The Specialty Coffee Big Event was held in Atlanta, Georgia this year. Thousands of coffee lovers & professionals gathered for classes, exhibits, workshops, and just old fashioned networking.

This was our first year as an exhibitor & it was a blast! We met lots of new friends, and saw all of the latest innovations in the coffee world. We met producers from all over the world, and sampled many fine coffees. Fun!

Networking

There were nightly parties & get togethers, which are perfect to get to know more of your coffee cohorts in the industry. Lots of food, fun conversation, and a lively atmosphere make these informal meetings the ideal way to wind down after a long day of exploring, learning & making new friends. (Warning: can make those early lectures, seem, well…early.)

A Little Further South Coffee in CoffeeTalk Magazine

Shortly after we arrived, we spotted the April issue of CoffeeTalk Magazine. We were so excited to see the article about our work with the Curibamba Coffee Project in Central Peru. Thanks to the wonderful staff. (Check us out on page 28!)

The Exhibit Hall

The large trade show floor was full of everything that a coffee lover could possibly want. Whether you are a coffee connoisseur, coffee shop owner, or coffee buyer there was something for everyone. All the latest machines for roasting, preparing great coffee & even for removing defects from green coffee were displayed.

Everywhere one could taste an espresso or pourover of the finest roasters, or from the many countries represented here.

Need biodegradable bags or cups? Exploring exotic flavored coffees? Want to check out coffee from Peru, Burundi, or India? All there, just waiting for you. Dozens of countries were represented, as well as every kind of vendor related to the coffee industry. We were so pleased to see PromPeru had an excellent presence this year, a marked improvement over last year.

There were many new products & innovations. The show is a fabulous place to keep up on the latest in the coffee industry. I love to look at roasters 🙂

Here’s a few pictures…

               

US Barista & Roaster Championships

SCAA hosted the US Barista & US Roaster Championships this year which culminate with one Barista and one Roaster each earning the coveted title of “US Champion.” The competition if tough, but one skilled winner in each category can take home this prestigious title.

Sponsors

Many thanks need to be given to our sponsors who made this event possible through their support of Specialty Coffee & their generosity in contributing financially and philosophically to the improvement and education in every step of the coffee supply chain. Thanks!

Volunteers

What makes the event run smoothly is the more than 1,000 volunteers who tirelessly toil to make sure all goes well.

Thanks you for your hard work!

SCAA 2017 – Seattle

The Specialty Coffee Big Event returns to Seattle in 2017. See you there!