Can New Zealand develop a profitable coffee growing industry when we live in a high cost operating environment? The theme for the NZCPA 2026 Annual Conference & Field Day is 'Seed to Cup in a High Cost Economy' and aims to unravel some of the key opportunities and challenges that are important factors to consider from early in our development.
Building on the momentum of the first conference in November 2025, which brought the emerging sector together for two days of learning and connection, this year’s event offers a deeper dive into the realities and opportunities of growing specialty coffee in New Zealand.
We're very excited to welcome our first international key note speaker, Kraig Lee, owner of Kona Farm Direct, a multi-award winning specialty coffee producer in Hawaii. Kraig is looking forward to establishing some New Zealand context by arriving early and visiting a few Northland coffee farms before the conference. Over the two days, Kraig will then share his story which is three decades in the making and grounded in environmental and financial sustainability, especially operating in a similar environment to that of New Zealand where the cost of labour and many other inputs are higher than traditional growing areas.
The programme will also include updates on the developing NZ industry, crop trial updates, and a fascinating look at how creating our own indigenous yeasts could offer a unique advantage to our own processing techniques.
The Annual Conference will once again take place at Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park and the Field Day will be hosted at the home of Simons NZ Coffee near Doubtless Bay.
The Field Day will be a fantastic opportunity to take a tour of this large plantation, and look at the way Doug Simons and family are taking an entire value chain approach with onsite drying and processing, roasting, and delivering direct to their customers with their mobile coffee caravan. The day will also include a focus on agronomy and we're excited to have well-respected agricultural technician Colin Partridge join us for an engaging discussion that bridges the gap between scientific research and practical application to improve orchard productivity.
Scheduled to take place on 5th and 6th June registrations are now open to anyone who has interest in growing, producing, and processing high quality specialty coffee grown in New Zealand.
There are options to attend one or both days, capacity is limited so to avoid disappointment, we recommend getting your tickets early...