The Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minex) recently reported that the Guatemalan Embassy in South Korea organized a "barista competition" in South Korea in which "only Guatemalan coffee was used" to promote Guatemalan Coffee.

Guatemala "Lahora" News Network reported on the 12th, the Embassy introduced that the competition was set up for the South Korean Fan Division, and the contestants must use the Madimala coffee to compete. During the event, the baristas took an in-depth look at and dissected the rich sensory flavors and unique aromas of Guatemalan coffee.

In addition, a "blind testing" session was scheduled at the site as an assisted experience. This interactive mode allows Korean baristas to accurately identify the unique flavor characteristics of Guatemalan coffee with sensory experience without having any prior knowledge of the origin or variety of coffee beans.

The campaign, which attracted many local industry experts from South Korea, aimed to promote Guatemalan coffee's entry into the demanding Asian market; At the same time, it is also an important part of the trade diplomacy strategy promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala. The event not only showed Korean industry experts the unique sensory characteristics of Guatemalan coffee, but also opened up new development opportunities for its coffee industry.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), South Korea has jumped to become the sixth largest export destination for Guatemalan coffee in the 2024 / 25 trade cycle, importing a total of 110,668 bags (60 kg) of coffee from Guatemala. Looking ahead to the 2026 / 27 season, Guatemala's coffee production is expected to reach 3.13 million sacks, an increase of 3 percent over the previous season, the department predicted.

Guatemala is the world's fourth largest producer of boutique coffee and the ninth largest exporter of coffee; The National Coffee Association of Guatemala (ANACAFE) recognizes that the country has eight internationally renowned coffee producing areas, each producing area of coffee showing a unique flavor characteristics.

The signing of a free trade agreement between Guatemala and South Korea is seen as a milestone in the development of the coffee industry. The foreign ministry said that the ratification of the agreement means that raw coffee beans, sugars and other products will immediately gain access to the South Korean market and lay a favorable foundation for the growth of Guatemalan exports to South Korea in the coming years.