On 26 & 27 March 2026, the 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador. 

The event is one of the most prominent in the coffee industry. For over a decade, PRF has challenged the status quo of coffee trade shows, hosting the industry-leading events at origin and uniting producers, roasters, traders, and baristas.

Over 4,200 visitors and 350 international buyers are expected to attend next year’s edition, with an estimated US$15.7 million in business sales.

In addition to the PRF Voices programme, workshops, and cuppings, PRF El Salvador will host the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the second Soil of Excellence competition, and PRF Matchmaking.

The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards World Championship. Winners of the US & Canada, Europe, and Origin (coffee-producing countries) editions will compete for the title of the world’s best roaster.

Read on to find out what’s happening at PRF El Salvador and how you can apply to become a speaker.

Learn more about PRF here.

PRF returns to El Salvador

Events play a critical role in the growth of the global coffee industry. Most major trade shows, however, take place in majority-consuming countries, limiting opportunities for producers and roasters to connect directly.

For over a decade, PRF has challenged this paradigm. Every year, the two-day forum takes place in a key coffee-producing country. Previous host countries include El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia – five of the world’s most significant coffee origins.

“We’re proudly returning to El Salvador after the inaugural edition took place at a mill in Santa Ana a decade ago,” says Andrea Melo-Leon, the COO of PRF. “This is a valuable opportunity for the event to revisit its roots and acknowledge the impressive progress we’ve made over the last ten years.”

MTPak Coffee, a leading global supplier of custom-printed coffee packaging, is the PRF Diamond Sponsor, partnering on a multi-year deal to sponsor future events. The company will succeed Mayorga Coffee, which was the previous Diamond Sponsor for PRF.

MTPak Coffee will also sponsor the Becado scholarship programme, with more information to come in the following weeks. It will also host event activations that highlight and support both producers and roasters in producing countries.

“Meeting roasters and producers has become an essential part of our strategy to strengthen relationships,” explains Mark Zhou, the founder of MTPak Coffee. “PRF exists to serve this exact purpose: connecting producers, often underserved at coffee events, with roasters and green coffee buyers from around the world. 

“I’m incredibly proud to be part of another PRF event,” he adds. “It spotlights not only producers, but also roasters at origin, showcasing their commitment to excellence, from coffee quality to branding and packaging.”

Celebrating PRF’s ever-growing international reach

PRF’s unique format gives producers and roasters a platform to cultivate long-lasting relationships to source green coffee, address key industry issues, and drive innovation in the global coffee sector. More than 16,400 coffee professionals have taken part in previous editions, including over 4,300 green coffee buyers and roasters. 

The ten previous forums have generated more than US$64.8 million in green coffee sales, benefitting over 4,650 smallholder farmers in Latin America and allowing roasters from around the world to buy some of the region’s best coffees.

OBIIS (One Big Island in Space), a farm-direct model that buys coffee directly from producers, is a PRF Gold Sponsor. The company is a long-time partner of the event and previously provided funding to the PRF Seed Initiative.

Following its participation in PRF Honduras in March 2025, OBIIS will screen the La Fortaleza documentary during PRF El Salvador. The documentary, which spotlights the success and struggles of Mexican coffee producers, premiered in Honduras and will relaunch in El Salvador.

The Instituto Salvadoreño del Café (ISC) is also a PRF Gold Sponsor. The ISC is El Salvador’s national coffee association, responsible for guiding national coffee policy and supporting the country’s producers. The association will promote Salvadoran coffee excellence at PRF by showcasing high-quality varieties, including Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara.

Purity Coffee, a functional specialty coffee brand, is a long-term partner and the PRF Bronze Sponsor. Purity has spoken at previous events, offering insight into the thriving functional coffee market.

Producer Partners Catholic Relief Services, an international humanitarian agency, and Swiss Water, a decaf processing company, will also provide smallholder producers with free access to the event.

Volunteer Sponsor Copan Trade, a green specialty coffee importer, will once again host a special volunteer cupping session. At PRF Honduras, this cupping led to multiple lots being sold to participating green coffee buyers and roasters. Copan Trade will also organise exclusive networking activities for volunteers throughout the event, helping them gain valuable industry insight.

Over the last ten years, roasters and importers from more than 40 countries – including the US, Nigeria, Japan, France, Australia, South Korea, Uganda, Spain, the UK, Germany, Poland, China, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and many more – have attended PRF events.

Some 4,200 attendees, including over 500 green buyers and international roasters, are expected to attend next year’s forum.

The event will also host the Global Coffee Awards World Championship and Awards Ceremony & Annual Dinner, bringing more roasters than ever before. 

Sub-category and overall category winners from the US & Canada, Europe, Origin editions, as well as the producers of the winning coffees, will attend. This will culminate in one of PRF’s biggest, most engaging events to date.

Roasters from the US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Global Coffee Awards competitions are confirmed to attend PRF and the Sourcing Trip Experience. Some of these include Sweet Bloom Coffee, Utopian Coffee, Lofty Coffee Roasters, Tree Artisan Coffee House, Kaffea Terra, Vero Coffee House, Mill Cross Coffee, Critical Mass Coffee, and many more.

Global Coffee Awards World Championship

The Global Coffee Awards World Championship will begin on 24 March 2026, with roasters competing for the title of the world’s best.

Designed to reward the roastery as a whole rather than an individual, the GCA is a prestigious competition that invited roasters in the US and Canada, Europe, and Origin to submit bags of their most exceptional coffees.

The competition focuses on roasted coffee rather than green beans to provide a comprehensive quality assessment. A panel of expert judges blindly assessed entries and provided constructive, actionable feedback to all entrants, enabling them to enhance their roasting skills.

The US & Canada, Europe, and Origin regionals took place in September and October 2025. The regional Gold, Silver, and Bronze overall category winners who qualify for the World Championship are here.

All Gold, Silver, and Bronze overall category winners of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe events have been invited to participate in the World Championship, where they will compete for international recognition and the title of the world’s best roaster.

The World Championship will follow a format similar to the regional events, in which roasters submit a bag of roasted coffee for blind evaluation, maintaining the same rigorous judging standards and brewing protocols. Coffees will be prepared exactly as consumers experience them in cafés, using defined brew ratios and strict preparation guidelines.

At the World Championship, all entries will be awarded a numerical score across multiple criteria. A new Omni Roast category will also be introduced to evaluate roasters’ versatility, technical skill, and ability to develop roast profiles that perform well across multiple brewing methods.

On the evening of 26 March at the Hilton Hotel, there will be a GCA Awards Ceremony and Annual Dinner. During this celebration, all winning roasters from the three regional competitions, the producers behind each winning coffee, and the newly crowned World Champions will be formally announced, recognised, and awarded trophies.

The evening will offer an exclusive opportunity for roasters to network with fellow winners, for producers and roasters to build meaningful relationships, and for knowledge sharing and collaboration across the supply chain.

Winning producers will receive free tickets to the GCA Awards Ceremony & Annual Dinner. Confirmed winning producers who received multiple awards include Ana María Donneys of Finca La Paloma in Colombia, Diego Bermudez of Finca El Paraiso in Colombia, Heberto Rivas of De La Finca in Nicaragua, Wilton Benitez of Finca El Paraiso 92 in Colombia, Vishal Mehta of Tat Vam Asi Farm in India, Bekele Yutute of Kokose in Ethiopia, and many more.

Tickets to the Awards Ceremony & Annual Dinner will be open to all PRF attendees and will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.

Other competitions at PRF El Salvador

PRF hosts some of the most visionary competitions in the coffee industry, showcasing the skills of a diverse range of coffee professionals, not just baristas.

The championships that will take place in El Salvador are:

• The fifth Global Roasting Contest, sponsored by Cropster – top international roasters compete for the technical and people’s choice winning titles. Applications will open in the coming weeks.
• The seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, sponsored by Toddy – baristas and coffee professionals go head-to-head in developing cold brews and signature drinks, showcasing the booming popularity of cold coffee. Apply here.
• The second Soil of Excellence, sponsored by Belco – highlights the importance of soil health and regenerative agriculture in producing high-quality coffee, and this edition will focus specifically on coffees from El Salvador. Apply here and find out more about entry requirements here.

Speaker applications open for PRF Voices

Every PRF event hosts the PRF Voices programme. This specially curated lineup of lectures and panels is led by some of the industry’s foremost and well-known experts. 

Over the last decade, speakers from over 36 countries have participated, discussing various topics across the coffee supply chain. These include:

• Progressive Composting Techniques for Coffee Producers (Bob Fish and Michelle Fish – OBIIS, US)
• Coffee for Health: A New Category with Great Potential (Ildi Revi – Purity Coffee, US)
• Is high-end specialty coffee still a growing trend? (Konstantinos Vallianos – Kafea Terra, Greece)
• Prolonging fermentation according to the state of maturation of the coffee cherry (Valentina Osorio – Cenicafé, Colombia)
• Winning the World Barista Championship with WBC coach Federico Bolaños, Carlos Pola of Finca San Antonio & Las Brisas, and 2011 World Barista Champion Alejandro Méndez as panellists

This edition will include fewer speaker slots to allow for deeper, more focused discussions. Confirmed speakers and topics so far include:

• What Coffee Can Learn from Craft Beer: Forecasting Trends & Future Challenges (Erik Busch – LongStory Coffee, US, plus a special guest)
• Quality vs Novelty: Integrating Tradition and Innovation in Specialty Coffee (Dakota Graff – Onyx Coffee Lab, US)
• Data-Driven Coffee: How Producers and Roasters Stay Ahead in 2026 (Griffin Hall – Verve Coffee Roasters, US)

English and Spanish-speaking candidates are invited to apply for PRF Voices. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in the coffee industry, over five years of experience in their topic of interest, previous PRF participation, public speaking skills, and fresh insight into key trends and challenges in today’s coffee sector.

English speakers can apply here, and Spanish speakers can apply here. Applications will close on 31 January 2026; as spaces are limited, they are likely to fill quickly.

What else is happening at PRF?

There will be an exhibition area at the two-day forum where attendees can network with leading Latin American and international companies and organisations, including producers, exporters, roasters, importers, and café owners.

The Producer-Roaster Matchmaking programme, sponsored by Algrano, will also return after its successful launch at the 2025 Honduras event. 

“During a time of price volatility, it’s never been more critical for roasters to find the right coffee and flavour profiles for their budget, as well as for producers to find stable buyers,” Andrea says. “The Producer-Roaster Matchmaking initiative gives both the opportunity to discuss different coffee options, develop more personal working relationships, and build trust.”

The programme is designed specifically to connect producers and roasters at the Matchmaking Zone, a space dedicated to curating meaningful conversations and building new relationships.

Roasters, producers, and traders will have the opportunity to meet potential partners in a quick, structured speed networking format. Algrano will help guide participants throughout the process, offering supply chain expertise, logistical support, key financial information, and live translations.

Like other PRF events, the 2026 forum will include workshops and cuppings, showcasing some of Latin America’s best producers and traders and highlighting the region’s coffee diversity. 

There will also be an Espresso, a Brew, and a Cold Brew Bar, sponsored by Toddy, where producers can showcase their coffees and micro-lots and connect with potential buyers.

Volunteers work at registration, cuppings, Bars, competitions, and other areas, playing a pivotal role in shaping PRF El Salvador’s success. Applicants need to be comfortable working with coffee equipment and have some customer service skills. You can apply to be a volunteer here.

PRF will return to El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026. The event will continue its legacy of facilitating meaningful connections between producers and roasters.

International tickets and Sourcing Trip Experience tickets are available to buy here.

You can stay up to date with all announcements for PRF here or by subscribing to the newsletter here.

Photo credits: Producer & Roaster Forum, Le Lab Production, Belco

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The European edition of the Global Coffee Awards, a competition that honours international roasting excellence, took place on 29 & 30 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France.

Roasters from 25 countries submitted their coffees across multiple categories, including filter, espresso, and milk-based drinks, which were blind-tasted by a panel of professional judges.

Using an objective scoring system, the judges provided actionable feedback to all entrants, allowing them to showcase the full potential of their coffees and generate new revenue streams.

Read on to find out who the winners are and learn more about the upcoming global finals.

Learn more about the GCA here.

Honouring European roasting excellence and diversity

From small independents to regional and national brands, the Global Coffee Awards invited European roasters of all sizes to submit bags of their most exceptional coffees across various categories. 

Designed to reward the overall company rather than an individual roaster, allowing companies to strengthen their brand identity, the GCA is a prestigious competition that also recognises the producer who grew the coffee. This bridges a gap in the industry, acknowledging and raising awareness of excellence across the supply chain.

