Atlas Events at SCA Expo 2019

By: Susan Heller Evenon

Mar 29, 2019

Spring is in the air: birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, hay fever is in full force, and everyone at Atlas HQ is aflurry preparing for Re:co Symposium and SCA Expo taking place in Boston this year from April 10-14th.

If you're planning on attending Re:Co, Expo, or both, don't forget to print out a copy of the Atlas EXPO passport and enter for a chance to win a trip with us! Here's our schedule of events in one place for easy access [note: all times are in Eastern].

If you get to witness the chaos of Expo from the comfort of your own home or Instagram account, we'll be livestreaming plenty of events on Atlas's instagram account, @atlascoffee, so stay tuned!

The following schedule is organized chronologically, but see here for our full producer schedule at Roaster Village (table 13)!

Re:Co Symposium - April 10-11, 2019 - Boston Convention Center

Atlas is the green coffee sponsor! Make sure to stop by the brewing area to taste some of our offerings from Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, DR Congo, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.

Expo - Friday, April 12 - Boston Convention Center

Panel: A Career in Coffee? Why It Can, and Should, Happen , 10:15-11:15am, Room 253C

A lot has been written about the workforce -- millennials in particular -- choosing between a career and a passion. That shouldn't be the case. While baristas and other coffee professionals may find it hard to make millions, they should be able to make sustainable wages while also developing as a professional. What are ways that cafes, roasting companies, and other coffee industry organizations can provide this working environment? Two small business owners with a proven track record in employee recruitment, development and retention, will offer an in-depth behind-the-scenes look into how it's all possible.

Panelists: Ryan Jensen, Owner, Peregrine Espresso, Small Planes Coffee | Tymika Nichelle Lawrence, Eastern North America Sales Representative, Atlas Coffee Importers | Connie Blumhardt, Publisher, Roast Magazine | Brian Helfrich, CEO, Summit Coffee Co. | Andrew Miller, President, Cafe Imports

Atlas Booth #862 - Show Floor Hours: 10:30am-5:30pm - Come by for coffee and a chat!

Roaster Village (next to the Competition area) "Heart of Africa" day, Table 13, 9am-5pm - Come meet producers and taste their coffees!

9am-11am: Burundi - Kalico

11am-1pm: Rwanda - Sholi

1pm-3pm: DR Congo - Rebuild Women's Hope

3pm-5pm: Uganda - Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Union

Expo - Saturday, April 13 - Boston Convention Center

Panel: The Future of Coffee: Building Long-Distance Relationships in Emerging Origins , 9:00am-10:00am, Room 253A

World Coffee Research predicts that within the next 30 years, the demand for coffee will double while viable land in current coffee growing countries will diminish by half. How can we combat this? Through an engaging panel discussion, learn about the future of coffee production in emerging origins such as Myanmar and Nepal and the role consumers, roasters, and importers can play in building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships across culture and distance.

Moderator: Craig Holt, Founder & CEO of Atlas Coffee Importers

Panelists: Al Liu, Vice President of Coffee, Colectivo Coffee Roasters | Mario Fernandez, Technical Director, Coffee Quality Institute | Su Su Aung, Managing Director, Ywangan Amayar Company limited | April Su Yin Nwet, Senior Private Sector Liaison Advisor, Winrock International

Atlas Booth #862 - Show Floor Hours: 10:30am-5:30pm - Come by for a coffee and a chat!

Roaster Village (next to the Competition area), Table 13, 9am-5pm - Come meet producers and taste their coffees!

9am-11am: Brazil - SanCoffee

11am-1pm: Ethiopia - Guracho

1pm-3pm: Myanmar 

3pm-5pm: Sumatra - Ketiara

Panel: Scaling Sustainable Sourcing: How to Ensure that Everyone from Source to Shelf Wins, 2:00pm-3:00pm, Room 253B

Not all coffee is the same, so not all sustainability strategies are the same. Ever wonder what goes on in a company when determining a sourcing strategy and related commitment? There are a number of avenues available to coffee companies developing a sustainable sourcing strategy. Traceability, transparency, certification, verification, direct trade. It can seem overwhelming and confusing. What do they encompass? What is the difference in the approaches? And are they right for your business? In this session, an array of companies will talk about how critical issues (e.g. price transparency, forest conservation, labor practices) shape their strategies, how they developed a response to tackle them and what approaches have gotten traction with farmers, internal business partners and consumers.

Moderator: Parker Townley, Senior Manager, Coffee, Fair Trade USA

Panelists: Olga Cuellar, Sustainability Strategy Leader, S&D Coffee and Tea | Bambi Semroc, VP, Sustainable Markets and Strategy, Conservation International | Meredith Taylor, Sustainability Manager, Counter Culture Coffee | Stephen Robertson, Director of Sales and Marketing, Blanchard Coffee

Expo - Sunday, April 14 - Boston Convention Center

Atlas Booth #862 - Show Floor Hours: 10:30am-4:00pm -Come by for a coffee and a chat!

Roaster Village (next to the Competition area), Table 13, 9am-3pm - Come meet producers and taste their coffees!

9am-11am: Honduras - Beneficio San Vicente

11am-1pm: Colombia - ASOPEP

1pm-3pm: Peru - Chirinos