What do you do with food science knowledge gathered over many years that eventually culminated in a PhD?
You turn it into a business!
That’s what Dr. Joel Waramboi did a little over 10 years ago when he started a company called Wia Trade. Operating out of Nadzab in Lae, Dr. Waramboi and his wife Julie began by just buying and selling products eventually making major investments into a manufacturing plant for biodegradable plastic.
But that business had to be sold after government policy and legislative changes caused the business to fold.
“We had to sell off the machines after those changes happened,” Dr. Waramboi said.
Diversification is key in any business.
Wia Trade took the end of one business as an opportunity to expand in other areas.
“Even before that, we were buying and selling coffee. My wife and I would go into the villages, buy their coffee and sell through third parties.”
Between 2020 and 2024, Wia Trade exported 60 containers of coffee to overseas markets bringing in a gross income of K10 million. Up to K7 million was paid to farmers and reinvested into community based extension programs.
“Wia Trade is not about profits. It exists so that farmers will have a guaranteed market to sell their crops.”
For a bit of broader context…
This year is shaping up to be an exceptionally profitable one for coffee farmers across Papua New Guinea. A weaker Kina, combined with adverse weather conditions impacting coffee production in Latin American countries, means PNG farmers are set to reap significant rewards. The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) anticipates coffee exports will generate at least K1.5 billion this year.
This positive outlook extends to the 500 farmers actively involved with Wia Trade, who are part of a program supported by the government’s PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification (PACD) initiative, backed by World Bank funding. Beyond this core group, many more farmers are also benefiting from these widespread positive market dynamics.
One of Wia Trade’s most visible successes came in 2024 with the launch of Erap Coffee, a roasted coffee brand now available in supermarkets across Lae. It’s a tangible representation of a company that boasts an impressive and extensive reach into rural Morobe, truly connecting local produce with broader markets.
“Erap Coffee made K20,000 in the last 12 months. It’s a tiny part of the business. It is single origin coffee. In order to maintain the quality and integrity of the coffee, it must come from one place,” Dr. Waramboi said.
