The Asia-Pacific region is home to thousands of smallholder coffee farmers who rely on stable, fair markets to sustain their livelihoods. Entering premium international markets—especially South Korea’s discerning specialty coffee sector—provides an important opportunity for producers to gain visibility, build long-term partnerships, and elevate the value of their coffee.

South Korea’s specialty coffee industry continues to expand, driven by consumers who prioritize transparency, traceability, and ethical sourcing. These values strongly align with the Fairtrade system, making the Seoul Café Show a strategic platform for building new market linkages.

In collaboration with Fairtrade Korea, Fairtrade NAPP participated in the Seoul Café Show 2025 to unlock market opportunities for Asian producer organizations and strengthen their presence in the global coffee landscape.

Represented by Program Manager Akhil Nassim, and 03 members ( Halwantoni, Zhahri and Windiko Simahate) from Koperasi Produsen Bersama Mandiri Sejahtera (Bahtera) from Aceh, Indonesia, the delegation participated in a series of strategic engagements with buyers, traders, and roasters, effectively strengthening market visibility and exploring new opportunities for Fairtrade coffee from the region. 

Held at COEX in Gangnam, the Seoul Café Show the exhibition offered a powerful platform to:

• Present Fairtrade coffee to high-value buyers
• Increase visibility for producers and their coffee origins
• Build strong relationships with importers, roasters, and supply-chain actors
• Promote ethical sourcing and the value of Fairtrade certification

With its theme “One Cup, All Worlds,” the event celebrated global collaboration—perfectly reflecting Fairtrade’s mission of bridging farmers with international markets.

Strategic Engagements with Global Buyers

Throughout the event, the Fairtrade team met with a diverse range of influential actors across the specialty coffee sector. These included Odin Coffee, McNulty International, El Cafetal, Telaa and Vintage Coffee, Latty Coffee, Fair Generation, iCoop Korea, and Henry Bath. The meetings provided valuable opportunities to introduce Fairtrade coffee, understand buyer needs, and build interest in origins from across the Asia Pacific region.

Each engagement served as a meaningful step toward expanding Fairtrade’s footprint in the South Korean market and strengthening visibility for smallholder coffee producers.

Immediate Outcomes: A Network of High-Value Connections

By the close of the exhibition, the Fairtrade delegation had built promising new buyer and importer relationships, shared producer profiles and contact information with interested stakeholders, and initiated follow-up communication—beginning with Odin Coffee. These engagements also helped increase awareness of Fairtrade certification and its sourcing benefits across a wide cross-section of South Korean market actors. For smallholder farming communities, even one new buyer relationship can translate into significant improvements in household income, community development, and economic resilience.

The event highlighted several important shifts in the global coffee market:

• Buyers are prioritizing ethically sourced and transparently traded coffee
• In-person engagement remains essential to building trust and long-term trade
• Fairtrade’s representation ensures producers remain visible and well-supported
• South Korea offers high potential for expanding the Fairtrade coffee market

These lessons underscore a simple reality: the future of coffee lies not only in quality but also in sustainability, accountability, and meaningful human connection.

Fairtrade NAPP’s participation in the Seoul Café Show 2025 ensured that the voices, products, and aspirations of Asian coffee farmers reached a global audience, supporting long-term, equitable trade partnerships and driving lasting positive change for farming communities across the Asia-Pacific region.