The Strategic Economic Importance of Coffee: Why it matters for EU policymaking
Speakers from the European Coffee Federation, International Coffee Organization, Specialty Coffee Association
Rethinking Flavour Under Climate Collapse - An Exploration of Modular Blending
Workshop Description: This session will explore a unique approach to modular blends, a system designed to deliver climate-resilient, consistent, high-quality Brazilian coffee while celebrating the diversity and scope of Brazilian coffee production. Attendees will gain insight into how to curate lots into flavor modules, apply blending rules to manage varietal and processing diversity, and maintain consistency despite climate variability and operational realities. We will also re-introduce the newly updated The Coffee Garden of Forking Paths, a sensory naming game developed by Dr. Fabiana Carvalho in collaboration with Alex Gyurkovicz. This card-based method enables intuitive and inclusive discussions about flavour during cupping and provides a consistent way to name new lots each harvest. The workshop combines theory, tasting, and practical exploration.
Participants will:
Learn the principles behind modular blends, including flavour modules and the “rule of three” for varietals and processing methods.
Cup representative flavour modules to understand dominant sensory profiles.
Explore how operational and logistical considerations shape blending decisions and final cup quality.
Apply the card game to appreciate how sensory language can translate into consistent, meaningful coffee names.
In small groups, use modular blending principles to design and name a blend, reinforcing learning in a practical, hands-on way.
This workshop is designed to be interactive, educational, and practical, providing participants with a memorable experience of Brazilian coffee through both tasting and creative problem-solving, while linking cup quality to real-world operational decisions.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 15:00 - 17:30
Location: Room 1123
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors
Dr. Fabiana Carvalho
Researcher, University of Campinas / Mió
Fabiana Carvalho is a neuroscientist who received her MSc in Biochemistry and her PhD in Psychobiology. She is currently a collaborating researcher at the University of Campinas, Brazil, and brand director at Mió. Her main research project “The Coffee Sensorium” is focused on understanding multisensory flavour perception and how it impacts the coffee drinking experience and consumption behaviour. She has published several scientific articles showing the effect of coffee cups and packaging on sensory and hedonic judgements of specialty coffee. This research project has several collaborators such as the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) and Prof Charles Spence (University of Oxford, UK).
Ana Luiza Pellicer
Commercial Director, Mió
Ana Luiza is Mió's Co-Owner and Commercial Director. Mió is a technology-driven coffee farm and research institute in Monte Santo de Minas, Brazil, that also sources, exports and imports coffee. After managing contemporary art exhibitions throughout Latin America for many years, Ana decided to get involved in the family’s coffee business, transforming it into an international, technology- and science-driven company that covers every part of the coffee supply chain. Ana is currently completing the University of Oxford Executive MBA with a Director’s Merit-based Award.
Grace Talbot
Sales Manager, Mió
Grace Talbot is a UK-based coffee professional with experience across wholesale, education, events, and community engagement. Currently Sales Manager at Mió, she is particularly interested in accessibility, inclusivity, and how value can be more collaboratively created and understood across the coffee supply chain. Grace has emceed major international coffee events including the World Barista Championship at World of Coffee Milan, the World Cup Tasters Championship at World of Coffee Bangkok, and the UK Barista Championships, alongside domestic judging and international training roles. Through her work with Mió, she explores climate-responsive modular blending, sensory science, client experience, and more inclusive approaches to flavour and coffee education, with a focus on making specialty coffee more collaborative, approachable, and resilient
Brewing Success: Transforming Your Business with E-Commerce Insights
Workshop Description: In an increasingly digital marketplace, coffee businesses across retail, wholesale, roasting, equipment manufacturing, and allied product sectors are sitting on a goldmine of information they rarely use to its full potential. Too often, the insights that platforms like Shopify generate are collected and never translated into action. This 2.5-hour hands-on workshop is designed to help participants unlock the value of e-commerce analytics and build the strategic discipline to turn those insights into continuous, confident action. Using practical exercises, peer collaboration, and real-world case studies, attendees will explore how platform analytics generate insights that most businesses leave on the table. Participants will examine customer behavior patterns, subscription development, product assortment strategy, and targeted marketing approaches for both retail consumers and wholesale buyers. The session addresses how these insights feed into a dynamic strategic planning process, one that evolves with your business rather than sitting untouched between annual reviews.
By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:
Leverage E-Commerce Analytics for Customer Engagement — Use platform insights to personalize the shopping experience, strengthen customer loyalty, and develop subscription programs across retail, wholesale, and allied product businesses.
