MEDELLIN, Colombia – The first speakers and panelists for the Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) Colombia have been confirmed, with several prominent figures from the coffee sector joining the event in Medellin, Colombia on June 30 – July 1.
The speakers and panelists at PRF Colombia will share their expertise and experience with all attendees, presenting on a range of topics relevant to all areas of the coffee supply chain.
Martin Mayorga – Mayorga Coffee (USA)
Joining PRF Colombia as the keynote speaker is Martin Mayorga, founder of Mayorga Coffee. His company focuses on the ethical and sustainable production, supply and distribution of artisanal and organic food and coffee from Latin America.
Since 1997, Martin and his team have developed a number of ways to improve the production and supply of organic products including chia, quinoa, beans and coffee. Their central purpose is to eliminate systemic poverty in these countries, through direct sourcing models, responsible trade and a focus on organically grown goods.
At Virtual PRF in 2021, Martin presented a keynote lecture titled ‘Analysing the Supply Chain: Transactional Values’. In this lecture, he discussed the many moving parts and different stages of the coffee supply chain, and shared how cooperatives have demonstrated their value as a step towards equity and progress for coffee producing communities.
At PRF Colombia, Martin will deliver another keynote speech, with the topic to be determined at a later date.
“The coffee industry generally talks about engagement but in practice, the supply chain is more segmented than ever” says Martin Mayorga. In my opinion, PRF is the best event for this engagement—especially given that it takes place in coffee producing countries.”
As the Diamond Sponsor of PRF Colombia, Martin and Mayorga Coffee will also share their products and sourcing philosophy in a number of ways at the forum, including in the VIP Lounge, at the Mayorga Coffee booth and through a number of other activities.
Cleia Regina Junqueira – Coffee Planet (UAE)
Cleia developed her passion for coffee in Brazil in 2005, when she owned and operated an independent coffee shop and began personally training a team of baristas.
Discovering her love for barista training, Cleia partnered with a local NGO – the Beehive Institution Young Service – to host training courses for young people who could not afford to participate in professional courses of any kind. After two years of training, Cleia also produced her own educational coffee DVD, demonstrating her interest in growing the coffee culture and its training practices
Since 2006, Cleia has elevated her coffee skills as a member and the Director of the Brazilian Association of Coffee and Baristas (BACB), where she has enjoyed judging and organizing a number of coffee competitions, as well as lectures and coffee quality training.
Over the last two decades, Cleia has continued her role as a teacher and lecturer for baristas, acquiring certified quality coffee tasting skills, an SCA Licensed Q-Grader Certificate and certification as a Q-Robusta Grader. She has also acted as a Sensory Judge for the World Barista Championship since 2016.
Currently working as the Head of Coffee for Coffee Planet (United Arab Emirates), Cleia will join PRF Colombia as a panelist, using her expertise and years of experience to speak about industry trends, coffee varietals and much more.
Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood – Colonna Coffee (UK)
Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood is the founder and managing director of Colonna Coffee (Bristol, UK), and co-founded concept cafe Colonna & Smalls (Bath, UK) with his wife Lesley.
A three-time UK Barista Champion and three-time World Barista Championship finalist, Maxwell has dedicated himself to developing new products, research and insights into coffee trade and theory. He is currently involved in a variety of projects focused on research and development, innovation and curiosity throughout the coffee sector
Maxwell is a renowned author on various topics in coffee, co-authoring ‘Water For Coffee’ (2015) with chemist Christopher H Hendon, and authored ‘The Coffee Dictionary: An A-Z of Coffee, from Growing & Roasting to Brewing & Tasting’ (2017), which has been published in five languages.
In 2018, he founded and co-invented specialty coffee filtration company Peak Water, and continues to work on research and development in different areas of the industry. One of his most recent ventures is the YouTube channel ‘Coffee with Maxwell’, in which he discusses various issues in the coffee industry.
Maxwell will join PRF Colombia as a speaker, with his presentation topic to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
