PRF returns to El Salvador for eleventh version on 26 & 27 March 2026

• The eleventh version of Manufacturer & Roaster Discussion board (PRF) will tug playground on 26 & 27 March 2026 on the Hilton Resort in San Salvador, El Salvador – some of the global’s maximum prestigious strong point espresso origins and the first-ever PRF host nation.
• Over 4,200 guests and 350 world consumers are anticipated to wait, with an estimated US$15.7 million to be generated in industry gross sales.
• PRF El Salvador will host the 5th International Blazing Game, the 7th Chilly Brew Espresso Championship, the 3rd Cacao Grasp Cup, the second one International Cupping Championship, Central The us: Terrain of Excellence by means of Belco, and PRF Matchmaking.
• Speaker programs for PRF Voices are clear now.
• The development can even coincide with the International Espresso Awards finals, the place the arena’s absolute best roasters will probably be introduced.

On 26 & 27 March 2026, the eleventh version of Producer & Roaster Forum – the biggest and maximum prestigious espresso match in Latin The us – will tug playground on the Hilton Resort in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The 2-day discussion board unites an international network of manufacturers, roasters, buyers, baristas, and trade mavens. Each and every match supplies alternatives to community, trade concepts, assemble lasting industry relationships, and enjoy one of the global’s absolute best coffees.

Along with a specifically curated PRF Voices programme, workshops, and cuppings, PRF El Salvador will host the 5th International Blazing Game, the 7th Chilly Brew Espresso Championship, the 3rd Cacao Grasp Cup, the second one International Cupping Championship, Central The us: Terrain of Excellence by means of Belco, and PRF Matchmaking.

The development can even coincide with the Global Coffee Awards finals, the place regional Gold Champions will compete for the identify of the arena’s absolute best roaster.

Learn on to determine extra about what’s taking place on the match and the way you’ll observe to turn out to be a speaker.

Be informed extra about PRF here.

Celebrating over ten years of PRF

For over a decade, PRF has performed a chief position in connecting world consumers with one of the global’s absolute best espresso manufacturers. The 2-day discussion board serves as a platform to domesticate long-lasting relationships, cope with key trade problems, advertise innovation within the international espresso sector, and facilitate the sale of inexperienced espresso.

There were 5 host nations to while: El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia. Greater than 16,400 espresso execs have taken phase in earlier editions, together with over 4,300 inexperienced espresso consumers and roasters. 

Along with the two-day boards held in main towns throughout Latin American generating nations, the first-ever PRF: Farm Peak – which targeted in particular on regenerative and natural farming practices and took playground totally on a espresso farm in 2024 – introduced in combination 1,387 attendees in a extra intimate atmosphere homogeneous to the Sourcing Trip Experience. Those incorporated 404 farmers and 96 roasters.

Why PRF issues

Over the terminating ten years, roasters and importers from 40 nations – together with the USA, Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Uganda, Japan, Barbados, Spain, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and plenty of extra – have attended PRF occasions.

The 10 earlier boards have generated greater than US$64.8 million in inexperienced espresso gross sales, benefitting over 4,650 smallholder farmers in Latin The us and permitting roasters from around the globe to supply distinctive, fine quality coffees.

“PRF is an excellent platform for roasters to meet producers,” says Darius Vėželis, the CEO of Vero Coffee House in Lithuania. “It’s important to know the country that you’re buying coffee from, as well as operations at origin and how the supply chain works.

“At PRF, you can meet in person, and you have time to talk and exchange ideas with coffee professionals at origin, as well as roasters from other countries,” he provides. “I first attended the event in El Salvador in 2023, and have since developed relationships with Salvadoran producers and roasters from all over the world.”

A go back to El Salvador

In March 2026, the development will go back to El Salvador, a rustic famend for its outstanding property strong point espresso and the first-ever host of PRF.

“El Salvador produces unique varieties, such as Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara, which all have deep heritage in the country’s coffee sector,” says Henry Wilson, the founding father of PRF. “More than 95% of the country’s coffee crop is shade-grown, supporting regenerative agricultural practices.”

The rustic performs a pivotal position in Central The us’s espresso sector. The USDA forecasts El Salvador’s production volumes to increase to 597,000 60kg bags in the 2024/25 harvest length, however highlights key demanding situations – corresponding to labour shortages, order vulnerability, and lofty enter prices – that proceed to have an effect on farmers.

