Lecture Description
“Robusta” is the world’s second most important coffee category—despite not being a Coffea species like "Arabica". Across producing and consuming countries, terms like “Robusta,” “Conilon,” and "Canephora" are used interchangeably in both the industry and science. As climate change accelerates and interest in this type of coffee grows, the need for clearer terminology and a shared understanding becomes increasingly apparent.
In this panel, Piet Stoffelen, Gloria Pedroza, and Lukas Harbig bring together botanical research, industry insight, and market-oriented communication. Piet provides taxonomic and biogeographical context on C. canephora diversity and reflects on the often complex and sometimes contradictory ways in which scientific classification and industry practice interact. Gloria contributes long-standing market and production experience through NKG Quality, CQI, and international judging, illustrating how language shapes perception and assessment. Lukas adds insights from Canephorum, ongoing communication around Canephora diversity, and practical perspectives from cumpa’s focus on specialty Canephora.
Together, they explore how today’s narratives emerged—and how clearer vocabulary can place Canephora, Robusta, and Conilon into a more accurate relationship that connects science and industry while creating value.
Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Time: 10:45 - 11:45
Location: Room 1122
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
Lukas Harbig
CEO, cumpa GmbH
Lukas Harbig is co-founder of the German green coffee importer cumpa and the initiative Canephorum. He is a trader, global thinker, and connector, linking coffee farmers worldwide with roasters and consumers in Europe. Lukas believes that coffee excellence is possible across diverse Coffea species, regions, and altitudes. He sees Canephora as widely present yet widely misunderstood, and therefore uniquely positioned to reshape the market. He is also an International Judge Member (IJM) for the Cup of Excellence.
Dr. Piet Stoffelen is one of the world’s leading botanical experts on Coffea diversity. As a senior researcher at Meise Botanic Garden, he has spent decades studying the taxonomy, biogeography, and evolutionary history of African coffee species, including Coffea canephora. His work bridges field exploration, herbarium research, and molecular studies, offering rare insight into how scientific classification both informs and complicates industry practice. Piet brings the foundational context needed to understand what “Canephora” truly encompasses.
Gloria Pedroza combines deep market experience with a trainer’s clarity. With a career spanning NKG Quality, CQI, and international judging, she has shaped how producers, buyers, and sensory professionals evaluate coffee. Gloria brings a practical lens grounded in production realities, trading dynamics, and decades of calibrating quality language across cultures. Her perspective reveals how terminology influences perception, pricing, and opportunity for Canephora producers.