FNB Creative Coffee Week 2019 set to brew up a storm in Durban in June

Coffee Professionals from all over South Africa and abroad will be brewing up innovation, excitement and passion around all things coffee when the FNB Creative Coffee Week 2019 takes place in Durban from 27-29 June 2019. Following the unprecedented success of the inaugural Creative Coffee Week last year, event organisers Melanie Winter and Iain Evans of Coffee Magazine have planned an even bigger and better programme for Coffee Professionals in the Industry in SA and lovers of coffee at home.

“We’re incredibly excited to announce that FNB has seen the potential of the people in Coffee and have committed to being the Naming Rights partner for 2019 for both FNB Creative Coffee Week and FNB Coffee Magazine Awards. This investment in the People of Coffee means we can bring out the best-of-the-best International Coffee professionals to Durban and also share the best of coffee with the local people of Durban” says Winter.

The 3-day event, held at various locations around Durban’s beachfront and point district, has two distinct purposes: To bring together the top Coffee Professionals in South Africa, to listen, learn, workshop and share with the International delegates and to allow the public of Durban to meet with, and learn from the best baristas, roasters and coffee businesses in the land.

“Mel and I are both proud Durbanites, having published the Coffee Magazine from Durban for the last 7 years and we have always heard people talk about Cape Town and Joburg as the premium coffee destinations in South Africa. We want Durban to be part of that conversation, there are so many wonderful coffee experiences here! We also use the beachfront almost daily, so last year we started Creative Coffee Week to bring together the top industry people to show them that Durban is a hot-bed of coffee culture and talent, and that we live in the most beautiful Surf City, especially in Winter!” says Evans, an avid surfer and Coffee Magazine publisher.

The Coffee Professionals and delegates of FNB Creative Coffee Week will spend the 3 days attending workshops, interactive seminars and panel discussions hosted by the International Guest speakers while participating in many informal brewing, roasting and cupping events between the formal programme.

FNB’s Mike Honeywell says: “ Coffee is about People! As such, FNB is excited to be a part of the ‘FNB Creative Coffee Week’ and is eager to unlock the potential value in the Coffee industry. We are most excited about the FNB Creative Coffee Week programme that aims to educate and upskill baristas in their local communities, which could ultimately lead them to open their own coffee shops one day.

The Coffee-loving public of Durban will also be able to interact with the coffee professionals and participate in the informal activities aimed at Home Baristas and those looking to take their coffee knowledge and expertise to the next level, with the Home Barista Workshops planned for the event.

Creative Coffee Week will also have a dedicated venue in KwaMashu that will aim to inform, educate and inspire township youth to the opportunities that a career the coffee Industry could hold, from baristas, to roasters, to small business owners and everything in between – hosted by some of South Africa’s best coffee professionals that have themselves emerged from the townships to become the changemakers and role models of coffee culture in SA. “FNB will be spending a day in Kwa-Mashu to engage the youth and aspiring entrepreneurs, to further understand current opportunities available to them, as well as how we can assist them realise their dreams. This being in line with our sponsorship strategy that aims to support local and community activations that impact the lives of those in which they operate”, says Honeywell.

“Coffee is about People – those who earn a living within the industry and the millions of us who crave our ‘sip together’..!”

The FNB Creative Coffee Week 2019 will conclude with a Gala Dinner to celebrate the FNB Coffee Magazine Awards, which is the pinnacle of the coffee calendar in terms of recognising excellence and achievement in coffee, including the much sought after Barista of the Year and Cafe of the Year awards, which last year went to Winston Thomas and Truth Coffee respectively.
The International Coffee guests for this year’s event include:

Colin Harmon is very well know as the author of “What I Know About Running Coffee Shops” a book that is wildly popular here in South Africa.

Colin Harmon built 3fe from a one-man coffee cart in a nightclub lobby to the internationally renowned business it is today. The lessons, stories and guidelines in his richly illustrated book offer a unique and honest insight into the day-to-day realities of what many people see as their dream job.

Colin is a four-time Irish Barista Champion and owner of Dublin’s 3fe Coffee, one of the world’s most innovative and progressive specialty coffee shops. His work in coffee has extended to roasting, training and consultancy work, as well as developing coffee equipment for the specialty market and beyond. We can’t wait to have him share his knowledge and experience at Creative Coffee Week!

Trish Rothgreb is co-founder, co-CEO, director of coffee, and roastmaster of Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters

Her experience in the industry spans over 30 years as a coffee roaster, green coffee buyer, and teacher of all things coffee. An avid traveler in coffee growing regions worldwide, she teaches “cupping” to coffee producers and coffee professionals around the world. She is also credited with coining the term “third wave coffee” and identifying the relevant concepts.

Trish is a licensed Q-Grader and credentialed Q Trainer by the Coffee Quality Institute. She has served on the SCAA’s Roasters Guild Executive Council, was a charter member of the World Barista Championship Board of Directors and a founding member of the Barista Guild of America. From 2013 to 2016, Trish worked on staff at the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) as the “Director of Programs: Q and Educational Services,” in addition to her work with Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters.

Tesfaye Bekele Degaga
In 2005, Tesfaye Bekele Degaga established Suke Quto. Though he started with barely 5 hectares of land, he is committed to eco-friendly farming practices, and to maintaining the natural forest canopy that shaded his trees. When a bushfire destroyed most of the surrounding forest, locals turned to other crops—corn and teff—which can deplete the soil in just a few years. Tesfaye came up with the idea to distribute coffee plants and native shade tree seedlings to his neighbors to plant instead. As a result, there are now more than 150 growers actively replanting the forest and bringing their own organic coffee to Suke Quto for processing.

From the original 5 hectares, Suke Quto has grown to more than 220. Tesfaye continues to pursue excellence in organic cultivation and processing of his coffees, while empowering his neighbors in their own coffee growing, and investing in the sustainability of his community. In conjunction with Trabocca’s OCR program, Tesfaye visited coffee growers in Colombia, became interested in the pulped natural (honey) process used there, and began experimenting how to use it in an Ethiopian context.

FNB Creative Coffee Week 2019 set to brew up a storm in Durban in June https://t.co/ACpSPg6CUD #ArriveAlive #CreativeCoffee @FNBSA pic.twitter.com/vfaxJzULBy

— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) May 30, 2019