Optimize Product Assortment for Revenue Growth — Identify top-performing products, ensure the right products are available at the right time, and make smarter purchasing decisions that support top-line growth without overextending inventory investment.
Connect Insights to Dynamic Strategic Planning — Integrate e-commerce intelligence into an ongoing strategic planning process, moving away from static annual plans toward a dynamic roadmap that supports confident decisions around product development and market expansion.
Analyze Market Trends to Guide Strategic Decisions — Read demand signals and emerging patterns within platform analytics to make informed decisions around product development, pricing, and expansion into new markets.
Apply Insights from Real-World Case Studies — Examine how different sectors of the coffee industry have successfully used platform intelligence to adapt, grow, and improve long-term competitiveness, with actionable examples to take back to their own businesses.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 14:00 - 16:30
Location: Room 1121
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Chris Legler
CEO, Axios Growth Consultants
Chris Legler is the dynamic founder and CEO of Axios Growth Consultants. He specializes in empowering businesses to thrive. With over 18 years consulting experience and 30 years experience at companies like Espresso Supply, Bonavita, Starbucks, and Sony, Chris brings unparalleled insight into fueling growth. His experience owning a coffee roasting company, provides intimate understanding of unique challenges and opportunities facing small businesses. Chris's expertise includes an MBA (Seattle University), he's a Certified Management Consultant. Canada, and certificate in Circular Economy and Sustainable Strategies (University of Cambridge). Chris is passionate about helping companies innovate, adapt, and unlock their full potential.
Mapping Coffee Oxidation: A Framework for Freshness in Cold Extraction
Agnese Santanatoglia
Coffee As a Multi-Sensory Experience
Workshop Description: In this immersive workshop, participants will explore the fascinating world of coffee through the lens of multisensory perception. Coffee tasting is not just about flavor; it engages all five senses, creating a rich tapestry of experience. We will delve into the impact and interaction of our primary senses—sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound—when enjoying coffee.
The session will cover the concept of cross-modal perception, illustrating how different senses influence each other and enhance our appreciation of coffee. Participants will learn about the atmospheric experience, understanding how the surrounding environment—lighting, ambiance, and even background noise—can significantly affect sensory enjoyment.
Additionally, we will provide practical tips and recommendations for coffee shops to elevate the consumer experience. This includes strategies for creating an inviting atmosphere and enhancing the sensory journey of coffee tasting.
Join us to deepen your understanding of how our senses interact with coffee, transforming a simple beverage into a multisensory delight.
Learning Objectives:
Understand Multisensory Interaction: Participants will learn how the primary senses—sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound—interact and influence each other during the coffee tasting experience, enhancing their overall appreciation of coffee.
Explore Cross-Modal Perception: Attendees will gain insights into the concept of cross-modal perception and how different sensory modalities can enhance or alter the perception of flavor and aroma in coffee.
Recognize the Role of Atmosphere: Participants will understand how the surrounding environment, including factors such as lighting, ambiance, and background noise, can significantly affect the sensory enjoyment of coffee.
Implement Practical Strategies: Coffee shop owners and baristas will receive actionable tips and recommendations to create a more inviting atmosphere and elevate the consumer experience, thereby enhancing the sensory journey of coffee tasting.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 11:30 - 14:00
Location: Room 1123
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Jae Teovanovic
Coffee Innovation Associate Specialist - Master Barista, Nestlé
Jae Teovanovic is a coffee professional with over 10 years of international experience in the out-of-home coffee industry. He previously served at Nestlé Canada as Coffee Expert and Capabilities Specialist, where he led internal and external coffee education initiatives and supported the integration of coffee expertise across business functions. Jae is an Accredited Specialty Trainer (AST) for Brewing Skills, with extensive experience in sensory evaluation, brewing methodology, and multisensory coffee education. As of April 1, 2026, he joined the global R&D team at Nestlé in Switzerland as Coffee Specialist Associate & Master Barista, contributing to global coffee innovation, sensory excellence, and capability development.
Fundamentals of Green Coffee Buying
Workshop Description: A purposeful green coffee buying strategy is key to the success of every coffee roasting business. This workshop introduces the fundamentals of effective green coffee sourcing and purchasing. Participants will learn standard industry practices for how coffee is bought, traded, and transported, setting the stage for successful relationships with coffee producers, suppliers, and logistics providers. We will cover the core components of a complete green buying program, including quality and price discovery, sample and offer evaluation, contracts and risk management, relationships and effective communication, and how to align sourcing decisions with your company’s brand, budget, and values. Through an interactive lecture and small group activities, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of coffee sourcing best practices, current innovations, and practical tools they can apply to strengthen both their buying programs and supplier relationships.
