In celebration of International Women’s Day, Veneziano Coffee Roasters hosted a series of Q&A Women in Coffee events along the east coast from 4 to 9 March.
The panels took place at Veneziano venues in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, with its Richmond café attracting an audience of more than 60 industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts who heard the inspiring stories, challenges and work entailed in the lives of women who have forged successful career paths in different avenues of the industry.
“It was terrific to acknowledge such talented women in our industry and celebrate one of the first industry event’s post-lockdown. A big thank you also to Veneziano’s Jade Jennings, an inspiring and talented industry woman in her own right, for her organisation in running the event,” says BeanScene editor and Melbourne’s event emcee Sarah Baker.
Most commonly, however, the women highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and the power of building and nurturing relationships with producers.
Equilibrium Master Roasters’ Anne Cooper spoke about her relationship with the Capricornio Women in Coffee project and nurturing relationships with women growers.
Market Lane and Melbourne Coffee Merchants Co-Founder Fleur Studd talked about supporting women producers in Rwanda and her desire to develop a culture of knowledge sharing through her business. She also highlighted the importance of cafés as a form of community support during last year’s lockdown.
Mel Caia of William Angliss Institute (Coffee Academy) talked about the value of her relationships as a world coffee judge and the importance of education.
St Ali Coffee Technician Chrissy Brown highlighted the need for self confidence in her line of work, and advocated the role for women who enjoy problem solving and customer interaction.
Veneziano Richmond Café Manager Kate Maher discussed her journey from England to Melbourne and how she used last year’s lockdown to develop her barista skills and continues to persistent in making positive changes around her.
Veneziano distributor for the Bendigo region, Cassie Penno highlighted the gratification she has for customers who really want to learn and succeed, and St Ali green bean buyer Lucy Ward gave a realistic portrayal of the tough decision-making in her role that goes far beyond the romance of tasting coffee and exotic travel.
Following the panel, Pete Licata, R&D Consultant for Veneziano and former World Barista Champion, led guests in an interactive cupping of the second edition of the Pinnacle Series with four rare and exotic coffees.