“It was a real pleasure to lead the GCA’s European judging panel,” says Martin Suard, the head roaster at L’arbre à Café in Paris, France, a Q grader, and a national coordinator of the SCA French chapter. 

“Spending a few days with colleagues from all over Europe was a rich learning experience,” he adds. “It also allowed us to have a snapshot of the sensory skills standards of each country.”

As one of the most diverse coffee-consuming markets in the world, Europe plays a pivotal role in global coffee trade. 

According to the European Coffee Federation, the EU27 bloc consumed an estimated 2.53 million tonnes of coffee in 2023, making it the world’s third-largest coffee market. Germany, Italy, and France are the leading consuming countries in the region, according to the ECF’s 2023/24 European Coffee Report.

“The competition allows us to gain a better understanding of the consumption habits of our European neighbours and get an overview of the region’s coffee trends,” Martin adds.

The continent is home to both heritage brands and specialty coffee roasters, culminating in a varied coffee market unlike most others. Scandinavia, for example, is known for its preference for light roasts and its pioneering role in creating modern filter coffee culture.

In some Western European countries, such as France and Austria, tradition still holds considerable sway, while specialty coffee culture thrives alongside it. For example, Viennese coffee houses have received UNESCO recognition as an intangible part of the country’s cultural heritage. At the same time, the country is also home to some of the world’s most respected specialty coffee shops and roasters.

“Europe is a highly diverse coffee market, both in terms of roasting and sourcing,” says Andrea Melo-Leon, the COO of GCA. “Many different countries contribute their own unique flavours, traditions, and market dynamics.

“While some countries have more established specialty coffee culture, others are emerging as specialty coffee consumers,” she adds. “In these countries, where the markets are less saturated, a number of roasters are surfacing as market leaders, driving innovation and explosive growth.”

Eastern Europe, for instance, is markedly different to other parts of the continent. While some major cities have rapidly growing specialty coffee scenes, many countries in this region are still regarded as emerging markets with lower per capita consumption than other regions.

The GCA judging process

The competition focuses on roasted coffee rather than green beans, providing a comprehensive quality assessment that encompasses all types of coffee appealing to diverse consumer preferences.

“The GCA is about recognising all coffees, and acknowledging the positive, unique aspects of each one,” says Andrea. “Blind cupping roasted coffee is an unprecedented competition format in the industry; we’re helping drive consumption and allowing roasters to better understand how to sell more coffee.

“Taking part is a small investment to receive constructive, actionable feedback, and roasters also gain global exposure,” she adds. “Moreover, all of the judging feedback is constructive, not punitive, so roasters obtain as much value from competing as possible.” 

The categories are designed to recognise the unique qualities of different coffee-based drinks, rather than relying solely on cupping. Additionally, the subcategories recognise a wide variety of processing methods, ensuring judges can evaluate them independently.

“Belco operates at the heart of the coffee sector, promoting a global and sustainable approach to quality across the supply chain,” says Denis Mialocq, the head of quality and training and Q grader at green coffee importer Belco in Bordeaux, France.

“Guided by this vision and by its central position between origin and consumption, Belco is proud to have hosted the Global Coffee Awards Europe,” he adds. “The competition reflects our values: it celebrates the diversity of coffees, origins, and skills (from producers to roasters), promoting excellence at every step of the chain.”

The panel consisted of one lead sensory judge, one lead shadow judge, nine sensory judges, three coordinators, and six shadow judges. The day before the event, all judges calibrated their palates and agreed on the best brew ratios and standardised brewing processes. 

An objective and transparent scoring system was used for every entrant across all categories. These include Filter, Espresso, Flat White with Dairy, and Flat White with Alternative Milk. Each category contains several subcategories, with up to three points available for each coffee.

The coffees in each category were prepared as a consumer would experience them in a café, using specific brew ratios and brewing protocols:

• Filter: prepared using Fellow Ode grinders and Fellow Aiden brewers provided by Equipment Partner Fellow
• Espresso: prepared using two Linea Mini espresso machines and two Pico grinders provided by Equipment Partner La Marzocco
• Flat White with Dairy and Flat White with Alternative Milk: prepared using the automated MilkPal, provided by Equipment Partner Marco Beverage Systems

The scoring system for each category included:

• Judging form – provided a numerical score across multiple criteria and a sensory snapshot (tasting notes and key descriptors)
• A coordinator form – provided a sensory snapshot, guidance on how to improve roast profile development, and food pairing suggestions from the judges

As part of a two-stage blind-tasting process, the judges first completed a two-minute sensory evaluation. For the Filter and Espresso categories, the judges assigned numerical scores between 5 and 10 for nine criteria, including aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, sweetness, and balance. For both Flat White categories, numerical scores were given for five criteria, including sweetness, balance, and mouthfeel.

The judges also noted down any qualitative points. The coordinator then led a three-minute discussion with the judges to discuss their feedback in detail, ensuring that all judges were aligned.

“By bringing together passionate experts around a rigorous evaluation process, the GCA aligns with Belco’s mission: to contribute to a stronger, more coherent, and more resilient coffee sector, capable of progressing collectively toward a sustainable future,” Denis says.

Who won at the GCA Europe competition?

The winners of the GCA Europe competition are:

Overall winner: Origin Coffee in Cornwall, UK

Category winners:

• Filter – Ombú Bcn Tostadores in Barcelona, Spain
• Espresso – Origin Coffee
• Flat White Dairy – Rocket Bean in Riga, Latvia
• Flat White Alternative – Rocket Bean

For subcategories, entrants who received identical numerical scores both placed first to ensure fairness and parity.

Gold winners of each sub-category (roaster and producer):

Filter

• Blend – Fester blend, Badger & Dodo in Cork, Ireland & various producers from Colombia, Burundi, and Ethiopia
• Single origin traditional – Hangout, Huracán Coffee in Vilnius, Lithuania & various producers in Kenya
• Single origin experimental – Dimello Colombia Special Edition, Kafea Terra in Peania, Greece & Micava Santuario Farm in Colombia
• Washed – Humming Bird, Spojka Roastery in Prešov, Slovakia & Café de Altura San Ramon in Costa Rica
• Natural – Camino Lot 25, Origin Coffee & Aliss Hartmann in Panama
• Honey – Colombia Pink Ranger, Ombu Bcn Tostadores & Ana María Donneys in Colombia
• Experimental
  • Sidra, Café Piha in Bordeaux, France & Jhonatan Zúñiga in Colombia
  • Java Las Flores, Terres de Café in Paris, France & Jhoan Vergara in Colombia
• Decaf – Colombia natural, Rocket Bean & Jairo Arcila in Colombia

Espresso

• Blend – Amour à Kyoto, La Brûlerie du Books & Coffee in Bordeaux, France & various producers in Colombia and Guatemala
• Single origin traditional – Gerba Dogo, Café Piha & Shonora in Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Area51 Colombia SL28, Kafea Terra & La Macarena in Colombia
• Decaf – N°09 Décollage Colombie, Les Révélations in Paris, France & El Fenix in Colombia

Flat White Dairy

• Blend – India and Kenya blend, Audun Coffee in Bydgoszcz, Poland & various producers in India and Kenya
• Single origin traditional – Magic Pussy natural Ethiopia Guji Shakisso, Rocket Bean & Gigesa washing station in Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Java Las Flores, Terres de Café & Jhoan Vergara

Flat White Alternative

• Blend – Rocket Fuel House Espresso, Rocket Bean & various producers in Colombia and Brazil
• Single origin traditional
  • Colombia House Roast, Tree Artisan Coffee in Oxford, UK & Luz Helena Salazar in Colombia
  • Monteblanco Coconut, Vero Coffee House in Kaunas, Lithuania & Rodrigo Sanchez in Colombia

MTPak Packaging Award winner: Spojka Roastery

Participating roasters will also receive digital Certificates of Achievement, as well as Gold, Silver, and Bronze Global Coffee Awards seals. These are distinctive marks of excellence that they can display on their packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus.

All winning roasters will also be included in an internationally distributed digital catalogue, offering global brand exposure.

You can find all the GCA European category and subcategory winners here.

Key trends in the European coffee market

In addition to crowning the best roasters in Europe, the GCA provides a snapshot of broader consumer and industry trends in the European market.

The competition showcased a range of processing methods. These included traditional washed, natural, and honey lots, as well as more experimental techniques such as anaerobic fermentation, anoxic fermentation, and mosto. Exclusive varieties, such as Sidra and Papayo, which are often seen at other high-end competitions like the World Barista Championship, were also submitted.

This resulted in a wide range of flavour profiles – from dulce de leche to white pepper, orange blossom, wine, kumquat, brioche, and milk oolong tea. These reflected the region’s diverse coffee market, where both traditional and innovative tasting notes are celebrated.

The three most popular categories were Filter Single Origin Traditional, Filter Single Origin Experimental, and Filter Washed. Historically, espresso has dominated Western European markets, so the popularity of the Filter category demonstrates shifting consumption patterns across the region.

“We had roasters from both mature and emerging specialty coffee markets taking part, creating a truly unique competition where brands from less established consuming countries can showcase their skills and passion,” Andrea says.

Roasters from 25 different countries took part. These included Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

There were also noticeable country-specific trends, reflecting the complex, fragmented nature of the European coffee market. 

Single origin experimentally processed coffees were particularly popular among Greek, French, and Slovakian roasters, for example, signalling the diverse preferences of consumers in these countries. Meanwhile, Irish, Swiss, Belgian, and Norwegian roasters submitted more washed coffees, demonstrating consumer preference towards more traditional, clean flavour profiles.

Supporting roasters to sell more coffee

A key part of the GCA is providing all entrants with actionable feedback that enables them to enhance their roasting skills and refine their menu offerings.

“The GCA is a wonderful initiative, allowing so many roasters to obtain constructive, supportive, and informative feedback,” Martin says. “It provides a global vision of the market, one’s position within it, and even the possibility of understanding how to expand into other countries.”

For example, for an entry in the Filter Natural subcategory (which was a Rwandan coffee), the judges recommended roasting it longer to bring out more sweetness and prolong the aftertaste and finish, creating a more well-rounded flavour profile.

Meanwhile, for a coffee in the Filter Washed category (with notes of orange blossom, wine, panela, and pineapple), the judges suggested pairing it with cheeses such as Brie with honey, blue cheese, aged cheddar, and Comté.

This high-level, specific feedback not only allows roasters to improve their skills and apply them directly to their operations, but it also ensures they can develop curated, complementary food and beverage offerings that elevate their menus.

“The competition also highlights the producer-roaster duo, which is too often underestimated,” Martin adds. “Many competitions focus on only one or the other, rarely on this essential combination of both.”

The GCA global finals

All Gold, Silver, and Bronze category winners of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe events will be invited to compete at the global finals, which will be held at PRF El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, where they will compete for international recognition. 

There will also be regional winners’ awards ceremonies, which will take place on the evening of the first day of PRF.

The GCA team reverse-engineered the winning coffees to establish the producers responsible for growing them. This means that when a roaster submits a bag of coffee, they automatically enter the producer who grew the coffee into the competition.

The team will send complimentary invitations to the winning producers to attend PRF El Salvador. This gives roasters a unique opportunity to meet the producer behind their coffee, thereby strengthening long-term commercial relationships and ensuring that producers share in the recognition for coffee excellence.

Winning producers also receive a GCA seal and Certificate of Excellence, acknowledging their crucial role in the industry.

Through its regional competition format, the GCA is designed to find not only the best roasters in the US & Canada, Europe, and coffee-producing countries, but also to place the winners to compete against each other, culminating in a global champion.

This unique format levels the competition playing field, allowing international roasters to go head-to-head and claim the title of world’s best in the finals.

Learn more about PRF here.

Photo credits: Dušan Holovej, Terres de Café

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Straying from previous generations of specialty coffee purists, Gen Z is willing to spend their money on maximalist, fun coffee experiences. In particular, sober-curious Gen Z are buying tickets to “coffee raves” that align with their ethos of holistic wellness. 

From underground pop-ups to high-profile weekly events, a variety of venues host raves that centre on coffee. Most commonly, coffee shops are the destination, as they can keep their espresso machine dialled in, their regular menu available, and clear room for partygoers.

With no drinking age restrictions and more sociable set times, coffee raves are fostering a deeper connection between younger specialty coffee drinkers and cafés.

But are they just a flash in the pan, or have they sparked a more profound movement? Radha Agrawal of Daybreaker, Mithilesh Vazalwar of Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters, and Gefen Skolnick of Couplet Coffee share their insight.

