For the fourth year in a row, coffee takes center stage to fuel the important attendees and influential speakers of the TED 2014 conference.
This year, TED kicks off on March 17th in Vancouver, British Columbia in tandem with its companion program TEDActive in Whistler, British Columbia. Speakers that might get coffee at the TED coffee bars this year include billionaires and philanthropists Bill & Melinda Gates, rock n’ roll icon Sting, and digital futurist Nicholas Negroponte.
In years past, the coffee program had been serviced by Chicago’s Intelligentsia, the late Coffee Common project, and most recently the United States Barista Guild of America. For the first time, the coffee service is being managed by World Coffee Events, the organization responsible for competitions like the World Barista Championship and Coffee In Good Spirits. This marks the second WCE undertaking that isn’t a competition. For this event, the WCE works in partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Barista Guild of America.
No fewer than seven coffee bars will be running for these events, staffed by a cadre of coffee professionals from across North America, serving espresso and brewed coffee with top-of-the-line equipment by La Marzocco, BUNN, Curtis, Hario, Flojet, Breville, Aerobie, Chemex, Baratza, Mahlkonig, and Stealth Coffee Systems. Product partners at the event include Visions Espresso Supply, Detpak, Global Customized Water, and Reg Barber Enterprises.
Coffee service at TED 2014 has a Canadian focus, but will also feature top roasters from New Zealand, Taiwan, and the newly-formed TOMS Roasting Co. based in Southern California / Denver. In addition to these fine coffees, TED attendees can also enjoy tea service provided in partnership with Harney & Sons, Tealet, and The Teasmith.
Here’s more on the roasters, plus the coffees they’ll be serving at TED.
Matchstick Coffee (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Coffees: Kenya Kiawamururu, Kenya Kagumoini, Ethiopia Teklu Dembal, Colombia San Sebastian, Guatemala Las Lomas
Phil & Sebastian (Calgary, Alberta)
Coffees: Ethiopia Gedeb, Colombia Guzman Brothers, Panama Carlos Aguilera, Bolivia Celia Condori, Kenya Kabingara AA.
Elysian Coffee (Vancouver, British Columbia):
Coffees: Bolivia Buenavista, Rwanda Kanzu.
Salt Spring Coffee (British Columbia):
Coffees: Metta Espresso, Nicaragua Finca Los Pinos, Peru Pangoa, Papua New Guinea Wau.
GaBee. (Taipei, Taiwan):
Coffees: Colombia Los Alpes Planadas, “Espresso” with Guatemala Chimaltenango + El Salvador Finca El Rio + Indonesia Sumatra.
Coffee Supreme (New Zealand):
Coffees: The Origin (espresso blend), Brazil Cerrado Swiss Water Decaf, Guatemala La Tacita.
TOMS Roasting (USA)
Coffees: Rwanda Butare, Carpe Diem (espresso blend).
TED kicks off March 17th – follow the World Coffee Events TED Coffee blog for more details, including interviews with participating baristas and in-depth profiles of the coffees being served.
