TORONTO, Ontario, Canada – The Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) has opened registration for the first virtual Conference in its 29-year history with the theme of “Silver Linings”. The agenda on October 6 & 7th (1-4pm EST) will focus on finding the positive, as leaders in the coffee industry share data and insights. Keynote speaker, Massimiliano Pogiliani, CEO, illycaffè, will kick off the first day from Italy with a global perspective on coffee.
“When we surveyed our members during the COVID pandemic, they told us that their biggest focal points and learnings were the importance of safety, preparation, people and resiliency,” said Lesya Balych-Cooper, President, Coffee Association of Canada. “We’ve incorporated that theme of positivity, learning and growth into our 2020 Conference. And while we would love to meet in person as we have for so many years, we’ve found the silver lining is that our virtual Conference may allow more people in the coffee industry from across Canada, North America and globally to attend and connect.”
Highlights from the CAC’s proprietary Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends Study will be shared at the Conference. This year’s study has been modified to 6+ waves (April-November) to see how coffee drinking behaviours and attitudes are evolving in 2020.
“The opportunity to share and learn from our peers in the coffee industry is always important, but particularly so with the challenges and shifts that this year has brought,” said Luisa Girotto, Vice President, Public Affairs, Starbucks Coffee Canada and Chair of the CAC’s Board of Directors. “This move to a virtual Conference and the modification to the annual CAC Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends study are two great examples of how we can adjust, find silver linings and forge ahead, stronger together.”
CAC’s 2020 “Silver Linings” Conference agenda includes:
Hot Topics:
- Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO, illycaffè – A Global Perspective on Coffee
- Sylvain Charlebois, “The Food Professor” / Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University – The Macro Impact of COVID on the Food and Coffee sector
- Rick Neuman, CTO & Product Officer, Flipp – The Evolution of ECommerce & Digital
- Thomas Merritt, Professor, Laurentian University – Coffee & Genetics: We all taste and react to coffee just a little differently
Research:
- Vince Sgabellone & Pam Wood, Industry Analysts,The NPD Group – Tracking Coffee during COVID-19 in Foodservice & at Home
- Cheryl Hung, Dig Insights – Canadian Coffee Consumption Highlights during lockdown
Panels:
- Building Access through Diversity & Inclusion
- Inspired Innovation: From Contactless Equipment to New Service Methods & Standards
For more details, and to register and/or sponsor: https://cac2020conference.eventbrite.ca
About the Coffee Association of Canada
The Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) is a registered not-for-profit trade organization whose members include Canadian coffee roasters, retailers, importers and suppliers. Coffee is the most popular beverage among adult Canadians over 16 – even more than tap water. The CAC provides member value through advocacy, education, research and networking. The CAC’s proprietary Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends Study has been conducted annually since 2006; and every other year from 1998-2005. This study provides CAC Member Patrons with valuable insight into the consumption habits and attitudes of Canadian coffee drinkers, and coffee drinking trends over time.
