Encuentros Cafeteros - Mare Terra Coffee

Thank you!

From Mare Terra Coffee we are very pleased with the great reception of our Encuentros Cafeteros event, held on October 19, 20 and 21, 2023 in Castelldefels – Barcelona – together with the Open de Cata.

This event was born in 2007 with the aim of bringing together people dedicated to the world of coffee at different stages and to organise talks in which to share and disseminate coffee culture.

Encuentros Cafeteros 2023 was an exclusive event for Mare Terras Coffee customers.During these two days, the attendees have had the opportunity to meet Coffee Producers from all over the world with whom we work, learn about the latest trends in experimentation, as well as different coffee tasting activities, talks with experts, round tables and even some of the participants have taken part in the Open de Cata!

Encuentros Cafeteros with notes to Colombia

These days of talks and workshops have been focused so that attendees can connect, exchange, and share on topics that move and interest the world of Coffee.

Encuentros Cafeteros serves as a bridge between the actors of origin and the coffee roasting countries, this edition has focused on Colombia as an outstanding originThe objective was to broaden and deepen the knowledge about experimental Processes, production, Variety development and about the projects that Mare Terras Coffee develops in the Coffee producing countries of origin.

We have counted on professionals from all over the world with great prestige within the coffee field.

Our speakers

They have shared their experiences

Experts in their field willing to share their knowledge and experience from their unique and valuable perspective in the world of specialty coffee.

Schedule - Encuentros Cafeteros and Open de Cata

Thursday 19/10

9:30 Accreditation and Material Distribution+ Welcome coffee

10:00 Welcome – Rafael Moral – CEO of Mare Terra Coffee

10:15 Mare Terra Coffee’s Development Model– Timur Dudkin · Director of I+D Mare Terra Coffee

10:45 Development strategy changes in Coocentral – Luís Mauricio Rivera · Coocentral – Colombia

11:15 Q & A Session

11:30 Break: a Coffee?

12:00 Scaling Production While Maintaining Quality: Advanced Industrial Processes – Andrés Salaverría · Jasal – El Salvador

12:30 Advances in Traditional Smallholder Coffee Production – Hertson Bernal · Colombia

13:00 Q & A Session

13:15 ACTIVITY – Colombian coffees cupping

14:00 Break and lunch

15:00 Decaffeination of organic and specialty coffees, and the environmental impact of this process -Daniel Robles · Descamex – Mexico

15:30 The social impact of coffee production in Chepsangor, Kenya – Rosabella Langat · Chepsangor Hills – Kenya

16:00 ROUND TABLE – The cultivation of specialty coffees in Africa– Emmanuel Rutsatira, Rosabella Langat, Kirubel Fikresilassie

16:30 Questions and answers

16:45 ACTIVITY –Interactive cupping: Coffees from Africa and Central America

17:30 Closing of the day

Friday 20/10

9:30 Welcome coffee

10:00 Welcome – Rafael Moral – Director of Mare Terra Coffee

10:15 Breast Cancer Prevention Project-– Emanuele Rutsatira · Baho Coffee – Ruanda

10:45 Coffee and Education: A Synergistic Approach – Kirubel Fikresilassie · Daye Bensa – Ethiopia

11:15 Q & A Session

11:30 Break: a Coffee?

12:00 Yeast Development for Fermentation– Lais Falheiros · Cocapil – Brazil

12:30 Shared Challenges in Central American Coffee Production – Mariano Ventura and Enrique Salazar · Bicafé – Honduras and Guatemala

13:00 Q & A Session

12:00 Generational Shifts in Nicaragua’s Coffee Community– Martha Albir · Cafetos de Segovia – Nicaragua

13:45 Closing talks

14:00 End of event

Note: Following the conference, the Open de Cata will take place in the Garbí Hall.

Open de Cata

Friday 20/10

15:00 – 18:30 Semi-finals

Saturday 21/10

10:00 – 15:00 Grand finale and prize-giving ceremony

Open de Cata

Barcelona, October 20-21

The Open de Cata is a unique and different tasting championship, this edition has been organized within the event Encuentros Cafeteros in Castelldefels, Barcelona. The contest includes the modalities of free tasting, sensory memory and triangulation.

In this new edition of the Open de Cata 2023 we have brought together the best coffee tasters in the world, recognized worldwide. A total of 34 participants from 9 different countries participated to win the €11,000 prize money.

Location Encuentros Cafeteros

This new edition of Encuentros cafeteros has been held at the Gran Hotel Rey Don Jaime, returning to our origins and returning to the place where we started this event more than 15 years ago.
The Hotel Rey Don Jaime is located in Castelldefels, a few minutes from Barcelona, with good connections to the airport, next to the beach and the Garraf Park.
In the spaces of the hotel we have organized the lectures and activities of Encuentros cafeteros and the Open de Cata.
A fantastic place where some of the participants of Encuentros Cafeteros have stayed and enjoyed the comfort of the tandem event of Coffee and accommodation with sea views in the same space.