The two-day virtual event will cover relevant green coffee topics, including supporting smallholder farmers, market trends, and investments.
BY J. MARIE CARLAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Images courtesy of the Specialty Coffee Association
On October 18 and 20, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is hosting the second Green Coffee Summit, a live virtual meeting ground for buyers and sellers in the green coffee trade, and those interested in learning about the green side of the business. This gathering for information exchange and resources comes at a crucial time for the green coffee trade, as businesses have weathered unpredictable challenges due to climate- and pandemic-related woes.
The summit’s live event program will feature guest speakers, panel discussions, and lots more for the green coffee community. Topics include investing, supporting smallholder farmers, market trends, and how to turn data into equitable action. Additionally, there will be videos added to the existing Resource Library on the SCA’s GCS website containing information discussed in the summit.
Day one of the summit, October 18, will focus on the North American market, while day two on October 20 will focus on the UK and European markets.
Improving Accessibility
Kim Elena Ionescu, Chief Sustainability and Knowledge Development Officer for the SCA, emphasizes the importance of equitable access to knowledge in the green coffee industry. “The goal of the Green Coffee Summit and the resource library on the site is to make information about coffee markets and coffee trading more accessible. Sellers are at a disadvantage when it comes to obtaining that kind of information, so we structure the event with sellers in mind. … But there are a lot of buyers in our industry who also benefit from understanding the differences between coffee markets, not to mention aspiring buyers and sellers. In order to better serve the needs of green coffee sellers, we have opted to add Spanish subtitles to a substantial portion of last year’s talks.”
Bridging the Gaps
Kim says that the summit hopes to address many of the concerns in today’s market, as well as provide information that could help workers in the industry succeed in the future. “Lockdowns early in the pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruptions have taken a toll on everyone’s business, but they have been particularly painful for green coffee businesses where timing—of shipments, payments, and deliveries—is critical. The movement of coffee slowed down, of course, and so did the communication between buyers and sellers that is the foundation of trusting relationships.”
Gathering Resources
Some additional information on the GCS website will include research reports and articles from 25, the SCA’s semiannual publication. Kim continues: “The summit helps keep credible, relevant information and insights flowing, as well as creating space for dialogue. I believe that current and prospective green coffee buyers and sellers alike will find something in this year’s program that changes how they think about the purpose and impact of their business.”
You can register to attend the Green Coffee Summit for free here.
The Green Coffee Summit’s main sponsor is Barista Attitude. Co-sponsors include BWT water + more, SanCoffee Brasil, and Mercanta.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J. Marie Carlan (she/they) is the Online Editor for Barista Magazine. She’s been a barista for over a decade and writing since she was old enough to play in the yard by herself. When she’s not behind the espresso bar or toiling over content, you can find her perusing record stores, collecting bric-a-brac, writing poetry, and trying to keep the plants alive in her Denver apartment. She occasionally updates her blog.
