MEDELLÍN, Colombia – Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF Colombia) sets the stage for coffee professionals to share their extensive knowledge through 44 speeches and 7 panel discussions – featuring nearly 60 renowned experts from around the world. The event will take place on 30 June and 1 July 2022, at the Plaza Mayor convention centre in Medellín.
Over the course of both days, more than 5,000 PRF attendees will have access to a series of 25 minute lectures, where experts will present on and discuss a range of topics relevant to all areas of the coffee industry. Here are some of the events taking place:
Prf Colombia: Day 1
- Leveraging Social and Technological Innovation to Improve Coffee Production – César Echeverry, Colombia – 10:00 a.m.
- A Guide to Transitioning to Specialty Coffee Production – Daniela Maya, Colombia – 1:30 p.m.
- What Influences Consumers’ Coffee Purchasing Decisions? – Will Corby, United Kingdom – 2:00 p.m.
- Understanding Global Decaf Consumption – Daniel Robles Muguira, Mexico – 4:15 p.m.
PRF Colombia: Day 2
- Breaking Down Sensory Analysis for Cold Brew – Julia Leach, USA – 9:00 a.m.
- Exploring the Impact of Women in the Colombian Coffee Sector – Nicol Moreno, Colombia – 1:00 p.m.
- Are Experimental Processing Methods the Key to Differentiation? – Edwin Noreña, Colombia – 1:30 p.m.
- Coffee Quality Control at Scale: From Warehouse to Coffee Shop – Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos, Greece – 3:15 p.m.
Additionally, the 40 minute panel discussions give guest speakers the opportunity to share their views on the industry. Attendees will also be able to engage with panellists during question and comment rounds. Here are some of the topics:
Day 1
Emerging Specialty Markets: Coffee Trends and Consumption in the Middle East – Cleia Junqueira, Yaser Douri, Mohamad Merhi – 10:00 a.m.
Human-centric Coffee: Building a Community Driven Business – Melisa Villanueva, Joshua Brandt – 11:30 a.m.
How is the Retail Coffee Market Changing? – Christos Sotiros, Jeff Chean, Jake Holmes – 12:30 p.m.
Day 2
- The Importance of Branding in Specialty Coffee: From Seed to Cup – Agnese Rosa, Luke Schneider – 9:30 a.m.
- Coffee Production and Technology: How Data Collection Improves Production Outcome and Business Sustainability – Ricardo Pereira, Nick Castellano – 2:00 p.m.
- The Gender Equity Index: An Innovative Tool to Benefit Coffee’s Hidden Workforce – Kimberly Easson, Pedro Chavez, Esteban Jaramillo, Cesar Diaz – 12:30 p. m.
For guests looking for more interactive activities, there will also be a range of workshops on offer, covering topics from sensory analysis to sampling. There are options for everyone, regardless of your role in the industry. Some of the workshops available are:
- An Introduction to Mindful Coffee Tasting – Freda Yuan, UK
- Coffee Stories: How the Industry can Change Lives – Ryan LeRoux, Leva Foundation, South Africa
- Speed, Accuracy & Discipline: Honing Your Cupping Skills – Daniel Horbat, Ireland
- Water Activity in Green Coffee: A Breakdown – Jean Etchats, Belco, France/Colombia
Additionally, there will be several cupping sessions offered by both Colombian and Mexican companies. Attendees will get to sample some of the finest coffees from both countries while networking with some of the key people behind them.
Alongside the forum, PRF will also run the Origin Trip Experience (OTE). As part of this activity, around 100 international roasters will stay at local coffee farms for three days, before travelling back to Medellín for the forum.
The OTE will give them hands-on experience with the daily operations of different farms, as well as a first-hand look at the production of some of the best coffees in the world.
These activities are central to PRF’s mission: to bring key industry discussions to origin, while driving green coffee sales and supporting relationship building. To explore the complete schedule of the Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF Colombia), visit www.producerroasterforum.com.
