A record number of attendees poured into Durban last week for the 8th annual Creative Coffee Week, hosted by Coffee Magazine. This gathering, which included a World Champion and four other international coffee experts, focused on discussing the future of SA’s coffee industry, particularly within the agricultural sector. The annual event serves as a crucial meeting point for producers, roasters, and baristas to collaborate and drive the industry forward.
Discussing the Future of SA’s Coffee Industry with Global Experts
Georgius ‘Odi’ Teja, the current World Coffee In Good Spirits Champion, led the discussions on global trends in coffee and coffee production.
Cup of Excellence Head Judge, Stephen Vick, award-winning Coffee Farmer, David Maguta from Kenya, and two representatives from the Colombian Coffee Growers Association, Maria Alejandra Olano and Diego Robles, joined him. Each expert brought a unique and valuable perspective on cultivation, quality assessment, and global market dynamics.
A Future-Facing Vision for the SA Coffee Industry
The event’s theme set the stage for a nationwide conversation about the local coffee supply chain.
‘The theme of Creative Coffee Week this year is ‘The Big Picture’ and this event in Durban is the first of three Creative Coffee Week Events being held in the coming months around South Africa. The bigger picture is essentially three pieces of the coffee puzzle which makes up the supply chain from farm to cup. The KZN leg focused on Coffee Farming and production in SA, where the Cape Town event will focus on roasting and the final event in the series in JHB will focus on coffee retail and service.’
~ Mel Winter, Editor at Large of Coffee Magazine and Event Organiser
Practical Steps Shaping the SA Coffee Industry’s Future
The first day of the two-day event comprised a series of talks and presentations centred on the business of coffee farming, as well as the quality and value of green coffee at a producer level.
The second day, in contrast, involved a number of hands-on coffee activations hosted at Humble Coffee, a tour to a KZN coffee farm, and an exclusive sensory OMAKAFE coffee experience with the World Champion for a select few.
The Future of SA’s Coffee Industry Continues
The momentum from Durban is set to continue, with the next event taking place in Cape Town from 17th to 18th September, followed by the final event in our very own Johannesburg on 11th & 12th December.
Both events promise to continue the vital conversation, turning the focus to the roasting and retail aspects of the coffee supply chain.
Sponsorship from First National Bank, Equipment Café, Electrical Industries, Red Espresso, Dartpac, BWT, Selati, Bluewater, Morrico Imports & Exports, Ciro, Da Vinci Gourmet, FNC, ButtaNutt, SEAM Coffee, Eversys, Beverage Seal and trade partners Lizzard, Hilton Gardens Inn, Green Coffee Supply, The Jersey Cow Company and Zuka Coffee made this event possible.
