Coffee Industry Board to crackdown on counterfeit Blue Mountain Coffee

The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIBJ) has promised that a newly formed Brand Infringement and Enforcement Taskforce will crackdown on the sale of counterfeit Blue Mountain Coffee. Delano Franklyn, CIJB Chairman, said the board had received complaints from consumers that foreign beans were being sold as certified Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. “We have numerous reports from persons staying at some of our hotels [in Jamaica] that the taste profile of coffee purported to be Blue Mountain coffee is different from which they are accustomed,” said Franklyn. According to a local news source, Franklyn has warned local establishments that raids to expose the bean cheats will be conducted before Christmas. Jamaica has legislation in place to ensure that only coffee grown in the Blue Mountains area, between Kingston and Port Antonio, can be sold under the region label. Jamaica Blue Coffee is a registered trade mark and also a certification trademark in some countries. The Coffee Industry Regulations Act states that no person, unless authorised in writing by the Board shall carry out any activity that is connected with the purchase, sale or export of coffee that involves the use of the words Blue Mountain. Rohan Marley’s coffee, Marley Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain, is CIBJ certified. Read the story of Marley’s success, as was featured in the September/October issue of GCR Magazine.