Key takeaways:
- The 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) will take place on 26 & 27 March 2026 at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador.
- The event will attract the largest number of roaster attendees in its history.
- It will host PRF Voices, the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the second Soil of Excellence competition, the second Global Cupping Championship, Producer-Roaster Matchmaking, and Seed Connect.
- The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards World Championship and will announce the winner of the World’s Greatest Coffee Packaging competition.
On 26 & 27 March 2026, the 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador.
This year’s edition will bring together the largest number of roasters so far. Over 4,200 visitors and more than 500 green buyers and international roasters are expected to attend, with an estimated US$15.7m in business sales.
In addition to the PRF Voices programme, workshops, masterclasses, and cuppings, PRF El Salvador will host the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the second Soil of Excellence competition, the second Global Cupping Championship, Producer-Roaster Matchmaking, and Seed Connect.
The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards World Championship, and will announce the winner of the World’s Greatest Coffee Packaging competition.
Learn more about PRF here.
PRF returns for 11th and biggest edition
Events play a prominent role in coffee marketing, but most take place in majority-consuming countries. For more than ten years, PRF has directly challenged this. The two-day forum is held each year in a major coffee-producing country. Previous hosts include El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia, all among the world’s most important coffee origins.
With price volatility defining the coffee industry in 2025, roasters are seeking more control over their supply chains and closer ties with producers. In turn, events like PRF have grown in prominence.
“This year’s edition will attract the largest number of roaster attendees ever,” says Andrea Melo-Leon, the COO of PRF. “Over the last decade, the event has become the industry’s biggest platform for roasters from around the world to connect with producers at origin.”
MTPak Coffee, a leading global supplier of custom-printed coffee packaging, is the PRF Diamond Sponsor. The company has partnered on a multi-year deal to sponsor future events.
“We’re proud to be the Diamond Sponsor of PRF El Salvador, as well as the sponsor of the Sourcing Trip Experience (STE),” says Mark Zhou, the founder of MTPak Coffee. “Partnering with PRF at such a high level reflects our continued commitment to producers, roasters, and the relationships that support the coffee supply chain.
“The event has become one of the most important meeting points in specialty coffee, bringing together decision-makers from origin and different international markets to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and shape the future of the industry.”
As part of the partnership, PRF has launched MTPak Scholarships, enabling producers from El Salvador and other producing countries to attend the forum at no cost. Applications close on 15 February. Applicants can register here.
Celebrating PRF’s ever-growing international reach
The event’s unique format allows producers and roasters to cultivate long-lasting relationships to source green coffee, drive innovation in the global coffee sector, and pose solutions to key industry challenges.
“At PRF, I’m eager to share practical learnings from my work in a space that represents people across the coffee value chain,” says Griffin Hall, the Quality Assurance Manager at Verve Coffee Roasters and a PRF speaker.
“The event’s unique proximity to the source of coffee helps us all better connect to our peers who are committed to growing, buying, and moving coffee in mutually beneficial ways,” he adds. “I’m most looking forward to the conversations that happen outside the formal sessions.”
OBIIS (One Big Island in Space), a farm-direct model that buys coffee from producers, is a PRF Gold Sponsor and a long-time partner. OBIIS will screen the La Fortaleza documentary during PRF El Salvador. The documentary, which spotlights the success and challenges of Mexican coffee producers, premiered at PRF Honduras in 2025.
The Instituto Salvadoreño del Café (ISC), El Salvador’s national coffee association, is the Host Country. Globally recognised for varieties such as Bourbon, Pacas, Cuacatleco, and Pacamara, Salvadoran coffee stands out not only for its sensory profiles but also for its sustainable shade-grown production model.
Functional specialty coffee brand Purity Coffee is a long-term partner and the PRF Bronze Sponsor. The company is also a Producer Partner and will sponsor ten smallholder producers to attend the event.
Roasters attending
Over the last ten years, roasters and importers from more than 40 countries have attended PRF events. These include the US, the UK, France, Spain, Germany, China, Japan, South Korea, Nigeria, Uganda, Australia, and many more.
This year, confirmed attending roasters at PRF and the STE include the US’ Onyx Coffee Lab, Critical Mass Coffee, Lofty Coffee, Long Story Coffee, Verve Coffee, and Mill Cross Coffee. The UK’s Tree Artisan Coffee and Australia’s Ocean Grind will also attend.
Global Coffee Awards World Championship
The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) World Championship will take place on 24 & 25 March 2026.
