ICC 2026 | Trieste
The next edition of the International Coffee Convention will take place in Trieste, one of Europe’s most important coffee cities and a fitting setting for a convention dedicated to the future of the sector.
ICC 2026 will bring together researchers, industry leaders, technical experts and practitioners from across the coffee value chain for two concentrated days of scientific insight, interdisciplinary exchange and practical relevance.
At a time when coffee faces mounting pressure from climate instability, shifting consumer expectations, regulatory change, supply chain complexity and technological disruption, ICC offers a format designed to clarify rather than overwhelm. The aim is not merely to present information, but to interpret it, contextualise it and make it useful.
The 2026 edition will continue ICC’s distinctive approach: rigorous scientific thinking brought into direct dialogue with the immediate needs of the coffee world.
Why Attend
Attend ICC 2026 if you want to understand how current research is reshaping coffee in practice.
Attend if you want to explore how climate adaptation, processing innovation, consumer trends, ethics, technology and regulation interact rather than unfold in isolation.
Attend if you value evidence over noise, substance over spectacle and exchange over passive observation.
And attend if you believe that the future of coffee will be shaped not by one discipline alone, but by meaningful dialogue between science, business, production, technology and society.
What to expect
Over two focused days, ICC 2026 will offer:
- an international programme of applied scientific presentations
- interdisciplinary dialogue across key coffee topics
- insights for strategic, technical and operational decision-making
- direct access to speakers, experts and peers
- opportunities for meaningful networking across the value chain
- access to current and emerging issues affecting the global coffee sector
The event is designed to be intensive, efficient and relevant. Every session should offer not just information, but perspective.
Audience
ICC 2026 is designed for:
- producers and producer representatives
- exporters, importers and traders
- roasters and product developers
- machine and technology manufacturers
- cafés, foodservice businesses and hotel operators
- vending operators and convenience specialists
- quality managers, sensory professionals and consultants
- researchers, universities and scientific institutions
- regulatory, sustainability and policy stakeholders
Networking & Exchange
An event built for exchange
One of ICC’s defining strengths is the quality of its conversations. Because the event is compact, focused and interdisciplinary, interaction happens naturally — before sessions, between talks, during breaks and in the wider convention setting.
ICC is as much about informed exchange as it is about formal presentation. It is a place to ask better questions, test ideas, compare perspectives and build connections that extend beyond the event itself.
Whether you attend to deepen your knowledge, challenge your assumptions, identify practical solutions or connect with peers across the sector, ICC 2026 offers a distinctive platform to do so.
Venue & Travel
ICC 2026 in Trieste
Plan your visit to one of Europe’s most important coffee cities.
ICC 2026 will take place in Trieste, a city with a longstanding connection to coffee trade, culture and international exchange.
As a meeting point between Central Europe, the Mediterranean and global trade routes, Trieste offers a fitting setting for a convention focused on the future of coffee and the systems that shape it.
Further venue details, accommodation information and travel guidance will be published shortly.
Why Trieste
Trieste is not merely a destination. It is part of the meaning of the event.
Its historical and contemporary significance within the coffee world makes it an ideal location for a convention that seeks to combine scientific reflection, industry relevance and international perspective.
Planning Your Visit
This section will provide practical information on:
- travel connections (tba)
- local transport (tba)
- recommended arrival planning (tba)
- useful visitor information (tba)
Please check back for updates as the event approaches.
Venue & Travel
ICC 2026 in Trieste
Plan your visit to one of Europe’s most important coffee cities.
ICC 2026 will take place in Trieste, a city with a longstanding connection to coffee trade, culture and international exchange.
As a meeting point between Central Europe, the Mediterranean and global trade routes, Trieste offers a fitting setting for a convention focused on the future of coffee and the systems that shape it.
Further venue details, accommodation information and travel guidance will be published shortly.
Why Trieste
Trieste is not merely a destination. It is part of the meaning of the event.
Its historical and contemporary significance within the coffee world makes it an ideal location for a convention that seeks to combine scientific reflection, industry relevance and international perspective.
Planning Your Visit
This section will provide practical information on:
- travel connections (tba)
- local transport (tba)
- recommended arrival planning (tba)
- useful visitor information (tba)
Please check back for updates as the event approaches.
