VIDEO | Willem Boot Speaks on the Importance of the National Yemen Coffee Auction

TRANSCRIPT:

In my career, I have been involved with auctions around the world. Nowadays there are private coffee auctions in so many different places and so many different regions and countries. But there's this special aspect, a special element connected with the 'National Coffee Auction.' And in such an auction at a national level, all coffee producers in the country are able to participate.

The rules are very strict. But ultimately, the gems, the uncut diamonds of the country are being discovered. Coffee producers, coffee farmers can learn from this through their improved protocols. The tasters within the country can learn how to recognize these unique profiles and then the huge potential that an auction offers to coffee producers to connect with the coffee buyers, the roasters and the retailers around the world. It really helps the coffee industry in this case for Yemen to revitalize, to grow and to expand itself.

So with this first NYCA, National Yemen Coffee Auction, we are sending a message to the coffee farmers and producers in Yemen that it's worth while to go the extra mile once per year to produce a unique lot of coffee that then can place in the final auction category and that can have a unique chance to fetch a high price in the international market. And it gives the farmers also the ability to connect with buyers around the world. And that is very special, very unique.