“The GCA World Championship has supported record roaster attendance at PRF El Salvador. The competition celebrates excellence in specialty coffee roasting, as well as the producers behind the coffees,” Andrea says. “The World Championship will assess coffees from the best of the best roasters in Europe, US & Canada, and Origin, culminating in a world champion.”
The US & Canada, Europe, and Origin regionals took place in September and October 2025. The regional Gold, Silver, and Bronze overall category winners who qualify for the World Championship are here.
“Our main goal in taking part in the GCA was to bring recognition to the incredible coffees and producers we get to work with,” says Adam Walsh, the head of sourcing and roasting at Utopian Coffee, the regional US & Canada GCA winner. “I’ve taken part in a lot of competitions over the last 14 years, and what makes the GCA stand out is how objective the judging process is. I love it when a coffee speaks for itself.
“I’m really looking forward to making new friends and getting to meet industry peers at the World Championship,” he adds. “I love the specialty coffee community, and I can’t wait to have some wonderful conversations.”
All Gold, Silver, and Bronze overall category winners of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe events have been invited to participate in the World Championship – resulting in PRF’s most engaging event to date. Confirmed participants include Utopian Coffee, Origin regional winner Casa Landino from Colombia, Poland’s Audun Coffee, Lithuania’s Vero Coffee House, Greece’s Kafea Terra, Colombia’s Café Cultor, and El Salvador’s Academia Barista Pro.
Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner
On the evening of 26 March at the Hilton Hotel, the Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will take place. Winning producers have also been invited to attend. During this celebration, all winning roasters from the three regional competitions, the producers behind each winning coffee, and the newly crowned World Champions will be formally announced and recognised.
Tickets to the Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner are open to all PRF attendees and are available here. You can also view the information kit here.
Both individual tickets and full tables are available, including a three-course dinner with full beverage service. Tables for groups of eight guests are available and ideal for hosting clients, partners, or team members. They offer priority seating, increased visibility, and added benefits designed to elevate the ceremony and dinner experience.
The Global Coffee Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will provide an exclusive opportunity for attendees to network with leaders in the specialty coffee industry from over 35 countries, including roasters from Europe and North America and Cup of Excellence-winning producers.
World’s Greatest Coffee Packaging competition
As part of its Diamond Sponsorship, MTPak Coffee has launched the World’s Greatest Coffee Packaging (WGCP) competition.
“We want to celebrate outstanding designs, features, and innovations from specialty coffee roasters around the world,” says Mark. “Five finalists will be announced by 1 March 2026, and our expert judging panel will then choose an overall winner, who will be announced at PRF El Salvador.”
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of specialty coffee experts based on four criteria: Design, Difference (what makes the packaging so distinctive), Consumer Experience (how easy it is to open and reseal), and Environmental Responsibility, including the use of recyclable or compostable materials.
The four finalists and the winner will have their coffee packaging prominently displayed on MTPak Coffee’s mural at PRF El Salvador throughout the event. They will also be featured in ongoing marketing campaigns across social media and the MTPak Education Centre.
Applications close on 20 February 2026, and you can apply here.
Other championships at PRF El Salvador
PRF hosts some of the most exciting competitions in the coffee industry. The championships that will take place in El Salvador are:
- The fifth Global Roasting Contest, sponsored by Cropster. Top international roasters compete for the technical and people’s choice winning titles. Apply here.
- The seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, sponsored by Toddy. Baristas compete to develop cold brews and signature drinks. Apply here and view the rules here.
- The second Soil of Excellence, sponsored by Belco. The competition highlights the importance of soil health and regenerative agriculture in producing high-quality coffee, and this edition will focus specifically on coffees from El Salvador. Find out more about entry requirements here.
- The second Global Cupping Championship, sponsored by PDG Media. Competitors must evaluate aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and balance with precision. Apply here and see the rules here.
PRF Voices line-up announced
Every PRF event hosts the PRF Voices programme, a series of lectures and panels led by some of the industry’s foremost experts.
