The organisation is dedicated to 'building an industry that is fair, sustainable, and nurturing for all', so who better to join us and share their insight at The Lab sessions at The Milan Coffee Festival?
Represenying the SCA at the festival will be six Authorized SCA Trainers (ASTs): Eddy Righi, Matteo Barbarossa, Alessandro Galtieri, Enrico Romano, Alberto Polojac and Chiara Bergonzi, who will hope to answer all your burning questions.
SCA trainer Chiara Bergonzi and last year's Lab
This year the SCA have decided to approach their Lab sessions with the aim of covering wide and topical ground, "investigating issues that affect the entire coffee excellence chain, touching important and too often undervalued concepts".
Over the course of three days the experts will be explore everything from the plastic-free movement to consumer psychology to the complicated world of fermentation. Got questions already? See the full SCA Lab programme below!
Saturday
10:30 | Plastic Free Solutions – Eddy Righi, Caffè Pascucci
A group conversation about plastic-free solutions to be adopted by cafés and evaluating their impact.
14:05 | Consumer Psychology – Matteo Barbarossa, Caffè Barbarossa
Why oes the general public like a "Robusta" more than a "Specialty"? We are told by Davis and Porter with their experiment on early exposure to aromas and food stimuli .
Sunday
14:05 | Alternative Methods – Alessandro Galtieri, Aroma Caffè Pregiati
Filter coffee is undoubtedly the most popular brewing extractions method used around the world, but is it also the best? We understand how it can be best offered within cafés, thus increasing its appeal in Italian coffee shops.
15:55 | Specialty, Commercial and Markets –Enrico Romano, C.B.C, Coffee Trade
The world of specialty coffee in Italy from the 90s to today. The birth and transformation of a movement that aims to revolutionize the way coffee is understood. Has it succeeded? Reflections of a green coffee broker, chatting about stock exchanges, multinationals, robusta, social media and other stories.
Monday
10:30 | A World in Ferment – Alberto Polojac, Bloom Coffee School
Fermentation is certainly one of the most discussed topics in the coffee scene of recent years. There are those who appreciate it and those who hate it, but one thing is certain: it represents the new trend in processing methods. Let's find out more about what it consists of, and its impact in qualitative and economic terms together with Alberto Polojac, quality manager of Imperator, Q Grader and Q Processor.
13:13 | The Talking Barista – Chiara Bergonzi, Roaster & Coffee Expert, Lot Zero
How to introduce the Italian consumer to the world of specialty coffee? The barista becomes a brand ambassador of the specialty movement and as such has the fundamental task of bringing its customers closer to a coffee that distorts daily habits, being totally different in terms of quality, taste, price, techniques and methods of extraction, etc. Practical advice, for those behind the counter, to argue for a revolutionary product in a very traditional market.