Are you looking to make direct connections with coffee producers? Or are you a Honduran coffee farmer seeking new business relationships with international roasters?

Perfect Daily Grind is pleased to announce that the next Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) will be held in Copán, Honduras on the 26th and 27th March, 2020.

The fourth edition of the event (after successful forums in El Salvador, Brazil, and Guatemala) will offer a unique opportunity for producers and roasters to exchange knowledge, forge relationships, and explore new opportunities. Over 1,000 Central American producers and coffee professionals are expected to attend the biggest coffee event in Honduras in over a decade, where they will meet with over 100 roasters from around the world.

Lee este artículo en español El Producer & Roaster Forum 2020 se Celebrará en Honduras

International roasters, retailers, and traders who have attended Producer Roaster Forum.

An Opportunity to Share Knowledge & Make Connections

Producer & Roaster Forum aims to be the most impactful global coffee event held at origin, and Perfect Daily Grind is committed to making the event inclusive of the whole supply chain. 

By providing the tools needed for coffee producers and international roasters to build direct relationships, the forums increase transparency and provide opportunities for producers to obtain a fair price for their coffee. By networking in person, producers gain market access that might otherwise be difficult to achieve.

The events are also an opportunity to learn and share knowledge. More than 100 international coffee roasters and 1000 coffee producers are anticipated to attend Producer & Roaster Forum 2020, where they will attend panel discussions, workshops, cuppings, and presentations from global coffee industry leaders.

Learn more about last year’s event in What Happened at The Producer & Roaster Forum 2019?

Coffee professionals from around the world have attended Producer & Roaster Forum.

Martin Mayorga is the founder of Mayorga Organics, the Producer & Roaster Forum 2020 Diamond Sponsor. He says, “I’ve always believed that engagement from roasters into coffee-producing countries is the only way to make a material shift in the inequities that are an unfortunate hallmark of the industry. We’re incredibly excited to be part of the upcoming Producer & Roaster Forum in Honduras and to see continued momentum toward real relationships between roasters and producers.

“We’re supporting the Producer & Roaster Forum because this is the only event that supports the idea of roasters sitting in front of producers, which is an important step toward changing inequities in our supply chain.”

Want to be part of Producer & Roaster Forum 2020? Take a look at the Sponsor Kit or email us!

Attendees at the Producer & Roaster Forum 2019 in Guatemala City.

Outcomes From Producer & Roaster Forum 2019

Over 600 attendees from more than 60 countries came together at Anacafé’s headquarters in Guatemala City for the third edition of the event. Industry leaders from around the world presented on a wide range of topics, including profitable coffee production and how to enter emerging markets. Panellists included Ricardo Pereira (Ally Coffee), Drago Lakic (Soyuz Coffee Roasting), and Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos (Coffee Island), among many more.

91 roasters from 54 different countries attended the event, where they were joined by producers of every scale from all eight of Guatemala’s producing regions. The Mayorga Scholarship made it possible for 30 small-scale producers to attend the event free of charge.

Thanks to connections made at the 2019 event, at least eight containers of green coffee sales were recorded among attendees in the three months after the event. Producer & Roaster Forum 2019 also included the world’s first blockchain auction for coffee.

Adrian Cabrera is an exporter with San Miguel Coffees. San Miguel was a host producer at the 2019 event and says, “Producer & Roaster Forum breaks many of our industry’s paradigms, introducing and facilitating direct sourcing from producers to many roasters, and uniting the players.”

What’s Planned For Producer & Roaster Forum 2020?

The 2020 event will build on the success of previous years and bring new opportunities for producers and roasters to build productive relationships.

The two-day forum will feature panel discussions on timely and important topics, practical workshops, cuppings, and presentations from industry leaders. Roasters and other coffee professionals from around the globe will share their knowledge on subjects such as how to grow a third-wave coffee chain and strategies for crop diversification.

Attendees at a cupping during Producer & Roaster Forum 2019. 

Stay on a Coffee Farm: The PRF Origin Trip Experience

Roasters may also choose to stay on a host farm for three days prior to the event, as well as attending PRF. The PRF & Origin Trip Experience is tailor-made for specialty coffee roasters, with an aim of building relationships and facilitating knowledge exchange.

This all-inclusive option features transportation from the airport and to the event, accommodation and meals (from 23 – 27th March 2020), and tours of multiple farms. Participants will learn about post-harvest processing and attend cuppings with other international roasters, providing another great opportunity to develop business relationships and share experiences.

Osamah Alawwam, Managing Director of Roasting House chose the Origin Trip Experience in 2019. He says, “It was the first event of its kind to gather people who were serious and very ready to work together but in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.”

Origin Trip Experience guests at Finca Vizcaya in Guatemala.

Why Honduras?

The Producer & Roaster Forum takes place in a different coffee-producing country each year, which allows a wide range of producers to promote their coffees and shines a spotlight on different origins.

Honduras is the world’s fifth-biggest producer of coffee by volume. Host Country Sponsor IHCAFÉ reports that coffee production makes up 8% of the nation’s GDP and 38% of its agricultural GDP. Of the country’s 120,000 coffee-producing families, over 95% are small-scale farmers with plots under 5 hectares.

The nation is known for its diversity in coffee: it grows a range of varieties, uses various processes, has many altitudes and micro climates. This results in many different cup profiles and provides an exciting opportunity for roasters to discover something new.

Find out more in Introducing The 6 Coffee Regions of Honduras

A coffee farm in Honduras. Credit: IHCAFÉ

Karla Calidonio, Head of Marketing for IHCAFÉ, says, “We give the warmest welcome to Honduras. As sponsors of Producer & Roaster Forum 2020, we are delighted to show you the best of our coffee production and our best coffee producers. We want to share with you what defines us as Hondurans. 

“You will discover the origins of varieties such as Parainema, IHCAFÉ 90, and Lempira among others. Welcome to Honduras, king of coffee production in Central America.”

A presentation at Producer & Roaster Forum 2019.

Event Details & Tickets

The event will take place at the Marina Copán Convention Center on March 26th and 27th, 2020. The schedule will feature:

• Panels and presentations from 25+ industry leaders
• Workshops
• Cuppings of Honduran and international coffees
• Networking opportunities

Presenter applications are currently under review, with diversity and producer value being key considerations. More details will be added to the Producer & Roaster Forum website as they are confirmed.

The Producer & Roaster Forum 2020 and Origin Trip Experience itinerary.

PRF & Origin Trip Experience guests will be picked up at the airport by their host on March 23rd and taken to their host farm. They will be provided with meals, accommodation, PRF event entrance and transportation for the duration of the trip. The farm tours will include wet and dry mill visits, educational activities about harvesting and processing, and cupping sessions. Specific itineraries will be provided one month prior to the event.

International tickets for the all-inclusive PRF & Origin Trip Experience are available now with an early bird rate of US $500 (£415) until January 1st, 2020. After this date, the US $1000 (£850) standard price will apply. Learn more here.

An insight into the activities at the Producer & Roaster Forum.

International tickets (for non-Hondurans) to the two-day Producer Roaster Forum are US $200 (£165). Tickets to the two-day event are £85 (2560 HNL) for Honduran citizens. Scholarships will also be made available to passionate producers who meet a specific criteria.

Want to attend the Producer & Roaster Forum 2020? Visit the website and buy your ticket(s) here!