Over the last decade, speakers from more than 36 countries have participated, discussing topics across the coffee supply chain. This edition will include fewer speaker slots to allow for more focused, detailed discussions. Confirmed speakers and topics so far include:
- Quality vs Novelty: Integrating Tradition and Innovation in Specialty Coffee (Dakota Graff, Onyx Coffee Lab, US)
- Soil Chromatography: A Practical Tool for Organic and Regenerative Transition (Tulio Lozano, Hay Campo Para Todos, Colombia)
- Beyond the Cup Score: Shifting Values of Health-Conscious Buyers and Industry Opportunities (Ildi Revi, Purity Coffee, US)
- Surviving EUDR: Turning New Deforestation Regulations into a Competitive Advantage (Mireya Levi, CLAC, Ecuador)
- Data-Driven Coffee: How Producers and Roasters Stay Ahead in 2026 (Griffin Hall, Verve Coffee Roasters, US)
- Thermodynamics of Flavour: Roasting Protocols for Infused & Co-Fermented Coffees (Otto Cabrea, Tostaduría Puro Fermento, Guatemala)
- Understanding the Global Coffee Awards: Standards, Process, and Impact (Martin Suard, L’Arbre à Café, France)
- The Decaf Boom: How to Capture the Untapped 15% of the Market (Ezri Herrera, Swiss Water, Honduras)
- Resilience in a Volatile Market: Operational Strategies for Growth When Resources are Tight (Anne Djerai, Metropolis Coffee Company, US)
- Soil & Water Management: Protecting Yields and Quality in Coffee Production (Axel Schmidt, CRS, Peru)
- What Coffee Can Learn from Craft Beer: Forecasting Trends & Future Challenges (Erik Bush, Long Story Coffee, US)
- Engineering Consistent Flavour Profiles & Mastering Fermentation Kinetics (Arturo Valencia, El Labrador, Colombia)
- What the Consumer Actually Thinks: Data-Driven Insights for Producers & Roasters (Nick Spilger, SIIP, US)
More speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Producer-Roaster Matchmaking & Seed Connect
The Producer-Roaster Matchmaking programme, sponsored by Algrano, will return after its successful launch at PRF 2025 Honduras. This space is dedicated to facilitating face-to-face conversations through a quick, structured speed-networking format. Algrano will also offer supply chain expertise, logistical support, key financial information, and live translations.
“We’re super excited to sponsor the Matchmaking area at PRF El Salvador,” says Luiza Pereira, the Producer Engagement Manager at Algrano. “This space represents our core goal to support meaningful, direct connections between producers and roasters.
“PRF has pioneered spaces like this at origin, and now we’ll bring our own twist by connecting not only roasters and producers but also other actors in the supply chain who can support one another to make direct trade happen.”
Ahead of the event, Algrano and PRF will host the Spanish-language webinar titled “Muestras que conectan: ¿Por qué muchas de las muestras entregadas en ferias no tienen éxito?”. This webinar, taking place on 19 February 12 pm EST, will help producers improve their sample strategies. Registration is open here.
Seed Connect at PRF is a new initiative that connects past Seed winners with key decision-makers across the coffee industry.
“Seed Connect is designed to open new doors and create more opportunities for people who are innovating to positively impact the industry,” Andrea says. “They are putting their communities first, and they deserve recognition and support for these efforts.”
Past scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to meet with exporters, brand founders, buyers, and mentors to ensure Seed projects grow with stable support and guidance. There will also be a public Seed Connect panel session, followed by a networking space where attendees can meet past winners, ask questions, and discuss collaboration.
What else is happening at PRF El Salvador?
There will be an exhibition area where attendees can network with leading Latin American and international companies and organisations. These include producers, exporters, importers, roasters, coffee shop owners, and more.
Producer Partners Swiss Water, a decaf processing company, and Catholic Relief Services, an international humanitarian agency, will also provide free access for smallholder producers.
Volunteer Sponsor and specialty coffee importer Copan Trade will host a cupping session and exclusive networking activities for volunteers.
Toddy and OBIIS will also host interactive, in-depth masterclasses on topics such as farmgate prices and how cold brew can drive differentiation and consistency. These sessions are open to all attendees and designed to create practical learning opportunities.
Like other PRF events, the 2026 forum will include workshops and cuppings, showcasing some of Latin America’s best producers and traders and highlighting the region’s coffee diversity. There will also be an Espresso, a Brew, and a Cold Brew Bar, sponsored by Toddy, where producers can showcase their coffees and micro-lots and connect with potential buyers.
PRF will return to El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026 for its 11th and largest edition. More roasters than ever will attend, culminating in one of PRF’s most engaging events yet.
International tickets and Sourcing Trip Experience tickets are available to buy here.
You can stay up to date with all announcements for PRF here or by subscribing to the newsletter here.
Photo credits: Producer & Roaster Forum
Perfect Daily Grind
Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!