You may also like our article on why black coffee should be Gen Z’s favourite drink.

Club culture meets coffee: What are coffee raves?

Nightclubs have lost their monopoly as venues for raves. Daytime music sets have become popular in coffee shops as well as restaurants, museums, and even ice cream parlours.

During the pandemic, young people were unable to experience club culture in the same way previous generations had, reshaping their social experiences.

A 2025 Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) study found that 61% of respondents aged between 18 and 30 years old reported going out less frequently in the past year, with only 16% stating they go out more after 10pm. Safety concerns (especially for women), inadequate access to transportation, and rising costs are among the reasons cited.

Simultaneously, younger generations are drinking less alcohol. A recent YouGov survey of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK shows Gen Z continue to be the most sober generation overall, with 39% of them not drinking alcohol at all.

These shifting behaviours have given way to coffee raves: sober dance parties held in cafés that mix music, coffee drinks, and socialising. They’re a global phenomenon, popping up in Africa, Australia, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Russia. 

According to Eventbrite, the number of coffee clubbing events has increased by 478% compared to last year, signalling widespread interest.

The morning rave concept, however, isn’t new. Thirteen years ago, Radha, the co-founder and CEO of the global morning dance, music, and wellness movement Daybreaker, conceived a social experiment with her soon-to-be co-founders: would anyone be willing to wake up at 6:00am for a sober rave before work? 

In 2013, the Daybreaker founders sold out their first coffee rave with 200 people packed in the basement of The Coffee Shop in New York City. Daybreaker events are immersive performance art experiences with live horn sections, djembe drummers, break dancers, and fire spinners. Its Coffee Clubs events feature seasonally rotating coffee and matcha brands.

“All of this brick laying that we did over the last 13 years really supported this moment,” Radha says. “I get really excited to see all of these amazing burgeoning communities out there.”

After hosting over 1,000 parties, Daybreaker has proven that morning coffee raves are a success; the brand now boasts one million members across 33 cities worldwide.

Coffee raves are reinventing the café experience

The coffee rave movement has steadily expanded to cafés worldwide.

Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters in Nagpur, India, hosted its first coffee rave in 2018.

“It was just a jamming session and we didn’t even know it was called a rave back then,” says Mithilesh, the founder and CEO. 

The roaster’s music sets evolved into what Mithilesh describes as “magical” coffee raves with hundreds of attendees. Viral videos of Corridor Seven’s coffee rave with the famous Indian DJ Nikhil Chinapa “broke the internet”. Thereafter, Mithilesh says coffee raves exploded beyond India. 

Couplet Coffee in Los Angeles, California, has been hosting pop-up coffee parties and music sets at various venues since 2021. It now hosts coffee parties at two new brick-and-mortar locations.

“We hosted a queer Latinx-focused party, as well as acoustic and singing events for the general public,” says Gefen, the founder and CEO. “People are raving about our raves, and we want to host many more.”

Coffee raves cater to youth pop culture as a type of “soft clubbing” that merges Brat party culture with “clean girl” aesthetics. Additionally, splurging on coffee can be a healthy outlet for Gen Z – often deemed the most anxious and overwhelmed generation – to cope with global economic and socio-political stressors.

They also foster a sense of belonging and joy, which is Daybreaker’s raison d’être, Radha says. In fact, research shows that socialising, dancing, and music neurochemically increase feelings of happiness. 

“After hours of partying, ravers can go to work clear-headed, with glitter on their face, and a little dewiness from the dance floor,” Radha says.  

But the reasons for the explosive popularity of coffee raves are also pragmatic. Rising costs of living for consumers mean coffee raves offer a compelling alternative to traditional nightclubs. For coffee shop owners, it’s an opportunity to stray from business as usual.

“We want people to consume coffee, not just in a sit-down setting,” Mithilesh explains. “This means in whatever form, manner, time, day, situation – anytime.” 

Even with soaring C-market prices, coffee shops still offer cheaper drinks than nightclubs. Coffee shop owners have found that fusing the two third spaces is a smart business decision, reshaping the café experience in exciting new ways.

A lasting movement, or a passing trend?

Inevitably, any trend’s proliferation means that some lack substance. While some coffee raves may feel like weak, Instagrammable moments or money-grabs, others are authentic, burgeoning communities.

“If there is a continuing massive boom for the next 12 to 18 months, then you’ll see a massive drop off,” Radha says. Because producing community events requires vastly different skill sets and resources than running a café, she adds that the lasting coffee raves will be run by seasoned production companies who are able to invest the required amount of energy, time, and money. 

A significant hurdle for coffee shops is managing daily customer flow while simultaneously hosting a rave. The right timing is all about balancing the needs of regulars with those of party-goers. 

Corridor Seven, for example, avoids hosting raves during peak weekend hours, but ultimately will do what best caters to its community. 

“You will upset a few people, but you will also make a few people happy,” he adds. “You host coffee raves for your own reasons rather than just for the fad of it.”

Ultimately, the general consensus is that coffee raves have a much deeper cultural impact than a passing fad. Their success demonstrates that people seek experiences that encompass, but also extend beyond, coffee itself. They offer Gen Z a hybrid of third spaces and an opportunity for specialty coffee shops to diversify their spaces.

“I think of coffee rave as an easy plugin into the entire ecosystem of your café, where at the end of the corner table, people can still talk to each other,” Mithilesh says. “It’s not that deafening kind of a sound where people aren’t able to enjoy coffee.”

Radha thinks we might see the emergence of a new kind of third space: coffee shops with a dance club component permanently integrated. Indeed, this trend opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for specialty coffee. 

“I hope to see music events and coffee shops continue to expand outside of only raving!” Gefen says. 

Already, coffee raves have grown communities beyond the dance floor. 

This summer, Corridor Seven collaborated with a local run club for the first run rave in India. The team set up a DJ deck atop a truck that drove in front of over 75 runners as they ran a 5K at 6:00am. 

For Mithilesh, the beauty of coffee raves is that they don’t have to be hundreds of ravers bouncing to a renowned DJ to be successful; any number of people coming together to enjoy music together can build a meaningful community. 

Coffee raves are revitalising the routines of rushed mornings, merging them with nightlife culture in a way that fosters connection and community.

While they won’t reshape fundamental coffee shop culture, coffee raves are having an impact – and they’re not disappearing anytime soon.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why specialty coffee needs to be exciting for younger generations.

Photo credits: Daybreaker, Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters

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The European Union Deforestation Regulation (or EUDR) is already transforming the coffee industry as we know it, reshaping Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance. The landmark legislation seeks to eliminate products sourced from supply chains that involve deforestation, including coffee and other commodities.

Although well-intentioned, the EUDR has come under continuous fire, particularly for its perceived political bias and potential harm to smallholder farmers in majority-producing countries. Many stakeholders have called for additional delays to grant supply chain actors more time to comply, especially after recent IT issues that could hinder data reporting.

While the European Commission has decided not to delay its regulation further for larger companies, it has proposed simplifications for micro and small enterprises (SMEs) that, it claims, would better support the transition to deforestation-free supply chains. If approved, certain supply chain actors, including smallholder farmers and downstream companies, would also be exempt from submitting due diligence statements.

We spoke to Harry Marshall at OpenAtlas and Héctor González at Xorxios to find out what this means for smaller roasters and coffee businesses.

You may also like our article on what roasters need to know about EUDR-ready coffee.

A timeline of the EUDR in coffee

The EUDR has dominated conversations in the global coffee industry since its initial adoption in December 2022. The landmark legislation is among the most significant to affect agricultural commodity trade in recent history, aiming to eradicate deforestation in key global commodities, including soy, cattle, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, timber, and rubber.

While some have praised the regulation’s objective of ensuring environmental protection as non-negotiable, its strict implementation and compliance mechanisms have drawn criticism. Others assert that the legislation’s tier benchmarking system (which categorises commodity-producing countries as low, standard, or high risk) will deter buyers from certain countries, removing critical market access for smallholders.

Ministers from Indonesia – the world’s fourth-largest coffee producer and categorised as standard risk under the EUDR – referred to the regulations as “inherently discriminatory and punitive in nature” and expressed their concerns about their impact on key exports.

Calls to delay EUDR and buy supply chain actors more time to prepare for compliance have been persistent. In August 2024, key stakeholders, including Fairtrade International, Global Coffee Platform, and the European Coffee Federation, warned that the legislation could unintentionally harm smallholder farmers. For countries like Ethiopia, where the majority of coffee farmers have limited access to data needed to prove due diligence, the legislation could significantly restrict their access to the EU market, which buys up to 30% of the country’s coffee every year.

In response to these growing concerns, the European Commission approved a one-year delay, moving the compliance deadlines to December 2025 for large businesses and June 2026 for SMEs. The Commission also announced new simplification measures under which companies can submit annual due diligence statements rather than separate statements for each shipment or batch placed on the EU market.

No overall delay, but European Commission proposes weakened regulations

Changes to the EUDR over the last year have offered much-needed relief for producers, traders, and roasters.

A 2024 ODI report states that a year-long delay reduces the risk of a “green squeeze” in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which contribute minimally to global emissions and often lack the resources and infrastructure to comply with complex traceability and compliance requirements.

In September 2025, following IT issues that would have hindered data reporting, the European Commission proposed another one-year delay to the EUDR.

While an overall delay wasn’t approved, the Commission recently put forth a formal proposal to simplify requirements for SMEs and downstream operators.

If approved, the formal proposal would delay entry into application for micro and small enterprises from June 2026 to December 2026. For all other companies, the entry into force date would remain 30 December 2025, but given the IT issues, they would have a six-month grace period for checks, during which they would receive no fines if unable to prove compliance.

“We see the proposal as a realistic step towards a more balanced and achievable implementation of the EUDR. For micro and small roasters, the changes bring simplified obligations and more time to adapt,” says Héctor, the Head of Quality and Sustainability at Xorxios, a specialty green coffee importer in Spain.

The new proposal, if approved, would also exempt certain actors, including smallholders and downstream companies, from the requirement to submit due diligence statements – seemingly addressing one of the major criticisms of the EUDR.

“The main responsibility shifts to the importers placing green coffee on the EU market, allowing smaller roasters to focus on traceability and sustainability rather than bureaucracy,” Héctor says. “From our perspective, these exemptions are logical and fair. They aim to maintain global traceability while reducing the administrative burden for smallholders and cooperatives with limited technical resources.

“In practice, only the operator placing coffee on the EU market for the first time (typically the importer) must file the full due diligence declaration in the system,” he adds. “Subsequent actors, such as roasters or manufacturers, may be exempt or able to submit a simplified declaration if the data is already available.

“This approach lightens the bureaucratic load for small producers and processors while ensuring accountability and traceability through the importers and primary operators.”

What do small coffee businesses need to know about EUDR updates?

In light of the recent proposal to simplify EUDR requirements for smallholder producers, SMEs, and downstream companies, many are seeking clarification on what the changes would mean in practice.

The term “downstream companies” refers to businesses that operate in the latter stages of a supply chain, including processing, marketing, distributing, and selling finished products to consumers. In the context of coffee, this technically refers to roasters; however, the EUDR’s legal framework defines this differently.

“Under the EUDR, a processing company is classified as an operator or trader depending on whether the transformation results in a significant change to the product’s four-digit Harmonised System (HS) code as listed in Annex I,” Héctor tells me. “In the case of coffee, roasting does not change the HS code (0901), meaning roasters are classified as traders rather than processors.

“This distinction carries practical implications. Micro and small roasters (SMEs) wouldn’t be required to file a due diligence statement (DDS), but must retain traceability information for at least five years,” he adds. “Large roasters or brands (non-SMEs), however, must submit their own DDS and verify that compliance has been properly exercised in previous stages of the supply chain.”

The European Commission defines a micro-enterprise as having 10 or fewer staff and an annual revenue of €2 million or less. A small enterprise, meanwhile, has 50 or fewer staff and an annual revenue of €10 million or less.

“Ultimately, the company’s size and position determine its level of responsibility, with large operators bearing the full legal accountability for compliance,” Héctor says.

For smaller roasters who don’t import coffee themselves, this means less administrative burden, but there’s still a responsibility to check and report data in compliance with the EUDR, including the identity of their suppliers and reference numbers for the due diligence statements associated with specific coffees. This means working closely with trusted importers and exporters who must carry out due diligence checks and risk assessments upstream.

Why EUDR simplifications pose challenges

The EUDR represents a significant step towards combatting deforestation and climate change more broadly, but understanding and adhering to the legislation requires a scrupulous approach.

