• The 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) will take place on 26 & 27 March 2026 at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador – one of the world’s most prestigious specialty coffee origins and the first-ever PRF host country.
• Over 4,200 visitors and 350 international buyers are expected to attend, with an estimated US$15.7 million to be generated in business sales.
• PRF El Salvador will host the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the third Cacao Master Cup, the second Global Cupping Championship, Central America: Soil of Excellence by Belco, and PRF Matchmaking.
• Speaker applications for PRF Voices are open now.
• The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards finals, where the world’s best roasters will be announced.

On 26 & 27 March 2026, the 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum – the largest and most prestigious coffee event in Latin America – will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador.

The two-day forum unites a global community of producers, roasters, traders, baristas, and industry experts. Every event provides opportunities to network, exchange ideas, build lasting business relationships, and experience some of the world’s best coffees.

In addition to a specially curated PRF Voices programme, workshops, and cuppings, PRF El Salvador will host the fifth Global Roasting Contest, the seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, the third Cacao Master Cup, the second Global Cupping Championship, Central America: Soil of Excellence by Belco, and PRF Matchmaking.

The event will also coincide with the Global Coffee Awards finals, where regional Gold Champions will compete for the title of the world’s best roaster.

Read on to find out more about what’s happening at the event and how you can apply to become a speaker.

Learn more about PRF here.

Celebrating over ten years of PRF

For over a decade, PRF has played a leading role in connecting international buyers with some of the world’s best coffee producers. The two-day forum serves as a platform to cultivate long-lasting relationships, address key industry issues, promote innovation in the global coffee sector, and facilitate the sale of green coffee.

There have been five host countries to date: El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia. More than 16,400 coffee professionals have taken part in previous editions, including over 4,300 green coffee buyers and roasters. 

In addition to the two-day forums held in major cities across Latin American producing countries, the first-ever PRF: Farm Summit – which focused specifically on regenerative and organic farming practices and took place entirely on a coffee farm in 2024 – brought together 1,387 attendees in a more intimate setting similar to the Sourcing Trip Experience. These included 404 farmers and 96 roasters.

Why PRF matters

Over the last ten years, roasters and importers from 40 countries – including the US, Australia, South Korea, the UK, Uganda, Japan, Barbados, Spain, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and many more – have attended PRF events.

The ten previous forums have generated more than US$64.8 million in green coffee sales, benefitting over 4,650 smallholder farmers in Latin America and allowing roasters from around the world to source unique, high-quality coffees.

“PRF is an excellent platform for roasters to meet producers,” says Darius Vėželis, the CEO of Vero Coffee House in Lithuania. “It’s important to know the country that you’re buying coffee from, as well as operations at origin and how the supply chain works.

“At PRF, you can meet in person, and you have time to talk and exchange ideas with coffee professionals at origin, as well as roasters from other countries,” he adds. “I first attended the event in El Salvador in 2023, and have since developed relationships with Salvadoran producers and roasters from all over the world.”

A return to El Salvador

In March 2026, the event will return to El Salvador, a country renowned for its exceptional quality specialty coffee and the first-ever host of PRF.

“El Salvador produces unique varieties, such as Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara, which all have deep heritage in the country’s coffee sector,” says Henry Wilson, the founder of PRF. “More than 95% of the country’s coffee crop is shade-grown, supporting regenerative agricultural practices.”

The country plays a pivotal role in Central America’s coffee sector. The USDA forecasts El Salvador’s production volumes to increase to 597,000 60kg bags in the 2024/25 harvest period, but highlights key challenges – such as labour shortages, climate vulnerability, and high input costs – that continue to impact farmers.

Next year’s forum is expected to bring together some 4,200 attendees, including around 1,600 international visitors and 350 global buyers – indicating PRF’s substantial, ever-growing international reach. 

The event is also expected to generate more than US$15.7 million in business sales, bolstering local and national economies and supporting Salvadorian producers.

“We’re proudly returning to El Salvador ten years after the inaugural edition in a mill in Santa Ana back in 2016,” Henry says. “This marks the next chapter in PRF’s mission to bring producers and roasters together in coffee-producing countries. As always, expect honest conversations about real challenges that the industry is facing.”

