Workshop Description: This workshop offers an in-depth, hands-on introduction to the core principles of roaster operation and maintenance. Participants will explore how various commercial roasting machines operate, focusing on the roles of airflow, burners, and heat transfer. This workshop combines classroom learning with interactive, on-site demonstrations led by multiple roaster manufacturers. Attendees will develop confidence in basic operational procedures and maintenance routines to maximize equipment performance, ensure safety, and extend roaster longevity.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the fundamental principles of roaster operation, including airflow, burners, and heat transfer mechanisms.

2. Compare similarities and differences among various commercial roaster models.

3. Understand proper operational techniques and basic maintenance tasks for different roaster models.

4. Recognize the importance of regular maintenance in optimizing roaster performance, safety, and product consistency.

Note: The workshop begins with classroom instruction, followed by exclusive early access to the show floor for guided demonstrations with a variety of roaster manufacturers. This unique setup offers hands-on interaction with equipment and direct Q&A with experts, though no actual coffee roasting will take place. The workshop concludes in the classroom with additional exercises and group discussion.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Room Number: 30 DE
Category: Brewing

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Doug Graf

Doug has been Roasting, and working on and with Roasters since 1986. Since 2007 we have been operating in our current incarnation as Vintage Coffee. We are the Canadian Sales and Service Representatives for Loring for Canada, we ran the Roasting Tent at the Roasters Guild Retreat, and have the privilege of travelling around North America and beyond installing, repairing, rebuilding and consulting with Roasters of every size and Brand.

Workshop Description: Dive into the core elements every coffee entrepreneur needs to build and sustain a successful cafe business. Learn to select and maintain essential equipment, design a sales-driven menu that aligns with your brand, and manage costs for profitability. Explore beverage trends and marketing ideas to attract loyal customers. Discover how to unlock your cafe's full potential, including how to turn slow evenings into busy, revenue-generating hours.

Walk away with actionable insights and a renewed confidence to elevate every aspect of your cafe. This workshop is ideal for current and aspiring cafe owners and managers ready to elevate their business.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify essential equipment needs and maintenance practices to support efficient daily operations.

2. Develop a visually appealing and profitable menu that aligns with your brand and customer preferences.

3. Calculate cost of goods and apply techniques to ensure profitable pricing and inventory management.

4. Analyze current beverage trends and consumer habits to attract new customers.

5. Implement strategies to increase evening sales and create inviting after-work experiences for guests.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Room Number: 30 B
Category: Business

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Anna Gutierrez

Director of Brand Development

Beginning her coffee career in 1997 as a barista, Anna currently manages the Barista 22 line of syrups, sauces, powders, and fruit beverage bases. Having extensive experience working with distributors and national coffee chains, she’s an expert in product selection, marketing and branding, R + D of specialty coffee products, and training, and has a consistent passion for beverage development.

Anna has presented at Coffee Fest shows since 2005 and holds several Signature Drink Competition titles. She has been a certified United States Barista Championships and former Coffee Fest latte art judge, can be seen emceeing a variety of coffee events nationally, and was also co-featured on Barista Magazine’s April 2012 cover.

Jordyn Guerrero

National Sales Representative

With over 10 years of experience in the coffee industry, Jordyn has explored a wide range of roles, from managing store operations to working with both roasted and green coffee. Her passion for coffee and her love for connecting with people has driven every step of her journey. She thrives on building strong community relationships, creating memorable customer experiences, and blending the artistry of coffee with the power of human connection. Now, Jordyn is excited to share the knowledge she has gained and help others grow in this incredible industry through mentorship and training.

Mike Miller

National Sales Rep.

With 20+ years in specialty coffee, Mike Miller has built businesses, coached champions, and helped entrepreneurs thrive. His journey began in the Virgin Islands, where he and his wife built a successful coffee business, earning them the 2009 Small Business Person of the Year award. He later opened and sold a drive-through coffee shop in Oregon and launched an online coffee subscription service.

Since 2016, Mike's been with Dillanos Coffee Roasters, helping coffee shop owners grow and has coached several United States National Coffee Champions. Now, he travels, teaches, and shares his passion for coffee—always aiming to help people, make friends, and have fun!

Cody Greene

With over a decade of experience in the coffee industry, Cody has proven skills in business development, project management, and relationship building that have helped many Coffee Retailers around the country grow and succeed. As a Business Development Representative at Dillanos Coffee Roasters, he has a strong track record of cultivating productive partnerships and managing diverse projects from start to finish. His expertise in business strategy and operations, combined with his passion for coffee, has helped numerous coffee businesses streamline processes, expand into new markets, and achieve new levels of success over the years. He is always looking to bring tremendous value to any company looking to optimize operations and take their business to the next level.

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 B

Hosted by CRS/Blue Harvest

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33A

Private Cupping - Open to Select Attendees

Cupping Room 33 C

Hosted by Clearpath Coffee

Workshop Description: Why have novel coffee post-harvest processing methods surged in the past decade? Because processing shapes flavor.

Post-harvest techniques enable producers and processors to influence flavor profiles and tailor coffees to specific market preferences. Traditional methods—washed, natural, and honey—remain foundational, while innovations such as controlled or extended fermentations, and even flavor infusions with natural or synthetic ingredients, have expanded the possibilities. Together, these approaches form a rich toolbox that can yield an extraordinary spectrum of flavors from the same raw material.

In this workshop, we’ll explore coffees processed through a range of methods—from the most classic to the most cutting-edge—and experience firsthand how post-harvest decisions unlock diverse flavor expressions. We'll use descriptive assessment tools from the Coffee Value Assessment to appreciate the flavor profiles of different coffees better.

This workshop is valuable for those who want to expand their sensory skills and better appreciate the craftsmanship behind coffee flavor development.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore a broad spectrum of post-harvest processing methods, from traditional (washed, natural, honey) to novel techniques (extended fermentation, flavor infusion), experiencing how these choices impact sensory profiles.

2. Learn to use CVA Descriptive Assessment tools to sharpen your ability to characterize nuanced sensory profiles.

3. Gain insights into how processing decisions can be used to tailor coffee to specific preferences and markets.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Room Number: 31 AB
Category: Brewing

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Mario Fernández

Technical VP

Mario Fernández is a Food Technologist with a Ph.D in Food Science. He is currently the SCA Technical VP. He has a vast experience in coffee sensory training and assessment, as well as post harvest processing, with more than 30 years of experience in coffee science and applied coffee flavor science.

Workshop Description: This intensive workshop equips coffee business owners and leaders with frameworks to develop strategic brand positioning through competitive analysis and differentiated messaging. Participants learn data-driven market research methodologies, create detailed competitor profiles using SWOT analysis, and develop a comprehensive brand positioning document that includes value propositions, mission/vision statements, and target audience personas, brand voice, and story. The workshop combines industry-specific case studies with practical application through guided worksheets. By the end of this workshop, participants will have the tools and frameworks needed to independently identify market gaps, articulate unique positioning, develop core brand strategy elements, and create cohesive brand narratives that drive customer acquisition and retention in crowded coffee markets.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify Strategic Market Opportunities: Learn how to conduct competitive landscape analysis using industry data and SWOT frameworks to uncover white space your competitors are ignoring.

2. Craft Differentiated Brand Positioning: Master the step-by-step process to develop compelling value propositions, mission/vision statements, and brand narratives that clearly communicate why customers should choose you over competitors.

3. Define Your Target Customer: Create detailed audience personas using demographic, psychographic, and behavioral data to focus your positioning on the customers most likely to buy.

4. Build Your Brand Positioning Playbook: Apply proven frameworks through hands-on exercises to develop a complete, actionable brand strategy you can implement immediately in your business.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Room Number: 30 C
Category: Business

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Darleen Scherer

Founder + CEO

Darleen Scherer is a coffee brand strategist and Founder of Black Sheep, who helps coffee leaders grow by solving the problem most brands overlook: positioning. With more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and Fortune 500-trained marketer, she has built, scaled, and sold roasting companies and guided brands through pivotal transitions that define long-term success. Her work bridges early-stage coffee startups and established legacy brands, with a focus on brand positioning, product development, retail planning, and scalable growth. A former Roasters Guild Executive Council Member and USBC Sensory Judge, her perspective has been featured in The New York Times, Roast Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.

