In March 2015, the Let’s Talk Relationship Coffee event brought coffee producers from all over the world to Melbourne to share their stories and their coffees. Over three days, attendees tasted coffees, established relationships with producers, and took in top-notch content on topics including the volatile coffee market, the future of coffee production, and new developments in eco-friendly farming techniques. 

One of the highlights of Let’s Talk Relationship Coffee was the “Women in Coffee” panel moderated by Sustainable Harvest’s Olga Cuellar Gomez. Women play an invaluable role in all links of the specialty coffee supply chain, and the changing dynamics of gender is an increasingly pressing topic in the industry. (Read a recent article from Olga about the topic here.)

The panel at Let’s Talk Relationship Coffee featured both coffee growers and Australian roasters. The panelists were:

  • Fatima Ismael, Soppexcca cooperative in Nicaragua
  • Kattia Barrantes, Kaba Cafe in Costa Rica
  • Debra Knight, owner of Knight Mattingly Coffee Roasters
  • Lucy Ward, procurement strategist at Sensory Lab

Please enjoy this unique presentation, with five strong women sharing their stories of gaining leadership positions in a wide range of coffee businesses.