While the simplifications could bring some relief, they also risk creating a two-tier system that effectively “waters down” the EUDR’s objective.

“The main concern is fragmentation. If the legislation formally requires only part of the supply chain to comply, data consistency breaks down, making it harder for everyone to demonstrate deforestation-free sourcing,” says Harry, the founder of OpenAtlas, a deforestation monitoring company that uses satellite imagery and AI to map areas of land. “It also sends a confusing message to markets and producers about the EU’s long-term direction.

“Simplifications offer short-term relief, not a long-term win,” he adds. “Simplifying obligations for small operators may reduce administrative burden now, but it risks undermining the level playing field and transparency that the EUDR means to establish.”

Additionally, proposed exemptions for smallholders to submit due diligence statements further reduce the administrative burden, which is critical for those without access to data and technology to demonstrate compliance. However, there could still be expectations to provide this data from downstream companies, creating more logistical hurdles that challenge the nature of partnerships between sellers and buyers.

“The larger companies will still need full traceability to comply, and that requirement will cascade down,” Harry explains. “So even if smallholders aren’t submitting due diligence statements themselves, they’ll still be asked for the same data by buyers who are.”

Recent proposals to “soften” EUDR requirements could provide the coffee industry with some breathing room. But overall, the legislation continues to reinforce the need for supply chain actors to work together to safeguard environmental protection and maintain producers’ access to the EU market.

“The deforestation footprint of commodities like coffee won’t shrink because reporting rules are softened,” Harry concludes. “What matters most is creating scalable, accessible tools so even small actors can participate in compliance without being priced out.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why roasters can’t be complacent about EUDR.

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The Origin edition of the Global Coffee Awards, a competition that rewards roasting excellence on an international scale, took place on 1 October 2025 in Houston, Texas. 

As part of the GCA, expert judges blind-tasted bags of roasted coffee submitted across multiple categories, including filter, espresso, and milk-based drinks. Using an objective and transparent scoring system, the judges provided actionable feedback to all entrants, ensuring they can get the best results from their coffees and generate new revenue streams.

Read on to find out who the winners are, how you can take part in the upcoming Europe edition, and when the global finals will be held.

Learn more about the GCA here.

The GCA recognises roasting excellence at origin

The Global Coffee Awards invited roasters in producing countries around the world to submit bags of their most exceptional coffees across various defined categories. Roasters of any size could take part, resulting in a unique competition that recognised the skills and expertise of a diverse range of coffee businesses.

“The competition is very relevant because, collectively, we now think more about how end consumers experience coffee,” says Jayson Galvis, a two-time CoE international lead judge, as well as the Lead Judge for the US & Canada and Origin GCA competitions. “As an industry, we rarely recognise roasters in producing countries, and that is the most valuable aspect of the GCA.”

In addition to the US & Canada and European editions, the Origin category helps level the playing field in international coffee competitions. Through its regional format, the GCA is designed to find not only the best roasters in the US & Canada, Europe, and coffee-producing countries, but also to place the winners to compete against each other – culminating in a global champion.

There are a number of reasons for this. Much of the value in the coffee industry is generated by roasting, after which coffee is marketed and sold. Although there are many roasters in origin countries, most are based in majority-consuming countries, where much of the marketing takes place.

This means that most of the value in the supply chain is traditionally added once coffee has left a producing country. Roasting coffee at origin is one of the many ways to attain more value in these countries, thereby helping industry professionals in these regions receive higher prices.

“A key part of the GCA is ensuring roasters at origin receive more of the global spotlight, highlighting and rewarding their commitment to excellence, consistency, and quality,” says Henry Wilson, the founder of GCA and PRF. 

“We’re also acknowledging the growth of the specialty coffee roasters at origin, including those who have wholesale accounts in the US, which demonstrates a significant shift in trade dynamics and a huge increase in quality.”

All editions of the competition also reward the producers who grew the winning coffees. This is especially important for the Origin event, as it supports the expertise and dedication of all coffee professionals in producing countries.

The European edition will be held on 29 & 30 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France. You can submit coffees here and contact Emi Rueda, the GCA Associate Project Manager, via WhatsApp here for more information.

The GCA judging process

The panel consisted of one lead judge, four certified Q-grader sensory judges, several shadow judges, and coordinator judges. The day before the event, all judges calibrated their palates and agreed on the best brew ratios and standardised brewing processes. 

An objective and transparent scoring system was used for every entrant across all categories. These include Filter Coffee, Espresso, Flat White with Dairy, and Flat White with Alternative Milk. Each category contains several subcategories, with up to three points available for each coffee.

The coffees in each category were prepared as a consumer would experience them in a café, using specific brew ratios and brewing protocols:

• Filter: prepared using Bentwood H75 grinders, Tone 03 brewers, and Hario V60s provided by Equipment Suppliers GH Grinding + Brewing Solutions and Geva Coffee
• Espresso: prepared using Pinecone Siberian grinders, Sanremo espresso machines, and a PuqPress, also provided by GH Grinding + Brewing Solutions and Geva Coffee, as well as Espresso Sponsor Moplaco Trading
• Flat White with Dairy and Flat White with Alternative Milk: prepared using the automated MilkPal, provided by Equipment Supplier Marco Beverage Systems

The scoring system for each category included:

• Judging form – provided a numerical score across multiple criteria and a sensory snapshot (tasting notes and key descriptors)
• A coordinator form – provided a sensory snapshot, guidance on how to improve roast profile development, and food pairing suggestions from the judges

As part of a two-stage blind-tasting process, the judges first completed a two-minute sensory evaluation. For the Filter and Espresso categories, the judges assigned numerical scores between 5 and 10 for nine criteria, including aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, sweetness, and balance. For both Flat White categories, numerical scores were given for five criteria, including sweetness, balance, and mouthfeel.

The judges also noted down any qualitative points. The coordinator then led a three-minute discussion with the judges to discuss their feedback in detail, ensuring that all judges were aligned.

“It’s a practical, simple evaluation system explicitly designed for evaluating roasted coffee that offers constructive feedback,” Jayson says. “All points are positive and focus on improvements, supporting roasters and the overall industry.”

Who won at the GCA Origin competition?

The winners of the GCA Origin Roasted competition are:

Overall winner: Casa Landino in Bogotá, Colombia

Category winners:

• Filter – Casa Landino
• Espresso – Galani Coffee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Flat White Dairy – DeLa Finca Specialty Coffee in Managua, Nicaragua
• Flat White Alternative – Café de las Nubes in Alvarado, Mexico

For subcategories, entrants who received identical numerical scores both placed first to ensure fairness and parity.

Gold winners of each sub-category (roaster and producer):

Filter

• Blend – Maestro Jose Alejandro Gutierrez (Gesha and Wush Wush), Casa Landino & Jose Alejandro Gutierrez in Tolima, Colombia
• Single origin traditional – Maestro Juan Maria Caez (Caturra), Casa Landino & Juan Maria Caez in Nariño, Colombia
• Single origin experimental – 4 Elementos, Linea Gran Reserva-Esencia Frutal (blend of Java, Gesha, and Tabi varieties), Café La Vereda in Calarca, Colombia & Deisy Ardila in Colombia
• Washed
  • Gesha, Amor Perfecto in Bogotá, Colombia & Astrid Medina in Colombia
  • Geishaverse Diamante, Café Cultor in Bogotá, Colombia (producer undisclosed)
• Natural
  • Esperanza (hybrid cross of Ethiopian and Sarchimor varieties), Cafetalera Aquiares in Turrialba, Costa Rica (both roaster and producer)
  • Mundo Maya, Zozoaga in León, Mexico & Carlos Cadena in Mexico
• Honey – Aponte Honey (Caturra and Colombia varieties), Pergamino in Medellín, Colombia & Resguardo Indígena de Aponte in Colombia
• Experimental – Washed anaerobic fermentation Caturra, Café Cultor (producer undisclosed)
• Robusta – Fine Robusta Cư M’Gar, Every Half in Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam & Every Half X Vietnam Coffee Cooperative
• Decaf – Lomaverde Descafeinado, Pergamino & Familia Echavarría in Colombia

Espresso

• Blend – Washed Caturra Sunrise, Café Cultor (producer undisclosed)
• Single origin traditional – washed Guji (heirloom variety), Galani Coffee & Guji Dry Station Kercha Hambela in Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Sheka honey (heirloom variety), Galani Coffee & Sheka Kawo Kamina Farm in Ethiopia
• Decaf – Blend 0 (mix of Caturra, Colombia, and Castillo varieties), Casa Landino & Comunidad La Serrania in Colombia

Flat White Dairy

• Blend – Pasionaria (Pink Bourbon natural anaerobic fermentation), Café Cultor (producer undisclosed)
• Single origin traditional
  • Café Volcan (blend of Caturra, Red Patch, Typica, Mundo Novo, Marsellesa, and Anacafe 14 varieties), Finca Peniel in Guatemala City, Guatemala (both roaster and producer)
  • Balmaadi natural arabica, Marc’s Coffees in Tamil Nadu, India & Unna Thiagarajan from Balmaadi Plantation, India
• Single origin experimental – Caturra Viñedo, DeLa Finca Specialty Coffee & Heberto Rivas in Nicaragua

Flat White Alternative

• Blend – Café de las Nubes (producer undisclosed)
• Single origin traditional – Meridiano (Typica Mejorado variety), Cabra Negra in Quito, Ecuador & M. Hervas in Ecuador

Participating roasters will also receive digital Certificates of Achievement and Gold, Silver, and Bronze Global Coffee Awards seals. These are distinctive marks of excellence that they can display on their packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus.

All winning roasters will also be included in an internationally distributed digital catalogue, offering global brand exposure.

You can find all the Origin category and subcategory winners here.

Highlighting the specialty coffee market in producing countries

The GCA provided insight into a broad range of specialty coffee markets in producing countries, and offered unique comparisons to the results of the US & Canada competition, which was held on 29 & 30 September.

Roasters across Latin America (including Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador, and El Salvador) took part, as well as brands from Kenya, Ethiopia, Vietnam, India, and the Philippines.

The majority of winning coffees encompassed more traditional washed, natural, and honey lots, but there were also more experimental techniques such as natural and washed anaerobic fermentation. 

Moreover, the event, hosted in Houston, Texas, at green coffee importer Copan Trade, featured more unique and exclusive varieties than the US & Canada edition, such as Papayo and Typica Mejorado. These are often seen at other high-end competitions like the World Barista Championships.

There was also a diverse range of flavour notes – from toasted oats to white pepper, burnt grapefruit, sugarcane, sage, clove, and panela. The results reflected local and regional cuisines and flavour preferences often underrepresented in the global coffee industry.

“We also had robusta submissions in the Filter category at the Origin event, reflecting the ever-improving quality of an historically undervalued coffee species,” Henry says. 

In the 1950s, robusta accounted for only 13% of the global coffee market. Fast forward to 2021, and it comprised 40%, indicating huge market growth and rapidly rising interest from both roasters and consumers. 

Supporting market growth in coffee-producing countries

A key part of the GCA is providing all entrants with actionable feedback that enables them to enhance their roasting skills and refine their menu offerings. All participating roasters receive a Competitor Feedback Report, which outlines the evaluation process, feedback philosophy, coordinator tasting notes and key descriptors, and suggested food pairings.

In rapidly-growing specialty coffee markets like Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, and East Africa, this is especially critical. By 2030, India’s coffee market, for instance, is forecast to double in value, with specialty coffee accounting for nearly 18% of this growth.

“We understand that every roaster invests time and effort towards their coffees,” Jayson explains. “Market prices have remained high over the last couple of years, so roasters are taking extra care to maintain and improve quality.”

“We also want to advise them on how the coffee can be used, what it can be paired with, and how they can continuously improve it,” Jayson adds. “Through the subcategories, we can suggest food pairings, which helps bring consumers closer to roasted coffee and allows roasters to generate more value in the future.”

The GCA global finals

All category Gold winners of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe events will advance to the global finals, which will be held at PRF El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, where they will compete for international recognition. There will also be an awards ceremony for the sub-category and category winners, which will take place on the evening of the first day of PRF.

The GCA team reverse-engineered the winning coffees to establish the producers responsible for growing them. This means that when a roaster submits a bag of coffee, they automatically enter the producer who grew the coffee into the competition.

The team will send complimentary invitations to the winning producers to attend PRF El Salvador. This gives roasters a unique opportunity to meet the producer behind their coffee, thereby strengthening long-term commercial relationships and ensuring that producers share in the recognition for coffee excellence.

Winning producers also receive a GCA seal and Certificate of Excellence, acknowledging their crucial role in the industry.