Workshop Description: This workshop teaches attendees how to evaluate green coffee using measurable quality indicators in addition to the cupping score. Participants will learn how to conduct green grading and physical inspection, calibrate and operate moisture and water activity meters, and use UV fluorescence to identify processing or storage issues. The session includes hands-on practice with measurement tools, green defect identification, and a cupping of coffees intentionally spiked with common physical defects. By tasting defects that can be visually identified, participants will connect physical attributes to sensory expression. The workshop equips learners with practical methods to make more confident purchasing decisions, select coffees that fit their menu goals, and communicate quality expectations to exporters and importers.

Learning Objectives

1. Correctly calibrate and use moisture meters, water activity meters, and UV tools.

2. Interpret measurements alongside visual green grading inspection to evaluate lot quality.

3. Identify how specific green defects may present in the cup through guided tasting.

4. Use physical and analytical data to make informed purchasing decisions aligned with quality goals.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Room Number: 31 C
Category: Cupping

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Sarah Cline Parker

Green Coffee Professional

Sarah Cline Parker is a green coffee professional with a background in sourcing, trading, and quality evaluation. She is the founder of Tailwind Roasting, a collaborative roasting facility and education space in Chicago. Sarah is a coffee educator who teaches green buying, cupping, and coffee quality courses, and has presented at industry events including the SCA Expo and Roasters Guild. She is a certified Q Grader, Q Processor, and Q Lecturer, and holds a certificate in Applied Coffee Sciences from the University of Zurich.

Trevor Jermasek

Roasting Director

Trevor Jermasek is a coffee roasting professional with over a decade of experience in specialty coffee. He began roasting in 2010 on a vintage UG22 and has since developed deep expertise in roast profiling, production roasting, and roasting equipment. His background includes hands on work across the supply chain, with experience as a barista, roaster, production manager, green buyer, and director of coffee. Trevor is the Director of Roasting at Tailwind Roasting, where he oversees roast quality, production systems, and technical training.

Lecture Description

This lecture will explore the current state of climate and nature risks impacting coffee production, showcasing new research, tangible resources, and innovative pathways that guide action toward a more resilient coffee future.

First, we will look at an industry-wide initiative through the Sustainable Coffee Challenge to increase and improve open-access primary data on carbon emissions from coffee production in 5 Latin American countries, building on a similar effort in Asia. These datasets offer practical references for producers, coffee companies, policymakers, and researchers to benchmark and lower emissions.

Complementing these baselines, we’ll also explore a new analysis on derisking coffee supply chains and landscapes for a net-zero and nature positive coffee future. Participants will examine where the greatest risks lie, the most promising interventions and pathways to mitigation, and the cost of transition vs. business as usual. 

Finally, we'll discuss innovative yet practical opportunities to collaborate and pool resources to ensure sustainable coffee supply while protecting and restoring nature and safeguarding the livelihoods of coffee communities.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 9:45 am
Location: Room 24C
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Raina Lang
Sr Director, Sustainable Coffee, Conservation International

Raina Lang works at Conservation International as the Sr Director of Sustainable Coffee, leading the organizations’ coffee program. She is tasked with building and overseeing partnerships in the coffee sector, with a focus on achieving CI’s long-term goal of making coffee the first sustainably produced agriculture product as part of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge. With over 20 years in the sector, including a decade of field-based experience in Central America, Mexico & the Caribbean, Raina has worked with agricultural value chain programs focused on supplier growth and sustainability in coffee and cocoa at the International Finance Corporation and Peace Corps in Nicaragua.

Nora Burkey
Founder and Executive Director, The Chain Collaborative

Nora is the Founder and Executive Director of The Chain Collaborative, a non-profit in the coffee sector focused on community-led development and investing in the visions of local leaders in coffee communities around the world. She holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the School for International Training, where she concentrated on gender in development and food systems, and conducted research in Nicaragua on the unpaid work of women in supply chains. Under the banner of The Chain Collaborative, she has consulted for a variety of companies, organizations, and projects in tropical agriculture, including Fairtrade International, Conservation International, IDH, and more. She was a co-creator of the Specialty Coffee Association's Coffee Sustainability Program (version 1), and additionally supported the development of version 2.

Isabella Turbyville
Manager, Sustainable Coffee, Conservation International

Isabella is a manager for the coffee program at Conservation International. In her role, she primarily supports the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, a multistakeholder initiative through which she helps drive sector collaboration and investments to mitigate and adapt to climate and nature risks affecting coffee production, its surrounding ecosystems, and communities.

She studied Environment and Development at McGill University and previously worked on getting new impact funds and instruments off the ground. Her passion for sustainable business models brought her to Conservation International, where she has had the privilege of being immersed in the coffee industry ever since.

Lecture Description

This PowerPoint presentation will explore the most critical issues (and mistakes) owners face during the design and build-out process when opening a new café. Topics covered include: floor plan design, health and building codes, equipment needed to support your menu, and timelines. The seminar will also examine ways to reduce build-out costs, improve employee efficiency and increase seating capacity. Since 1996, Tom Palm has worked with over 1000 clients interested in opening a new café. This is a must see seminar for anyone entering the specialty coffee business. 

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 9:45 am
Location: Room 25AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Tom Palm
National Sales Manager

Tom brings almost three decades of expertise in foodservice equipment to Design & Layout Services. His deep knowledge of the industry, combined with a passion for helping entrepreneurs, has made him a sought-after speaker at coffee trade shows across the country. Whether it’s offering guidance on selecting the right equipment or sharing insights on how to successfully open a cafe, Tom is known for his ability to break down complex topics into actionable advice. His presentations are not only informative but also engaging, thanks to his larger-than-life personality that draws in audiences and keeps them captivated.

Lecture Description

Coffee is a complex product shaped by a combination of physical, chemical, and thermodynamic processes. This lecture will explore how fluid dynamics and transport phenomena are integral to understanding the science behind coffee roasting and brewing. The roasting process involves heat transfer and gas exchange that occur within the coffee beans, which are key to developing aroma, flavor, and texture. Fluid dynamics influences the movement of air and steam within the roasting machine, impacting heat distribution and moisture evaporation. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing roast profiles and ensuring consistent quality.

Similarly, the extraction of coffee during brewing relies heavily on principles of fluid flow, diffusion, and convective heat transfer. The interaction between water and coffee grounds determines the extraction efficiency and ultimately the flavor and aroma profile of the brew. Through new and practical examples, we will delve into how concentration gradients, temperature gradients, and solubility properties affect the extraction process.

By examining these transport phenomena together, this lecture will provide insights into how they govern coffee’s transformation from raw bean to beverage, offering valuable knowledge for both professionals and enthusiasts aiming to elevate their coffee-making techniques and creativity.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 9:45 am
Location: Room 25C
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Connor Firth
Consultant, CRF Specialty Coffee Consulting

Connor Firth is a specialty coffee consultant from Chicagoland. Since completing his PhD in chemistry and chemical engineering in 2024, he has leveraged his technical background to educate coffee industry experts about the fundamental scientific principles underlying the field. His focus on transport phenomena and fluid dynamics — the physics behind nearly all coffee-related processes — makes him unique in an industry where hard science often takes a backseat. He aims to inspire creativity and promote scientific thinking, enabling industry professionals to navigate abstract marketing claims and, more importantly, deliver unique products and services of the highest quality.

Lecture Description

2026/27 is going to be pure, unadulterated chaos – and your P&L is riding shotgun. Brazil is barreling toward what could be the largest arabica crop on record, while every other major origin that chased the 2023–2025 price spike is now flooding the market with extra volume.

Buckle up for the wildest ride in coffee in a decade. In this fast-paced, zero-sugar-coating session, we’ll rip the lid off everything that’s about to hit:

• Brazil’s 2026 mega-crop: the latest verified estimates and why the numbers keep growing

• Differentials on a knife-edge: how far premiums can crater (or rocket) when the tsunami arrives

• Exchange-certified stocks: the hidden avalanche waiting to bury or rescue the market

• The global supply boom: Colombia, Vietnam, Honduras, Ethiopia, Peru and others all ramped up production chasing high prices – now the bills are due

• Demand destruction in real time: hard evidence of how skyrocketing retail prices are already killing consumption

• C-market volatility forecast: the triggers, the levels to watch, and the La Niña wildcard still lurking?

• Bottom-line survival tactics: concrete moves roasters, traders, importers and producers can make right now to protect (or grow) margins in the chaos

This isn’t theory. This is the session that translates the coming storm into dollars and cents for your business. 

