The talks programme · JW Marriott Berlin · 24–26 November 2026
Summits &
Symposium
22 sessions. 49 confirmed speakers. Three programmes across three days, with more names to come.
The line-up
Every session across three days.
Day 1 — Tuesday 24 November
The Procurement Summit
Five sessions on the decisions that reshape a menu and a supply base. Hosted by Tobias Pearce, Editor, 5THWAVE, World Coffee Portal, and Jeffrey Young, Founder & CEO, Allegra Group.
The full programme
Gen Z: The Consumer Your Business Cannot Afford to Misunderstand
Social-first discovery, visual drink choices and values alignment. How the next decade of demand is already being set by a cohort most menus were not built for.
- André EiermannGlobal Product Management CoffeeMelitta Professional
- André EiermannGlobal Product Management CoffeeMelitta Professional
- Lucie MavlianCommercial DirectorOld Spike Roastery
- Caroline OttoyManaging DirectorWatchHouse
- Tonalli ArreolaCo-FounderLAP Coffee
- Amir TassoudjiManaging PartnerMarket Grounds
- ModeratorTobias PearceEditor, 5THWAVEWorld Coffee Portal
Elevating Your Beverage Menu: Functional Drinks and Alternative Categories
Matcha, adaptogens, prebiotic sodas. Which categories are genuinely growing, which are noise, and what a diversified menu does to basket size.
- Ryan MilsteinFounderLa Main Noire
- Pierre CoquillotGlobal Beverage ManagerCafé Kitsuné
- Ilya AksamentovBrand DirectorThe Miners
- Jaxx JacksonBrand DirectorCUPP
- Zoe HarrisCommercial Beverage Consultantex-Oatly
- ModeratorTobias PearceEditor, 5THWAVEWorld Coffee Portal
Winning the One-Stop Visit: Bakeries vs. Coffee Shops
Operators from both sides of the convergence on what worked, what failed and what the supply chain had to do to keep up.
- Jeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
- Tom ClarkFounder & CEOCoutume
- Sebastian SorensenDirector of CoffeeHagen
- Ralf RüllerFounder & CEOThe Barn
- Max DubielFounderRedemption Roasters
- Jessica WordenHead of CoffeeGAIL's
- ModeratorJeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
Communities Aren’t Built on Social Media
A deep dive into the role of the coffee shop and hospitality in a digital-first society.
- Koral IbrahimFounder & Managing DirectorThe Ready House
- Paul KellyGlobal Marketing DirectorLa Marzocco
- ModeratorKoral IbrahimFounder & Managing DirectorThe Ready House
Plant-Based Beverages and the Return of Dairy
Plant-based held the growth story for a decade. Dairy is taking shelf and menu space back. What that means for cost, for margin and for the pour.
- Gerard Bowers-McIntyreChief Operating Officer92 Degrees
- Helen MayohUK Culinary LeadArla
- Ondrej SedlakHead of CoffeeInsomnia
- Jamie StrachanHead of CoffeeCaravan
- Nina Cartledge-BakkerConcept Manager30ML Coffee & Food
- ModeratorTobias PearceEditor, 5THWAVEWorld Coffee Portal
Day 2 — Wednesday 25 November
The Business Insights Summit
Six research-led sessions of market intelligence, running alongside the Supply & Innovation Day, COHO Expo and the European Coffee & Hospitality Awards.
The full programme
Coffee in DACH 2026 — Premiumisation, Competition and the Rising Tide
The largest coffee market in continental Europe, and where the next tier of competition is coming from.
Coffee in DACH — Premiumisation, Consumer Shifts and Strategic Growth
- Gerd Mueller-PfeifferFounderInternational Coffee Consulting
- Gerd Mueller-PfeifferFounderInternational Coffee Consulting
- Martin ElwertFounder & CEOCoffee Circle
- Amr RaslanNational Marketing Manager, GermanyLa Marzocco
- ModeratorJeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
The Technology Market — Investments Separating Leaders from the Rest
Three short keynotes, back to back, on where technology spend is actually returning.
Investing in the Future of Coffee: What Makes Innovation Successful
- Dr. Samo SmrkeHead Coffee Excellence CentreZurich University of Applied Sciences
What Automation and Artificial Intelligence Mean for Coffee Businesses
- Gerd Mueller-PfeifferFounderInternational Coffee Consulting
Growing Revenue by Optimising Your Digital Investment
- Chris LeglerFounder & CEOAxios Growth Consultants
The Coffee Shop of the Future — presented by SEB Professional
Exploring the coffee shop of the future, where automation, personalised beverages and cold drink innovation reshape the customer experience.