The European competition will take place on 29 & 30 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, hosted at Belco. The entry kit is available here.

Participating in shadow judging at the GCA offers coffee professionals the opportunity to learn firsthand about cupping and coffee tasting protocols and engage with some of the most experienced cuppers in the industry. To be considered for this judging position, fill out this form, or this form for a sensory judge position.

The Global Coffee Awards is pushing the boundaries of excellence and prestige in the coffee industry, giving roasters around the world a valuable opportunity to elevate their branding and achieve international recognition.

Contact info@globalcoffeeawards.com and the GCA project manager, Emi Rueda, via WhatsApp here for more information.

Apply to compete in the European GCA competition here.

Photo credits: Marett Media

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Every two years, HostMilano – one of the world’s largest B2B hospitality trade shows – takes place in Milan, Italy. The 2025 event, scheduled to take place from 17 to 21 October, will be held at the Fiera Milano exhibition and trade centre.

This year, HostMilano will host the 2025 World Barista Championship. Other competitions at the event will include the 2025 World Latte Art Grading System Championship, Moka Challenge, and the Gran Premio Delle Caffetteria Italiana competition.

Many brands will also organise their own afterparties and unofficial events across the five days. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit some of Italy’s best specialty coffee shops and roasters.

Read on for the essential coffee guide to HostMilano.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here. We will continue to update the article as more afterparties and events are announced.

Which competitions will take place?

HostMilano will be held at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre, Strada Statale Sempione, 28, 20017 Rho Milan, Italy – just outside the Rho Fieramilano metro station.

“It’s a world-class event of unique scale and influence, attracting an enormous global audience,” says Ioannis Papadopoulos, the founder and CEO of IRM. “Host is the ultimate meeting point for the coffee and hospitality industries, where thousands of professionals gather to discover the latest innovations shaping the future of our sector.

“We’re excited to showcase the spirit of Greek coffee culture at booth G55 in hall 18, and demonstrate how IRM is shaping the future of roasting.”

The event will feature several competitions, including the 2025 World Barista Championship, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. 

Other notable championships at HostMilano include:

• World Latte Art Grading System Championship, which assesses baristas’ technical latte art skills, as well as their creativity and flair
• Gran Premio Delle Caffetteria Italiana – competitors have 13 minutes to prepare two cappuccinos, two espressos, and two cold coffee drinks, which contain traditional Italian ingredients
• Moka Challenge – competitors have ten minutes to brew and serve coffee in a three-cup moka pot
• Espresso Italiano Champion competition held by the Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI)

Why coffee events are so popular in Italy

Specialty coffee is an industry built on close relationships and collaboration, so events and trade shows are an essential part of sales and marketing. Given its historical ties to espresso culture, Italy is a popular destination for major coffee expos.

In 2022, World of Coffee – another major industry trade show – took place in Milan. Other coffee events hosted in Italy include SIGEP, Trieste Coffee Festival, and TriestEspresso Expo.

Every two years, HostMilano takes place in Milan, the second most populous city in Italy, and attracts nearly 200,000 visitors from around the world. 

“As one of the biggest global hubs for coffee innovation, HostMilano gathers the world’s most forward-thinking brands and professionals under one roof,” says Jan Adriaens, the CEO of Perfect Moose. “This year, at booth H32 in hall 16, we will unveil upgrades to our automated milk steamers and offer an exclusive sneak peek at a brand-new prototype.”

The event is now in its 44th edition, and is known for showcasing the latest innovations and technologies in the global coffee, hospitality, and food and beverage industries.

“From the rise of vegan drinks to technological innovation in automation and the growing importance of sustainability, not to mention customers’ increasing awareness of quality, the beverage industry is undergoing major changes,” says Tharyn Estevez, the Director of Global Marketing at SEB Professional Beverages. “Host reflects these developments. 

“At the SEB Professional Beverage booths B48, B56, E47, and E55 in hall 12, we will showcase five leading brands: WMF, Schaerer, Curtis, La San Marco, and Zummo, offering comprehensive solutions for diverse beverage needs and business models.”

HostMilano will also include Host Talks – Beyond The Cup and the Coffee Addition showcase, demonstrating key trends in the coffee industry.

“Attending events like HostMilano is important because it connects us directly with global industry leaders, decision-makers, and innovators in the foodservice sector,” says Keelan Hartnett, the Managing Director of Flo-Smart. “It’s an opportunity to showcase how our technology revolutionises cold beverage service – serving iced coffee or matcha in less than six seconds – while building partnerships, finding distributors, and gathering market insights.”

Afterparties and events

Numerous companies and organisations will host their own activities and events during HostMilano:

Thursday 16 October

• Official Bloom book launch at Ditta Artigianale (invitation-only VIP session from 5pm to 6pm and public aperitivo session until 8pm)

Friday 17 October

• Hemro Group’s The Missing Piece at Casa Gessi Milano from 6pm
• Taste the Future at Stronghold Studio: Coffee + AI, including special guests Ben Tan, Matt Winton, and Boram Um

Saturday 18 October

• La Marzocco’s Out of the Box, returning after ten years, at Superstudio Più from 10am to 8pm
• Rancilio Group Evening Party at Casa Giardino from 8pm
• Macap’s aperitivos and cocktails evening at Pasticceria Cucchi from 7pm to 10pm
• Café Imports aperitivo evening at Osteria Alla Concorrenza from 6pm to 9pm

Sunday 19 October

• Firex and The Middleby Corporation’s 30th anniversary party at Via Piero della Francesca from 7:30pm to 11:30pm
• Aroma Latte Art Throwdown hosted by Spazio Torrefattori at booth K11 in hall 12 from 3:30pm to 6pm, with guest of honour World Latte Art Champion Carmen Clemente

Wednesday 22 October

• The 2025 World Espresso Championships, hosted by Dalla Corte, at Bobino Milano. The event starts at 12pm and will include an unofficial HostMilano afterparty

This list will be updated as more parties are announced.

Milan coffee shop tour

Considered Italy’s fashion, design, and financial capital, Milan blends historic architecture, such as the Duomo Cathedral, with modern trends. 

The city is also home to some of Italy’s best specialty coffee shops and roasters, which are challenging traditional mindsets about quality and flavour.

Carlos Eduardo Bitencourt, the founder and CEO of Cafezal (the first specialty coffee roaster in Milan that operates six locations in the city), shares his recommendations:

• Orsonero Coffee, opened in 2016
• Crosta, which also serves pizza and wine
• Ditta Artigianale, opened in 2013
• PAN, which is also a bakery and serves wine

Carlos also recommends Torrefazione Moka Hodeidah, a traditional roaster named after one of Yemen’s historic ports.

European Coffee Trip also recommends Bugan Coffee Lab, Nowhere Future Coffee Roasters, Altura Specialty Coffee, Bar Affori, Il Cafetero, Loste Cafe, Mascherpa, and Serra di quartiere.

Where to eat in Milan

The city’s food scene is a mix of traditional Lombardian cuisine, modern fine dining, and vibrant aperitivo culture. Food & Wine’s list of the best restaurants includes:

• Ristorante Ratanà, offering a fresh take on Milanese cuisine
• Modern fine dining restaurant Bu:r
• Capuano’s, serving traditional Napoli pizzas
• Michelin-starred Trattoria Trippa
• Ceresio 7, which includes a terrace and swimming pools

Carlos also recommends Da Martino, Giacomo Bistrot and Rosticceria, Mao Hunan Restaurant, and Osteria Lagrandissima.

What can we expect at HostMilano?

HostMilano is one of the most influential and impactful B2B trade shows in the global hospitality and restaurant (HoReCa) sector. Following the easing of pandemic restrictions, the 2021 event drew a then-record 110,000 visitors and featured 1,345 companies from across 144 countries.

In the years since, the event has continued to grow and is expected to draw close to 200,000 visitors from 17 to 21 October.

The event brings together thousands of exhibitors from the coffee, tea, hospitality equipment, and food service industries. Many of these brands showcase the latest innovations in coffee shop and roasting technology.

“One of our highlights will be the IRM Micro, a world-first tabletop roasting machine with a capacity from 50g to 2kg, built with the same engineering standards as our larger machines,” says Ioannis. “We’re also one of the only companies in the world to offer a 30kg fully electric roasting machine, a breakthrough that combines large-scale capacity with sustainability and efficiency.”

Automation is also a highlight of the expo, especially as coffee shop and roastery operators increasingly turn to automated solutions for support while navigating a turbulent market and rising costs.

“Another one of our highlights will be the unveiling of a brand-new Perfect Moose prototype, again developed with barista feedback in mind,” says Jan. “We will actively ask visitors for their insight, as our product innovations are always driven by people working behind and managing the bar, as well as visiting the café as customers.”

Given the scale and influence of Host, many brands strive to create memorable experiences at their booths, engaging with visitors in new ways to build lasting connections.

“Attendees can experience immersive themed environments showcasing the combined coffee and beverage expertise of SEB Professional Beverage and the WMF, Schaerer, Curtis, La San Marco, and Zummo brands,” Tharyn says. “Authentic application scenarios invite visitors to places where people enjoy a variety of beverage creations, such as an office, an Italian café, a hotel, or a convenience store.

“On 19 October, we will also host the Espresso Italiano Champion competition, organised by the Istituto Espresso Italiano, at our stand,” she adds.

Brands will also partner at HostMilano, underscoring the collaborative nature of specialty coffee.

“At E39 in hall 20, Flo-Smart will partner with Origin Coffee, Blendsmiths, and Beyond the Bean, who will supply iced coffee, matcha, chocolate, teas, and flavourings,” Keelan says. “We’ll see continued growth in cold and functional beverages and wellness-driven options, reflecting consumer demand for variety, health, and convenience.”

HostMilano is one of the most important events in the coffee industry. Alongside the trade show, competitions, and afterparties, attendees will be able to experience the city’s growing specialty coffee scene.

If you are participating in the expo in any capacity, make sure to register and book any activities in advance of your attendance.

To learn more about WoC Geneva, visit the website.

Photo credits: HostMilano, Specialty Coffee Association, Cafezal, IRM, Anna Fedyk, WMF, Flo-Smart

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Please note: IRM, Perfect Moose, WMF, and Flo-Smart are sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind.

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On 29 & 30 September 2025, the US & Canada edition of the Global Coffee Awards, a competition that recognises the world’s best roasteries and the producers who grow their coffees, took place in Houston, Texas. 

The event featured a panel of industry experts who blind-judged bags of roasted coffee submitted across multiple defined categories. The competition utilises an objective and transparent scoring system, designed to provide actionable feedback for every entrant, ensuring that roasters obtain as much value as possible from their participation.

Read on to find out who the winners are, how you can take part in the upcoming Europe edition, and when the global finals will be held.

Learn more about the GCA here.

The first edition of GCA recognises US & Canadian roasters

From small independents to regional and national brands, the Global Coffee Awards invited roasters in the US and Canada to submit bags of their most exceptional coffees across various categories. 

“Any roaster of any size can participate,” says Jayson Galvis, a two-time CoE international lead judge, as well as the Lead Judge for the US & Canada GCA competition. “Moreover, all of the judging feedback is constructive, not punitive, so roasters obtain as much value from competing as possible.” 

Designed to reward the overall company rather than an individual roaster, allowing companies to strengthen their brand identity, the GCA is a prestigious competition that also recognises the producer who grew the coffee. 

“We’re proud to support an initiative that connects roasters with new customers and celebrates their hard work,” says Mark Zhou, the founder of MTPak Coffee, the US & Canada GCA Platinum Sponsor. “We share the same goal of celebrating not only excellent roasters, but also the producers behind each coffee.”

This bridges a gap in the industry, acknowledging and raising awareness of excellence across the supply chain.

“Unlike other competitions, the roaster submits the form and sends the coffee, not the producer,” Jayson says. “It’s a straightforward process that doesn’t create unnecessary, unfair logistical burdens for producers, who often have to manage these when applying for competitions.”

The awards also focus on roasted coffee rather than green beans, providing a comprehensive assessment of quality that encompasses all types of coffee. These range from light roast washed coffees to well-roasted espresso lots, which are often overlooked in competitions yet still appeal to consumer preferences.

“This competition is about recognising all coffees, and acknowledging the positive, unique aspects of each one,” says Henry Wilson, the founder of GCA and PRF. “Taking part is a small investment to receive constructive, actionable feedback, and roasters also gain global exposure. 

“We’re helping to drive consumption. Beyond assigning coffee a numerical score, the judges provide constructive comments on the roast profiles, as well as suggest food pairings,” he adds. “Ultimately, the GCA is about how we can help roasters sell more coffee”.