Event Venue
Ernesto Illy Room
Generali Convention Center
Viale Miramare 24/2
34135 Trieste
Tel. +39 040 9778815
Mob. +39 3485346947
https://www.generaliconventioncenter.it/
Ragione sociale: Trieste Convention Center Spa
Programme
International Coffee Convention 2026
Trieste · Monday 19 – Tuesday 20 October 2026
Coffee at the Crossroads: Climate, Consumers and Circularity
Pre-Conference — Sunday 18 October
Sala Maggiore, Camera di Commercio Venezia Giulia (Chamber of Commerce)
Piazza della Borsa 14, 34121 Trieste
10:00 - 12:00 — C4CEC satellite workshop on coffee and the EU Novel Food Regulation
Coffee and the EU Novel Food Regulation: Pathways to Full Market Access for Coffee Species and Coffee By-products
Sala Maggiore, Camera di Commercio Venezia Giulia (Chamber of Commerce)
Piazza della Borsa 14, 34121 Trieste. Attendance by invitation only.
Convened by the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee (C4CEC) in cooperation with the International Coffee Convention. A selected group of representatives from the coffee sector, the scientific and regulatory communities and international organisations discusses the current EU novel food framework as it applies to coffee species and coffee by-products: short expert inputs followed by moderated exchange, towards a common understanding of the regulatory landscape, practical pathways to EU market access and opportunities for collective action.
Contact: info@circulareconomyincoffee.org.
| Time | Session | Speaker |
| 10:00 - 10:10 | Welcome and objectives — C4CEC introduction, why this workshop at ICC 2026, expectations | Vanúsia Nogueira (ICO) |
| 10:10 - 10:25 | Impulse 1: Regulatory status quo — coffee under EU novel food law: current authorisations, classifications and open gaps for coffee by-products and wild Coffea species | Dirk W. Lachenmeier (CVUA Karlsruhe), Lorenzo Bairati (University of Gastronomic Sciences, UNISG) |
| 10:25 - 10:35 | Impulse 2: Sector needs — commercial priorities of C4CEC members, producers and traders; which products and species matter most, and why | Mariamawit Solomon Kassa (C4CEC) |
| 10:35 - 11:00 | Brainstorming round 1 — Pathway A: options for a systemic exclusion of coffee from the novel food regime; feasibility, allies, risks | All; moderated by Steffen Schwarz (Coffee Consulate) |
| 11:00 - 11:25 | Brainstorming round 2 — Pathway B: generic and consortium-based authorisation strategies within Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 | All; moderated by Dirk W. Lachenmeier (CVUA Karlsruhe) |
| 11:25 - 11:50 | Next steps — evidence and data needs, applicant and funding model, institutional engagement, division of labour | All; moderated by Ariana Ocampo Cruz (ICO) |
| 11:50 - 12:00 | Wrap-up — key agreements, follow-up format, drafting responsibility for the workshop report | Moderated by Chris Tenga (International Trade Centre, ITC / C4CEC) |
15:00 - 18:00 — Crop Trust satellite workshop
Biological Diversity for the Future of Coffee: From Flavor and Quality to Resilience and Innovation
Sala Maggiore, Camera di Commercio Venezia Giulia (Chamber of Commerce) Piazza della Borsa 14, 34121 Trieste. Attendance by invitation only.
How biological diversity — from coffee species and varieties to the biological systems that shape flavour, quality and resilience — will influence the future competitiveness of the coffee sector, and how these resources can remain available, accessible and usable to support innovation, adaptation and market differentiation.
| Time | Session | Speaker |
| 15:00 - 15:05 | Welcome | Sarada Krishnan (Crop Trust) |
| 15:05 - 15:20 | Expert presentation: What will drive the future of coffee? | Christophe Montagnon (RD2 Vision) |
| 15:20 - 15:30 | Sector perspective: What will it take to build a resilient coffee sector? | Massimiliano Fabian (Demus S.p.A., ECF) |
| 15:30 - 15:40 | Industry perspective: Industry in practice — responding to change | Gian Luca Malvicini (illycaffè) |
