“Coffee is extensively grown in Brazil and it has an international repute. But I find this coffee, which is marketed by the Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC), very good and tasty”, said Maria Quiteria Mendes, Mayor of Cardeal da Silva, Brazil.
She is one of the delegates attending the three-day third BRICS Urbanisation Forum, being held in the city.
Like Maria, the GCC Araku Coffee has become an instant hit with the delegates, who have come from Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
Diana from Brazil and Nonhlanhla from South Africa, not only liked the roasted product mixed with chicory, but also the green coffee beans.
What enthused the delegates more, was the fact that coffee is grown by the Aadivasi community in the forests and they made it a point to click a selfie with the sculpture depicting a tribal couple.
Many were seen transmitting the clicked selfies back home to their friends through WhatsApp and loading it as profile picture in Facebook.
The GCC stall not only exhibited packed coffee, but also served hot coffee, and showcased other tribal products such as soaps and other ayurvedic products.
According to a GCC representative, the stall served about 2,000 cups free on Wednesday and on Thursday they set a price of Rs. 10 per cup.
“Even today, we sold over 600 cups, and our coffee is being preferred over the one that is being served by the star hotel,” said a GCC staff.
