2011 LECTURERS.

Here are the lecturers for the 2011 Nordic Roaster Forum.

MENNO SIMONS
Ethiopian coffee: challenges and opportunities

Menno got a university degree in law in 1997. He worked with trade of spices/seeds/nuts untill 1999, where after he raised an organic coffee department and brought the first organic certifiers to Ethiopia. In 2003 he founded Trabocca and focussed only on Ethiopian coffees.

With in the next couple of years Trabocca implemented a project supported by the Dutch government to improve quality for Ethiopian farmers – and at the same time to increase volume. This was done by purchasing environmentally friendly pulping machines, graders, drying tables, cupping labs etc, and to invite agronomists and experts, and eventually focus on packaging and training in farm managment, banking etc.

With the Operation Cherry Red Trabocca invites farmers to produce microlots with only 100 % red ripe cherries charefully selected several times.

At Nordic Roaster Forum Menno Simons will talk about their challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia

CARL CERVONE
Developing new, traceable, washed coffees from Ethiopia

Carl Cervone is the Field Operations Manager for TechnoServe’s Coffee Initiative in Ethiopia. TechnoServe is an NGO that provides intensive training and operational support to help farmer-owned cooperatives improve quality and access premium markets for their coffee. A key priority is ensuring traceability and price transparency back to farmers.

In 2009, Carl led TechnoServe’s entry into Ethiopia. Over the past three years, he has overseen the installation of 64 new washing stations in Western Ethiopia and built a field team of more than 40 staff. TechnoServe is currently expanding its operations to other growing regions including Sidamo, Yirgacheffe and Gimbi.

Before coming to Ethiopia, Carl worked with TechnoServe in the coffee sectors of Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. He is originally from the United States.

MICHAEL DE RENOUARD
Comparative roasting:
convection vs. cyclone/hot air

Michael de Renouard has a back ground as wine importer. In 2005 he co-started the coffeebar Kaffeplantagen in Copenhagen.
Two years later – in 2007 – he became the roastmaster at Kontra Coffee in Copenhagen. He roasted their coffees, developed roast profiles and was responsible for buying the green beans.

In 2009 Michael applied for a job as roaster for Solberg & Hansen, a specialty roaster in Oslo, where he worked onwards with quality control. In 2010 Solberg & Hansen got a Smart Roast.

At Nordic Roaster Forum 2011 Michael will share his roasting experiences  with convection vs. cyclone/hot air roasters.

The picture is from Nordic Roaster 2008, where Michael gave a lecture about his experience with having a fire in your roaster.

RON KLEIST
Mile stones in new business developments

Every business has a rhythm. Ron Kleist knows these rythms since he has been deeply involved in starting highly successful companies in diverse fields such as biotech, high tech and packaging.

Mr. Kleist brings a unique outside view of the coffee world and will try to bring to our attention signs that Specialty Coffee can do well around the globe.