Registration opens for the World Coffee Leaders Forum

The second annual World Coffee Leaders Forum (WCLF) 2013 will take place at Coex Convention Center in Seoul, South Korea on 20 – 22 November. Established with the mission to find sustainable development methods, WCLF invites industry leaders and innovators to share and discuss the important issues and trendsin Asia and the world’s coffee industry. Last year’s event attracted worldwide attention. Approximately 700 attendees from countries around the world gathered in the Coex Convention Center to participate. A total of 20 speakers presented at the Plenary Sessions and Technical Sessions last year, including industry leaders such as Mr. Robert F Nelson, President of the National Coffee Association, and Xinia Chaves Quiros, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica. This year’s events will take place over three days, allowing for more in-depth analysis and focus on a greater variety of topics. The theme this year is “Global Coffee Industry Issues and Potential of the Asian Market.” Seven plenary sessions are planned, consisting of topics including Asian Coffee Market Insight, Global Coffee Market Insight & Specialty Coffee, Changes in Coffee Market, Coffee Leaf Rust, Coffee Price & Marketing Strategy, Relationship, and Sustainability & Fair Trade. David Veal, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe, will discuss specialty coffee and trends in the European market. The Vice President of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Geoff Watts, will share his extensive knowledge on developing marketing strategies. These are just someof the many prominent industry leaders who will join the Forum and share their experience and insights. Each day’s plenary sessions will again be concluded with a panel discussion made up of the day’s speakers. The Forum will also include an array of supplemental events. These include the World Coffee Youth Leadership Forum, World Coffee Adventure Session, Technical Session, and the Coffee Business Tour. These activities will provide ample opportunities for industry partners to interact and exchange ideas, cultivate valuable business networks and have effective collaboration on common platforms. World Coffee Leader Forum is a concurrent event with the 12th Seoul Int’l Café Show 2013, Asia’s premier coffee exhibition. This year’s exhibition, running from 21 – 24 November, will be the largest ever, with 500 exhibitors displayed over 30,000 square metres, and an estimated 100,000 visitors from around the world. WCLF has created an official alliance with Coffee Kids and will donate 1 per cent of all registration proceeds to the organization. WCLF recognises and shares Coffee Kid’s goal of enriching the lives of workers and creating a more sustainable coffee industry. Online registration is now open and can be completed online at the official World Coffee Leaders Forum website: www.wclforum.org/registration/01.php.