The categories are designed to recognise the unique qualities of different coffee-based drinks, rather than relying solely on cupping. Additionally, the subcategories recognise a wide variety of processing methods, ensuring judges can evaluate them independently.

How does the GCA work?

A panel of qualified, independent experts judged all coffees blind to eliminate bias. This ensured that any entry, regardless of the size of the roastery, could stand out.

The panel consisted of one lead judge, nine certified Q-grader sensory judges, several shadow judges, and coordinator judges. The day before the event, all judges calibrated their palates and agreed on the best brew ratios and standardised brewing processes. 

As part of the calibration process, judges and coordinators ranked the coffees from light to dark roast profiles to avoid palate fatigue. Throughout the event, all judges were calibrated to maintain consistency and accuracy, and judges had regular breaks.

An objective and transparent scoring system was used for every entrant across all categories. These include Filter Coffee, Espresso, Flat White with Dairy, and Flat White with Alternative Milk. Each category contains several subcategories, with up to three points available for each coffee.

The coffees in each category were prepared as a consumer would experience them in a coffee shop, ensuring fair and accurate real-world assessment:

• Filter: prepared using Bentwood H75 grinders, Tone 03 brewers, and Hario V60s provided by Equipment Suppliers GH Grinding + Brewing Solutions and Geva Coffee
• Espresso: prepared using Pinecone Siberian grinders, Sanremo espresso machines, and a PuqPress, also provided by GH Grinding + Brewing Solutions and Geva Coffee
• Flat White with Dairy and Flat White with Alternative Milk: prepared using the automated MilkPal, provided by Equipment Supplier Marco Beverage Systems

“This evaluation system offers precise feedback, not only in the context of tasting, but also in terms of the beverages that are usually consumed by the people who buy from these roasters,” says Mario Idrovo, a barista expert and a sensory judge at the US & Canada competition. “Quality control is usually done only through traditional cuppings, so the GCA is innovative in terms of how it analyses coffee flavour and quality.”

The scoring system for each category included:

• Judging form – provided a numerical score across multiple criteria and a sensory snapshot (tasting notes and key descriptors)
• A coordinator form – provided a sensory snapshot, guidance on how to improve roast profile development, and food pairing suggestions from the judges

“For every sample, a coordinator worked with two to three judges,” Henry explains. “We prepared each sample using the exact same specific brew ratios and brewing protocols. The judges received each sample with a corresponding number.”

For the Filter and Espresso categories, the judges assigned numerical scores between 5 and 10 for nine criteria, including aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, sweetness, and balance. For both Flat White categories, numerical scores were given for five criteria, including sweetness, balance, and mouthfeel.

The judges also noted down any qualitative points. The coordinator then led a discussion with the judges to discuss their feedback in detail, ensuring that all judges were aligned with one another.

The GCA Origin competition, open exclusively to roasters in producing countries, also recently took place, with the winners and more details to be announced soon. The European edition will be held on 28 & 29 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France. You can submit coffees here and contact Emi Rueda, the GCA Associate Project Manager, via WhatsApp here for more information.

Who won at the GCA US & Canada?

The winners of the GCA US & Canada competition are:

Overall winner: Utopian Coffee in Fort Wayne, Indiana, US

Category winners:

• Filter – Stamp Act Coffee in Seattle, Washington, US
• Espresso – Utopian Coffee
• Flat White Dairy – Sweet Bloom in Denver, Colorado, US
• Flat White Alternative – Utopian Coffee

For subcategories, entrants who received identical numerical scores both placed first to ensure fairness and parity.

Gold winners of each sub-category (roaster and producer):

Filter

• Blend
  • 13th Sun, Black Oak Coffee Roasters in Northern California, US & multiple smallholder producers
  • SL28 and Orange Bourbon, Reprise Coffee in Illinois, US and Edinson Argote in Colombia
• Single origin traditional – Hambela, Sweet Bloom and multiple smallholder producers in Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental
  • Letty Bermudez, Moxie Coffee Co. in Phoenix, Arizona, US and Diego Bermudez in Popayán, Colombia
  • Gori Gesha Carbonic Natural, What’s Brewing in San Antonio, Texas, US and multiple producers in Ethiopia
• Washed – Gesha, Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters in Calgary, Canada and Jose Joaquin Bolaños in Huila, Colombia
• Natural – Ethiopia Bombe Natural, Tipico Coffee Roasters in New York, US and Ayla Besna washing station in Sidamo, Ethiopia
• Honey – Gesha Spirit, Cafe Kreyol in Virginia, US and Vergel Estate in Tolima, Colombia
• Experimental – Regalia Coffee in New York, US and Morkie site in Sidama, Ethiopia
• Decaf – Condor EA Decaf, Stamp Act and Vergel Estate

Espresso

• Blend – Triple Threat, Smelly Cat Coffee in Charlotte, North Carolina, US & multiple producers
• Single origin traditional – Gesha, 1776 Coffee Roasters in Nevada, US and Vergel Estate
• Single origin experimental – Utopian Coffee and Wilton Benitez of Granja Paraiso 92 in Cauca, Colombia
• Decaf – Red Leaf Coffee in Washington state, US & multiple producers

Flat White Dairy

• Blend – Duomo, Black Oak Coffee Roasters and multiple producers
• Single origin traditional – Sweet Bloom and multiple smallholder producers in Hambela, Ethiopia

Flat White Alternative

• Blend 
  • Redd, Black Oak Coffee Roasters and multiple producers
  • Uppers, Sur Coffee in Southern California and multiple producers in Guatemala and Ethiopia
• Single origin traditional – Utopian Coffee and Sumatra Asman Gayo Mill, Indonesia
• Single origin experimental – Utopian Coffee and Wilton Benitez of Granja Paraiso 92

MTPak Packaging Award winner: Airship Coffee in Bentonville, Arkansas, US

Participating roasters will also receive digital Gold, Silver, and Bronze Global Coffee Awards seals. These are distinctive marks of excellence that they can display on their packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus.

The GCA team hosted the From Seal to Sale: Communicate Your Award Like a Pro webinar on 7 October, showcasing how roasters can utilise their seals to add credibility and visibility, demonstrating to customers and wholesale clients that they are leading global brands.

All winning roasters will also be included in an internationally distributed digital catalogue, offering global brand exposure.

You can find all the US & Canada category and subcategory winners here.

A snapshot of the US & Canada coffee market

In addition to crowning the best roasters in the US and Canada, the GCA provides a snapshot of broader consumer and industry trends in the US and Canadian coffee market.

The winning coffees encompassed a range of processing methods, including traditional washed, natural, and honey lots, as well as more experimental techniques such as natural carbonic maceration and anaerobic natural fermentation. 

This resulted in a wide range of flavour profiles – ranging from dark chocolate to stone fruit, jasmine, watermelon, butter popcorn, cooked apples, malt and lychee. The results reflected the sheer diversity of the US and Canadian markets, where both traditional and innovative tasting notes are celebrated.

The Filter category was by far the most popular, reflecting the region’s historic preference for drip, batch brew, and pour over coffee. The Espresso category was the second most popular, as consumer preferences shift towards espresso-based drinks. The latest 2025 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Breakout Report found that 43% of American adults had enjoyed an espresso-based beverage in the past week – a significant increase on previous years.

The competition, hosted in Houston, Texas at green coffee importer Copan Trade, featured a wide range of roast profiles, including light roast, well-developed dark roasts suited for purpose (i.e., with milk and sugar), and omni-roasts – demonstrating the versatility of roasters in the region.

There were also noticeable trends with the origins of submitted coffees. Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, and Ethiopia were among the most popular entries. This signals the dynamic relationship between US and Canadian buyers and international producers, as well as the diversity of origins in both markets.

Other producing countries included Papua New Guinea, Uganda, Tanzania, Puerto Rico, Thailand, India, and the Dominican Republic – demonstrating coffee excellence in lesser-known specialty coffee-producing countries.

Strengthening connections & improving knowledge: Why GCA matters

A key part of the GCA is providing all entrants with actionable feedback that enables them to enhance their roasting skills and refine their menu offerings.

For example, for an entry in the Flat White Alternative Single Origin Traditional subcategory (which was a blend of Typica and Maragogipe from Hawaii), the judges recommended roasting the coffee at a higher temperature for a shorter time to create a more balanced flavour profile and enhance the mouthfeel.

Meanwhile, for a super natural processed Ethiopian coffee in the Single Origin Experimental filter subcategory, the judges suggested pairing the coffee with peanut butter and jelly or goat’s cheese with apricot jam.

This high-level, specific feedback not only allows roasters to directly improve their skills and apply them to their operations, but it also ensures they can develop curated, complementary food and beverage offerings that elevate their menus.

Beyond recognition for roasters, the awards also highlight the producers behind each winning coffee.

“I’ve been a part of many coffee competitions, and the GCA is completely different from the ones I’ve judged or competed in,” says Rich Troche, the former co-founder of Everybody’s Coffee in Chicago, US, and a sensory judge at the GCA US & Canada. “It not only highlights coffee quality and the different ways of preparing coffee, but also the production side.

“Being able to showcase not only roasted coffee quality, but also the story behind it and the connection to the producer who grew and processed it makes the GCA stand out.”

All Gold-winning US & Canada, Origin, and Europe roasters and producers from each category will be invited to the global finals, which will be hosted at PRF El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026. All sub-category winners will be invited to the GCA awards ceremony, which will take place on the evening of the first day of PRF.

This gives roasters a unique opportunity to meet the producer behind their coffee, thereby strengthening long-term commercial relationships and ensuring that producers share in the recognition for coffee excellence.

Generating value in coffee

As part of GCA and PRF’s wider long-term vision, coffees submitted to the competition will be repurposed and upcycled, retaining value in the supply chain and furthering knowledge exchange.

The GCA team created a special, limited-edition blend using submissions, which also features uniquely designed packaging. The blend was donated to Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries, a volunteer-run nonprofit in Houston that serves local families in crisis, ensuring that no coffee was wasted at the event.

Through the PRF Seed Programme, which funds projects created by coffee entrepreneurs, GCA coffees will also be donated to the San José barista school in Circasia, Colombia. 

“Previous winner Fabian, who received funding at PRF Guatemala over a year ago, will receive the coffees from Vietnam, India, and other origins,” Henry explains. “Fabian started a barista academy for high school students so they can graduate with their own barista certificate. He will share the GCA coffees with his students, allowing them to try new roast profiles, processing methods, origins, and flavour notes.

“Jayson Galvis, our Lead Judge, will also offer the students a free roasting master class and a sensory analysis class,” Henry adds, underscoring GCA’s aim to facilitate meaningful connections in the coffee industry.

The GCA global finals

All Gold winners of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe events will advance to the global finals, which will be held at PRF El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, where they will compete for international recognition. There will also be an awards ceremony for the sub-category and category winners

The GCA team reverse-engineered the winning coffees to establish the producers responsible for growing them. This means that when a roaster submits a bag of coffee, they automatically enter the producer who grew the coffee into the competition.

The team will send complimentary invitations to the winning producers to attend PRF El Salvador.

Winning producers also receive a GCA seal and certificate of excellence, acknowledging their crucial role in the industry.

The European competition will take place on 28 & 29 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, hosted at Belco. The entry kit is available here.

Participating in shadow judging at the GCA offers coffee professionals the opportunity to learn firsthand about cupping and coffee tasting protocols and engage with some of the most experienced cuppers in the industry. To be considered for this judging position, fill out this form, or this form for a sensory judge position.

The Global Coffee Awards is redefining coffee competitions, providing roasters with a valuable opportunity to elevate their brand and achieve international recognition.

Contact info@globalcoffeeawards.com and the GCA project manager, Emi Rueda, via WhatsApp here for more information.

Apply to compete in the European GCA competition here.

Photo credits: Marett Media

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Dubai’s Roasters Specialty Coffee House is selling a washed Panamanian Gesha for AED2,500 (US$680) per cup – the world’s most exclusive and expensive, according to the Guinness World Records.

Buyers in countries such as the UAE, China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Taiwan often utilise ultra-exclusive competition and auction coffees to differentiate their brands. Premiumisation drives this trend in these hyper-competitive markets, where an ingrained culture of exclusivity prevails for certain food and beverage products. 

Coffee that is rare and expensive is then perceived as valuable, which prompts a small number of people to pay incredibly high prices. But who exactly is buying these coffees – and how are they drinking them?

Kirk Pearson from Project Zero Coffee and Konstantin Harbuz from Roasters Specialty Coffee House share their insights.

