the farms they claim to represent? 

This concern over coffee originality became the seed for what is now known as the Coffee Traceability Program. Initially, it began with exploratory sample collections led by scientists who believed that authenticity could and should be verified. This scientific research started 7-8 years ago. But Dr. Mel recalled that it was only 2 years ago when PCQC officially integrated coffee traceability into its evaluation process, making the Philippines one of the first coffee-producing countries in the world to adopt this groundbreaking feature in a national competition. Furthermore, it certifies the origins of the entries. 

Dr. Mel, one of the leading figures in this effort, recalls how the initiative took shape. Persistent advocacy with the PCQC Technical Working Group, combined with research support from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), eventually brought the program to life.

This program doesn’t just protect the integrity of competitions; it also elevates Philippine coffee on the global stage. As Dr. Mel points out, similar techniques have long been used in Europe for wine provenance. Applying them to coffee ensures fairness, boosts farmer credibility, and strengthens consumer trust.

Beyond coffee, this effort is part of a much larger initiative. “The program that DOST funded is entitled Food Authenticity and Traceability Program. Under that program there are 4 projects: Coffee and Cacao traceability, another one is Mango Traceability, another one is Halal and Organic Authenticity, and the fourth one is Honey Authenticity,” Dr. Mel explains.

The science behind coffee traceability is simple but powerful. Coffee beans carry a unique “fingerprint” shaped by their environment—soil, water, climate, and farming practices all leave a trace in the bean’s elemental and isotopic composition. By analyzing these characteristics, scientists can determine where a particular coffee came from, sometimes even narrowing it down to a specific harvest season. In simple terms, coffee traceability is both consumer nitpicking and farmer safeguarding. For consumers, it is about having the right to know exactly where their food and drinks come from. For farmers, it serves as a form of identity registration, protecting their hard work from being misrepresented or claimed by others.

 

How It Works 

For years, flavor was thought to reveal where a coffee came from. But Dr. Mel notes, flavor alone cannot identify origin. Taste is influenced by many factors and is not unique to a single geographic location. He shares as an example his first time encountering Mabini Ubuan in PCQC. 

...no’ng first time nanalo si Mabini Ubuan, may naglabas nitong sampler nung top 6 ng Arabica at top 6 Robusta. Ang ginawa ko bumili ako tapos everyday tinitikman ko siya blind lang, di ko alam kung ano yung binubrew ko. Nung natikman ko yan, of course hindi ko pa alam na Ilocos Sur yan…So lahat kami nagulat parang ano ito, masarap. Everyone thought, number one, it was Arabica. Wala nga nakakaalam na Robusta yan. So everyone was shocked when they were told, ah Robusta yan, hindi yan Arabica.

The next shock of course which was parang, saan galing ito? Kung Robusta ito baka galing itong Mindanao nga kasi PCQC diba? Pero kung hindi siya PCQC isipin ko galing Sidamo region yan. Kasi yun yung profile ng kape doon, medyo winey. Pero dahil PCQC at least na-trim down siya sa Pilipinas so sabi ko Bukidnon. Pero guess what? Ilocos Sur.”  

This is where coffee traceability makes the difference. Instead of relying on sensory impressions, it measures what cannot be faked: the chemical fingerprint of the bean itself. Traceability ensures that every lot of coffee has a verifiable identity. 

At the heart of coffee traceability is what Dr. Mel calls multi-elemental analysis, a scientific method that studies the elements absorbed by the coffee plant from its environment: soil, water, climate, and even post-harvest processing. These factors leave behind a unique signature in the beans. During their initial tests, Dr. Mel explained that they received samples from individual farmers who used different post-harvest methods such as wet, dry, and honey processing—even if the beans came from the same farm and the same plants. From this, they were able to infer that post-harvest processing indeed affects the multi-elemental profile of coffee. In fact, every variation, whether in processing or in variety, left an impact. Even seasonal changes in rainfall or soil conditions can alter the profile, making it highly specific to both place and time.

 

Intuit Coffee and the Coffee Traceability Program 

So far, the benefit of coffee traceability program can be seen clearly for the farmers and consumers. Intuit Coffee asks Dr. Mel directly how the coffee traceability program helps the sellers. He answers, for micro-roasteries like Intuit Coffee that market beans by farmer name and origin, coffee traceability provides a powerful tool for building authenticity into every bag sold.

Intuit Coffee has proudly showcased local excellence through the PCQC since 2023. Our journey began with Dione Ellaga PCQC 2023 and Silvestra Villegas PCQC 2023, followed by Rogelio Gonzales PCQC 2024, Josephine Libres PCQC 2024, Ginalyn Gonzalo PCQC 2024, and Dione Ellaga PCQC 2024. This year, 2025, we are excited to add four more outstanding lots to our lineup: Mabini Ubuan PCQC 2025, Marieta Lidem PCQC 2025, Marivic Dubria PCQC 2025, and Dione Ellaga PCQC 2025.

Alongside this exciting milestone, Intuit Coffee is proud to introduce our new QR-coded packaging. With a quick scan, you’ll be able to access our Coffee Traceability page, where you can meet the farmer behind your beans and discover their unique flavor notes.

For those who want to dive even deeper, we invite you to visit the Intuit Coffee store. There, our team can walk you through the elemental profiling of the beans, a level of detail not available online, as we take measures to protect this valuable documentation from being copied or misused.

Dr. Mel recognizes this step as a significant contribution to the industry. “Intuit Coffee is one of the flag bearers of Philippine Coffee Traceability,” he affirms. Through this initiative, Intuit Coffee continues to set the standard for authenticity and thoughtfully sourced craft.

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