Raising the Coffee Production Standards in Myanmar

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Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 virus and travel restrictions around the world, Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer assignments have been on hold since March 2020. The F2F program in Myanmar initiated a “Virtual Volunteer Assistance Strategy” to provide continuous support while travel remains restricted. These assignments are usually two weeks long and last two hours per day. The trainers hold real-time or pre-recorded virtual training sessions with the host organizations. 

F2F volunteer Dr. Y Martin Lo provided the first such course in Myanmar on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to the Ever Win Coffee Factory from June 1 to 15, 2020. Dr. Lo holds a MSc in Food Science, a PhD in Biochemical Engineering and has extensive experience in both standards. His training aimed to build the company’s capacity and included 15 participants (9 women and 6 men) from the management and supervisor levels of staff. He taught them about the importance of food safety, factory design and layout, quality procedures, and guidelines. Training was conducted virtually using PowerPoint presentations, video tours of the factory, group discussions and exercises, and question and answer sessions. 

The Ever Win Coffee Factory was formed in December 2015 and is led by two sisters, Dr. Chaw Chaw Win and Dr. Aye Yu Win. The factory currently produces twelve different coffee products in Myanmar and provides training on coffee-making. After receiving this training, key staff understood how critical control points and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) apply to their workplace and were better prepared to follow the required guidelines to obtain GMP and HACCP Certification.


Due to the success of this first assignment with Dr. Lo and Ever Win, a follow-up assignment with the same host and volunteer took place between June 22 and July 3, 2020. During this second training, Dr. Martin Lo helped the Ever Win Coffee Factory draft, discuss, and finalize their SSOP Guidelines and GMP standards. At the end of the assignment, the host had analyzed and defined all its procedures, from the processing of raw materials to the marketing of their value-added products, according to the required guidelines and standards; and had completed all mandatory application forms. 

These certifications will make Ever Win more competitive in the coffee market and will help them expand their product line, while ensuring they are producing safe and high-quality food for their consumers. They will also make them more viable in an export market, especially as a more diverse set of buyers can help a company survive in times of pandemic-induced economic slowdown.




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