Roast Summit brought coffee roasters and professionals from across Australia and a few from abroad into one room to talk about what really matters right now: the state of coffee pricing and all the complexity that comes with it.
It wasn’t just talk for the sake of it. These were real conversations, moderated by people who live and breathe coffee. Roasters, importers, local and global producers. People who see the full picture and feel the pressure points across the supply chain.
Day 1 – Big picture thinking
Session 1: Global supply chain pressures
We kicked off with a panel diving into the global forces shaping the price of coffee. Weather events like droughts and frost. Supply and demand shifts driven by emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East. It’s messy, it’s unpredictable and it’s affecting us all.
Session 2: What’s next for coffee tech
Cropster stepped in with insights on what the industry wants from tech, especially AI. The question isn’t just what can it do, but what do we actually need it to do. Plenty of gaps still to fill.
Session 3: A spotlight on Aussie coffee
Next up, Australian-grown coffee. It’s closer, it’s lower impact and the quality’s impressive. We tasted four different process styles from Crater Mountain Coffee. A solid reminder that local coffee has a real future here, especially with global prices creeping up.
Session 4: Rethinking coffee value
Luiz Saldanha from Capricornio Coffee walked us through the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) tool. It’s a more rounded way of evaluating coffee, beyond just a cupping score. Think physical quality, sensory attributes and the broader story behind the bean. From region and variety to farm details and family history, every element counts now
Day 2 – Getting hands-on
Day two was hands-on, split into four rotating workshops:
Practising coffee evaluation using the CVA form
Talking green inventory and how current challenges are shaping our planning
Tasting coffees and discussing where they fit (because every coffee has a home)
Looking at roast profiles and refining how we use feedback to dial in our roasting
Between sessions, there were plenty of chats. Informal but meaningful conversations about how we navigate this wild ride the coffee industry is on right now. Tools, ideas, encouragement. Everyone is trying to help each other move forward.
A shared moment in a tough market
I’m Triston, Senior Coffee Roaster at P&R, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the first Roast Summit Downunder. Good chats, fresh ideas and a reminder that you’re not alone. These conversations matter. They ground you, reset your thinking and remind you to stay true to your approach. Don’t chase what everyone else is doing. Back yourself and your product.
Pricing, quality and value. It’s all connected
Let’s talk about real-world pricing. A small coffee in Brunswick never dipped below $5. Even espresso starts at $5. But here’s the thing: if the quality’s there, people won’t blink. They’ll pay. It’s a good reminder for Sydney cafes, where $4.50 is still common to see, to adjust prices quickly.
The disconnect only happens when price and quality don’t match. That’s your opportunity. Lift your quality, charge what it’s worth. Charge what you are worth. You might make fewer coffees in a day, but you’ll make more margin per cup. Slow down, serve something better and you’ll win both on taste and profit.
Read is busier always better.