| 15:40 - 15:50 | Expert presentation: Flavor, innovation and the next frontier of coffee diversity | Steffen Schwarz (Coffee Consulate, ICC) |
| 15:50 - 16:00 | Expert presentation: From wild to cultivation — the Coffea stenophylla case | Jeremy Haggar (University of Greenwich) |
| 16:00 - 16:15 | Coffee break | |
| 16:15 - 17:15 | World Café: Securing the biological foundations of coffee — three parallel discussions on hidden dependencies, future risks and opportunities, and stewardship for the future | Moderators: Christophe Montagnon (RD2 Vision), Jeremy Haggar (University of Greenwich), Sarada Krishnan (Crop Trust) |
| 17:15 - 17:45 | Plenary: From dependency to stewardship — what is needed for the future of coffee? | Moderated by Dirk W. Lachenmeier (CVUA Karlsruhe) |
| 17:45 - 18:00 | Closing: Priorities and pathways for collaboration | Sarada Krishnan (Crop Trust), Christophe Montagnon (RD2 Vision) |
Day 1 — Monday 19 October
Ernesto Illy Room, Generali Convention Center
Viale Miramare 24/2, 34135 Trieste
09:00 - 09:05 — Introduction
Massimiliano Fabian — Demus S.p.A., ECF, local host of ICC 2026
09:05 - 09:20 — Welcome Address
Vanúsia Nogueira, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization (ICO)
Session 1 — Climate, Cultivars & Resilience
Chair: Steffen Schwarz
| Time | Contribution |
| 09:20 - 09:40 | Beyond Adaptation: The Role of Time in Defining Coffee Cultivar Resilience Christophe Montagnon, Flavia M. De M. Bliska, Oliveiro Guerreiro Filho, Bianca Serito 10.14293/ICC000001.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000001.v1.paper |
| 09:40 - 10:00 | The Lessons of the Coffee Leaf Rust (Hemileia vastatrix) Pandemic in the Age of Climate Change Stuart McCook 10.14293/ICC000003.v1 |
| 10:00 - 10:20 | Searching for Net Zero: Lessons on Assessing the Carbon-Footprint of Coffee Production Jeremy Haggar, Conor Walsh 10.14293/ICC000009.v1 |
10:20 - 11:00 — Poster session & coffee break (40 min)
Session 2 — Genetic Resources & Frontier Species
Chair: Christophe Montagnon
| Time | Contribution |
| 11:00 - 11:20 | Enhancing the Conservation, Exchange and Use of Coffee Genetic Resources:
Outcomes of an International Workshop on Access and Benefit-Sharing Sarada Krishnan, Christophe Montagnon, Paula Bramel, Daniele Manzella, Desire Pokou, Marleen Engbers, Vanusia Nogueira, Ariana Ocampo Cruz, Tania Humphrey, Steffen Schwarz, Dirk W. Lachenmeier 10.14293/ICC000021.v1 |
| 11:20 - 11:40 | Recent Genomic Findings on Liberica and Excelsa:
Implications for the Future of Liberica and Coffee Breeding Strategy in Sarawak, Malaysia Kenny Wee Ting Lee, Diana Jitam 10.14293/ICC000018.v1 |
| 11:40 - 12:00 | A Report of the Association of Pythium with Root Rot of Nursery Coffee Seedlings
in Southwestern Saudi Arabia Wail Alsolami, Habib Khemira 10.14293/ICC000032.v1 |
| 12:00 - 12:20 | Does Coffee Need a Purity Law? Wild Species, Regional Substitutes, Cell-Cultured and
Beanless Products at the Frontier of Climate Change Dirk W. Lachenmeier, Constanze Sproll 10.14293/ICC000029.v1 |
12:20–13:20 — Lunch Break (60 min)
Session 3 — Circularity & By-Product Valorization
Chair: María Dolores del Castillo
| Time | Contribution |
| 13:20 – 13:40 | A Second Useful Life of Coffee Silver Skin Maria Martuscelli, Matteo Carletta, Gianfranco Desideri, Ali Mohsin 10.14293/ICC000012.v1 |
| 13:40 – 14:00 | Coffee Silverskin as a Sustainable Substrate for Kombucha Development Nadia Wawrzyn, Urszula Dziekońska-Kubczak, Vanesa Sánchez-Martín, Edyta Kordialik-Bogacka, Maria Dolores del Castillo 10.14293/ICC000011.v1 |
| 14:00 – 14:20 | 3% in the Cup, 97% in the Loop: Cascading Coffee By-Products for Circular Materials Mirko Rennert 10.14293/ICC000006.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000006.v1.paper |
| 14:20 – 14:40 | Economic and Environmental Potential of Coffee Waste Valorization through Biogas and
Activated Carbon Production Mariano Peluso 10.14293/ICC000004.v1 |
14:40–15:30 — Poster session & coffee break (50 min)
Poster Session
14:40 - 15:30 — Posters also displayed during all other breaks on both days.
