First Craic: Scottish Roasters' Forum 2026
Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters is hosting the first Scottish Roasters Forum on Saturday, 12th September 2026. This one day event is an opportunity for the coffee roasting community in Scotland to come together to network and knowledge share. Organised in collaboration with the Cuppers' Union, the day will be made of a series of informative talks and discussions as well as more technical workshops by experts in the industry.
JOIN US AT OUR ROASTERY FOR A DAY OF TALKS, DISCUSSIONS AND WORKSHOPS
Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters is hosting the first Scottish Roasters Forum on Saturday 12th September, 2026, with a fun optional cupping on the morning of Sunday 13th.
This event is an opportunity for the coffee roasting community in Scotland to come together to network and knowledge share. Organised as a collaboration with the Cuppers' Union, the Saturday will be made of a series of informative talks and discussions as well as more technical workshops by experts in the industry.
The Forum will be held at the Roastery in Aberfeldy from 10am to 6pm. There will also be a band and street food in the evening for those who want to stay on afterwards. The event is open to independent speciality roasters in Scotland and tickets are live and available now on the link below. Ticket prices have been kept deliberately low to make this event as inclusive as possible.
The theme of the forum this year will be around resilience. The coffee industry has been rocked by increasing turbulence in recent years with conflict and climate change affecting green pricing as well as the rollercoaster ride of Covid lockdowns and ongoing political uncertainty. This event will be a unique opportunity to discuss challenges facing the coffee roasting community in Scotland as well as producers and exporters/importers across the global supply chain.
If you have any further questions or would like to contribute to a talk or workshop on the day please email jamie@glenlyoncoffee.co.uk.
Forum Itinerary
Saturday, 12th September 2026
10:00 - 11:00 Cupping Alternative Species with John Thompson
Eugenoides, Libex, Excelsa, Liberica, Racemosa … we’ve heard the names, now let’s taste them all on one table. Do these species hold the promise of a more climate resilient coffee industry?
11:00 - 12:00 From Importer to Producer: Reflections on the challenges of growing coffee
Javier Gutierrez of Caribbean Goods has established the only Scottish coffee importing business. Now he’s taking on a new challenge in his home country by establishing his own coffee farm. He’ll talk about challenges facing producers and his own struggles as a small, independent importer.
12:00 - 1:00 Maximum Impact, Minimum Effort: How to make efficient sourcing decisions
Roland Glew, Green Coffee Buyer for Ozone Coffee roasters, explains how to build a strategic green buying programme. His new project, Strategic Coffee, helps small and medium roasteries get the most from their sourcing through education, support and collaboration.
1:00 - 2:00 Lunch (catered)
2:00 - 3:00 Panel Discussion: Building Resilient Coffee Businesses
We'll speak to three Scottish roastery owners and learn their secrets to operating successfully in a fickle industry and an uncertain world. And we’ll ask: how can we find stability and resilience by building community and leaning on each other?
3:00 - 4:00 Rory Gowan, Caravela, Latin American Speciality Coffee Exporter. Working with volatility, not against it - navigating uncertainty in the green coffee market
Volatility is likely not going anywhere, so the question is how you work with it rather than against it. This is not about taking risks but about understanding the situation better and being more decisive - because indecision carries its own cost that quietly builds up over time.
4:00 - 4:30 Cupping/Break
Join Roland in a cupping to compliment his earlier talk. Or take some time to chill if you’re overstimulated!
4:30 - 6:00 Don't Fight Fires: Identify common issues before they become costly failures
Ash Poole of Roastmaster Solutions and Roest will take us through the roaster maintenance checklist we should all be doing regularly, flag up common trouble spots and answer all your burning mechanical and airflow questions.
6:00 ‘til bedtime
BBQ, live music from local band The Tartan Cowboys and chats, BYOB
Sunday, 13th September
10:00 -11:00 Fun Cupping and Coffee Exchange
Bring a coffee you’re loving right now to share with the group. It can be yours or another roaster you want to share. We’ll exchange coffees at the end so you’ll go home with a new bag to enjoy!