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 9:45 am
Location: Room 26AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Albert Scalla
Sr. Vice President of Trading, STONEX

Albert Scalla, Senior Vice President of Trading at StoneX, has combined his considerable knowledge of the commodity markets with his expertise in implementing price risk management strategies using Futures, Options and Structured Products in the commodity markets. Albert joined Hencorp Futures, later acquired by StoneX, 32 years ago, where he has been an important pillar for the development of Commodity Price Risk Management programs from producers to final consumers in the Coffee, Cocoa and Palm Oil markets. In these products, Albert has been invited as a guest speaker to several national and international conferences to speak on Price Risk Management for participants in both producing and consuming countries of the supply chain. Albert received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a specialty in Finance from Florida International University.

Lecture Description

In an increasingly competitive local and global coffee landscape, fragmented markets, increased competition, and changing consumer expectations have made communications a core business skill rather than a marketing add-on. Many farmers, roasters and café operators possess compelling missions and exceptional products, yet struggle to articulate them in ways that resonate with target audiences. In such a crowded market, how can you differentiate your brand from the coffee next door?

This session will present a practical framework for developing a clear strategic communications plan rooted in established public-relations principles that will lead to business growth and success. Attendees will learn how to identify their core message, define priority audiences, and create a simple, actionable public relations plan that supports business goals — whether selling green coffee, building wholesale partnerships, or inspiring customer loyalty. The session will include real-world examples, templates, and repeatable tools designed to help coffee professionals confidently communicate their value in a crowded market without promotional bias.

This practical approach is designed for producers, roasters, café owners, and other small and medium-sized coffee businesses seeking to strengthen their market position through clear and consistent messaging.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Location: Room 23BC
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Michelle Franklin
Director of Communications, UC San Diego

Michelle Franklin has over 15 years of communications experience in corporate communications, media relations and higher education. She is currently director of communications for the School of Physical Sciences at UC San Diego, where she leads the university's Public Relations Council. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2021 and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

Anthony King
Public Relations Professional

Anthony King is a communications and public-relations strategist with more than 16 years of leadership experience in higher education and journalism. He is Assistant Dean of Strategic Engagement at UC San Diego, guiding executive leaders on public-relations practices that support institutional priorities and organizational change. Anthony earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America and is a founding chair of UC San Diego's Public Relations Council. He is a member of the International Public Relations Association and has volunteered as a communications professional for several international nonprofits.

Lecture Description

The industry knows that coffee's future depends on farmers' ability to adapt to a changing climate, but what is less known is whether and how the market will pay to enable these adaptation strategies. Put simply: when farmers can't afford to invest in resilience and supply chains inherit the risk, who pays the cost? The conversation around resilience cannot be decoupled from the conversation on prosperity—covering costs and ensuring dignity—and Living Income Reference Prices are a framework for understanding how smallholders can afford to invest in regenerative practices or remain trapped in vulnerability.

This panel brings together sustainable livelihoods experts, data scientists, and coffee industry professionals to examine the role fairer pricing plays in building a climate-adaptive, regenerative coffee sector. Panelists will explore the interplay between sustainable agricultural practices and market incentives, and how they affect the ability to implement a holistic approach to farmer resilience.

The session will focus on the data and calculations needed to close income gaps and achieve true resilience, featuring an in-depth discussion of the Living Income Reference Price (LIRP) model—a data-driven framework linking farm practices to prices that sustain dignified livelihoods and enable adaptation—along with case studies from Mexico and Rwanda.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Location: Room 24AB
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Colleen Anunu
Sr Advisor for Coffee, Fairtrade International

Colleen Anunu is the Sr. Advisor for Coffee at Fairtrade International, leading coffee product strategy and coordination among a diverse group of coffee stakeholders in the Fairtrade system. Colleen’s vision is a transformed coffee sector that sees more power and value in the hands of producers. They have previously served as Co-Managing Director and Head of Product Development for New York-based Gimme! Coffee Cooperative, as Director of Coffee Supply Chain at Fair Trade USA, and is a Past President of the Specialty Coffee Association.

Anneke Theunissen
COO, CLAC - Fairtrade

Anneke Theunissen has worked with CLAC Fairtrade, the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fairtrade Smallholder Producers and Workers, since 2013. Currently, she is Chief Operating Officer and coordinates the main operations of CLAC in the field, assisting approximately 900 Fairtrade Producer Organizations in their process of empowerment and organizational strengthening, human rights, access to markets, inclusion, climate resilience and advocacy.

Molly Leavens
Program Manager, Sustainable Food Lab

Molly Leavens is a Program Manager at Sustainable Food Lab, where she works with multinational food companies, NGOs, and public agencies to improve smallholder farmer livelihoods and climate resilience. Her work focuses on corporate sustainability strategy, living income, and regenerative agriculture across coffee and cocoa supply chains in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. She holds a BA in Food and the Environment from Harvard University and an MA in Management and Global Affairs from Tsinghua University.

Jessica Mullan
Senior Director of Strategic Advisory & Measurement Systems, COSA

Jessica leads COSA’s advanced measurement systems and global advisory services to assess sustainability in agricultural supply chains.
Her work spans both the private and public sectors working in large-scale and smallholder systems. She has created and deployed measurement systems for global institutions and multi-nationals such as the Gates Foundation’s Agile Data Initiative, McDonald’s Sustainability Improvement Platform, PepsiCo’s Livelihoods Improvement framework, FAO’s Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems for Smallholders and the Global Coffee Platform’s Data Standard. Most recently, she has been leading the technical working group on livelihoods and income for the Digital Integration of Agricultural Supply Chains Alliance (DIASCA).

Vanusia Maria Carneiro Nogueira
Executive Director, International Coffee Organization (ICO)

Victor Enrique Cordero Ardila
Commercial Manager, Red Ecolsierra

Workshop Description: This immersive workshop introduces participants to the foundations of espresso, from its role in the cafe to the science behind proper extraction. Through clear demonstrations and guided practice, attendees will learn essential techniques, including dialing in grind size, effective tamping, and pulling consistently balanced shots.

Participants will learn to steam milk for high-quality results, with dedicated practice time. Experienced instructors will provide individualized support, ensuring personalized coaching and skill development during practical activities. This workshop also explores traditional espresso beverages and their preparation.

By the end of the workshop, attendees will walk away with a deeper technical understanding of espresso extraction, improved beverage-building skills, and practical knowledge they can apply immediately. If you’re new to espresso or looking to develop your barista skills further, this session offers a valuable, engaging learning experience.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the fundamentals of espresso preparation — Understand how variables such as grind size, dose, tamping pressure, and shot time influence flavor, balance, and overall espresso quality.

2. Develop consistent extraction techniques — Practice dialing in espresso, adjusting grinders, and pulling shots with accuracy to achieve repeatable, café-quality results.

3. Foundational beverage preparation skills — Attendees will learn the proper construction of staple espresso-based drinks and gain confidence in steaming milk to different textures and correct temperatures.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Room Number: 32 AB
Category: Brewing

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Ahmad Aziz-Taylor

Ahmad Aziz-Taylor, known as Taylor, is the founder of 7even Seas Coffee Co., a Los Angeles-based specialty coffee brand built around quality, hospitality, and community. Beginning as a mobile coffee operation, 7even Seas has expanded into multiple locations with a focus on thoughtful sourcing, precise execution, and intentional design. Taylor remains closely involved in daily operations, menu development, and brand partnerships, with an emphasis on creating accessible yet elevated coffee experiences. His work reflects a belief that specialty coffee should be welcoming, experiential, and rooted in genuine connection between producers, baristas, and guests.

Lecture Description

“Panama in the Cup” uses Panama as a living case study for how terroir, varieties, and processing choices can be translated into meaningful experiences at the roastery and in the café. Rather than focusing only on Panama Geisha, this lecture explores the broader ecosystem of Panama’s highlands—regions such as Boquete, Volcán, and Renacimiento—and how their conditions shape cup structure and flavor expression.

We will connect origin-side decisions (farming, selection, and processing) with practical questions at the bar: Which coffees do we highlight? How do we choose brew methods and service formats? How do we communicate value and terroir to guests in a way that is engaging, honest, and accessible?

Throughout the session, we will look at real examples from Panama and break them down into frameworks that can be adapted to any origin. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas for designing origin-focused menus, tasting flights, and education experiences that respect producers, support better pricing, and create long-term value for both cafés and guests.

