Lecture Description

The specialty coffee market is booming, yet 62% of coffee shops fail within the first five years of business. How can coffee retail entrepreneurs set themselves up for success? This panel, featuring dynamic voices from successful entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry leaders, will explore different approaches to the industry’s biggest challenges - from bridging capital gaps to building scalable, ethical businesses. We will discuss the power of collaboration and design thinking, and showcase how emerging coffee shops can compete and win in the market, through tailored mentorship, funding, and community support.

This panel will also introduce the Coffee Futures Fund (CFF), an innovative, mentorship-driven funding model to double the success rate of specialty coffee retail. As the official launch of CFF, attendees will gain first access to a transformative program for coffee entrepreneurs.

Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Room 350DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Akshat Khandelwal (he/him)
Founder, Coffee Futures Fund

Akshat Khandelwal is the founder of Coffee Futures Fund (CFF), a first-of-its-kind initiative that provides capital and mentorship to emerging specialty coffee entrepreneurs. With a background in brand storytelling and business strategy, he is also the founder of Coffee Owners Roundtable, a global community of coffee owners that he started during the pandemic to offer peer support and collaboration. Through CFF, he aims to transform the coffee industry’s success rate, helping independent shops thrive. At the SCA Expo 2025, Akshat will lead a panel discussion on the future of specialty coffee entrepreneurship and the role of strategic investment in scaling impact.

Lecture Description

Staffing a café can provide incredible challenges for small business owners, especially when you have high expectations of your employees to craft high quality specialty coffee beverages and hospitality experiences. We will be discussing our interview structure for potential hires, systems in place to expedite the facilitation of new hire training, and training programs designed to reduce time to proficiency. The onboarding and training process is incredibly costly to a business, so ensuring that a.) your new hires are properly vetted by multiple contact points in the company and b.) you're providing training that adequately prepares staff for their jobs can ensure effective staffing and employee retention. Having an HR and Training department that coordinates effectively with café management can decrease stress placed on the retail team and creates more opportunities for baristas to thrive in your business.

Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Room 351DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Reyna Callejo (she/her)
Director of Training and Innovation, Olympia Coffee

Reyna Callejo is the Director of Training and Innovation at Olympia Coffee Roasting Company + Moonrise Bakery. Reyna manages all new hire and continued education curriculum at Olympia Coffee + Moonrise Bakery, standardizes cafe service, and facilitates the development of systems and events that pursue coffee excellence for both employees and members of the Seattle coffee community.

Richelle Parker (she/her)
Director of Operations, Olympia Coffee

Passionate about coffee, hospitality, and creating supportive workplaces, Richelle Parker is the Director of Operations at Olympia Coffee and Moonrise Bakery, where she has been instrumental in the company’s growth and commitment to ethical business. She has helped scale the company from three to eight locations, quadrupling the staff while building the foundations of its HR department and managing multiple BOH departments. Richelle also led the charge in securing B Corp and Living Wage certifications, reinforcing Olympia Coffee’s dedication to social and environmental responsibility. Her leadership has strengthened company infrastructure while fostering an environment where employees feel valued and can thrive.

Lecture Description

Beginning in 2024, a new market environment has changed the playing field for all coffee participants in the coffee supply chain and for consumers as well: inverted markets, differentials, shipping logistics, cash flows, consumer demand, and last but not least, adverse climate effects, all managed to bring the new reality to market participants.

This lecture will delve into all the variables that have affected the coffee market over the past year and will identify the factors that stakeholders in the supply chain will need to negotiate going forward. The financial instruments that are used to transfer these risks to the financial markets will also be explained. The lecture will finish by presenting Stonex's Brazil Coffee harvest report and price outlook.

Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Room 361ABC
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Albert Scalla (he/him)
Sr. Vice President of Trading, STONEX

Albert Scalla, Senior Vice President of Trading at StoneX, has combined his considerable knowledge of the commodity markets with his expertise in implementing price risk management strategies using Futures, Options and Structured Products in the commodity markets.

Albert joined Hencorp Futures, later acquired by StoneX, 32 years ago, where he has been an important pillar for the development of Commodity Price Risk Management programs from producers to final consumers in the Coffee, Cocoa and Palm Oil markets.

In these products, Albert has been invited as a guest speaker to several national and international conferences to speak on Price Risk Management for participants in both producing and consuming countries of the supply chain.

Albert received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a specialty in Finance from Florida International University.

Lecture Description

This panel discussion will delve into the critical role of in-house specialty coffee training programs for cafes and companies. We will explore the benefits of such programs, best practices for development and implementation, and real-world case studies to inspire and inform attendees.

Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 10:15am - 11:15am
Location: Room 350DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Kathie Hilberg
Co-Host & Co-Founder, Totally Dissolved Podcast

Bronwen Serna
Co-Host & Co-Founder, Totally Dissolved Podcast

Lecture Description

Bold brands stand out from the competition much better and are more likely to gain legal trademark protections. This session will review what makes a bold brand, and how to form one, as well the legal steps that can help any brand gain more protection.

Brands and trademarks are key assets for all small businesses and are often mis-understood or ignored. This session will provide small business owners with information about selecting, protecting and enforcing trademarks from Erik Pelton, an experienced trademark attorney who has helped to protect thousands of brands over more than two decades.