Then week’s discussion board is predicted in order in combination some 4,200 attendees, together with round 1,600 world guests and 350 international consumers – indicating PRF’s considerable, ever-growing world succeed in. 

The development may be anticipated to generate greater than US$15.7 million in industry gross sales, bolstering native and nationwide economies and supporting Salvadorian manufacturers.

“We’re proudly returning to El Salvador ten years after the inaugural edition in a mill in Santa Ana back in 2016,” Henry says. “This marks the next chapter in PRF’s mission to bring producers and roasters together in coffee-producing countries. As always, expect honest conversations about real challenges that the industry is facing.”

Which competitions will tug playground?

Development on over a decade of luck, PRF will go back to El Salvador with an match line-up that guarantees price for all attendees.

“Since 2019, we have sponsored PRF, and it’s incredible to see how the event has evolved over the years,” says Mark Zhou, the founding father of MTPak Coffee, a sustainable espresso packaging corporate and a PRF Gold Sponsor and GCA Platinum Sponsor.

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of another event that helps cultivate longstanding, mutually-beneficial partnerships between producers and roasters,” he provides. “El Salvador will be no exception, serving as one of the most important platforms for the specialty coffee industry.”

The championships that can tug playground are:

• The 5th International Blazing Game – supremacy world roasters show off natural scorching talents and experience to compete for the technical and population’s selection supremacy spots.
• The 7th Chilly Brew Espresso Championship, backed by means of Toddy – a make a choice crew of competition reveal their experience in crafting outstanding chilly brews and signature beverages.
• The 3rd Cacao Grasp Cup – baristas and cacao fans get ready two distinct sizzling drinks the use of other chocolate types with various cocoa and low percentages, showcasing the deep connection between the 2.
• The second one International Cupping Championship – competition put their sensory talents to the take a look at in a high-stakes cupping problem, comparing aroma, flavour, acidity, frame, and steadiness with precision and pace.
• Central The us: Terrain of Excellence by means of Belco – first held at Farm Peak, the Terrain of Excellence festival redefines property requirements within the espresso trade. The contest highlights the use of ground condition and regenerative agriculture in generating outstanding espresso, and this version will center of attention in particular on coffees from Central The us.

Additional information on the way to observe to compete will probably be introduced within the coming weeks.

International Espresso Awards finals

The finals of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) – a contest awarding scorching excellence – will probably be hosted at PRF El Salvador on 26 March 2026.

Addressing an opening within the trade, the GCA recognises the arena’s absolute best roasters and the manufacturers who develop their coffees. Distinctiveness espresso roasters can publish luggage in their supremacy coffees throughout outlined sections for casual judging by means of a panel of mavens. 

The sections and a few subcategories come with:

• Clear out (roasted in particular for guide or automatic add more of brewing)
  • Herbal
  • Washed
  • Honey
  • Experimental processing form
  • Robusta 
• Coffee (roasted in particular for coffee to be served with out milk)
• Flat White – Dairy (roasted in particular for coffee to be served with dairy as a flat white)
• Flat White – Additional (roasted in particular for coffee to be served with a plant milk as a flat white)

How does the GCA paintings?

For the 1st spherical, there will probably be 3 regional competitions:

• US & Canada: 29 & 30 September 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Trade
• Foundation division (any roaster primarily based in a coffee-producing nation): 1 October 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Industry
• Europe: 28 & 29 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, hosted at Belco

“Including these three categories levels the playing field,” Henry says. “Roasters in producing countries have an opportunity to go head-to-head with their peers in the US, Canada, and Europe, and win the title of world’s best.”

The Gold winners of each and every division of the USA & Canada, Foundation, and Europe competitions will compete on the international finals, the place manufacturers who’ve grown their coffees will fix them. The full champion will probably be topped all through the GCA awards rite at the night time of 26 March. There can be a VIP dinner at the identical night time.

To be told extra concerning the GCA and the way you’ll participate as a competitor, visit the website and examine the access equipment here.

PRF Matchmaking

There will probably be an exhibition section on the two-day discussion board the place attendees can community with chief Latin American and world corporations and organisations, together with manufacturers, exporters, roasters, importers, and café homeowners.

The Manufacturer-Roaster Matchmaking programme, backed by means of Algrano, can even go back then its forming on the 2025 Honduras match. 

“During a time of sustained high coffee prices, it’s never been more critical for roasters to have the opportunity to meet thousands of producers, cooperatives, and exporters to find the right coffee and flavour profiles for their budget,” Henry says. “Producers can also meet roasters from across the globe, giving them access to new markets.”