This lecture uses Panama as a comprehensive case study to offer frameworks that cafés and roasteries anywhere can adapt, regardless of origin. The emphasis is on building origin-driven experiences that respect producers and create sustainable value on both sides of the supply chain.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Location: Room 24C
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Ytzvan Mastino-Morales
Founder, CEO & Roaster, Pulpa Specialty Coffee

Ytzvan Mastino is a Panamanian coffee professional, software engineer, and founder of Pulpa Coffee Company, a specialty coffee roastery, academy, and sensory coffee experience based in Panama City. Through Pulpa Coffee, he works directly with producers from the highlands of Chiriquí, helping showcase Panama’s exceptional coffees to a broader audience. Ytzvan is a certified Roasting Professional by the Specialty Coffee Association and represented Panama at the 2024 World Brewers Cup in Chicago. Combining his background in technology with his passion for coffee, he explores how innovation, roasting, and brewing techniques can elevate the expression of origin while connecting producers, professionals, and consumers

Lecture Description

In the past decade, consolidation in coffee has moved from iconic deals (JAB, Nestlé, Blue Bottle, Intelligentsia) to a new wave of hyper-scaling retail models such as Luckin Coffee and Blank Street Coffee. These players combine aggressive store roll-outs, technology, data, and capital to reshape customer expectations and competitive dynamics.

This lecture updates my previous “Coffee Consolidations” presentation with a sharper focus on what these developments mean for small and medium coffee businesses—roasteries, cafés, and emerging chains. We will unpack how consolidation, roll-ups, and VC-backed scaling models impact margins, location strategy, and brand positioning, and how independents can respond without trying to “out-Luckin Luckin.”

Using real-world examples and case studies, we will explore practical options: strategic partnerships, smart M&A, multi-channel models, and technology adoption at a realistic scale. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of consolidation trends and a toolbox of actionable strategies to protect their independence, grow sustainably, and stay relevant in a market increasingly shaped by giants.

This session is designed to be pragmatic, non-theoretical, and directly applicable to everyday business decisions.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Location: Room 25AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Lukasz Mrowinski
Speaker, The Coffee Fund

Lukasz Mrowinski is a seasoned entrepreneur and former co-founder and CEO of Etno Cafe, the largest Polish-originated coffee shop chain. Under his leadership, the company expanded to 28 cafes, a roastery, and a cold brewery. Known for its rapid growth and innovation, Etno Cafe secured 7th place in the Food and Beverages category and 196th overall in the Financial Times FT 1000 ranking of Europe’s fastest-growing companies in 2020. Lukasz played a key role in driving the company’s success through organic expansion and strategic M&A, leveraging investor funds to scale its operations. In 2022, he exited Etno Cafe to focus on M&A ventures including joining the Harbour Club, the largest global organization of M&A specialists. He is also an experienced speaker (the presentations at World of Coffee Copenhagen 2024, World of Coffee Dubai 2025, and the Specialty Coffee Expo 2025 in Houston), with his lectures on coffee market consolidation and growth strategies receiving high acclaim. His deep experience positions him as a strong workshop facilitator for entrepreneurs navigating market challenges. Lukasz is also the host of the Coffee On Air podcast, where he shares his practical approach to the coffee business and related industries.

Lecture Description

Coffee flavor is not built on taste alone: it emerges from two distinct olfactory pathways—orthonasal and retronasal perception—working together. Yet most coffee professionals rarely receive clear, practical explanations of how the system actually functions, how aroma memory develops, or why some descriptors feel intuitive while others remain elusive.

This session offers a simple, rigorous, and non-medical introduction to smell tailored for the coffee trade: how the brain organizes aromas, how “aroma grammar” structures sensory language, and what methods help tasters build reliable, shared references. Drawing on cross-disciplinary sensory pedagogy, attendees will leave with usable tools for improving their consistency, vocabulary, and tasting accuracy—without needing scientific training.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Location: Room 25C
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Viva Lenoir
CEO, Editions JL Le Nez du Café

Viva Lenoir is a sensory educator specializing in smell and multisensory perception. For more than a decade she has trained coffee, wine, and whisky professionals across Europe, North America, and Asia, helping them build stable aroma memory and clearer sensory language. Her work focuses on translating olfactory science into practical tools for cuppers, roasters, baristas, and instructors. She frequently collaborates with researchers, Q graders, and hospitality professionals to develop accessible, evidence-informed approaches to aroma training.

Lecture Description

In this lecture, we'll explore the fundamentals of inventory management for green coffee buyers at coffee roasting companies. Precise inventory management can help coffee roasting companies avoid critical mistakes that cost money and create stress. Expect to learn how to make important inventory calculations that will help you run an efficient business

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Location: Room 25AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Jay Kling
Green Coffee Buyer, Efficiency in Coffee

Jay Kling is a green coffee buyer with over a decade of experience in the coffee industry. Through his project, www.efficiency.coffee, Jay works to create resources for green coffee buyers to help build and hone business skills. Jay's goal is to help green coffee buyers become proficient at fundamental supply chain skills like inventory management, demand planning, and understanding unit economics. Sustainable coffee purchasing starts with running a smart, efficient business that has enough profitability to pay higher prices for green coffee.

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 A

Hosted by Osito Coffee

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 C

Hosted by StoneX

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 B

Hosted by Neumann Gruppe USA

Lecture Description

Every year, roughly a million independent cafés purchase tens of billions of dollars’ worth of coffee-adjacent products. These products are meant to complement the work of the barista community, a hive of some of the most thoughtful, innovative operators in the world. Yet despite the community’s outsized contributions to the broader F&B world, it has had essentially zero involvement in creating these products; baristas are largely left out of the process and they capture little-to-no economic value within it. That should change.

In this lecture, we’ll explore how the industry arrived here, how products flow into cafes, and chart a path toward a supply ecosystem of CPG brands that truly represent — and are owned by — the best our community has to offer.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:30 am - 11:45 am
Location: Room 23BC
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Michelle R. Johnson-Strickland
CEO, Ghost Town Oats

Michelle R. Johnson-Strickland is the co-founder and CEO of Ghost Town Oats, an award-winning premium oat milk brand made by baristas. She is also the creator of The Chocolate Barista, the foremost platform amplifying Black voices in specialty coffee. A seasoned coffee professional with over a decade of experience, Michelle’s journey from behind the bar to leading a disruptive brand is fueled by a deep commitment to equity, authenticity, and freedom—values that have shaped every step of her career.

Bryan Harmer Hasho
Co-Founder, The Usual Company

Bryan Harmer Hasho is a Co-Founder of The Usual Company. After spending time in wholesale at Blue Bottle Coffee, he co-founded NYC’s Stand Coffee and went on to be employee one at Oatly North America where he spent seven years leading Oatly’s presence in the coffee channel.

Lecture Description

Regenerative agriculture is increasingly recognized as essential for the future of coffee, but the path to scaling it is neither uniform nor straightforward. Sustainable Food Lab will moderate a panel of leading experts exploring how different financing models can support coffee farmers to adopt and sustain regenerative practices across diverse landscapes. We will open with a brief framing on the social, environmental, and economic opportunities of regenerative agriculture, and why no single financing structure can meet the needs of all coffee farmers globally.

Four panelists, representing key stakeholders in coffee value chains, will share practical lessons from their work:

●      Root Capital: Insights on financing regenerative agriculture in partnership with producer organizations across Africa and Latin America.

●      Rainforest Alliance: How the organization is driving the adoption of regenerative practices through their Regenerative Agriculture Certification and field programs.

●      Keurig Dr Pepper: Lessons from a portfolio of regenerative agriculture investments with varied funding models and supply chain integrations. 

●      ACODIHUE Cooperative: A cooperative perspective on the challenges and opportunities for implementing regenerative practices, especially during times of high coffee prices.  

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:30 am - 10:45 am
Location: Room 24AB
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Molly Leavens
Program Manager, Sustainable Food Lab

Molly Leavens is a Program Manager at Sustainable Food Lab, where she works with multinational food companies, NGOs, and public agencies to improve smallholder farmer livelihoods and climate resilience. Her work focuses on corporate sustainability strategy, living income, and regenerative agriculture across coffee and cocoa supply chains in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. She holds a BA in Food and the Environment from Harvard University and an MA in Management and Global Affairs from Tsinghua University.

Miguel Gamboa
Coffee Lead, Rainforest Alliance

Miguel Gamboa, Coffee Lead at the Rainforest Alliance, was trained as an industrial engineer with Masters in Reengineering and International Trade. He started his professional career working in a coffee exporting company. Then, 23 years ago, he started working with the UTZ certification program. Being part of the support team for the members of the certification program, he was able to learn about different realities of coffee production and marketing throughout Latin America. After the merger of UTZ and the Rainforest Alliance, he was appointed as a Coffee Representative Manager for Latin America, and since September 2022 - as a Coffee Sector Lead.