| # | Contribution |
| 1 | Establishment Requirements for Coffea stenophylla in its Native Sierra Leone Jeremy Haggar, Aaron Davis, Daniel Sarmu, Alex Johnbull 10.14293/ICC000010.v1 |
| 2 | Comprehensive Chemical Profiling of Coffee for Species and
Fermentation Authentication: A Multi-Platform GC-Based Metabolomics Approach Faiza Iftikhar, Steffen Schwarz, Jörg Rieke-Zapp, Philipp Weller 10.14293/ICC000008.v1 |
| 3 | Distinguishable but Preferred:
Consumer Discrimination and Preference for a Lupin-Based Coffee Alternative Sudenaz Akduman, Steffen Schwarz, Yves Clément Zimmermann 10.14293/ICC000007.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000007.v1.paper |
| 4 | Intracellular Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Coffee Leaf
and Maté Infusions and Kombucha Fermented Beverages Amanda L. Sales, Juliana DePaula, Jéssika Rosa Morgado, Alessandro Maia, Marco Antônio L. Miguel, María Dolores Del Castillo, Adriana Farah 10.14293/ICC000013.v1 |
| 5 | Effect of Vacuum Roasting on Physicochemical Properties and
Acrylamide Content in Coffee Uilla F. Pimentel, José Faustino S. Carvalho Filho, Sara C. Cunha, José O. Fernandes, Veronica Maria Calado, Adriana Farah 10.14293/ICC000017.v1 |
| 6 | Kombucha Fermentation of Coffee Seeds and Cascara: Effects on Bioactive Compounds,
Physicochemical Aspects, and Consumer Acceptance Jéssika Rosa Morgado, Juliana DePaula, Alessandro Maia, Marco Antonio L Miguel, Adriana Farah 10.14293/ICC000019.v1 |
| 7 | Detoxification of Ochratoxin A During Black Tea and Coffee Kombucha Fermentation Jéssika Rosa Morgado, André V. Sartori, Marco Antonio L. Miguel, Adriana Farah 10.14293/ICC000020.v1 |
| 8 | Characterization of the Coffee Species Coffea liberica by
Diterpene Markers Using HPLC Dennis Gerrit Diekmann, Meike Holtmann, Oliver Süße-Herrmann 10.14293/ICC000030.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000030.v1.paper |
| 9 | Deep Profiling of Controlled-Fermented Coffees Using a
Multimodal Analytical Platform Robert Engel, Steffen Schwarz, Jörg Rieke-Zapp, Philipp Weller 10.14293/ICC000033.v1 |
| 10 | Sensory and Chemical Characterization of Coffee Cherry Syrups:
Influence of Cherry Maturity Stage, Species, and Processing Method Steffen Schwarz, Jörg Rieke-Zapp, Dirk W. Lachenmeier 10.14293/ICC000031.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000031.v1.paper |
| 11 | Coffee at the Climatic Edge:
Saudi Arabica as a Model of Climate-Resilient, High-Value Specialty Production Bernard Gichimu, Denise Bustamante-Adum, Bandar Alfaifi, Kakoli Ghosh, Khalid Al-Rohily, Nizar Haddad 10.14293/ICC000028.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000028.v1.paper |
| 12 | Making Mozambican Coffee:
Perceptions of Coffee Agroforestry from Nascent Smallholders in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique Brandon Isenman 10.14293/ICC000035.v1 |
| 13 | Multicomponent UV/Vis Spectral Analysis as a Reagent-Free
Proof-Of-Concept Approach for Coffee Quality Assessment Latifah Aldawsari, Reem Al Rushidan, Amer Ba Shuaib, Francisco Velazquez Escobar 10.14293/ICC000036.v1 |
| 14 | Beyond Extraction:
Cold-Brew Process Configuration and Refrigerated Aroma–Sensory Stability Agnese Santanatoglia, Giovanni Caprioli, Lauro Fioretti, Gianni Sagratini 10.14293/ICC000037.v1 |
| 15 | Unlocking Coffee Silver Skin Powder Upcycling Through Additive Manufacturing Matteo Carletta, Gianfranco Desideri, Luigi Esposito, Maria Martuscelli 10.14293/ICC000041.v1 |
Session 4 — Coffee Leaf & Cascara Foods
Chair: Adriana Farah
| Time | Contribution |
| 15:30 – 15:50 | Antioxidant Potential of Coffee Leaf Infusion Powder for Sustainable Beverage Applications Vanesa Sánchez-Martín, María Castro Ruiz, Jose Manuel Silvan, Igor P Turkiewicz, Karolina Tkacz, María Dolores del Castillo* 10.14293/ICC000022.v1 |
| 15:50 – 16:10 | Beyond the Coffee Bean: Processing and Chemical Characterisation of Coffea arabica Leaves
Prepared for Beverage Production Georg Raudaschl 10.14293/ICC000023.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000023.v1.paper |