You may also like our article on why coffee quality is no longer a differentiator for roasters.

Best of Panama continues to break records

Auction-winning coffee lots sell for higher prices every single year. Former record high prices – like US $21/lb in 2004 for a Panama Gesha – now pale in comparison to what some buyers are willing to pay for exceptional coffee.

At the 2025 BoP auction, Hacienda La Esmeralda received US$30,204/kg for its washed Gesha – surpassing the previous world record of US$13,518/kg set at a private auction in 2024. 

The farm also earned US$23,608/kg for its natural Gesha, breaking the record twice and reflecting the ultra-premium prices these exclusive lots command. Additionally, Esmeralda won the Varietal category, marking the first-ever triple win at BoP and culminating in a coffee auction for the ages.

The coffee that placed first in both the washed and natural categories, Nido, came from a plot that took 13 years to develop. It’s precisely these levels of exclusivity, prestige, and scarcity that drive prices to astronomical levels.

“There were a variety of factors that pushed this coffee to this height,” says Kirk, the founder of Project Zero Coffee and the host of The Coffee Show with Kirk Pearson. “First of all, it scored 98 points in what is recognised as a credible assessment in the Best of Panama International judging. Second, there is no guarantee that a coffee will ever score this highly again.

“Third, Esmerelda is the most recognised brand in terms of a coffee producer in the world. They’re the Dallas Cowboys of coffee farming, and because they achieved this grade of coffee, it reached this price.”

A total of 549 bids were placed on the 20kg washed Nido lot. Julith Coffee, a brand in Dubai that was only a week old at the time of the auction, placed the highest offer.

Roasters Specialty Coffee House, which operates 12 luxury all-day dining cafés across Dubai, also serves a coffee from the same farm. Brewed using a Hario V60 and presented in a bespoke Edo Kiriko crystal glass, this coffee is a strategic differentiator in the highly competitive and exclusive UAE market, where luxury products thrive, driven by demand from affluent customers.

This coffee’s limited availability means it can’t be served like any other.

“Today, our Panama Esmeralda experience is available via pre-booking only,” says Konstantin, the founder of Roasters Specialty Coffee House. “We have already received many requests from celebrities, bloggers, and coffee enthusiasts.”

Why Dubai is home to the world’s most expensive coffee

A coffee with such a high price tag will inevitably attract prestigious clientele – but it also helps drive interest on a much larger scale.

Founded by Turkish Barista and Coffee Roasting Champion Serkan Sagsoz, Julith Coffee, an omakase-style concept, made headlines after purchasing the BoP-winning coffee. Only a week after its launch, people around the world associated the brand with the world’s most expensive coffee – and wanted to know why.

“We have matured as an industry to the point where we now have a ‘luxury’ or ‘reserve’ category,” Kirk explains. “What is clear, given the prices of not only this coffee, but also some of the others at auction, is that there is an emerging market for luxury coffee.”

Nido’s home in Dubai makes sense. Like other prestigious markets, such as China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, consumers correlate exclusivity with value. Price is a reflection of this, and they are willing to pay higher prices for what they consider more valuable. This phenomenon is known as premiumsation: the process of leveraging exclusivity, rarity, and superior quality to drive up brand appeal and prices.

The overall economic expansion and rising disposable income in these regions favour this consumption mentality.

“Clearly, ultra-wealthy people, which is an ever-increasing cohort in today’s world, are buying these coffees,” says Kirk. “Let’s not forget that Dubai is a tax haven for many of the world’s richest people, so there are wealthy people there with money to spend, and this is probably just an activity for them on any given day. They want to say they tried the most expensive coffee in the world.

“I imagine there is also a large number of corporations that are wining and dining their clients, and buying them coffees like this.”

In Taiwan, another market that values luxury, Simple Kaffa – founded by World Barista Champion Berg Wu – recently sold an Elida Estate Gesha for US$635 per cup. Berg told Food and Wine that the coffee shop sold two to four cups of the coffee per week when it was first launched in October 2024. By March, orders had dropped to one cup per week, still indicating a steady level of demand.

Japan’s OneByOne reportedly once sold US$970 cups of BoP-winning Elida Gesha Natural Vuelta – which would make it the world’s most expensive coffee per serving. At auction, this coffee received a bid of US$10,013/kg.

South Korea’s Black Road Coffee also sold single servings of the Aguacatillo Honey Gesha, formerly the world’s most expensive per kilogram, for an undisclosed price.

The success of auction-winning coffees in these markets underscores that the majority of consumers who purchase them are undoubtedly wealthy. 

“I don’t think a barista would spend a week’s or more salary on one coffee, and I would never encourage them to do so,” Kirk says. “You can still drink coffee close to this quality for under US$30 a cup.”

However, there is also a psychological aspect behind luxury purchasing – even when it’s unaffordable. People buy expensive products to convey their social status and express their personal identity, driven by a desire for emotional satisfaction and the promise of higher quality.

Australian and US roaster Proud Mary sold cups of Gesha for US$150 in 2023, noting that three people would sometimes share one cup to split the cost, making a luxury experience more affordable.

In the case of Roasters Specialty Coffee House, however, paying over US$230 to drink roughly 100ml of coffee means the benefits may not justify the costs. More importantly, even this lower price remains out of the budgets of most customers; these coffees will always be inherently inaccessible.

Expect to see new record prices for coffee

Paying nearly US$700 for a cup of filter coffee may seem unfathomable to most people, but it highlights changing perceptions of quality and value. 

“A cup of coffee for US$680 won’t be popular in some countries; it’s very rare, but we think it should be more popular,” Konstatin says. Other premium products, such as whiskey, wine, and certain types of tea, which have historically been valued more highly than coffee, sell for significantly more at auctions.

“I only see demand increasing in the future as wealth concentrates to a smaller percentage of the population and scarcity increases because of climate change,” Kirk says. “The demand for coffee is rising globally because interest is at an all-time high. Prices for all coffee will likely only go up, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see it rise higher than US$30,000/kg.”

But because they distinguish the “best of the best”, price discovery mechanisms at auctions often far exceed those through more traditional trade platforms. In short, auction prices rarely reflect the realities of the broader market, where millions of smallholder farmers struggle to earn a living wage and are trapped in a cycle of poverty.

Additionally, the inherent exclusivity of these coffees means the majority of producers will never be able to grow them – otherwise, they would lose their sense of prestige and rarity. Moreover, the market for these coffees will always remain small and hyper-competitive, meaning the risk of struggling to recoup investment is high.

But new, albeit still largely inaccessible, opportunities may emerge in the future.

“The BoP scoring system allows Washed and Natural Gesha to thrive, while not allowing experimental coffees to score at all,” says Kirk. “I think we will see mind-bending prices for coffees from producers like Lost Origin in Panama, Mikava in Colombia, and Daterra in Brazil. These are experimental producers that I think will shatter records for experimental coffees.

“I expect Takesi in Bolivia to break records if they ever try. They grow the most scarce, luxury coffee in the world that only sells to a handful of international roasters, and they’re every bit as good as Esmerelda,” he adds. “If I had millions to drop on coffee, that would be the first farm I would go to.”

Regions such as the Middle East and East Asia will continue to be the target markets for record-breaking coffees – where only a handful of buyers will be able to try these coffees.

Given their history of premiumisation with other food and beverage products, there’s no telling how high the price for a cup of coffee could go.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why roasting deserves more attention at coffee auctions.

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On 26 & 27 March 2026, the 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum – the largest and most prestigious coffee event in Latin America – will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The two-day forum unites a global community of producers, roasters, traders, baristas, and industry experts. Every event provides opportunities to network, exchange ideas, build lasting business relationships, and experience some of the world’s best coffees.

In addition to a specially curated PRF Voices programme, workshops, and cuppings, PRF El Salvador will host the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the third Cacao Master Cup, the second Global Cupping Championship, Central America: Soil of Excellence by Belco, and PRF Matchmaking.

The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards finals, where regional Gold Champions will compete for the title of the world’s best roaster.

Read on to find out more about what’s happening at the event and how you can apply to become a speaker.

Learn more about PRF here.

Celebrating over ten years of PRF

For over a decade, PRF has played a leading role in connecting international buyers with some of the world’s best coffee producers. The two-day forum serves as a platform to cultivate long-lasting relationships, address key industry issues, promote innovation in the global coffee sector, and facilitate the sale of green coffee.

There have been five host countries to date: El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia. More than 16,400 coffee professionals have taken part in previous editions, including over 4,300 green coffee buyers and roasters. 

In addition to the two-day forums held in major cities across Latin American producing countries, the first-ever PRF: Farm Summit – which focused specifically on regenerative and organic farming practices and took place entirely on a coffee farm in 2024 – brought together 1,387 attendees in a more intimate setting similar to the Sourcing Trip Experience. These included 404 farmers and 96 roasters.

Why PRF matters

Over the last ten years, roasters and importers from 40 countries – including the US, Australia, South Korea, the UK, Uganda, Japan, Barbados, Spain, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and many more – have attended PRF events.

The ten previous forums have generated more than US$64.8 million in green coffee sales, benefitting over 4,650 smallholder farmers in Latin America and allowing roasters from around the world to source unique, high-quality coffees.

“PRF is an excellent platform for roasters to meet producers,” says Darius Vėželis, the CEO of Vero Coffee House in Lithuania. “It’s important to know the country that you’re buying coffee from, as well as operations at origin and how the supply chain works.

“At PRF, you can meet in person, and you have time to talk and exchange ideas with coffee professionals at origin, as well as roasters from other countries,” he adds. “I first attended the event in El Salvador in 2023, and have since developed relationships with Salvadoran producers and roasters from all over the world.”

A return to El Salvador

In March 2026, the event will return to El Salvador, a country renowned for its exceptional quality specialty coffee and the first-ever host of PRF.

“El Salvador produces unique varieties, such as Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara, which all have deep heritage in the country’s coffee sector,” says Henry Wilson, the founder of PRF. “More than 95% of the country’s coffee crop is shade-grown, supporting regenerative agricultural practices.”

The country plays a pivotal role in Central America’s coffee sector. The USDA forecasts El Salvador’s production volumes to increase to 597,000 60kg bags in the 2024/25 harvest period, but highlights key challenges – such as labour shortages, climate vulnerability, and high input costs – that continue to impact farmers.

Next year’s forum is expected to bring together some 4,200 attendees, including around 1,600 international visitors and 350 global buyers – indicating PRF’s substantial, ever-growing international reach. 

The event is also expected to generate more than US$15.7 million in business sales, bolstering local and national economies and supporting Salvadorian producers.

“We’re proudly returning to El Salvador ten years after the inaugural edition in a mill in Santa Ana back in 2016,” Henry says. “This marks the next chapter in PRF’s mission to bring producers and roasters together in coffee-producing countries. As always, expect honest conversations about real challenges that the industry is facing.”

Which competitions will take place?

Building on over a decade of success, PRF will return to El Salvador with an event line-up that promises value for all attendees.

“Since 2019, we have sponsored PRF, and it’s incredible to see how the event has evolved over the years,” says Mark Zhou, the founder of MTPak Coffee, a sustainable coffee packaging company and a PRF Gold Sponsor and GCA Platinum Sponsor.

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of another event that helps cultivate longstanding, mutually-beneficial partnerships between producers and roasters,” he adds. “El Salvador will be no exception, serving as one of the most important platforms for the specialty coffee industry.”

The championships that will take place are:

• The fifth Global Roasting Contest – top international roasters showcase pure roasting skills and expertise to compete for the technical and people’s choice top spots.
• The seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, sponsored by Toddy – a select group of competitors demonstrate their expertise in crafting exceptional cold brews and signature drinks.
• The third Cacao Master Cup – baristas and cacao enthusiasts prepare two distinct hot beverages using different chocolate varieties with varying cocoa and coffee percentages, showcasing the deep connection between the two.
• The second Global Cupping Championship – competitors put their sensory skills to the test in a high-stakes cupping challenge, evaluating aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and balance with precision and speed.
• Central America: Soil of Excellence by Belco – first held at Farm Summit, the Soil of Excellence competition redefines quality standards in the coffee industry. The competition highlights the importance of soil health and regenerative agriculture in producing exceptional coffee, and this edition will focus specifically on coffees from Central America.

More information on how to apply to compete will be announced in the coming weeks.

Global Coffee Awards finals

The finals of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) – a competition awarding roasting excellence – will be hosted at PRF El Salvador on 26 March 2026.

Addressing a gap in the industry, the GCA recognises the world’s best roasters and the producers who grow their coffees. Specialty coffee roasters can submit bags of their top coffees across defined categories for blind judging by a panel of experts. 