The workshop will provide “nuts and bolts” for small business owners on brand and trademark topics including selecting new brand names, applying to register trademarks, and dealing with trademark enforcement and infringement issues. Mr. Pelton will also discuss the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) application process, and provide case studies regarding bold, protected brands in across the coffee industry.

Date: Saturday April 26, 2025
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Room 360ABC
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Erik Pelton (he/him)
Founder, Erik M. Pelton & Associates

Erik Pelton has dedicated his career to making intellectual property protection understandable, accessible, and affordable for businesses of all sizes and types. Erik began his career as a trademark examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office before launching his own boutique firm with the goal of making the process of protecting a brand easy through the enduring ideals of great customer service, affordability, and clarity.
With 25 years of experience in the field of trademarks and more than 4,500 trademarks registered, Mr. Pelton has represented hundreds of clients in trademark disputes; and published countless podcasts, articles, and videos.

Lecture Description

In this lecture, we'll explore the fundamentals of inventory management for green coffee buyers at coffee roasting companies. Precise inventory management can help coffee roasting companies avoid critical mistakes that cost money and create stress. Expect to learn how to make important inventory calculations that will help you run an efficient business

Date: Saturday April 26, 2025
Time: 10:15am - 11:15am
Location: Room 351DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Jay Kling (he/him)
Founder, Efficiency.coffee

Jay Kling is a professional green coffee buyer and the founder of www.efficiency.coffee. Jay's mission is to increase the sustainability of the specialty coffee industry by helping coffee roasters get better at supply chain management. When we manage our inventory well, project demand accurately, and run efficient supply chains, we save money that makes our businesses more sustainable. If you want to pay equitable prices for coffee at origin, you have to run a tight business at the roastery!

Lecture Description

This powerpoint presentation will explore the most critical issues (and mistakes) owners face during the design and build-out process when opening a new café. Topics covered include: floor plan design, health and building codes, equipment needed to support your menu and time lines. The seminar will also examine ways to reduce build-out costs, improve employee efficiency and increase seating capacity. Since 1996, Tom Palm has worked with over 1000 clients interested in opening a new café. This is a must see seminar for anyone entering the specialty coffee business. 

Date: Saturday April 26, 2026
Time: 9:00am - 10:00am
Location: Room 350DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Tom Palm (he/him)
Coffee Shop Designer, Design & Layout Services

Tom brings almost three decades of expertise in foodservice equipment to Design & Layout Services. His deep knowledge of the industry, combined with a passion for helping entrepreneurs, has made him a sought-after speaker at coffee trade shows across the country. Whether it’s offering guidance on selecting the right equipment or sharing insights on how to successfully open a cafe, Tom is known for his ability to break down complex topics into actionable advice. His presentations are not only informative but also engaging, thanks to his larger-than-life personality that draws in audiences and keeps them captivated.

Lecture Description

Tea is all too often an afterthought at most cafes and coffee shops. The wonderful world of tea is much larger than just chai lattes and matcha lattes! This class and workshop will take you on a "tea tour" of tea origin countries, cultures, varieties, preparation and serving tips. Learn what tea-drinking customers look for - and hate - about ordering tea in a cafe or restaurant, and what you can do to lure them in and keep them coming back!

Date: Friday April 25, 2025
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Room 350DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Amanda Vermillion (pr/pr)
Director, Lone Star Houston Tea Festival, Inc.

Amanda Vermillion is an avid tea drinker, and the owner of The Tea Mistress, LLC, a specialty retailer of tea, coffee, herbal blends, tea accessories and gifts, vintage and modern teaware. Amanda earned her Tea Master Certification from International Tea Masters Association in 2013 and her Tea Blending and New World Tea Certifications from I-TEI in 2014. The Tea Mistress, LLC combines Amanda’s passion for, and knowledge of, teas and tisanes with her extensive event-planning experience. Our slogan is “infusing knowledge”. Amanda has spoken and taught tea classes and workshops for various organizations online and in person. Amanda is also the founder and director of Lone Star Houston Tea Festival, Inc., the 501(c)3 non-profit organization responsible for the Lone Star Iced Tea Festival and the Houston Tea Festival.

Lecture Description

Do you feel like you and your team are frantically filling orders at the last minute? Do you wonder whether or not you are making a profit? Do you feel like your coffee releases are rushed and your buyers never really understand what you are offering or why?

To answer these questions effectively, you need to examine the inner workings of your business to ensure you have the necessary structure to maintain the health of both your business and your people.

In this presentation, we'll cover the five essentials every growing coffee roaster needs, including product pricing structure, building and using a pricing calculator, creating and using a coffee release process, green coffee management and tools, financial structure and dry product management.

Date: April 25, 2025
Time: 10:15am - 11:15am
Location: Room 350DEF
Category: Business

Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.

Speakers

Luke Waite (he/him)
Founder and Principal Consultant, Pomelo Coffee Consulting

Luke Waite is the founder and principal consultant of Pomelo Coffee Consulting and the creator of the Core 7, a framework designed to help coffee roasters build lasting success in business. His background is marked by transforming coffee companies that are in the red into highly efficient and profitable businesses.

He specializes in three key areas for growing roasters: people, processes, and profit, and he believes these are essential elements for improving efficiency in business.

His goal for Pomelo—and the industry—is for specialty coffee roasters to achieve operational stability so they can make a positive impact on the world.