On July 8 and 9, 2025, the stunning highlands of Kandy, Sri Lanka, came alive with the fourth-annual Sri Lanka Coffee Festival, a historic event commemorating the country’s 200-year coffee-growing heritage. Co-hosted by the Department of Export Agriculture (DEA), Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF), and the Lanka Coffee Association (LCA), the festival was a turning point in Sri Lanka’s renewed coffee industry. This year’s event featured not only the island’s specialty coffee, but also a ground-breaking public-private partnership aimed at revitalizing the industry.
A Milestone Celebration of Sri Lanka’s Coffee Legacy
The Sri Lanka Coffee Festival brought together coffee farmers, roasters, retailers, enthusiasts, and industry stakeholders to honor Sri Lanka’s 200-year coffee heritage. The DEA marked this milestone by launching a commemorative stamp, symbolizing the nation’s commitment to restoring coffee as a globally recognized export. For the first time, the DEA merged its annual Coffee Day celebrations with the LCA-MDF flagship festival, creating a unified platform to showcase the sector’s potential.
The festival featured a coffee tasting expo, interactive panel discussions, hands-on barista training, live brewing demonstrations, and a coffee art competition for schoolchildren. Prizes were awarded for categories such as Best Farmer and Best Processor, recognizing the contributions of local producers. Supported by the Colombo Coffee Company as Gold Sponsor and Hatton National Bank as the official Banking Partner, the event underscored growing commercial interest in Sri Lanka’s coffee industry.
Australia’s Market Development Facility: A Catalyst for Growth
Australia’s Market Development Facility, an Australian Government-funded initiative promotes sustainable economic development by fostering partnerships that connect individuals, businesses, governments, and NGOs with domestic and international markets. In Sri Lanka, MDF has been a steadfast supporter of the coffee sector since 2017, driving inclusive growth and boosting exports to strengthen foreign exchange earnings.
A major highlight of the festival was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the DEA and Australia’s Market Development Facility. This agreement aims to develop a strategic roadmap for Sri Lanka’s specialty coffee sector, outlining the market’s current status, identifying gaps, and setting key action points. MDF will also collaborate with the DEA to enhance coffee processing quality, provide sector-relevant training, and share specialized training modules with farmers and processors. This partnership is poised to unlock new trade and investment opportunities, particularly with markets like Australia.
Lalita Kapur’s Vision for Sri Lanka’s Coffee Future
Australian Deputy High Commissioner Lalita Kapur, a Chief Guest at the festival, spoke passionately about the role of Australia’s Market Development Facility in transforming Sri Lanka’s coffee industry. In an exclusive interview with WestVU News, Kapur highlighted the sector’s potential as a specialty product. “One thing that’s wonderful about the coffee sector that we’ve been supporting over the last few years is that you can actually market it as a specialty product,” she said. She noted that Sri Lankan coffee is gaining global recognition, with events like the Melbourne International Coffee Festival showcasing its quality.
Looking Ahead: A Roadmap for Success
The Sri Lanka Coffee Festival not only celebrated the past but also set the stage for a promising future. With Australia’s Market Development Facility leading the charge, the MoU with the DEA signals a new era of strategic development for Sri Lanka’s coffee industry. By improving processing techniques, providing training, and fostering international trade connections, MDF is helping Sri Lanka reclaim its place on the global coffee stage.
