Coffee growers and processors from the region are being trained by experts to be able to comply and meet the quality demands of the specialty coffee industry not only locally but internationally. DTI-CAR tapped lecturers Prof. Valentino Macanes of Benguet State University, Teresa Plotkin and Billy Ignacio of Barista & Coffee Academy of Asia and who coached the participants on how to identify defects and distinguish coffee beans from various elements like aroma, flavor, acidity, body, sweetness and aftertaste.