“I believe that the certification is a good basis to start improving the living conditions of producing families. Coffee is synonymous with life—not only for producers and workers but also for flora and fauna, and all of us who taste its flavor”.

Marco Garcia
Business Development Manager, Root Capital

Marco García is Business Development Manager at Root Capital, an impact investor supporting agricultural businesses across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Based in Costa Rica, he leads the development of new market opportunities, financial solutions, advisory services, and partnerships that advance regenerative agriculture and climate resilience. His work focuses on connecting capital, advisory services, and market linkages to help agricultural enterprises scale sustainably and improve farmer livelihoods.

Sergio Silvestre
Commercial Manager, ACODIHUE

Agricultural Engineer with over 16 years of experience in developing coffee and honey value chains. He possesses a strong academic background with master's degrees in International Trade, Strategic Management, and Business Administration from the USAC Business School and EUDE Business School. He currently serves as Production and Marketing Manager at ACODIHUE, where he leads efforts to improve access to global markets and promote the sustainability of small-scale producers. He is an expert in implementing international certifications such as Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance, with extensive experience managing projects with international cooperation.

Whitney Kakos
Sr. Director, Sustainability, Keurig Dr Pepper

Whitney Kakos is the Sr. Director of Sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP). She oversees the company’s strategy and programming across the areas of Climate & Nature, Water, Responsible Sourcing and Farmer/Worker Livelihoods. This work balances risk management and compliance with long-term impact work within the company’s owned operations and diverse upstream supply chains. Whitney has strong roots at the intersection of sustainability and coffee, first at UK-based Cafédirect and then at Keurig Dr Pepper. She holds a MSc in Environmental Policy from LSE and lives with her husband and two children in Boston, MA.

Lecture Description

In a culture defined by speed and consumption, the concept of Folk Coffee requires us to bring coffee back to the people. It calls us to return to the roots of coffee as a communal, reflective, and culturally rich practice. This lecture explores the deep connections between Latin American coffee traditions and the global “slow” coffee culture movements that once defined social life; such as sobremesas, salons, and other spaces of dialogue and leisure. Drawing from Latin American rituals of hospitality and shared experience, Folk Coffee reimagines how these traditions can inspire a more sustainable, intentional, and people-centered coffee culture today.

The lecture also considers how shared coffee education, through cuppings, workshops, and community tastings, echoes oral traditions and fosters accessibility across diverse communities. By treating education as a collective and story-driven process, the modern specialty coffee movement is reintroducing human connection and inclusivity into what was once an exclusive field.

Attendees will examine how cafés are already shifting away from grab-and-go service toward spaces of learning, ritual, and connection, and how embracing a “folk” mindset can deepen both community engagement and environmental care. 

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Location: Room 24C
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Jacqueline McCourt
Coffee Educator, San Diego Coffee Training Institute

Jacqueline McCourt is a coffee educator and museum professional based in San Diego, California. She teaches at the San Diego Coffee Training Institute and works in visitor experience at the Mingei International Museum, where she engages the public with global craft traditions. She holds a bachelor's degree in History and is currently pursuing a museum studies certification. Her work is rooted in bringing a humanities perspective to the world of specialty coffee. Drawing on her Salvadoran and Irish American heritage, Jacquie is particularly interested in the role coffee plays in ritual, hospitality, and community traditions.

Lecture Description

The specialty coffee movement has pushed producers, roasters, and baristas to achieve remarkable complexity in the cup—yet the beverages we build around those coffees often fall short of expressing that same level of creativity and intention. This lecture explores how to craft drinks whose visual presentation, texture, and structure are as thoughtfully composed and sensorially rich as the coffees they feature.

Participants will learn how to apply culinary principles, multi-layered textures, ingredient preparation techniques, and strategic visual design to create beverages that amplify—not overshadow—the coffee at their core. We’ll examine the role of emulsions, foams, gels, syrups, dustings, layering, ice shape, milk aeration, glassware, and color perception in shaping the drinker’s full experience.

Through kitchen-inspired methods and specialty-coffee sensibility, this session will empower baristas to move beyond “pretty lattes” into genuinely crafted, multi-sensory beverages that tell a story from the first glance to the last sip.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Location: Room 25AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Heather Perry
CEO, Klatch Coffee

Heather Perry is the CEO of Klatch Coffee and a lifelong figure in specialty coffee. Growing up in the business founded by her parents, Mike and Cindy Perry, she began working in Klatch cafés at a young age, building her expertise through competition, education, and industry involvement. Heather became the first woman to win the U.S. Barista Championship, and the first person to earn the title twice. Since then, she's placed second in the World Barista Championship, trained coffee professionals worldwide, and served as SCA President. Heather holds a BBA from Cal Poly Pomona and leads Klatch Coffee?s continued growth.

Lecture Description

This session provides coffee professionals with essential knowledge about lactose-free milk, bridging dairy science and barista practice. We'll explore what lactose-free milk is, how it is produced, and why it tastes distinctly sweeter than regular milk. We’ll draw on recent consumer research around consumer preferences, and examine purchasing patterns and motivations to highlight the broad appeal among consumers. The session will also be practical, touching on key considerations including foaming performance, cost implications for cafe owners, and positioning strategies. 

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Location: Room 25C
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Ty Wagoner
Senior Manager, California Dairy Innovation Center

Dr. Ty Wagoner brings over 15 years of experience in dairy research and product development. A trained chef turned food scientist, he holds BS and PhD degrees in Food Science from NC State University. His work spans dairy ingredient functionality, product development, and precision fermentation, with 10 peer-reviewed publications and 6 patents to his name. At CDIC, he collaborates with dairy processors, entrepreneurs, and students to advance new product innovation for the California dairy industry.

Lecture Description

Recently, the coffee market has experienced a great deal of volatility, driven by supply-side tightness and exacerbated by shifting U.S. tariff rates, which have added further uncertainty as global availability continues to tighten. This lecture will provide participants with an overview of the impacts of U.S. tariffs on the NY “C” market price. We will provide a background in economic theory of international trade and protectionist policies, a look at how tariffs have changed the speed and sources of coffee flowing into the U.S., and an analysis of their impact on the NY “C” market. The session will equip stakeholders across the coffee supply chain with a practical framework to understand and anticipate the effects of tariffs on the coffee market.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Location: Room 26AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Hannah Fox
Director of Market Analysis, Advanced Economic Solutions

Hannah Fox is a market analyst at Advanced Economic Solutions, where she specializes in the analysis of coffee, cocoa, sugar, and other commodities. She provides clients with rigorous, data-driven insights to inform strategic decision-making. Hannah holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University.

Lecture Description

Putting sustainability goals into practice can be challenging for coffee businesses. While many organizations are committed to sustainability, they often struggle to move from aspiration to practical solutions that deliver measurable impact.

In 2025, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) published its first How-To Guide, introducing the Sustainable Design Framework—an approach that helps organizations design sustainability strategies grounded in real-world needs, stakeholder collaboration, and long-term business viability.

This panel brings together perspectives across the full lifecycle of the framework. Moderated by SCA Sustainability Manager Andrés Montenegro, the session will explore the “before–during–after” of its development and application. Dr. Kate Fischer will share insights from the research and case studies that informed the framework. Angela Peláez (RGC Coffee) will reflect on the co-development process and how companies helped shape the approach. Brandon Bir (Crimson Cup) will present early lessons from piloting the framework in practice, including work in Guatemala.

Together, the panel will highlight how sustainability solutions can be designed, tested, and refined to respond to real needs and create shared value across coffee supply chains.

What will attendees learn from this presentation?

Attendees will gain practical insights into how to move from sustainability ambition to implementation within their own organizations. Specifically, they will:

• Understand how design approaches such as the Double Diamond can help identify sustainability challenges and develop actionable, context-specific solutions.

• Learn how business design elements—purpose, networks, governance, and finance—support the integration of sustainability into core operations and decision-making.

• Explore real-world lessons from the design, co-development, and piloting of the SCA Sustainable Design Framework, including key challenges, adaptations, and early outcomes.

• Identify practical ways to design sustainability initiatives that respond to real needs, create shared value, and strengthen relationships across coffee supply chains.
  

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Location: Room 23BC
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Andrés Montenegro
Sustainability Manager, Specialty Coffee Association

Andrés Montenegro is a leading figure in sustainability leadership within the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), where he drives the sector's strategic evolution toward business models that are more equitable, resilient, and oriented toward shared value. With an international background in agri-food systems and sustainable development, he has spearheaded initiatives that integrate social impact, new value economies, and processes of deep organizational transformation. His work sits at the intersection of sustainability, strategy, and systemic leadership, guiding coffee organizations and communities in their transition toward models that are more conscious, adaptive, and capable of co-creating the future of the sector.

