Coffee Prices & Technology Summit: Trends, Margins and Pay Gap
October 25th & 26th
What is the event all about?
Coffee price dynamics have a huge impact not only on coffee stakeholders but also on the industry as a whole. Weather events, yield projections, global inflation, and interest rates are only some of the factors exacerbating market price fluctuations. Additionally, economic value is distributed unevenly among actors, contributing to increased disparities and concerns for the sustainability of coffee production.
Even if the topic of price has been highly discussed in the past few years in the industry, the conversation on whether technology can play a role in tackling coffee price challenges is still largely unexplored. How can digital tools address pressing issues such as fair wages, pay gaps and gender equality? Can technology help us mitigate risks and identify effective price strategies for coffee stakeholders? How can we leverage digital tools to make more informed decisions about crops and investments?
On October 25th and 26th, we will explore these and many other questions at the Coffee Prices & Technology Summit: Trends, Margins and Pay Gap. In this online event, panelists and participants from every node of the coffee value chain will take a deep dive into the intersection between coffee prices and technology, highlighting topics that impact the entire industry and exploring with a critical eye the role that digital tools can play in overcoming price-related challenges.
The format of the Summit.
The summit is hosted virtually on a professional platform combining various panels, lectures, demos, and networking opportunities. You can directly interact with stakeholders, exchange your experiences, and build new personal and professional relationships in the coffee trade. We invited actors from every link in the value chain - from the first mile until the very last – to spark a holistic discussion on coffee prices and technology. Discover common needs, challenges, and discuss with coffee professionals eager to create a better future!
*Recordings will be available for all ticket holders.
Language.
To make our event as accessible and inclusive as possible, the sessions will be presented in English with Spanish translation or in Spanish with English translation.
The program.
*Recordings will be available for all ticket holders.
Wednesday, October 25th
OPENING: Welcome to the Coffee Prices & Technology Summit
The Coffee Prices & Technology Summit will be opened by Elisa Criscione, Founder of Digital Coffee Future. She will welcome you virtually to the Event.
3:00pm - 3:10pm CEST
3:15pm - 3:55pm CEST
LECTURE: Understanding price trends: an important foundation
This introductory presentation will begin to answer the questions “where do coffee prices come from and why do they change?” It will introduce several of the most commonly-referenced institutions that influence the prices at which physical coffee is traded including derivative exchanges (C-price), the ICO indicators or differentials, and the role of individual market actors. It will also introduce the concept of value chains that transmit coffee from farm to cup and how income and profits are distributed among the actors involved. It will present the orthodox “common sense” narrative, evidence of contradictions within this paradigm, and suggest possible alternatives.
4:30pm - 5:30pm CEST
PANEL: How price fluctuations impact commodity & specialty coffee
In this session, we will delve deep into the intricacies that shape the dynamics of commercial coffee prices and specialty coffee prices. We will explore two main aspects. Firstly, we'll examine how trading houses manage risks and make informed decisions in their buying and selling processes, utilizing insights from the fluctuations and forecasts of the commodity (C) market. Secondly, we'll investigate the impact of these fluctuations on the specialty coffee market, and how both segments of the industry leverage data and information to enhance their decision-making processes.
5:45pm - 6:00pm CEST
TECH TOOL DEMO: GestOpp
In this demos session, we will explore GestOpp, a platform designed especially for coffee cooperatives in Honduras and Central America. GestOpp offers real-time information to process traceability and financial records more effectively. This Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution is currently being used by 10 Honduran cooperatives, having traced 4.5 million quintals since its launch in 2018. The platform also provides updated data on producer purchase cost, logistics costs, contract fixations and profitability analysis tailored to the local market and training on hedging strategies.
6:30pm - 7:30pm CEST
PANEL: Technology for a more dynamic flow of price information
During this panel discussion, a diverse group of experts will elucidate how technology can facilitate the dissemination of price information among various coffee industry stakeholders. We will explore a spectrum of software systems tailored to the specific needs of each user and investigate how such tech tools can determine pricing strategies in response to market dynamics. Additionally, we will delve into how tech can also support understanding how quality affects price, the significance of C Market benchmarks and how different market dynamics in various exporting countries can also influence the economic value and the decision-making processes involved in the sale or purchase of coffee.
8:00pm - 9:00pm CEST
LECTURE: Coffee price strategies
In this lecture, you will learn how to effectively navigate the unpredictable coffee market using price-fixing strategies that mitigate risks, discuss contract types and their optimal applications, explore essential market fundamentals while diving into price technical analyses, and uncover how producer organizations skillfully manage each harvest cycle to attain their desired price.
Thursday, October 26th
PANEL: Higher quality, higher economic value
During this panel session, our speakers will dissect the concept of quality and its direct correlation with economic value generation. They will engage in a comprehensive discussion, highlighting how the perception of quality varies among different stakeholders. Furthermore, they will deep dive into the expenses associated with achieving quality at the production level, delving also into the realm of green coffee grading and its pivotal role in identifying and attaining quality standards. Finally, our experts will shed light on a range of technological solutions designed to facilitate quality recognition and its link with economic value.
3:00pm - 4:00pm CEST
4:15pm - 4:30pm CEST
TECH TOOL DEMO: Agtuall
During this session, we will showcase the features of Agtuall, a tool that provides cooperatives with key information to evaluate and execute transactions. Currently being tested by three cooperatives in Uganda, this digital solution provides futures and weather data, profitability analyses, and training for hedging, allowing organizations to make data-driven decisions and manage price volatility. The session will also offer insights into the lessons learned from developing the tool.
5:00pm - 6:00pm CEST
PANEL: Living income and cost of sustainable production: does technology play a role?
In this panel session, the speaker will touch upon the concept of living income and cost of sustainable production, and their intersection with the world of technology. Participants will gain an understanding of the tech advancements within the coffee industry that can support the identification of living income and cost of sustainable production benchmarks, and how data can be collected and used to reach this goal. A variety of case studies will be presented.
6:30pm - 7:30pm CEST
PANEL: By-products and their contribution to increased economic value
This panel will present successful experiences based on the possibilities that coffee by-products offer for the improvement of the industry. During this session, the speakers will delve into the ways in which by-products can contribute to greater economic value, innovation and research, and the creation of circular economies, and will explore how the sustainable use and transformation of resources can become opportunities for the coffee value chain.
TECH TOOL DEMO: Greensquare
In this session, we will be focusing on the hidden costs affecting stakeholders in the coffee supply chain and how the team at greensquare is directly working to address these issues. Greensquare is the first deployment of the Agtech software suite from the team at SquareX Innovations. Providing coffee importers with a connected ERP, CRM, and Customer Sales Portal suite along with providing coffee roasters with a suite of connected software tools to manage their entire green coffee procurement. Both reduce the excessive risks and resources required to do so up until now.
7:45pm - 8:00pm CEST
8:15pm - 9:15pm CEST
PANEL: Learning from other value chains
In this panel session, we give space to experts from other value chains such as cocoa and banana, so we can draw parallels and distinctions between the innovative practices and strategies within these industries compared to coffee. By opening our discussion to these varied perspectives, we hope to foster a rich exchange of ideas and lessons learned. This unique opportunity will enable us to gain a deeper understanding of how technology can shape pricing strategies, identify key trends, and navigate the ever-evolving dynamics in sectors beyond coffee.
Join the Coffee Prices & Technology Summit: Trends, Margins and Pay Gaps
Our partners
The Coffee Guide, Fourth Edition.
International Trade Center’s ‘Coffee Guide’ offers excellent insights into the digital transformation taking place in the coffee industry. The guide can be downloaded by clicking the links below:
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