Speakers
Martin Shabaya
Ranked number 5 World Barista Championships 2021
"My name is Martin and I love creating long-lasting coffee experiences for coffee lovers. I'm a Brand ambassador at Sanremo Coffee Machines, showcasing how innovation & technology distinguishes between a leader and a follower in the coffee industry. I have trained over 500 young baristas to help them improve their coffee-making skills as well as share knowledge with farmers on coffee trends.
Meticulous and good with my hands, a creative mind is what I bring on board to cafe owners."
Nina Rimpl
We have had the privilege of getting to know Nina over the years of coffee. What an honour to have her here in South Africa to join in the fun of Creative Coffee Week. Besides coffee she is an avid hiker, adventurer, ocean lover, and can be found with a top quality glass of chardonnay in her downtime. She also has a degree in psychology. As a judge for the World Coffee Events Championships, she knows what it is like on the other side of the table having competed before, and she takes her responsibility to the baristas very seriously.
Phil Schluter
Managing Director of Covoya Specialty Coffee
6th generation of coffee trading in his family, trading green coffee since 1858. His formaer family business Schluter Coffee have been present in Africa since the early days of commercial coffee production, all that knowledge and network has now.
One of the founders of the SCAE and was on the board of trustees for CQI. I am a Director of IKAWA coffee, producing the world’s first digital micro-roaster and a licensed Q-grader, having taken part in the first ever UK Q-grading course. I also have over 20 years experience working as a coffee trader, so hopefully I am well placed to answer your questions on anything from the ins & outs of international coffee trading to the unique challenges of operating in Africa.
The founder of A World in Your Cup Consulting, a Nairobi-based education and consulting business focused on sustainability, gender equity, and decolonialization of the beverage crops. Erika is a Research Associate at the University of Nairobi in Kenya; a PhD candidate in the International Development Studies program at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; and an Authorized SCA Trainer. From 2018-19, Erika was a member of the Creator’s Group who wrote the Sustainability Coffee Skills curriculum for the Specialty Coffee Association. The course launched at the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo in Boston, USA, and since then, Erika has taught hundreds of coffee professionals around the world. Erika’s coffee career began in 1996 as a barista in San Diego, California. Now as a writer, teacher, and researcher who lives in Nairobi, Kenya, Erika’s work focuses on gender equity, sustainability, climate resilience, (de)colonialism, and global governance of the global coffee value chain. She lives in Nairobi with her younger son.
Jenn Rugolo (Curatorial and Editor, 25, Specialty Coffee Association)
Jenn Rugolo is an editor and product manager focused on print and digital communications in specialty coffee, a comfortable role found after years of chasing varied interests down various rabbit holes.
An ex-academic and recovering musician, Jenn holds both a Bachelors of Music Ad Hoc (Northwestern University) and a Masters of Arts in Ethnomusicology (University College Cork) as well as a Diploma in Irish Traditional Music (University College Cork). She has worked for 3FE (Director of Wholesale; Administrative Manager), World Coffee Events (Instructional Design Program Manager; Communications & Marketing Manager), and Facebook (Administrative Assistant, Engineering).
Develops and curates balanced, original, and relevant content for the Specialty Coffee Association's broadest programming; provides vision for the storage and disseminations of the SCA's wide range of emerging knowledge activities.
Aleksa Novicic (Gruppo Cimbali, Dubai)
Aleksa is based in Dubai, UAE and is a product sales specialist in the Cimbali Group. He looks after the MEIA region and is passionate about espresso machines, baristas and coffee culture! Aleksa started working as a barista in coffee himself and worked his way up through the ranks to become one of the leading product specialist in one of the largest coffee equipment manufacturing companies ion the planet! He has o
This is Aleksa’s first visit to South Africa.
Winston Thomas
Fresh from a stint at the World of Coffee, the three times SA Barista Champion and perennial coffee legend, Winston Thomas, will once again be hosting a number of sessions at CCW23. Winston is a co-owner and founder of both Winston Douglas Coffee and Cedar Coffee Roastery, out of Cape Town. Always on the cutting edge of coffee global coffee trends, training and technique, Winston has a wealth of knowledge to share and is a master at seeking out those juicy details from our guest speakers and panelists!
Stevo Kühn
The cover star of Coffee Magazine’s Autumn issue 2023 is SA Barista Champion, Stevo Kühn, who recently represented SA at World of Coffee, Athens, in the World Barista Championships, where his set enthralled and inspired many through his theme of Ubuntu and technical elements of compound chilling in coffee. Compound what? Come and find out everything there is to know about this new trend and technique from one of SA’s most recognisable and personable coffee professionals.
Jackie Cameron
Hailing from Pietermaritzburg, Jackie is one of the most respected and influential Chefs in South Africa. She is the Founder and Owner at Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine and an author of several successful cookbooks. Chef Jackie is an internationally well travelled food celebrity, and Independent Media recently named Jackie one of Africa’s top 100 inspiring and aspiring leaders. Labelled a ‘Trailblazer’, she was identified for “changing the game/leading the field at a local/international level”. She is a food judge, appears on TV and in the media regularly and is passionate about coffee and great café food!