- Dominique LasseurDirector of Coffee ProgrammesSEB Professional
- Dominique LasseurDirector of Coffee ProgrammesSEB Professional
- Frederica DaviesHead of Business Development, UKAllpress
- Ed BarryFounderEdify Systems
- Yorick BruinsCo-founderWakuli
- ModeratorKallie KocourekFounderGSD Collective
France: From Underdeveloped to Unmissable
A market that has moved faster than the rest of Europe expected, and what is driving it.
- Jeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
- Tom ClarkFounder & CEOCoutume
- Pierre CoquillotGlobal Beverage ManagerCafé Kitsuné
China: The Most Significant Competitive Force Entering European Coffee
The latest World Coffee Portal data on China’s rapid coffee growth and its growing competitive influence across European markets.
- Mark LoganLead Partnership & Media ManagerAllegra Group
Fast Growing Markets and Alternative Categories You Didn’t Expect
The latest World Coffee Portal data on Europe’s emerging coffee hotspots: Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan and Portugal, followed by the rise of matcha.
Europe’s Next Coffee Hotspots
- Mark LoganLead Partnership & Media ManagerAllegra Group
The Future of Matcha from PerfectTed, the World’s Largest Matcha Brand
- Teddie LevenficheCo-founderPerfectTed
Day 3 — Thursday 26 November
The European Coffee Symposium
The 17th edition. Two halves, and the operators who have already done what the rest of the room is planning.
The full programme
Operators Scaling Fast + Building a Cult Brand
7 sessionsThe morning half. Part One of the Project Café Europe deep dive, then five operators on what it took to scale — from New York to Romania to Japan.
Project Café Europe Deep Dive, Part One: Scaling Fast, Building Cult Brands
Key findings from World Coffee Portal’s flagship European market report, uncovering brands that are scaling fast and those building cult followings.
- Jeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
Global Growth by Design: The Specialty Brand Playbook
How The Coffee is scaling small-format specialty coffee across 25+ markets.
- Nano HendersonRegional Manager, EuropeThe Coffee
Scaling with Soul: Lessons from Two Decades Building One of New York’s Most Enduring Coffee Brands
The lessons behind Joe Coffee’s two decades of growth, and how it has built an enduring New York coffee brand.
- Jonathan RubinsteinFounder and Head of GrowthJoe Coffee
How to Build a Cult Brand: Learnings from Building Two of the Most Iconic Specialty Coffee Brands
The creative thinking, community and conviction behind two iconic specialty brands.
- Stuart ForsythCo-Founder and CEOMinor Figures
Spotlight on Romania: Building a Cult Following in an Emerging Coffee Market
Go inside Romania’s rapidly evolving coffee scene and discover how local brands are building loyal followings in an emerging market.
- Crina CiocianFounderMeron
- Bogdan CiocianFounderMeron
Culture Stores: How Culturally Rich Brands Build Cult Followings
What makes a brand culturally powerful? Koral Ibrahim shares insights from his new book Culture Stores on building brands people want to belong to.
- Koral IbrahimFounder & Managing DirectorThe Ready House
In conversation with La Marzocco
- Chris SaliernoChief Marketing OfficerLa Marzocco
- Paul KellyGlobal Marketing DirectorLa Marzocco
Convenience, Scale + Sustainability
4 sessionsThe afternoon half. Part Two of the deep dive, the future of coffee vending, and the operators meeting demand for quality coffee anywhere — forecourt, travel, grocery.
Project Café Europe Deep Dive, Part Two: Convenience, Scale & Sustainability
Key findings from World Coffee Portal’s flagship European market report, examining convenience, scale and sustainability across the sector.
- Jeffrey YoungFounder & CEOAllegra Group
The Future of Coffee Vending
The mastermind behind Coffee Nation and Coffee Express shares his vision for the next era in coffee vending.
- Scott MartinFounderUnity Coffee
Coffee on the Move: Meeting the Demand for Quality Coffee, Anytime, Anywhere
From forecourts to travel hubs, discover how operators are bringing better coffee to consumers wherever their journey takes them.
- Daria MaiOffer & Partnership ManagerBP
- Alison LynchEuropean Director Coffee and Dispensed BeveragesCircle K
- Mark Stewart-MaunderFounder and DirectorBarista Bar
- Nick GarnellManaging DirectorGourmet Coffee Bar & Kitchen
Scaling Sustainably
How businesses can scale while embedding sustainability into everyday operations.
- Kajsa-Lisa LjudénHead of SustainabilityLöfbergs
- Panagiotis KonstantinopoulosMarketing DirectorCoffee Island
The full line-up is here.
Three days. One room.
22 sessions, 49 confirmed speakers, and the operators who manage €6bn of European buying power — all in one room in Berlin.
Accreditation is free for operators and buyers who qualify. We read every application.
