Trying to decide between going to a coffee lecture program likeย Re:Co Symposium or making a trip to origin? Why not do both at Letโs Talk Coffee? Taking place October 13th through the 16th in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Letโs Talk Coffee is part lecture series and part origin trip, all happening in four jam-packed days.
In its 14th year now, Letโs Talk Coffee is one of the premiere events bringing coffee lectures to origin countries. Past events have been held in coffee-producing countries like Rwanda, Colombia, El Salvador, and Panama, and have included guest speakers like New York Times columnist Oliver Strand, 2011 World Barista Champion Alejandro Mendez, and Cuatro M Cafes owner Emilio Lopez Diaz.
The theme for this yearโs event is โProspering in the New Reality,โ and will examine โthe challenging economic, social, and environmental issues facing specialty coffee in 2016.โ Discussion topics will include gender equity in the coffee supply chain, the influence of economic consolidation and climate change on the coffee landscape, and the role of responsible sourcing practices in light of scrutinized labor conditions at origin.
This yearโs speakers include Helen Russell of Equator Coffee & Teas, multi-time Mexican Barista Champion Fabrizio Senciรณn Ramรญrez, and The Coffeewomanโs Tracy Ging.
For the final day, Letโs Talk Coffee offers an optional field trip to visit a coop and coffee farm in the region of Chiapas. Or, if youโre looking for something not coffee-related, there is a tequila field trip available that will tour the Jose Cuervo agave fields and distillery.
For those only able to make one coffee vacation a year, Letโs Talk Coffee is the perfect marriage of lecture series and origin trip. For a full list of details, visit Letโs Talk Coffeeโs website here.
Zac Cadwaladerย is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.