Learning Objectives:
Design a basic green coffee buying plan: Attendees will be able to map out the coffee value chain and core components of a buying program for their own context.
Understand quality and pricing dynamics: Attendees will learn how commodity and specialty markets interact, connecting this to how they interpret offers, evaluate samples, assess risk, and build relationships.
Work more effectively with suppliers and logistics partners: Attendees will be able to identify key contract terms, logistics considerations, and communication practices that support stronger, more transparent relationships with producers, importers, and logistics providers.
Align sourcing with brand, budget, and values: Attendees will be able to connect day-to-day buying decisions to a company’s values, brand positioning, and financial considerations.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 11:00 - 13:30
Location: Room 1121
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Gabriel Chait
Founder/Consultant, Poxtec Consulting
Gabriel Chait is a green coffee sourcing and sustainability consultant with over a decade of experience working across the global specialty coffee supply chain. His work focuses on helping coffee roasters, importers, producers, and industry organizations build effective green coffee sourcing strategies, strengthen market relationships, and design more transparent and resilient supply chains.
Gabriel partners with roasters, importers, exporters, and producer groups across Latin America, Africa, and Asia on green coffee buying strategy, sustainability initiatives, resilience investments, and improving market access for specialty coffee producers. His work bridges the perspectives of producers and buyers to support stronger, more collaborative supply chains.
Making Sense of Coffee’s Value: Sector Perspectives on How Coffee’s Value is Created and Distributed
Andrés Montenegro, Valentina Duque
The Great Mineral Swap: Making Sense of Coffee Water
Workshop Description: As a coffee professional, you already know that water filtration is important. In fact, you probably have a water filter tucked away under a counter somewhere that is quietly doing its job until someone remembers to change it. You know that it is doing something to protect your equipment, but you are not sure how. You have an interest in learning more, but the answers you get are complicated or overwhelming.
In this beginner-friendly, hands-on workshop you will learn about minerals that are commonly found in water and how treatment technologies trade the minerals we do not want for the minerals we do.
Whether you are a technician, barista, or just curious about what’s happening inside your water filter, this session helps build clarity - literally. Come ready to stack knowledge and connect the dots on how filters manage minerals. The knowledge shared in the workshop is universal and applies across brands, preparing you to be a more informed consumer.
Following this workshop, attendees should be able to:
Identify compounds typically found in tap water
Define and list components that contribute to the total hardness and alkalinity of a water
Describe what happens inside of an ion exchange water filter cartridge
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 8:00 - 10:30
Location: Room 1121
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Benjamin Helt
Technical Training Director, BWT water + more
Ben Helt has worked in specialty coffee for more than 20 years, with experience spanning roasting, café ownership, and global coffee education. He's known for making technical and sensory concepts approachable. Ben had a front-row seat to the development of the SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) and has delivered CVA courses to international audiences, helping cuppers and educators engage the system with confidence and clarity. He previously led the Authorized SCA Trainer Program, supporting a worldwide network of educators. Today, Ben brings his expertise to water quality as the Technical Training Director for BWT Water & More US, helping coffee professionals optimize one of coffee's most essential ingredients.
Beyond particle size distribution: experimenting with grind profiles, extraction, and particle size blends
Beyond Particle Size Distribution is a hands-on workshop that explores how particle size influences coffee extraction and flavor. Following a theoretical introduction, participants will grind coffee and use laboratory-style sieves to separate the grounds into narrow particle size fractions, isolating fines, boulders, and mid-range particle fractions that are normally blended together.
Each fraction will be brewed using identical parameters to observe how it behaves in under-extracted, properly extracted, and over-extracted conditions. Attendees will compare these brews to a non-sieved control sample to evaluate how mixed particle distributions contribute to overall cup complexity and character.
Participants will then experiment with blending different particle sizes to create custom distributions and test whether tailored profiles can produce more desirable cup attributes. We will also explore brewing individual particle size fractions separately, then mixing the brewed coffee to compare the effects with mixing grounds before brewing. Finally, we will examine how brewing techniques—such as dose, contact time, etc.—can be adjusted for specific particle fractions to more efficiently use coffee, potentially achieving similar cup quality with less coffee, promoting environmentally conscious brewing.
By the end, participants will gain a deeper, practical understanding of how particle size shapes extraction, cup character, and brewing strategy.