Kate Fischer, Ph.D.
Professor & Coffee Researcher, University of Colorado

Dr. Kate Fischer is a cultural anthropologist and Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She has been in coffee since 2005 and has conducted research with producers in Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Colombia. Her research focuses on gender and ethnicity; the political economy of coffee; migration and stability; and the challenges in determining quality at all levels, from farms and mills in Central America to industry centers in the global North. She is a CQI Post-Harvest Processing Expert and was a core member of the team that developed the Coffee Sustainability program for SCA.

Angela Pelaez
Director of Global sustainability and coporate compliance, RGC Coffee

Angela Peláez, from an agricultural family, is Director of Global Sustainability and Corporate Compliance at RGC Coffee. She specializes in sustainable sourcing, compliance, and impact-driven programs. At RGC, she led the design, development, and implementation of 3E, the company's flagship sustainability program, delivering measurable social, economic, and environmental benefits across coffee-producing countries. Her work strengthens supply chains, promotes biodiversity, climate resilience, and social equity, and improves traceability. Angela previously served on the SCA Sustainability Center's Farmworkers Committee and currently sits on advisory bodies for Fair Trade USA and Colombia's Coffee, Forest & Climate Agreement, focusing on making sustainability a strong business case.

Brandon Bir
Director of Sustainability, Crimson Cup Coffee

Brandon Bir is a dedicated coffee professional, Q-Instructor, and Q-PHP assistant instructor centered on international community development and supply chain equity. As Director of Sustainability, he travels extensively to forge direct-trade relationships across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, ensuring transparency from seed to cup. With an MBA in International Business and Sustainability, Brandon integrates sensory science with systemic social impact. He oversees the "Friend2Farmer" initiatives, focusing on long-term mutual success and environmental stewardship. A frequent SCA contributor and industry educator, Brandon remains committed to evolving global coffee standards through collaborative and equitable sustainability models.

Lecture Description

Impact reports have proliferated across specialty coffee—but are they driving genuine progress or just good PR? As buyers demand proof of sustainability claims and producers seek recognition for their investments, the stakes for meaningful transparency have never been higher. This panel explores how coffee companies can move beyond glossy reports toward genuine accountability and measurable improvement. Featuring Mountain Harvest's Impact Report—which tracks outcomes including income uplift for participating farmers, soil health improvements, and supply chain traceability—alongside perspectives from buyers and certification organizations, panelists will examine what transparency really means, how to distinguish between authentic impact and "impact washing," and how aligned partners can co-create long-term frameworks for shared progress.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Location: Room 24AB
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Lecture Description

For much of the late 20th century, the scientific and public narrative surrounding coffee and health was dominated by risk and caution. Early toxicological and epidemiological studies positioned coffee as a potential risk factor for a range of diseases. Media reporting also reinforced a largely negative public perception. Few would have anticipated the dramatic reversal that has unfolded over the past four and a half decades. This presentation examines how advances in research design, analytical rigor, and global data integration have fundamentally reshaped the scientific assessment of coffee’s health effects. Improved scientific studies and emerging mechanistic evidence have converged to reveal a different narrative: consistent associations between moderate coffee consumption and reduced risk of several major chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, liver disease, neurodegenerative conditions, certain cancers). Whereas earlier media coverage often sensationalized limited preliminary data, today’s reporting more frequently reflects the weight and quality of scientific and medical evidence. Drawing from 45 years of first-hand experience at the intersection of science, industry, and public communication, this presentation will explore how coffee’s health reputation has been radically transformed and how the industry can responsibly leverage this evolving evidence base to “brew a new narrative” in the years ahead.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Location: Room 24C
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

James Coughlin
Health Scientist, Coughlin & Associates: Consultants in Nutritional Toxicology

Dr. James R. Coughlin, MS PhD is an accomplished expert in food chemistry, nutritional toxicology and global regulatory affairs, including 45 years’ experience with coffee/health science. In his independent consulting role for the past 35 years, he continues to focus on coffee and health. He has served for several decades as a Board Member at the Association for Science and Information on Coffee. He has often communicated to the public about coffee’s risks and benefits, while assisting global research scientists in the design, interpretation and dissemination of their studies. He has also assisted the global coffee industry in representations to public health and regulatory organizations.

Lecture Description

Most people in specialty coffee still think in terms of cups: espresso, filter, cold brew served as is. But behind many Ready-to-Drink (RTD) cans, chain beverages, and tap systems there is something different: coffee brewed to become an ingredient – a liquid base that will later be diluted, mixed, or canned. These coffee concentrates are rarely talked about in the specialty community, even though they are quietly reshaping how the world drinks coffee.

This lecture opens that black box. We will first map how the industry uses coffee concentrates today for cold brew, RTD beverages, foodservice, and efficient café service, explaining in simple terms what a concentrate is (and is not), and why it is becoming so important. We will then compare the main ways these bases are produced and their impact on flavor and quality.

Finally, we will dive into a case study using falling-film freeze concentration (FFFC) on specialty cold and hot brews, showing how this low-temperature approach changes strength, volatile and bioactive compounds, and sensory attributes. Attendees will leave with a practical framework to reframe coffee as an ingredient, along with clear ways to assess if this new perspective can be applied in their own coffee businesses.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Location: Room 25AB
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Dr. Nancy Cordoba
Westrock Coffee

Dr. Nancy Córdoba is an engineer, scientist, and CQI-certified expert in coffee post-harvest processing with more than 20 years of experience in coffee process engineering, flavor chemistry, and sensory science. As Principal Scientist at Westrock Coffee, she leads strategic R&D and innovation initiatives in coffee and liquid extracts. Her career bridges industry and academia across the coffee value chain, from farm-level processing to the development of new beverage systems. She integrates analytical chemistry, predictive modeling, and descriptive sensory science to drive evidence-based decisions in coffee innovation. Dr. Córdoba was recognized as part of The Sprudge Twenty Class of 2023 for her global contributions to coffee science and education.

Lecture Description

The European Union's Deforestation Regulation formed a monumental shift in the baseline level of sustainability and transparency required to operate in the EU market. Despite the myriad pitfalls regarding the regulation's implementation - lack of clarity, negotiations and delays - the industry-wide exercise of ensuring supply chain compliance illuminated many issues pervasive throughout the coffee supply chain. US operators can examine the benefits and lessons learned from the EUDR implementation process on the ground level without the fear of imminent enforcement. This allows us to examine the breakthoughts in supply chain traceability, scale geospacial technology to our needs, and use the framework of the EUDR process to guide our future buying decisions for the benefit of a deforestation and exploitation-free supply chain.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Location: Room 26AB
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Ilya Byzov
Head of Research, Sucafina

Ilya is the Head of Research and Quantative Trading at Sucafina. With 17 years of experience in commodities and 14 in coffee, Ilya's main role is to understand global coffee supply and global coffee demand. This information is fed into models that forecast global coffee prices and guide the company's trading decisions. With the initial aim of forecasting coffee acreage globally, Ilya has been working with geospatial technology since 2019. Ilya has been helping to guide Sucafina's policy on deforestation and supply chain traceability since 2021, relying on his educational background of Environmental Studies. In 2023, this role has been expanded to include guidance on fulfilling requirements for the upcoming EUDR legislation. Ilya's passion for trees and coffee place him in a unique position to speak on the challenges facing our industy and possible solutions to those challenges.

Lecture Description

Coffee flavor extends beyond mere taste; it constitutes a multisensory experience constructed by the brain. This lecture, delivered by Ramon Parada, adopts an interdisciplinary approach informed by neuroscience, biomedical research, medicine, and specialty coffee hospitality, drawing upon his background in the El Paso U.S.-Mexico border region.

This session examines how the brain merges taste, aroma, memory, expectation, emotion, and environment to shape our experience. Attendees will see why two identical coffees can taste different depending on packaging, storytelling, presentation, environmental cues, and a guest’s mindset.

Grounded in neuroscience and scientific skepticism, this lecture underscores a key point: our sensory systems are not neutral measuring devices. Human perception is powerful, but also flawed, biased, and vulnerable to suggestion. This perspective matches current sensory science, which finds that flavor perception and analysis are shaped by smell, taste, integration, and bias.