Which competitions will take place?

Building on over a decade of success, PRF will return to El Salvador with an event line-up that promises value for all attendees.

“Since 2019, we have sponsored PRF, and it’s incredible to see how the event has evolved over the years,” says Mark Zhou, the founder of MTPak Coffee, a sustainable coffee packaging company and a PRF Gold Sponsor and GCA Platinum Sponsor.

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of another event that helps cultivate longstanding, mutually-beneficial partnerships between producers and roasters,” he adds. “El Salvador will be no exception, serving as one of the most important platforms for the specialty coffee industry.”

The championships that will take place are:

• The fifth Global Roasting Contest – top international roasters showcase pure roasting skills and expertise to compete for the technical and people’s choice top spots.
• The seventh Cold Brew Coffee Championship, sponsored by Toddy – a select group of competitors demonstrate their expertise in crafting exceptional cold brews and signature drinks.
• The third Cacao Master Cup – baristas and cacao enthusiasts prepare two distinct hot beverages using different chocolate varieties with varying cocoa and coffee percentages, showcasing the deep connection between the two.
• The second Global Cupping Championship – competitors put their sensory skills to the test in a high-stakes cupping challenge, evaluating aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and balance with precision and speed.
• Central America: Soil of Excellence by Belco – first held at Farm Summit, the Soil of Excellence competition redefines quality standards in the coffee industry. The competition highlights the importance of soil health and regenerative agriculture in producing exceptional coffee, and this edition will focus specifically on coffees from Central America.

More information on how to apply to compete will be announced in the coming weeks.

Global Coffee Awards finals

The finals of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) – a competition awarding roasting excellence – will be hosted at PRF El Salvador on 26 March 2026.

Addressing a gap in the industry, the GCA recognises the world’s best roasters and the producers who grow their coffees. Specialty coffee roasters can submit bags of their top coffees across defined categories for blind judging by a panel of experts. 

The categories and some subcategories include:

• Filter (roasted specifically for manual or automated pour over brewing)
  • Natural
  • Washed
  • Honey
  • Experimental processing method
  • Robusta 
• Espresso (roasted specifically for espresso to be served without milk)
  • Blend
  • Single origin
  • Decaf
• Flat White – Dairy (roasted specifically for espresso to be served with dairy as a flat white)
  • Single origin
  • Blend
• Flat White – Alternative (roasted specifically for espresso to be served with a plant milk as a flat white)
  • Single origin
  • Blend

How does the GCA work?

For the first round, there will be three regional competitions:

• US & Canada: 29 & 30 September 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Trade
• Origin category (any roaster based in a coffee-producing country): 1 October 2025 in Houston, Texas, hosted at Copan Trade
• Europe: 28 & 29 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, hosted at Belco

“Including these three categories levels the playing field,” Henry says. “Roasters in producing countries have an opportunity to go head-to-head with their peers in the US, Canada, and Europe, and win the title of world’s best.”

The Gold winners of each category of the US & Canada, Origin, and Europe competitions will compete at the global finals, where producers who have grown their coffees will join them. The overall champion will be crowned during the GCA awards ceremony on the evening of 26 March. There will also be a VIP dinner on the same evening.

To learn more about the GCA and how you can take part as a competitor, visit the website and view the entry kit here.

PRF Matchmaking

There will be an exhibition area at the two-day forum where attendees can network with leading Latin American and international companies and organisations, including producers, exporters, roasters, importers, and café owners.

The Producer-Roaster Matchmaking programme, sponsored by Algrano, will also return after its launch at the 2025 Honduras event. 

“During a time of sustained high coffee prices, it’s never been more critical for roasters to have the opportunity to meet thousands of producers, cooperatives, and exporters to find the right coffee and flavour profiles for their budget,” Henry says. “Producers can also meet roasters from across the globe, giving them access to new markets.”

The programme is designed specifically to connect producers and roasters at the dedicated Matchmaking Zone: a space designated for meaningful conversations and new relationships between roasters and producers, right at the heart of the exhibition.

