SCAA – Organic Coffee is ‘hot’ topic at Specialty Coffee Association of America Conference in Anaheim, CA

Anaheim –  Leaders in the 1.3 billion dollar organic coffee North American industry—participants in the Organic Coffee Collaboration, a project of the Organic Trade Association (Ota)—will be attending, hosting booths, and speaking at the Specialty Coffee Association (Scaa) Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, April 16-18.

Speakers from Equator Estate Coffees & Teas, Green Mountain Coffee, and S&D Coffees will discuss the increasing availability of high quality organic coffee on menus from drive-ins to fine dining establishments, while coffee sustainability expert Daniele Giovannucci will present the latest organic coffee market trends data. In addition, Caffe Ibis will address sustainable roasting techniques and Elan Organic Coffees will discuss making coffee production financially sustainable.

Elan will host booths 2184-86, S+D Coffees booth 2441, and Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee booth 1832. Representatives from Beantrees, Chiapas Farms, and Control Union will also attend the conference.

According to The North American Organic Coffee Industry Survey 2009 by Giovannucci, approximately 89 million pounds of organic coffee were imported into the United States and Canada in 2008, up 12 percent from 2007. The 29 percent annual average growth rate for the organic category between 2000 and 2008 dwarfed the estimated 1.5 percent projected annual growth rate of the conventional coffee industry.