By applying a skeptic’s lens to sensory evaluation, participants will better understand how expectation, priming, branding, origin narratives, and other cognitive biases can distort both cupping results and everyday guest experiences. The lecture challenges common misconceptions about taste, clarifies the dominant role of aroma and neural processing in flavor perception, and offers practical strategies for reducing bias, communicating tasting notes more clearly, and designing hospitality experiences that align with how the brain actually works. Blending scientific rigor with practical café application, this session provides baristas, roasters, trainers, and hospitality leaders with a more evidence-based framework for improving sensory evaluation, guest communication, and perceived quality.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Location: Room 25C
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Ramon Parada
Owner/Founder, Glia’s Coffee

Ramon Parada is the founder and owner of Glia’s Coffee Co., a multi-location coffee business in El Paso, Texas, with operations in the county courthouse and experience in mobile coffee, high-volume events, and catering. He is also a medical student at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Through Glia’s, Parada has helped fund scholarships for El Pasoans pursuing careers in medicine while using his business to support broader community initiatives. His work reflects a strong commitment to serving El Paso through both Glia's and medicine.

Workshop Description: Since cold brew coffee entered the industry's main stage a decade ago, many coffee professionals believe they've learned all there is to learn about the brewing method. This workshop is an interactive exploration that demonstrates some of what the latest coffee science has taught us about cold-water brewing and how to apply scientific and sensory skills to transform cold brew cups from mediocre to extraordinary.

Designed for coffee professionals across various segments, this workshop delivers a science-driven, practical experience with cold brew. You'll discover how cold-water brewing shapes flavor, learn strategies to optimize your cold brew offerings, and uncover actionable ways to apply the latest research in your role. Whether you're focused on quality, innovation, or storytelling, this session offers relevant insights for anyone interested in cold brew's potential.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the cold water brewing method impacts flavors in the cup compared to hot brewed counterparts.

2. Learn how to use cold brew cupping to explore possibilities and make meaningful program decisions.

3. Explore how cold brew can showcase the unique characteristics and stories behind different coffees and origins.

4. Practice cold brew sensory analysis with CVA (serves as an easy-to-follow intro to CVA forms).

5. Participants will engage in approachable sensory comparisons designed for all experience levels.

6. Leave with practical, evidence-based takeaways—whether you want to understand cold brew's popularity or discover insights aimed at improving your offerings for cold brew consumers.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Room Number: 30 B
Category: Sensory

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

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Instructor

Julia Leach

President

Julia Leach leads Toddy, LLC, a company that has been at the forefront of cold brewing since 1964. Julia’s team works with cafes and roasters worldwide to help them develop cold brew programs that highlight the nuances of the brewing method and inspire their customers to fall in love with cold brew. She is passionate about the art and science of cold brewing and is active in developing quality cold brew education for the coffee industry. She has presented at SCA Re:co, SCA Expo, NCA Convention, and also frequently presents at industry events around the world.

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 B

Hosted by Neumann Gruppe USA

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 C

Hosted by JNP Coffee

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 A

Hosted by Federación Nacional de Cafeteros

Workshop Description: The SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) is a tool developed as a universal system of evaluating and documenting coffee quality, and is the most widely used quality evaluation system in the Specialty Coffee industry. The CVA is an evolution of previous cupping systems, like the 2004 SCA Cupping Protocol, but it integrates current sensory science, economics, evolved techniques, and current coffee market dynamics. This 3-hour course will orient experienced cuppers to the system, teach proper use of the CVA, and explore how the CVA can be adapted for use across a variety of business environments.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the purpose and design of the Physical, Descriptive, Affective, and Extrinsic Assessments of the CVA.

2. Perform a coffee assessment using all four elements.

3. Understand how to use tools like aroma examples and triangulations to improve skills.

4. Learn how to adapt CVA to specific business environments such as the roasting company, the coffee trader, the coffee exporter, etc.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Room Number: 30 DE
Category: Cupping

REGISTRATION FEES:

Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

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Instructor

Peter Giuliano

Senior Advisor of Science Communication and Engagement Strategy

Peter Giuliano is the Senior Advisor of Science Communication and Engagement Strategy for the SCA. With 35 years of experience in the coffee trade, he focuses on supporting, promoting, and communicating scientific and economic research that benefits the entire coffee industry.

Workshop Description: Sensory Toolkit 2.0 is a dynamic, hands-on workshop that expands traditional cupping and flavor-wheel training into a multisensory approach designed for modern baristas, trainers, and sensory professionals. Participants explore the intersection of aroma, texture, and narrative to build a more intuitive and inclusive sensory vocabulary. Through guided tasting, aroma jar identification, tactile mouthfeel stations, and narrative-based flavor mapping, attendees learn practical methods for breaking the “language trap” that limits sensory communication in cafés and training environments. This workshop equips participants with actionable tools to strengthen team calibration, improve guest communication, and enhance their own ability to perceive and describe coffee in a meaningful, memorable way.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and describe key aromas using a simplified, accessible scent library.

2. Use tactile cues to interpret and communicate mouthfeel and structure in brewed coffee.

3. Apply multisensory anchors (texture, color, temperature, emotion, memory) to develop more expressive and accurate tasting language.

4. Break common sensory “language traps” through narrative-based flavor communication.

5. Implement quick, low-cost sensory training exercises in their own cafés or training programs.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Room Number: 31 AB
Category: Brewing

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Ashley Whelan

Director of Coffee

Ashley Whelan is a coffee educator and operator with experience developing training programs, multi-sensory teaching tools, and flavor communication frameworks for café teams, roasteries, and competition-level baristas. Ashley integrates operational knowledge, sensory science, and creative pedagogy to make coffee education accessible, memorable, and grounded in real café practice.

Workshop Description: Many coffee drinkers use the word strong to describe what they like in espresso, but strength is only one part of a much bigger story. In this interactive tasting workshop, we’ll explore the critical and often misunderstood difference between strength and extraction quality. Through guided tastings and intentionally varied espresso shots, participants will learn how brew ratios, grind size, and temperature influence both intensity and flavor clarity.

We’ll begin by clarifying what strength truly means in espresso: the concentration of dissolved coffee in the final shot. From there, we’ll dive into extraction, how much of the coffee’s soluble material is pulled during brewing, and how under-extracted, balanced, and over-extracted espresso presents itself on the palate. By tasting contrast shots that isolate these variables, participants will build a clearer sensory vocabulary to identify cleanliness, acidity, sweetness, body, and finish with greater confidence.

Whether you’re a barista looking to sharpen your dialing-in skills or a coffee enthusiast curious about why some shots taste vibrant and balanced while others feel harsh or hollow, this workshop will provide practical tools to diagnose espresso and make intentional, repeatable adjustments behind the bar. Come ready to taste, compare, and better understand what’s really happening in your cup.

Learning Objectives

1. Clarify Strength vs. Extraction in Espresso

Help participants understand the distinction between espresso strength (brew ratio and concentration) and extraction (how much flavor is dissolved), and how each variable impacts the final shot.

2. Develop Espresso-Specific Sensory Awareness

Strengthen participants’ ability to taste and identify sensory cues associated with under-extracted, balanced, and over-extracted espresso.

3. Translate Taste Into Actionable Adjustments

Equip attendees with practical tools to connect what they taste to specific, repeatable adjustments such as dose amount, grind size, and yield.

4. Foster Confidence, Curiosity, and Dialogue

Create an engaging, supportive environment where participants feel comfortable asking questions, comparing shots, and deepening their understanding of espresso through shared sensory experience.

Note: This workshop will use espresso as the brew method to explore these principles, but the content covered can be applied to all coffee brewing methods.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Room Number: 32 AB
Category: Brewing

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Emma Isabel

Learning & Development

Emma Isabel is the Regional Trainer for Southern California and Las Vegas at Blue Bottle Coffee, supporting barista and leadership development through intentional training, facilitation, and mentorship. Her work spans multiple markets and new cafe openings, helping teams build strong foundations and sustainable practices. She began her career in 2010 at Tierra Mia Coffee, gaining early experience with a rapidly expanding independent Latino brand. Since then, she has been passionate about engaging baristas at every stage of their careers and bridging the gap between making coffee and becoming a true coffee professional in ways that feel fun, authentic, and empowering.

Lecture Description

For decades, roasting has been concentrated in consuming countries—far from the farms and communities that produce coffee. But advances in processing consistency, packaging technology, and origin-based expertise are unlocking a new frontier: roasting at origin as a viable, high-quality, and economically powerful alternative.

This panel brings together producers, roasters, engineers, and supply-chain innovators to examine how decentralized, origin-based roasting can reshape the global coffee landscape. We will explore the scientific, economic, and cultural implications of shifting manufacturing upstream, including improved roast precision through proximity to processing, reduced carbon footprint, lower logistics costs, and the potential for significant value retention within producing countries.

