LET’S HAVE A COFFEE?

Coffee is very important to me because it’s a beverage that has been with me from a very young age, when I used to help my father’s family take care of the property’s harvest. 

I remember my paternal grandfather getting up every day at 3 in the morning to prepare the first coffee of the day for the family consumption, using a handmade wood stove. Incomparable smell and flavour! 

In my 22 years of profession, I have always been connected to the coffee cultivation, of different state and private entities, and in the many different parts of the golden grain agroindustry chain.

Today, I like to visit coffee shops in my country and abroad to taste different mixes of coffee from different origins, processed and prepared with different methods.

To me, coffee is an entire experience I like to share!

IMPORTANCE

Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. Curiously, it is also only behind oil in terms of international trade figures, with 25 million farmers in more than 50 countries involved in its production. In addition, an estimated 3 billion cups of coffee are drank on a daily basis worldwide.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The word coffee means “grain wine” from the Arabic “qahhwat al-bun.” The world’s first coffee was discovered during the sixth century, in Ethiopia. 

An Ethiopian legend tells the story of a shepherd named Kaldi who noticed his goats were restless and very active when they ate red cherries from a tree. Filled with curiosity, he decided to take the cherries to a monk in a neighbouring temple, who made an infusion for his monks. The infusion had a bad taste; however, noticing that drinking the infusion caused the same “symptoms” seen in the goats, he decided to improve its taste by drying and roasting them. He found out that the beverage actually helped not to fall asleep during the night prayers. Around 1500, the Emir Khair Bey, advised by a group of physicians and legal experts, prohibited coffee, considering that it intoxicated people and that for that reason it was against the rules of the Koran. Nonetheless, the decree was revoked a few years later.

LATIN AMERICA

Region known for well-balanced coffee, with walnut or cocoa flavour with medium body and clean finishing.

63% of the coffee consumed in the world is produced in the Americas, most of which is cultivated in Brazil, which produces 40% of the world’s supply.

NICARAGUA

Its coffee stands out for its high quality, elegance and refinement, with notes of chocolate and mild spices, with flavours such as lemon, blackberry and flowers, which are very hard to come by in the world.

CURIOSITY

Swim in coffee? Yes, you can! But to do that you will have to travel to Japan, since that is where the Yunessun Spa Resort is, which, among its attractions, has pools where guests can bathe in red wine, coffee and green tea. This unique establishment is located in the city of Hakone, exactly 6 kilometres away from the Ōwakudani volcanic valley and 10 kilometres away from Lake Ashi. The customer must pay approximately 30 dollars to get in the place.

Next time we meet, let’s have a coffee!

Roberto Rizo, Casa McGregor Sales Manager, S.A – Nicaragua

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To your health, colleagues!

There’s a story behind everything, this picture’s story is:

“Sharing coffee with our collaborator Aura, who assists STIHL customers in the sales room of Comeca, in the city of Guatemala. On the table, there are three acknowledgements given to us by the National Association of Coffee, ANACAFÉ, for our joint efforts in different activities, working for the coffee in Guatemala.”

“For us, coffee is important in our daily routine, since it accompanies us to enjoy our delicious gastronomy, like green plantains or a famous regional dish, the tigrillo from the Ecuadorian coast! Coffee gives taste to our breakfasts and fills us with happiness to go to work!”

The five days were extremely profitable, with lots of knowledge and integration. The Regional Sales and Marketing Event, with the participation of importers and subsidiaries from Latin America and the Caribbean was completely held online, from March 1st to 5th for Spanish speaking countries, and from March 8th to 12th for english speaking countries. Let’s remember some important aspects discussed on the occasion:

OVERALL SCENARIO AND SALES

Despite all the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, 2020 was a year to overcome adversities for the STIHL team, which presented very positive results worldwide: record breaking revenue of 4.5 million euro, which represents a growth of 17%. Sales in units increased 23%, with the battery line increasing the most. Specifically in Latin America, the performance was also very good: 26% increase in sales of machine units.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

For this year, we have identified many growth opportunities in gardening, agriculture, and gasoline products. However, difficulties faced in international logistics are unfortunately causing an impact in product supply. In addition, there was an increase in raw-material prices.

PRODUCT RELEASES

The STIHL product portfolio does not stop growing. One day of the event was dedicated to presenting the 2021 new releases: GTA 26, HSA 26, SGA 85, SE 33, MH 610 and MH 710. You can find more information of the products in the STIHL Training platform.

STIHL TRAINING

Qualification is one of the basic premises for STIHL, which offers the STIHL Training platform, restructured last year to provide more appealing and friendlier navigation. The training processes were reinforced at the event, highlighting the features and advantages of Online Teaching and Distance Learning.

MARKETING

The marketing initiatives for 2020 were reviewed and planning for the 2021 activities was highlighted. Among the brand campaign and piracy campaign stood out. Besides, the product catalogue and mini-catalogue adapted to the region were presented along with other contents and projects in order to strengthen the brand, advance with digital transformation, becoming an expert at working in the nature, knowing the end client and improving the marketing planning.

AFTER SALES

Guidelines on the use of after-sales articles at the point of sale were also a highlight of the event. The modules to provide greater visibility to accessories, safety wear, fuels among other important items were presented in order to broaden the business volume.
As well as an analysis of the after-sales market, new products in this area were also presented during the event. One of them is the Service Kit, already used with great success by STIHL Spain and STIHL United States. The initiative seeks to offer an optimised maintenance solution for the customer, with competitive cost and reliability.

Event presentations were sent to general managers of participant countries. In case you haven’t received them, please contact petra.burchhardt@stihl.de.

LATAM team leaves its Christmas and New Year greetings

This recognition was very important, but it must be followed up and plan 2021 to celebrate many other achievements.

Be close, in order to grow. The conventions with specialised dealers are very important for the alignment of goals and to present products, among other functions. A convention also strengthens personal relationships, encourages growth of sales and helps with the development of new business.

In Honduras, the seventh edition of the event was held at the Hyatt Place in Tegucigalpa, from 20 to 22 February, with the presence of 70 attendees. ‘We talked about the strategy for 2020, the new brand concept, and also the new products, including some product demonstrations. This was a very good experience’, says Diana Lizbeth Mejía, Marketing Manager at Cemcol.

A similar event took place on 28 and 29 February in the Ecuadorian city of Manta, home to the country’s most breathtaking beaches and to the most important tuna fish port in the country. All 75 exclusive STIHL distributors participated both in the presentation of new STIHL machines and in the launch of an own application, mobile B2B. The group took the opportunity to also address the planning for 2020. ‘This was a wonderful celebration, one week prior to all these difficult moments caused by the pandemic we are now facing. We strengthened the bond between the brand and the distributors, getting a positive result in the name of all those who make up the STIHL family in Ecuador’, says Iver Paredes, from Inmeq.

In Brazil, the convention took place on 4th of June, fully online, with over 900 people connected, including dealers and the brand teams. ‘This was an interactive and innovative event, which was broadcasted live to the whole country. Despite physical distance, the link between STIHL and its shops is still the same as always, a very close relationship’, says Rafael Zanoni, Marketing Manager at STIHL Brazil.

On that occasion, the audience could get to know details of the newly launched products such as the MS 462 chainsaw, the GTA 26 battery garden pruner and the BGA 86 battery-run blower, and also get an evaluation and business outlook for 2020.