The categories and some subcategories include:

• Filter (roasted specifically for manual or automated pour over brewing)
  • Natural
  • Washed
  • Honey
  • Experimental processing method
  • Robusta 
• Espresso (roasted specifically for espresso to be served without milk)
  • Blend
  • Single origin
  • Decaf
• Flat White – Dairy (roasted specifically for espresso to be served with dairy as a flat white)
  • Single origin
  • Blend
• Flat White – Alternative (roasted specifically for espresso to be served with a plant milk as a flat white)
  • Single origin
  • Blend

How does the GCA work?

For the first round, there will be three regional competitions:

• US & Canada: 29 & 30 September 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Trade
• Origin category (any roaster based in a coffee-producing country): 1 October 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Trade
• Europe: 28 & 29 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, hosted at Belco

“Including these three categories levels the playing field,” Henry says. “Roasters in producing countries have an opportunity to go head-to-head with their peers in the US, Canada, and Europe, and win the title of world’s best.”

The Gold winners of each category of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe competitions will compete at the global finals, where producers who have grown their coffees will join them. The overall champion will be crowned during the GCA awards ceremony on the evening of 26 March. There will also be a VIP dinner on the same evening.

To learn more about the GCA and how you can take part as a competitor, visit the website and view the entry kit here.

PRF Matchmaking

There will be an exhibition area at the two-day forum where attendees can network with leading Latin American and international companies and organisations, including producers, exporters, roasters, importers, and café owners.

The Producer-Roaster Matchmaking programme, sponsored by Algrano, will also return after its launch at the 2025 Honduras event. 

“During a time of sustained high coffee prices, it’s never been more critical for roasters to have the opportunity to meet thousands of producers, cooperatives, and exporters to find the right coffee and flavour profiles for their budget,” Henry says. “Producers can also meet roasters from across the globe, giving them access to new markets.”

The programme is designed specifically to connect producers and roasters at the dedicated Matchmaking Zone: a space designated for meaningful conversations and new relationships between roasters and producers, right at the heart of the exhibition.

“With all the current challenges that the industry is facing – price volatility, climate change, supply chain disruptions, and tariffs – it’s more important than ever that roasters are more involved in their supply chains, build direct relationships, and meet producers at origin,” says Henry.

Roasters, producers, and traders will have the opportunity to meet potential partners in a quick, structured speed networking format. Algrano will help guide participants throughout the process, offering supply chain expertise, logistical support, key financial information, and live translations.

What else is happening at PRF El Salvador?

PRF El Salvador will also launch a brand-new initiative to facilitate green coffee sales between producers and roasters.

“This new event activation will allow buyers to select coffees live at the cupping table and instantly receive pricing – not just FOB, but also spot-delivered to their roastery,” Henry says. 

Like other PRF events, the 2026 forum will include workshops and cuppings, hosted by some of Latin America’s best producers and traders that showcase the diversity of the region’s coffee. 

Openings to host cuppings are available now, providing opportunities to add genuine value and cultivate long-term commercial relationships.

“I met several buyers from the Middle East at PRF El Salvador in 2023,” says Fernando Alfaro, a Salvadoran specialty coffee producer. “We sold to two different buyers that year, and this year is the second consecutive time that we sold to the same buyers – thanks to a relationship supported by the efforts of the PRF team. The event is an excellent vehicle to kickstart long-term commercial relationships.”

There will also be an Espresso, a Brew, and a Cold Brew Bar, sponsored by Toddy, for attendees to try exceptional coffees from El Salvador and beyond.

Speaker applications

Every PRF event hosts the PRF Voices programme: a specially curated lineup of lectures and panels led by some of the industry’s foremost and well-known experts. 

Over the last decade, speakers from 36 countries have participated, discussing various topics across the coffee supply chain. These include:

• Progressive Composting Techniques for Coffee Producers (Bob Fish and Michelle Fish – OBIIS, a PRF Gold Sponsor)
• The Science of Roasting for Functional Benefits (Ildi Revi – Purity Coffee, the PRF Silver Sponsor)
• Coffee Fundamentals and Price Risk Management: Navigating Market Volatility (Tomás Araujo – StoneX, US)
• Fluctuating Pricing and Shifting Sourcing Strategies: An Importer’s Perspective (Abraham Castro – Ally Coffee, US)
• Leveraging Computational Simulation to Optimise Coffee Drying, Storage, and Roasting (Jaime Daniel Bustos – Universidad Surcolombiana, Colombia)
• Understanding Green Coffee Logistics: Overcoming Challenges and Building an Efficient Supply Chain (Afshin Roshanian – Artisan Coffee Gear, Romania)

English and Spanish speakers are invited to apply for PRF Voices. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in the coffee industry, over five years of experience in their topic of interest, previous PRF participation, public speaking skills, and fresh insight into key trends and challenges in today’s coffee sector.

You can apply to be a speaker here. Applications will close on 31 January 2026.

Volunteer opportunities

Sponsored by Copan Trade, the volunteer programme allows passionate coffee professionals to gain valuable experience, stay up-to-date with the latest trends, and expand their personal network as they help run the event. 

Volunteers are also eligible to apply for the PRF Seed programme, which recognises entrepreneurs in the coffee industry and empowers them by funding valuable community-focused initiatives. At the previous two editions, PRF, with support from brands like OBIIS and Mayorga Coffee, awarded over US$36,000 to ten scholarship recipients.

Volunteers work at the registration, cuppings, Bars, competitions, and other areas, playing a pivotal role in shaping the success of PRF El Salvador. Applicants need to be comfortable working with coffee equipment and have some customer service skills.

You can apply to be a volunteer here.

PRF will return to El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, highlighting over ten years of facilitating meaningful connections between producers and roasters.

International tickets and Sourcing Trip Experience tickets are available to buy here.

You can stay up to date with all announcements for PRF here, or by subscribing to the newsletter here.

Photo credits: Producer & Roaster Forum

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Just five years ago, the terms “infused” or “co-fermented” coffees were relatively new – and even sparked considerable controversy. 

But today, these coffees are quickly becoming their own distinct category, akin to how we define washed, naturals, honeys, and experimentally processed lots. Ultimately, this is a sign of their growing popularity and increasing acceptance among both consumers and coffee professionals.

Although they still divide opinion, co-ferments are arguably more mainstream than ever, often appearing at trade shows and as part of high-end specialty coffee roasters’ offerings. As this category of processing and flavour innovation becomes more formalised and diversifies, these coffees are likely to find a secure home in emerging specialty coffee markets, and continue to grow in popularity more widely.

Luis Sánchez at Ixkanul Coffee Gt shares his insight.

You may also like our article on where the industry stands on infused coffees.

Co-ferments & infused coffees proliferate

Since they first emerged in the late 2010s, infused and co-fermented coffees have shaken up the industry.

Although there’s no formal definition for the processing methods used to make these coffees, many agree that they involve co-fermenting green beans with additional natural ingredients, such as fruit and spices. 

Producers can then create intensely bold and prominent flavour profiles, corresponding to whichever ingredients they add. In turn, they can access new markets and potentially boost cup scores – offering major advantages in an industry that advocates for farmers’ empowerment.

The benefits were evident, but initial reactions were mixed. While some embraced the previously untapped flavour potential of these processing methods, others raised concerns about a lack of transparency and integrity – two values at the core of specialty coffee.

“We should always be clear and label these coffees as co-ferments, so consumers know that the sensory profile has been modified,” says Luis, an agronomist with more than 18 years of experience working in coffee production. He also produces specialty and experimentally processed coffees at Finca La Cruz Ixkanul in Guatemala.

“We must be clear that the sensory cup profiles are very different from ‘traditional’ processing techniques,” he adds. “Transparency can have a positive impact on specialty coffees that deliver unique sensory experiences, always bearing in mind that the producer or the person marketing this coffee is clear about what they’re offering.”

Scepticism remains, but it’s clear that co-ferments are becoming more mainstream in specialty coffee. A growing number of roasters and producers are showcasing these coffees at major industry events, using them as unique selling points to draw in booth visitors.

Simultaneously, infused and co-fermented lots are becoming an increasingly prominent part of high-end specialty coffee roasters’ offerings, often showcased alongside more “traditional” washed, natural, and honey processed coffees.

Diversification is leading to categorisation

The specialty coffee industry may never fully embrace co-ferments, but the rapid growth of this market niche is a clear sign that interest will continue to increase.

While some may see these coffees as a passing trend, driven by novelty rather than genuine innovation, evidence indicates otherwise. New categories of infused and co-fermented coffees are emerging, most notably the use of natural vs. artificial ingredients.

This has opened up new debates. For some, straying from minimally processed, whole food ingredients when infusing or co-fermenting coffees gives producers an “unfair advantage” over farmers who rely on terroir and more traditional processing methods.

Flavour modification vs. flavour enhancement is another conversation around infused and co-fermented coffees. Co-fermentation, for example, is more of a flavour modification; producers add extra ingredients to imbue their flavours into the coffee. 

Yeast inoculation, meanwhile, is more akin to flavour enhancement. Farmers add different yeasts and bacteria to coffee as it ferments to emphasise certain flavours and textures, such as lactic tasting notes.

Although there’s still a lack of a formal definition for these processing methods, this recent wave of diversification is allowing producers and roasters to place co-ferments into their own distinct category – similar to how we view washed, natural, and honey processing, all of which are more clearly and formally defined.

“The new trend of co-ferments should be considered its own category,” Luis says. “The methodologies used in this type of processing differ from traditional ones.

“We understand that co-fermentation can occur in any of the three macro-processes (washed, honey, and natural), and new techniques applied within any of these processes should be categorised differently so that the customer understands what these coffees are and how processing is carried out,” he adds.

Why categorisation will help us better understand co-fermented coffees

Coinciding with polarising opinions, many still disagree on how to define co-fermented coffees. The terms “infused,” “flavoured,” and “co-fermented” are often used interchangeably. This makes it difficult to distinguish between them, exacerbating confusion and concerns about transparency. 

Moreover, there’s little agreement about where exactly flavour “infusion” and “co-fermentation” should take place along the supply chain. Some believe they can happen at any stage, whether during processing or after roasting. Others, meanwhile, affirm that you can only infuse or co-ferment green coffee.

As co-ferments proliferate and form a distinct category, however, it could be an opportunity to better understand these coffees – helping to dispel misconceptions and forge consumer trust.

“If they remain controversial, the hardest part is breaking the mental paradigms of ‘traditional’ consumers,” Luis explains. “We can encourage these consumers to experience a cup of coffee in a different way sensorially.

“What’s more, if we establish a defined category for this processing and promote it in specialty cafés as a new consumption trend, we can experiment even further,” he adds.

Indeed, categorisation has greatly benefited other experimental processing methods, such as lactic and anaerobic fermentation. While these coffees are now widely embraced in the industry, often considered their own classification alongside more “traditional” processing methods, some perceived their flavour notes as defects only a decade or so ago.

As part of this formal categorisation process, specialty coffee professionals have developed a deeper understanding of experimental processing methods, learning how various variables affect the results in the cup and how to communicate this to customers.

This then suggests a similar trajectory for infused and co-fermented coffees; the more we can define and categorise them, the better we can comprehend and appreciate them.

The need for further research

Understanding and acceptance of co-ferments are undeniably growing. But if the specialty coffee industry is to collectively embrace these coffees – as it has with other experimental processing techniques – formalised research is a prerequisite.

“To define this new co-fermentation trend, we must establish standards in processing techniques and, above all, conduct extensive technical-scientific research on the processes,” Luis says. “A lack of information opens the door to a wide range of interpretations and allows parameters to be defined very dispersedly about what co-fermented coffee is.

“There’s a paucity of information and commitment to generate technology that helps standardise these processes,” he adds. “As a producer of specialty and experimental coffees, a barista, and a cupper, I’m continually researching and learning.”

In turn, industry professionals across the supply chain can learn how to showcase these coffees to their full potential.

“Processing this type of coffee requires precise techniques; roasting and brewing it is very different from ‘traditional’ coffee since the bean density, bean colouration, roasting curves, and development percentages change completely,” says Luis.

Co-ferments are carving out their own niche in specialty coffee, occupying a distinct category separate from other experimental processing methods.

Over time, this process will deepen our understanding of these coffees – potentially accelerating their wider acceptance in the industry. However, broader confusion about the similarities and differences between co-fermentation and infusion still persists. Formal research and market maturation are crucial for providing clarity.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how infused coffees are diversifying, but roasters may not embrace them all

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