Learning Objectives:
Understand how individual particle size fractions influence coffee extraction and overall cup characteristics.
Apply sieving techniques as practical tools to explore particle size effects and inform brewing experiments.
Investigate the impact of blending particle sizes before and after brewing to optimize cup attributes.
Adjust dose, agitation, and contact time to achieve desired cup quality while using coffee more efficiently.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 8:00 - 10:30
Location: Room 1123
REGISTRATION FEES: €150.00
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Brussels Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply log in using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Connor Firth
Consultant, CRF Specialty Coffee Consulting
Connor Firth is a specialty coffee consultant from Chicagoland. Since completing his PhD in chemistry and chemical engineering in 2024, he has leveraged his technical background to educate coffee industry experts about the fundamental scientific principles underlying the field. His focus on transport phenomena and fluid dynamics — the physics behind nearly all coffee-related processes — makes him unique in an industry where hard science often takes a backseat. He aims to inspire creativity and promote scientific thinking, enabling industry professionals to navigate abstract marketing claims and, more importantly, deliver unique products and services of the highest quality.
Changing Coffee Culture: The Megatrends of a Global Passion
Lecture Description
The changing coffee culture and the megatrends shaping its future.
Coffee is more than just a beverage - it is a global phenomenon, a cultural connector, and a multi-billion-dollar industry undergoing significant transformation. Consumers no longer just drink coffee—they want an experience, a story, and a deeper connection to their cup. During my lecture, I will highlight six key themes that will define the future of coffee in the years to come.
☕1. Coffee as a global phenomenon
📈 2. Where will future growth be?
🌍 3. The rising varieties of the coffee culture
🌱 4. Will there still be coffee available in 2050?
🚀 5. We need new business skills
🔮 6. Summary & outlook: What’s Next?
As coffee continues to evolve, consumer expectations, sustainability challenges, and market dynamics are reshaping how we grow, trade, and consume coffee.
The question for all of us: Are we ready for the coffee culture of tomorrow?
Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
Time: 15:15 - 16:15
Location: Lecture Room V
Lecturers / Presenters
Gerd Müller-Pfeiffer (he/him)
CEO, International Coffee Consulting
With over 25 years of experience in the coffee industry - primarily at the world’s largest coffee company, Nestlé - I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table.
My career spans diverse roles, including market strategy, brand building, innovation, P&L management, and sustainability, giving me a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic industry.
Sensory Training: Unlocking Coffee’s Full Potential
Workshop Description
Embark on a sensory journey that blends the unique flavors of Brazilian coffees with carefully designed olfactory and gustatory exercises. This workshop aims to train the senses, enhancing coffee appreciation through memory, perception, and sensory exploration. Together, we will analyze the sensory experience of coffee through interactive taste and aroma exercises. Participants will be encouraged to feel, explore, and create their own interpretations, transforming a simple tasting into a deep, mindful connection with coffee and the world around them.
We will feature Brazilian coffees with distinct sensory profiles, including Arabica, Conilon, and Amazonian Robusta, offering a unique opportunity to explore flavors from different regions. In harmony with the tasting, we will engage in an olfactory exercise to identify aromas naturally found in these coffees. Using the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel, we will navigate flavor attributes and conduct a comparative tasting of the coffees brewed.
Additionally, we will briefly discuss the fundamentals of aroma, taste, and flavor. This workshop is designed for anyone eager to expand their sensory repertoire and develop new perceptions, whether they are coffee professionals or enthusiasts.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 14:30 - 17:00
Location: Room R
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Leticia Paiva (she/her)
Sensory Skills Trainer
Leticia Paiva is a Sensory Skills Trainer specializing in specialty coffee. Coming from a Brazilian coffee-producing family, she combines deep-rooted knowledge with extensive training in the field. She has taken SCA courses and studied Specialty Coffee Production, Classification, and Cupping, refining her expertise in sensory analysis. Leticia develops immersive workshops that enhance sensory perception, not only refining tasting skills but also fostering a deeper inner connection through flavors and aromas. At World of Coffee Geneva, she will lead a hands-on session designed to unlock sensory potential, guiding participants through exercises that expand flavor recognition, sensory awareness, and personal connection with coffee.
Beyond the Beans: How to Craft Stories to Connect With Your Buyer
Workshop Description
In today’s competitive coffee market, great coffee isn’t enough - how you tell your story can make the difference between getting noticed and being overlooked. This hands-on workshop will equip coffee professionals with the storytelling skills needed to connect with buyers, align with their values, and improve commercial opportunities.
