MILAN — Following the announcement of Virtual Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) last month, the event has now released its line-up of speakers and panels. Featuring industry leaders from across the supply chain, the Virtual PRF event will leverage a platform never before seen in the coffee industry. Virtual PRF 2021 will take place on April 5 and 6, 2021. Read on to learn more about the speakers and panel discussions that have been announced. Learn more about Virtual PRF.
Virtual Producer & Roaster Forum Panels
- China: The Emerging Coffee Market: China is the fourth-largest country on earth, and has the highest population in the entire world, but it also has one of the world’s lowest coffee consumption rates; citizens consume, on average, just one cup a year. While this might not sound promising, coffee consumption rates in China are growing at 30% a year, compared to an international rate of 2%. For producers and roasters looking to enter an untapped market, it offers incredible potential.
- Featuring: Natalia Li (Ingenuity Coffee) and Lewis Harding (Coffee Exchange).
- Commercial Vs Specialty: Understanding Value: What makes specialty coffee special? We know the quality is much better than commercial-grade beans, but why?
○ Featuring: Bram De Hoog (Ally Coffee), Dakota Graff (Onyx Coffee Lab), Matt McDonald (Cafe Direct), and Zoran Stanojevic (Kafeterija). - Millennial Coffee Trends: If there’s one thing millennials around the world have in common, it’s a taste for coffee. This group makes up a major percentage of the world’s coffee drinkers, so it’s a generation worth taking note of if you run a coffee shop or roastery and want to stay ahead. Tapping into this market is crucial for business success, but it won’t happen without an understanding of the trends that drive their behaviour.
- Featuring: Ralf Rueller (The Barn) and Nicole Ferris (Climpson & Sons).
- Market Access: The Middle East: The Middle East’s coffee sector is experiencing tremendous growth. Specialty coffee shop chains thrive here, particularly in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. With over 9,000 branded coffee outlets in 12 countries, the region presents ample opportunity for investors and is a new market for global producers.
- Featuring: Maria Pavani (Tres Marias Coffee Company), Abdul Saeed (Sabcomeed), Osamah Alawwam (The Roasting House Saudi Arabia), and Karthikeyan Rajendran (THREE Specialty Coffee Roasters).
- Profiling The North American Coffee Drinker: Over 50% of Americans over the age of 18 years drink coffee every day. This represents over 150 million daily drinkers. In the US and Canada, coffee consumption is up, “gourmet” coffee consumption is growing, and single-cup home brewing is on the rise. Even better, these increases are being led by younger generations.
- Featuring: Andi Mersch (Philz Coffee) and Adam Pesce (Reunion Coffee Roasters).
- Exotic Coffees & Processing Methods: Natural, washed, and honey coffees with unique flavour profiles are familiar specialty coffee offerings. But this doesn’t mean producers aren’t also open to experimental processing. In coffee, processing is crucial. More than just drying and the removal of mucilage, each method affects a lot’s flavours and sensory characteristics in unique ways. Control coffee processing and you can maintain – or even increase – quality and consistency.
- Featuring: Dimitri Slukin (Fest Coffee Mission), Ricardo Oteros (Supracafe), and Alex Brooks (LalCafé)
- FOB Vs Farmgate Price: How much was the farmer who grew your coffee paid? Finding an answer to this seemingly simple question is challenging. So challenging, in fact, that most cafés and specialty coffee roasters don’t know the answer. This is a major concern. When higher prices are being paid, does any of that reach the farmers? Are we supporting sustainable production?
- Featuring: Sam MacCuaig (Keynote Coffee) and Stephen Bannister (Condesa Co. Lab)
Virtual Producer & Roaster Forum Lectures
- Introduction To The Honduran Coffee Sector (Francisco Ordoñez – President, IHCAFE)
- Analysing The Supply Chain: Transactional Values (Martin Mayorga – Founder and CEO, Mayorga Organics)
- Reviewing The Costs Of Production: A Cost-Benefit Analysis (Karl Wienhold – Founder and Director, Cedro Alto)
- Why Consider Cold Brew? (Matt Swenson – Director of Coffee, Nestlé)
- Understanding The Russian Coffee Market (Drago Lakic – Managing Director, Soyuz Coffee)
- How Forward Crop Purchases Reshaped The Brazilian Market & Impacted Global Prices (Artur Ornelas – Commercial Manager, Mercon Coffee Group)
- How LIFT Builds A Better Coffee World (Jessenia Argüello – Sustainable Production Manager, Mercon Specialty)
- Coffee Waves & The Role Of Espresso (Maurizio Giuli – Director of Marketing, Simonelli Group)
- How Storage And Handling Affect the Quality Of Green Coffee (Diego Lara – Division Manager US/Canada & Europe, GrainPro)
Other speakers and featured organisations will include:
- Rick Peyser – Senior Relationship Manager, Coffee & Cocoa, Lutheran World Relief
- Justin Dena – Chief Operating Officer, iFinca
- Espresso Americano
- CLAC
- Accademia del Caffé Espresso
- Heifer
Attendees will be able to interact with speakers (by asking questions and so on) during panel discussions and lectures for a more collaborative event experience.
Some speakers will also host virtual booths and tables at the event, meaning there will be further opportunities to ask questions and continue the conversation.
Tickets have been released – you can buy them here.
For more information about the event, you can visit the PRF website here, as well as the FAQs here (sponsors), here (technical), and here (attendees).
