Over the past few weeks, I have been fortunate enough to explore the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Each plantation offered new insights regarding what goes into the planning process behind the Costa Rican supply chain. It was interesting to be able to follow the entire supply chain, from the coffee cherries being picked at Doka and Life Monteverde, to them being found on the shelves at the Britt souvenir shop.
Going to each individual plantation was an amazing experience, even though some of them were not pleasant temperature-wise. My favorite plantation tour was easily the Doka plantation. I was not expecting a tour as official as the one we were given, but I was very appreciative of the knowledge I gained. Doka was an amazing first stop because they were able to answer so many questions in such a short time, also we got to try a lot of coffee. We gained a basic understanding of the business behind coffee. After learning what a coffee plantation like Doka can do in a year, it expanded my understanding for the rest of the trip.
Britt’s processing plant was a very unique experience. Even after my first step off the bus, I was able to notice the size difference compared to a plantation like Doka. Our tour guide gave us a very entertaining lesson on not only the processing process but also the Costa Rican coffee history. It was impressive to see the machinery that deals with creating a final product.
We were also able to see how planning at a retail level works. Britt has a large influence across Costa Rica and many other countries around the world. The deal with making their products remind the customers of their eco-friendly brand. Tastings, tours, and even storytelling all play a role in the coffee industry’s interactions with the customers. I felt very emotionally connected to Britt after I was given a virtual tour of all of their coffee plantations. Even if the virtual tour was presented by a tour guide in a wooden car.
The final stage of planning falls into making sure the customer forms habits and loyalty with the company. Each plantation offered memorable experiences, enhancing my own personal connection with each of them. Reflecting on Costa Rica as a whole, I also gained a positive and memorable experience overall. I hope that one day I can come back to Costa Rica and enjoy it as much as I did on Plus 3. One thing I won’t be missing is throwing out my toilet paper. That never grew on me. Pura vida.