The programme is designed in particular to fasten manufacturers and roasters on the devoted Matchmaking Zone: a length designated for significant conversations and latest relationships between roasters and manufacturers, proper on the center of the exhibition.

“With all the current challenges that the industry is facing – price volatility, climate change, supply chain disruptions, and tariffs – it’s more important than ever that roasters are more involved in their supply chains, build direct relationships, and meet producers at origin,” says Henry.

Roasters, manufacturers, and buyers will find a way to satisfy attainable companions in a handy guide a rough, structured pace networking structure. Algrano will support information members all through the method, providing provide chain experience, logistical help, key monetary data, and reside translations.

What else is occurring at PRF El Salvador?

PRF El Salvador can even forming a brand-new initiative to facilitate inexperienced espresso gross sales between manufacturers and roasters.

“This new event activation will allow buyers to select coffees live at the cupping table and instantly receive pricing – not just FOB, but also spot-delivered to their roastery,” Henry says. 

Like alternative PRF occasions, the 2026 discussion board will come with workshops and cuppings, hosted by means of a few of Latin The us’s absolute best manufacturers and buyers that show off the range of the pocket’s espresso. 

Openings to host cuppings are to be had now, offering alternatives so as to add authentic price and domesticate long-term industrial relationships.

“I met several buyers from the Middle East at PRF El Salvador in 2023,” says Fernando Alfaro, a Salvadoran strong point espresso manufacturer. “We sold to two different buyers that year, and this year is the second consecutive time that we sold to the same buyers – thanks to a relationship supported by the efforts of the PRF team. The event is an excellent vehicle to kickstart long-term commercial relationships.”

There can be an Coffee, a Brew, and a Chilly Brew Bar, backed by means of Toddy, for attendees to attempt outstanding coffees from El Salvador and past.

Speaker programs

Each and every PRF match hosts the PRF Voices programme: a specifically curated lineup of lectures and panels led by means of one of the trade’s essential and prominent mavens. 

Over the terminating decade, audio system from 36 nations have participated, discussing numerous subjects around the espresso provide chain. Those come with:

• Motivated Composting Tactics for Espresso Manufacturers (Bob Fish and Michelle Fish – OBIIS, a PRF Gold Sponsor)
• The Science of Blazing for Purposeful Advantages (Ildi Revi – Purity Coffee, the PRF Silver Sponsor)
• Espresso Basics and Worth Possibility Control: Navigating Marketplace Volatility (Tomás Araujo – StoneX, US)
• Fluctuating Pricing and Moving Sourcing Methods: An Importer’s Point of view (Abraham Castro – Best friend Espresso, US)
• Leveraging Computational Simulation to Optimise Espresso Drying, Attic, and Blazing (Jaime Daniel Bustos – Universidad Surcolombiana, Colombia)
• Working out Inexperienced Espresso Logistics: Overcoming Demanding situations and Development an Environment friendly Provide Chain (Afshin Roshanian – Artisan Espresso Equipment, Romania)

English and Spanish audio system are invited to use for PRF Voices. Excellent applicants will have to have a robust background within the espresso trade, over 5 years of enjoy of their matter of pastime, earlier PRF participation, people talking talents, and new perception into key traits and demanding situations in these days’s espresso sector.

You’ll observe to be a speaker here. Packages will similar on 31 January 2026.

Volunteer alternatives

Backed by means of Copan Trade, the volunteer programme lets in passionate espresso execs to achieve significance enjoy, keep modern with the untouched traits, and extend their private community as they support run the development. 

Volunteers also are eligible to use for the PRF Seed programme, which recognises marketers within the espresso trade and empowers them by means of investment significance community-focused tasks. On the earlier two editions, PRF, with help from manufacturers like OBIIS and Mayorga Espresso, awarded over US$36,000 to 10 scholarship recipients.

Volunteers paintings on the registration, cuppings, Bars, competitions, and alternative subjects, enjoying a pivotal position in shaping the luck of PRF El Salvador. Candidates wish to be relaxed operating with espresso apparatus and feature some customer support talents.

You’ll observe to be a volunteer here.

PRF will go back to El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, highlighting over ten years of facilitating significant connections between manufacturers and roasters.

Global tickets and Sourcing Travel Revel in tickets are available for purchase here.

You’ll keep as much as while with all bulletins for PRF here, or by means of subscribing to the publication here.

Picture credit: Producer & Roaster Forum

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