Participants will learn how storytelling can help communicate their company’s unique identity, sustainability efforts, and extrinsic attributes in a way that resonates. Using proven techniques such as structured storytelling frameworks and values-driven narratives, attendees will craft their own compelling stories and practice applying them effectively.
Through interactive exercises and live feedback, participants will leave with practical storytelling tools to position their product more effectively. Whether their goal is to increase sample consideration, build stronger relationships with buyers, or stand out in a crowded marketplace, this workshop will provide a clear, structured approach to crafting impactful stories.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 14:30 - 17:00
Location: Room S
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Maria Barikhina (she/her)
Marketing Strategist & Storyteller
Maria Barikhina is a marketing and storytelling consultant, specialising in sustainability, messaging and branding. In her communications role at Sancoffee - SCA Sustainability Awards Winner 2024 - she works closely with producers, roasters, and industry partners to craft narratives that highlight the value of sustainable practices and direct relationships.
Previously, Maria was the Head of Marketing at Algrano, where she designed the company’s communication and marketing strategy.
She also runs Zurich Storytellers, a Swiss-based non-profit community of 2,000 members, where she co-hosts live storytelling shows to help people practice public speaking and connect through authentic narratives.
Your Coffee Data Made Easy: Build your Business Intelligence Dashboard for Better Decisions
Workshop Description
Every coffee business generates, collects and manages valuable data, but turning this information into actionable knowledge and insights remains a challenge. This hands-on workshop guides small and medium exporters, importers, and roasters in creating practical dashboards that capture essential information about their coffee journey - from lot tracking and quality to impact, compliance, and customer preferences.
Working with a real business example, you'll learn a practical framework for identifying and measuring key indicators, as well as how to build a simple yet powerful system to connect, organize and visualize key metrics that matter in daily operations. Whether you're tracking multiple coffee lots, managing inventory, or monitoring quality and sales performance, you'll learn to organize data for quick decision-making. No technical expertise required - just bring your coffee knowledge and leave with a step-by-step working dashboard and the skills to adapt it that saves time, reduces mistakes, and amplifies the value of your business. Through this interactive DIY experience, you'll engage with other professionals in peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 14:30 - 17:00
Location: Room T
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Elisa Criscione (she/her)
Founder & CEO, Digital Coffee Future
Elisa Criscione is the Founder and CEO at Digital Coffee Future. She brings eight years of experience in tropical agriculture, specializing in digitalization for coffee value chains. She works throughout the industry to simplify digital transformation for coffee industry stakeholders and has collaborated with institutions such as Fairtrade International, GIZ, and Rabo Foundation. Elisa also serves as a lecturer on coffee digitalization at the University of Turin and has joined various coffee events as a speaker, establishing extensive networks across the sector.
Hubert Peri (he/him)
Education Manager, Digital Coffee Future
Hubert is the Lead Consultant and Trainer for DCF’s Education Portfolio. Based in Chiapas, Mexico, he has worked for over 15 years on access to finance, market, business intelligence and advisory services for smallholder coffee, cocoa, honey and handicraft organizations throughout Latin America and Africa. Hubert is also founder of TheFarmerbox, a start-up dedicated to providing first mile digital data solutions for smallholder organizations, and digital transformation ambassador for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Arrivals from Central America and Kenya Cupping
Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees
Cupping Room 2
CafE de Colombia: Heart of Specialty Coffees Cupping
Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees
Cupping Room 1
Hiring and Training: Building Strong Foundations for a Growing Team
Workshop Description
Now that your small business is establishing itself, it's time to grow—but who do you bring into your team, and how do you equip them for success? In this workshop, founders and owners of emerging specialty coffee shops will learn about proven approaches to hiring, on-boarding, training, and feedback that well-established European specialty coffee brands have used to propel them to where they are today. Discover methods used to establish a happy and engaged team who will carry your business' values forward—and how to work with (and give!) feedback, so that everyone learns together.
This workshop is best suited to attendees who have not yet built a hiring or training program for their employees and would value understanding what's worked (and hasn't worked) in other businesses to inform their own design. We recommend that anyone involved in developing a hiring and training program for their business should attend together (owners, managers, etc.).
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 10:30 - 13:00
Location: Room U
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Federica Parisi (she/her)
Coffee & Beverages Community Director, Simonelli Group SpA
Hello I'm Federica Parisi, Coffee and Beverages Community Director at Simonelli Group. I'm an active member in the coffee industry for 14 years (Nespresso & Starbucks), I contribute to elevating coffee education standards.