“With all the current challenges that the industry is facing – price volatility, climate change, supply chain disruptions, and tariffs – it’s more important than ever that roasters are more involved in their supply chains, build direct relationships, and meet producers at origin,” says Henry.

Roasters, producers, and traders will have the opportunity to meet potential partners in a quick, structured speed networking format. Algrano will help guide participants throughout the process, offering supply chain expertise, logistical support, key financial information, and live translations.

What else is happening at PRF El Salvador?

PRF El Salvador will also launch a brand-new initiative to facilitate green coffee sales between producers and roasters.

“This new event activation will allow buyers to select coffees live at the cupping table and instantly receive pricing – not just FOB, but also spot-delivered to their roastery,” Henry says. 

Like other PRF events, the 2026 forum will include workshops and cuppings, hosted by some of Latin America’s best producers and traders that showcase the diversity of the region’s coffee. 

Openings to host cuppings are available now, providing opportunities to add genuine value and cultivate long-term commercial relationships.

“I met several buyers from the Middle East at PRF El Salvador in 2023,” says Fernando Alfaro, a Salvadoran specialty coffee producer. “We sold to two different buyers that year, and this year is the second consecutive time that we sold to the same buyers – thanks to a relationship supported by the efforts of the PRF team. The event is an excellent vehicle to kickstart long-term commercial relationships.”

There will also be an Espresso, a Brew, and a Cold Brew Bar, sponsored by Toddy, for attendees to try exceptional coffees from El Salvador and beyond.

Speaker applications

Every PRF event hosts the PRF Voices programme: a specially curated lineup of lectures and panels led by some of the industry’s foremost and well-known experts. 

Over the last decade, speakers from 36 countries have participated, discussing various topics across the coffee supply chain. These include:

• Progressive Composting Techniques for Coffee Producers (Bob Fish and Michelle Fish – OBIIS, a PRF Gold Sponsor)
• The Science of Roasting for Functional Benefits (Ildi Revi – Purity Coffee, the PRF Silver Sponsor)
• Coffee Fundamentals and Price Risk Management: Navigating Market Volatility (Tomás Araujo – StoneX, US)
• Fluctuating Pricing and Shifting Sourcing Strategies: An Importer’s Perspective (Abraham Castro – Ally Coffee, US)
• Leveraging Computational Simulation to Optimise Coffee Drying, Storage, and Roasting (Jaime Daniel Bustos – Universidad Surcolombiana, Colombia)
• Understanding Green Coffee Logistics: Overcoming Challenges and Building an Efficient Supply Chain (Afshin Roshanian – Artisan Coffee Gear, Romania)

English and Spanish speakers are invited to apply for PRF Voices. Ideal candidates should have a strong background in the coffee industry, over five years of experience in their topic of interest, previous PRF participation, public speaking skills, and fresh insight into key trends and challenges in today’s coffee sector.

You can apply to be a speaker here. Applications will close on 31 January 2026.

Volunteer opportunities

Sponsored by Copan Trade, the volunteer programme allows passionate coffee professionals to gain valuable experience, stay up-to-date with the latest trends, and expand their personal network as they help run the event. 

Volunteers are also eligible to apply for the PRF Seed programme, which recognises entrepreneurs in the coffee industry and empowers them by funding valuable community-focused initiatives. At the previous two editions, PRF, with support from brands like OBIIS and Mayorga Coffee, awarded over US$36,000 to ten scholarship recipients.

Volunteers work at the registration, cuppings, Bars, competitions, and other areas, playing a pivotal role in shaping the success of PRF El Salvador. Applicants need to be comfortable working with coffee equipment and have some customer service skills.

You can apply to be a volunteer here.

PRF will return to El Salvador on 26 & 27 March 2026, highlighting over ten years of facilitating meaningful connections between producers and roasters.

International tickets and Sourcing Trip Experience tickets are available to buy here.

You can stay up to date with all announcements for PRF here, or by subscribing to the newsletter here.

Photo credits: Producer & Roaster Forum

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