Panelists will share real case studies from coffee producing countries, explaining how origin roasting can impact cup quality, local economies, and business feasibility. We will also address challenges—including energy needs, equipment accessibility, training, financing, and global distribution—to create a realistic roadmap for implementation.

This session aims to move the industry from theory to practice, offering a framework for how roasters, importers, retailers, and producers can participate in a more equitable and scientifically robust future of coffee manufacturing.

Attendees will leave with an understanding of how origin roasting works, why it matters, and what steps they can take to integrate decentralized manufacturing into their businesses.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Location: Room 24AB
Category: Sustainability

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Shanita Nicholas
Founder, Quantum Seeds

Shanita Nicholas is the Director of Coffee Ecology at Quantum Seeds LLC, where she leads the development of decentralized origin-roasting networks that unite sensory science, sustainable manufacturing, and cultural storytelling. A chemical engineer by training, attorney by profession, and Q Grader by craft, she brings a rare combination of technical precision, legal strategy, and sensory expertise to the redesign of global coffee systems.

Before founding Quantum Seeds, Shanita co-founded Sip & Sonder, one of Los Angeles’ most influential specialty coffee brands and cultural hubs, where she built community-centered experiences rooted in Black creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection. Her work at Sip & Sonder established her as a leader capable of navigating the entire coffee value chain — from sourcing and roast profiling to retail operations, wholesale strategy, and hospitality design.

Lecture Description

What if brewing didn’t just change taste—but also health?

This talk explores how extraction parameters modulate coffee’s chemical profile, influencing both sensory quality and key bioactive compounds. From antioxidants to potentially harmful molecules, we will uncover how to design a better—and smarter—cup.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Location: Room 23BC
Category: Science

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat. 

Speakers

Agnese Santanatoglia
Coffee Scientist, Simonelli Group S.p.A.

Agnese Santanatoglia is a food chemist and postdoctoral researcher at the Research and Innovation Coffee Hub (RICH), a collaboration between Simonelli Group S.p.A. and the University of Camerino. Her research explores how extraction conditions shape coffee quality through chemical and sensory mechanisms. She combines analytical techniques, such as GC-MS and HPLC, with sensory evaluation to translate coffee science into actionable insights for coffee professionals. She conducted part of her research at The Ohio State University, focusing on coffee acidity and flavoromics. Alongside her academic work, she is also involved in science-driven innovation projects and entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at transforming coffee research into real-world products and impact.

Workshop Description: Deep dive into this immersive workshop examining the history and future of the Coffea species. Focusing on the diversity of flavor and the lack of genetic diversity endangering the species, the workshop walks participants through key factors that make Coffea, particularly Arabica, vulnerable to extinction.

Part presentation, part tasting, this workshop is open to and has been fruitful for people with varied levels of experience, from those new to cupping all the way to seasoned coffee traders. Discover what is at stake as we face environmental and genetic challenges, and gain first-hand insights through compelling case studies from producers of the world’s rarest species and innovative farming initiatives. Some of these producers will join as guest speakers, offering their perspectives and sharing their experiences directly with participants.

Tasting exercises will include multiple Coffea species such as Stenophylla, Eugenioides, Liberica, Excelsa, Racemosa, Wightiana, experimentally processed Canephora, and a selection of several innovative and rare Arabica varieties and processings.

This session will deepen your understanding of the urgent need to preserve coffee biodiversity, highlight the threats and the remarkable potential within this genus, and introduce initiatives underway to navigate the current climate.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the importance of genetic diversity in coffee and why many Coffea species, especially Arabica, are endangered, and describe the environmental, genetic, and economic factors involved.

2. Taste and identify a range of Coffea species and Arabicas, while discussing their unique genetic and sensory characteristics.

3. Analyze real-world case studies of innovative farming and conservation practices aimed at preserving rare coffee species and adapting to climate change.

4. Foster professional and community connections through collaborative learning and shared sensory experiences.

5. Enjoy an engaging, memorable coffee experience that sparks curiosity and inspires reflection on coffee’s future.

*A Spanish speaking Instructor will be available for this workshop.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Room Number: 31 C
Category: Cupping

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Leon Grodski Barrera

Co-Owner Little Waves Coffee Roasters

Leon Grodski Barrera approaches coffee through curiosity and wonder. Co-Founder of Little Waves Coffee Roasters, and 21 years in the industry, Leon is interested in the history of coffee, past and present, dimensionally beyond algorithm, third place, and third wave. ZHAW Coffee Excellence Center Advanced Studies grad, this session came out of his awe for flavor, wonder at the defiance of a coffee seedling, diversity of the plant and a deep concern for the endangered state of Coffea. With his partner and wife, Areli, he is currently building out a new roasting and lab facility.

Adriana Uriostegui

Trainer

Adriana Uriostegui has worked in the specialty coffee industry for 13 years. Her career has led her to managing cafes, training, and becoming a wholesale representative. Training and education have always played a meaningful role throughout her journey and now she’s extending her experience through consulting for new and current cafe owners.

Workshop Description: Snap into water chemistry with this hands-on workshop where we explore the compounds and ions commonly found in water—like calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Piece-by-piece, learners will see how minerals move through filters like ion exchange cartridges. We will also talk about why the coffee industry wants to manage minerals in water that is already safe to drink. Whether you are a technician, barista, or just curious about what’s happening inside your water filter, this session helps build clarity—literally. Come ready to stack knowledge and connect the dots on how filters manage minerals.

Following this workshop, attendees should be able to:

1. Identify compounds typically found in tap water

2. Define and list components that contribute to the total hardness of a water

3. Define and list components that contribute to the temporary hardness of water

4. Define and list components that contribute to alkalinity

5. Describe what happens inside of an ion exchange water filter cartridge

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Room Number: 30 C
Category: Science

REGISTRATION FEES:

Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW >

Instructor

Ben Helt

Technical Training Director

Ben Helt has worked in specialty coffee for more than 20 years, with experience spanning roasting, café ownership, and global coffee education. He’s known for making technical and sensory concepts approachable. Ben had a front-row seat to the development of the SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) and has delivered CVA courses to international audiences, helping cuppers and educators engage the system with confidence and clarity. He previously led the Authorized SCA Trainer Program, supporting a worldwide network of educators. Today, Ben brings his expertise to water quality as the Technical Training Director for BWT Water & More US, helping coffee professionals optimize one of coffee?s most essential ingredients.

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 A

Private Cupping - Open to Select Attendees

Cupping Room 33 C

Hosted by Cafe Imports

Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees

Cupping Room 33 B

Hosted by Daterra

Workshop Description: This workshop equips new and growing coffee entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to start and scale a wholesale coffee business. We’ll cover the full journey—from green coffee buying and roasting to selling your product across B2B and consumer channels. By the end, you’ll have a comprehensive roadmap to develop a profitable, customer-focused wholesale program, along with an understanding of key industry benchmarks and strategies for standing out in a crowded market.

Learning Objectives:

1. To learn how to source green coffee in an effective manner by working with various buying methods, forecasting, and working alongside producers

2. To understand the necessary equipment and education needed to create an in-house roasting program

3. Gain practical and effective sales tactics from two coffee sales professionals, such as how to build a pipeline, creating sales & marketing materials, and how to conduct in & out-bound sales

4. Attendees will have a business plan specially for wholesale coffee roasting to follow along, fill-out, and walk away with

Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Room Number: 30 C
Category: Business

REGISTRATION FEES:

EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230

*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026

Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.

BOOK NOW

Instructor

Tarra Samuelson

Consultant

Tarra Samuelson (she/her) has spent the past 15 years working across retail, wholesale, and educational facets of the specialty coffee industry. She has contributed to the growth of both boutique roasters and large, fast-scaling companies through her expertise in sales, business development, and operations. Tarra co-owns Provision Coffee in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and is the founder of Curated Coffee Consulting, a consulting agency dedicated to supporting specialty coffee start-ups in retail & wholesale. She brings a strong passion for education and relationship-driven sales, and has held national sales and business development roles with companies including Verve Coffee, Equator Coffees, Rishi Tea, and Eversys.

Blair Smith

Southwest Account Manager

Blair Smith is the Southwest Account Manager for Ally Coffee, a green coffee importer. She has been working in specialty coffee since 2012, working in various roles as a barista, store manager, general manager, roaster, and wholesale manager, and now enjoys the role where she can connect both ends of the supply chain. When she's not living and breathing coffee, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and raising chickens.