I'm dedicated to high-quality coffee education in the industry, committed to fostering knowledge and excellence among coffee professionals.
I'm a proud Authorized SCA Trainer (Sensory, Brewing, Introduction to Coffee, CVA for Cuppers, Coffee Sustainability) and 2y experienced SCA judge (Barista and Brewers). I'm a European Specialty Tea Association Trainer as well and a proud Victoria Arduino E1 Prima EXP owner. I'm Italian and I live in Switzerland.
Katarzyna Szatanska
Ditta Artigianale
Natalia Mazzilli
Ditta Artigianale
Crafting Exceptional and Sustainable Coffee Blends: Strategies for Roasters and Green Buyers
Workshop Description
Creating a coffee blend can be challenging - how do you build a blend that customers will love? How and what green coffee do you buy to maximize value? What do great blends even taste like? In this workshop we'll discuss the value of blends and the role they play for a roastery. We will troubleshoot marketing blends vs single origin offerings and roasting techniques, and ultimately learn how to utilize a wide range of coffees to their fullest potential. We'll be cupping blends and blend components so you'll walk away with both a conceptual understanding and an opportunity to create your own blend in the workshop.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 10:30 - 13:00
Location: Room R
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Ashley Whelan (she/her)
Coffee Director
Ashley Whelan is a seasoned coffee professional with expertise in sourcing, roasting, blend development, and menu curation. She began her coffee journey in 2012 while working in neuroscience research at NYU but was quickly drawn to coffee’s complexity. As a green buyer, she has built direct relationships with producers, focusing on quality, transparency, and sustainability. She has developed blends and seasonal offerings that balance flavor, consistency, and operational efficiency. With experience spanning barista work to consulting, Ashley is dedicated to creating thoughtful coffee programs that connect sourcing to the final cup while supporting both producers and businesses.
Regenerative Thinking: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Specialty Coffee
Workshop Description
The practice of sustainability requires the dynamic careful balance of social, economic, and environmental priorities. Achieving this balance is by nature complex, as the connections are usually not clearly defined or emerge in scales (time or space) not easily identifiable by conventional analytical approaches. This challenge calls for a new (collective) mindset and leadership capacity, being more conscious, purposeful, and strategic to create this sustainable future (intentionally), generating greater possibilities for all actors in the coffee value chain.
Design thinking is a human-centered (user-centered) approach to problem-solving that amalgamates stakeholders’ need through empathy and an adaptive process rooted in practice and action-learning. The use of prototypes for making tangible the product or services help the designer re-think solutions to bring new perspectives and ideas, transforming the way people, organizations, and businesses solve these problems and create shared-value solutions.
This workshop will introduce prototyping techniques from design thinking for solving a set of real sustainability challenges in the specialty coffee sector that will allow the generation of a creative solution (prototype) that intersect desirability, viability, and feasibility. The blend of theoretical elements with action-learning offers a new way to understand problem solving and social innovation to make coffee better, for all.
Our goal is to provide actionable knowledge that support sustainability professionals, coffee companies and producer organizations in the specialty coffee industry to incorporate skills and mindsets that facilitate the generation of transformative solutions that are regenerative and distributive by design, and that consider sustainability an ongoing practice for learning how to make the right thing the right way, a commitment for create a coffee sector of shared opportunity, shared responsibility, and shared prosperity.
The workshop is inspired by the Theory U philosophy, Doughnut Design for Business tool, and the Human-Centered approach to innovation that will be adapted to the specialty coffee context to create an impactful and dynamic activity for all the participants.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 10:30 - 13:00
Location: Room S
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Andrés M. Montenegro (he/him)
Sustainability Director, Specialty Coffee Association
Crafting Connections: A Market-Readiness Workshop for Green Coffee Producers & Exporters
Workshop Description
This workshop is designed to support green coffee exporters and producers to succeed in the U.S. specialty coffee market. Participants will learn how to craft compelling brand stories, target the right market segments, and plan effective customer journeys through communications, samples, and sales techniques. With insights from industry experts, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of buyer expectations, seasonality, and strategies for building lasting business relationships.
Date: Thursday June 26, 2025
Time: 10:30 - 13:00
Location: Room T
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee Registration Portal and add a session to your booking before checkout. Already registered? Simply enter your registration key to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructors & Leads
Sandra Loofbourow
Ben Bicknell
The Best of Peru - PROMPERU Cupping
Public Cupping - Open to All Attendees
Cupping Room 1