LOS ANGELES, CA – May 24, 2024 – Coffee Fest, the premier business resource for the specialty coffee community, is thrilled to announce its upcoming event in Los Angeles, taking place from August 25-27, 2024. This highly anticipated event promises to be a dynamic and enriching experience, offering an unparalleled opportunity for coffee professionals to connect, learn, and grow.
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Coffee Fest has been a cornerstone of the specialty coffee industry since its founding in 1992. Over the years, it has expanded to serve large and small specialty coffee markets across the United States, hosting events four times a year. Coffee Fest Los Angeles will continue this tradition, bringing together industry professionals and trusted brands for a comprehensive three-day event.
Experience and Learn
At Coffee Fest Los Angeles, attendees will have access to over 120 hours of educational content, including seminars, workshops, and discussions led by industry experts. This extensive program is designed to help coffee professionals at all levels enhance their knowledge and skills, with sessions covering key areas such as Business Operations, Roasting & Green Coffee, and Skills Training.
Educational Sessions and Venues
Lectures and Seminars: With over 50 free seminars included with registration, attendees can learn from industry experts and seasoned professionals. These sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Workshops: Limited-capacity workshops hosted by industry leading trainers and experienced educators offer lecture-style intensives with interactive components, certificate programs, and personalized interaction, with fees ranging from $49 to $299.
Here are just a few of the BRAND NEW workshops coming to Coffee Fest Los Angeles:
- Coffee and Espresso Grinder Essentials: Taught by Jason ‘Double J’ Johnson of Black Rabbit Service. This comprehensive 90-minute workshop is tailored for coffee professionals eager to master the intricacies of coffee grinders. Attendees will delve into grind size, extraction, and flavor profiles, and receive essential technical training for maintenance and minor repairs.
- Developing a Wholesale Coffee Program: Taught by Kristen Hjelm of BUNN. This course is designed for coffee roasters and distributors looking to grow their brand into new channels, discussing trends in product, packaging, equipment, and pricing, and offering strategies for diversifying business plans.
- Building Your Coffee Vocabulary: Taught by Sandra Loofbourow of Loupe Coffee Consulting. This session focuses on enhancing sensory description skills through understanding gustation and olfaction, and practicing flavor recall and communication using globally recognizable flavor descriptors.
- Brewing Up a Buzz: Unconventional Marketing Strategies: Taught by Ian Williams of Deadstock Coffee. This workshop explores unique marketing strategies tailored to individual brands and communities, providing tools to craft effective and distinctive marketing plans.
- Business Planning for Roasters: Taught by Marcus Young of goodboybob. This hands-on course helps participants develop business and growth plans for roasting businesses, covering startup costs, marketing, sales techniques, product development, and branding.
Hands-On Training: a variety of small group classes offer hands-on training, practical theory, and one-on-one practice time with dedicated guidance from seasoned educators. These sessions are designed to provide in-depth, practical experience in key areas:
- Dialing in Espresso
- Free Pour Latte Art
- Barista Basics
- Cupping
- Tasting the Flavor Wheel
- Espresso Machine Maintenance
- Alternative Milk Steaming Science
- Brewing Non-Coffee (Tea!) Based Beverages
Each class is limited in capacity to ensure personalized attention and ample practice time on the espresso machines, allowing attendees to refine their skills and gain confidence in their techniques.
Conversation Corner: A space on the show floor dedicated to panel discussions on important topics. Hear from renowned local coffee professionals and network with other business owners.
Roasting Rig: Master the art of roasting with Mill City Roasters’ comprehensive education sessions held in their hallmark big red roast truck. Discover wide-ranging topics, from roasting foundations through to roastery architecture and design.
Cupping Corner: Engage in exciting cupping classes, competitions, hands-on tasting workshops, and mini-sessions presented by Cafe Imports.
Business Building Essentials: Brainstorm and learn business-enhancing strategies with fellow operators, presented by Dillanos Coffee Roasters & Barista 22.
Barista Playground: An interactive zone for both new and experienced baristas to refine their skills, presented by Synesso, Planet Oat, and Simple Cart Systems.
Just a Few of the Notable Speakers at Coffee Fest Los Angeles
- Rachel Apple, Consultant: Rachel has been a Quality Control Manager at George Howell Coffee Company, played a pivotal role at Cometeer; acted as a Head Judge for the Cup of Excellence, and is also a Head Judge, Sensory Lead, and Committee member for the US Barista Championships.
- Chris Deferio, Owner/Founder, Keys to the Shop Consulting: An award-winning coffee professional with 23 years of industry experience, Chris has held numerous training, management, and leadership roles. He is a 3-time latte art champion and US Barista Championship finalist, and hosts the internationally recognized coffee podcast, Keys to the Shop®.
- Kenneth Davids, Co-Founder, CoffeeReview.com: Kenneth has been a key figure in the specialty coffee movement for over 45 years. He has authored four influential books on coffee and co-founded CoffeeReview.com. His expertise has been featured in workshops and seminars across six continents.
- Erica Escalante, Consultant: Erica is a seasoned coffee professional and former professional baker. She owned and ran the Arrow Coffehouse in Portland for a decade, after which she jumped into big roles for coffee companies in California such as Canyon Coffee and Goodboybob. She now consults for cafes and bakeries, helping them optimize operations and increase profitability.
- Eric Grimm, Chief Experience Officer, Ghost Town Oats: With 16 years of experience in the specialty coffee industry, Eric specializes in catering events, human resources, and community building. They co-founded Ghost Town Oats, a barista-owned oat milk company.
- Heather Kelley, Founder & CEO, Beverage Business Consulting: With over 25 years in the coffee industry, Heather has worked with top brands and held various roles from barista to VP of Sales. She founded Beverage Business Consulting to help others succeed in the coffee industry.
- Lauren Lathrop, Director of Education, Mill City Roasters: Lauren has served as a Head Judge and National Coordinator for the US Coffee Championships and is a Brand Ambassador for Pacific Barista Series. She emphasizes high-quality training and calibration with industry peers.
- Amanda-Jane Thomas, Founder and Co-CEO, Sip & Sonder: Amanda-Jane is an entrepreneur and attorney who co-founded Sip & Sonder, a coffee house and roastery, and Sonder Impact, a nonprofit focused on empowering Black communities. She holds degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
- Ian Williams, Founder, Deadstock Coffee: Ian is the founder of Deadstock Coffee, a sneaker-themed coffee shop in Portland. He previously worked at Nike and now focuses on unique marketing strategies, coffee roasting, and sharing his unique ideas through big forums such as TEDx.
Latte Art World Championship Open (LAWCO)
One of the most exciting highlights of Coffee Fest Los Angeles is the Latte Art World Championship Open (LAWCO). This thrilling 64-competitor, bracket-style, sudden-death competition features head-to-head matches between the world’s most talented baristas. Each competitor produces one free-pour drink for the judges, using only milk and espresso – no etching, tools, or powders allowed. The drinks are then scored, and the competitor with the highest score advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated. This intense and visually stunning competition showcases the pinnacle of latte art skill and creativity.
Join the Community
Coffee Fest is more than just a tradeshow; it is an immersive experience that fosters thought leadership and stimulates business growth within the specialty coffee community. Attendees will have the chance to discover new products, explore emerging trends, and engage deeply with the industry’s best and brightest.
EVENT DETAILS
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
Dates: August 25-27, 2024
Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to enhance your business and connect with the specialty coffee community. Register now and take advantage of the diverse learning and networking opportunities Coffee Fest Los Angeles has to offer.
For more information and to register, visit www.coffeefest.com
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