| 16:10 – 16:30 | Cascara at the Post-Market Crossroads: A Systematic Review of Dietary Exposure and
Health Effects with Integrated Assessment Vanesa Sánchez-Martín, María Dolores del Castillo, Adriana Farah, Dirk W. Lachenmeier 10.14293/ICC000002.v1 |
* presenting author
16:30 — End of Day 1
18:30 - open end — Aperitivo at Mast Cocktail, Via S. Nicolò 3/b, 34121 Triest (Sponsored by Imperator and SVN)
Day 2 — Tuesday 20 October
Ernesto Illy Room, Generali Convention Center
Viale Miramare 24/2, 34135 Trieste
Session 5 — Opening & EUDR / Traceability
Chair: Steffen Schwarz
| Time | Contribution |
| 09:00 - 09:20 | Coffee Challenges 2027 Massimiliano Fabian, Giovanni Bortoli 10.14293/ICC000034.v1 |
| 09:20 - 09:40 | Deep Learning-Driven Annual Coffee and Forest Mapping for Enhanced EUDR Deforestation Assessment Simon Pena Pereira, Alana Kasahara Neves, Aneesha Musunuri, Jhony Alexander Sanchez Vargas,Natasha Randall, Sven Wöhrle 10.14293/ICC000014.v1 |
| 09:40 - 10:00 | Scaling Up Traceability in Coffee Supply Chains and Reducing Complexity of Deforestation-Free Compliance Through Standardised Identification and Data Sharing: The Case of GS1 Giacomo Celi, Piergiorgio Licciardello, Mark Harrison 10.14293/ICC000015.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000015.v1.paper |
10:00 – 10:45 — Poster session & coffee break (45 min)
Session 6 — Industry Round Table
Moderated by Yves Zimmermann
| Time | Contribution |
| 10:45 - 11:00 | Introductory talk — speaker TBC |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Panel discussion with industry representatives — theme and panellists TBC |
12:00 – 13:00 — Lunch Break (60 min)
Kaldi Award
13:00–13:30 — presented to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the coffee industry.
Session 7 — Technology & Digital Tools
Chair: Massimiliano Fabian
| Time | Contribution |
| 13:30 - 13:50 | Coffee Atlas: AI Supported Identification of Coffee Varieties in the Context of Climate Resilient Coffee Farming Katharina Salewski, Kai Eckert, Kirstin Kohler 10.14293/ICC000016.v1 |
| 13:50 - 14:10 | Coffee Traceability Demonstrator Based on Digital Product Passport Principles Moritz Maier, Michel Rindlisbacher, Jörg Grimm, Stefan Grösser 10.14293/ICC000027.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000027.v1.paper |
| 14:10 - 14:30 | Beyond Traceability: Digital Fairness, Cultural Trust Mechanisms,and Farmer SOP Compliance in Indonesian Specialty Coffee Ganjar Satyanagara 10.14293/ICC000024.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000024.v1.paper |
14:30 - 15:15 — Poster session & coffee break (45 min)
Session 8 — Market, Consumers & Society
Chair: Dirk W. Lachenmeier
| Time | Contribution |
| 15:15 - 15:35 | Nature Does Not Care About Certificates: A Science-Based Strategy Map for Resilient Coffee Production Jörg Rieke-Zapp, Steffen Schwarz 10.14293/ICC000005.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000005.v1.paper |
| 15:35 - 15:55 | Beyond Flavor: Bridging Coffee Science and Consumer Understanding Through Evidence-Based Health Communication Amany Adam 10.14293/ICC000025.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000025.v1.paper |
| 15:55 - 16:15 | Coffeescapes: A Three-Landscapes Framework for the Sensory and Spatial Analysis of Coffee Experience Ralf Vogler, Yves Clément Zimmermann 10.14293/ICC000026.v1 Proceedings paper: 10.14293/ICC000026.v1.paper |
| 16:15 - 16:30 | Closing remarks |
19:30 - open end — Gala-Dinner at Ristorante Suban, Via Emilio Comici 2, 34128 Trieste (Sponsored by Demus)
The Gala-Dinner is Sponsored by
Project Dissemination
A project dissemination contribution, not included in the conference proceedings.
BOLERO Project: A Dissemination Poster from the EU-Funded BOLERO Project (Coffee and Cocoa Root
Resilience Through Improved Rootstocks)
Luciano Navarini (illycaffè, Trieste), Sophie Léran (CIRAD, Montpellier), Benoit Bertrand (ASIC)
Sponsors & Partners
Kaldi Award Sponsor
Gala Dinner Sponsor
Presentation Sponsor
Poster Sponsor
Aperitivo Sponsor
Roundtable Sponsor
Coffee Break Sponsor
Aperitivo Sponsor
Location Sponsor
Lanyard Sponsor
Media Partners
