Gukeng Township, a major coffee-producing area in Taiwan’s Yunlin County, recently hosted the region’s first coffee roasting competition, aiming to spotlight the quality of local beans. Co-organized by the Yunlin County Government and the Gukeng Farmers Association, the three-day event drew 50 roasters from across Taiwan to compete using Gukeng-grown green coffee beans.
The competition’s top prize went to Weng Weilong, affectionately known as the “Brazilian uncle” from Taipei. Weng praised the significant improvements in Gukeng’s coffee quality and flavor in recent years, adding that he plans to promote the beans through his store.
According to the Gukeng Farmers Association, the response from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with half expressing interest in purchasing Gukeng beans—an encouraging sign for the local coffee industry.
Yunlin County’s Department of Agriculture reports that the region currently has 62.75 hectares of coffee farmland, producing approximately 60.44 metric tons annually—around 5% of Taiwan’s total output—with an annual production value nearing NT$200 million.
Deputy Agriculture Director Cai Gengyu noted that Gukeng coffee is gaining international recognition. This year, three locally produced bean varieties were submitted to the globally respected Coffee Review, receiving exceptional scores of 93 and 94 points—classified as “Outstanding”—a new high for Taiwanese coffee.
Cai added that the roasting competition was not only a platform for technical exchange among roasters but also a celebration of the strides made in Gukeng’s coffee quality. The same three high-scoring beans featured in the contest, further helping to promote them to specialty coffee enthusiasts.
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