Press Release

Visionary Coffee Cooperative Leader David Robinson to Keynote Specialty Coffee Conference

Son of Legendary Baseball Integrator Jackie Robinson to Speak at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition

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March 27, 2007
Released by the Specialty Coffee Association of America

LONG BEACH, Calif. U.S.A. (March 26, 2007)---David Robinson, visionary coffee leader for Mshikamano Farmers Group, an East African cooperative of over 300 small-scale coffee farmers in Tanzania, will present a can’t-miss keynote at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition, May 4 – 7, at the Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Calif. Robinson, who is also the son of legendary baseball integrator and civil rights defender Jackie Robinson, will share personal experiences and insights on quality East African coffee and sustainable farming. The keynote will take place Friday, May 4, 5:30 – 7 p.m. A welcome reception will take place after the keynote at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association with member companies from over 40 countries.

“The Mshikamano coffee cooperative is an effort to change a bleak reality. It’s a voice, a window and a means of joining the world community,” said Robinson. “At its basic foundation, Mshikamano is a belief that we’re capable of bringing dignity and resources to farmers and joy to the consumer community. To achieve this goal, we pursue sustainable coffee excellence and deliver it through systems and organizations created by the farmers themselves. My keynote will highlight the cooperative and my life’s passion: work in Africa and the integration of Africa into the global community and the lives of African-Americans.”

Robinson is the first SCAA keynote presenter to focus on the development of East African specialty coffee as well as the sustainability and quality of its farming community. More than 10,000 coffee professionals will attend the event to learn more.

In the 1980s, Robinson and his family acquired 280 acres of forest in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Between 1990 and 1992, they planted 29,000 coffee seedlings across 60 acres, launching not only David Robinson’s career as a coffee farmer, but also the family company, Sweet Unity Farms. In addition to being a coffee farm, Sweet Unity is also the brand of a Tanzanian Arabica Coffee marketed in the U.S.

The keynote by David Robinson is just one of the many highlights at SCAA’s 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition. As the industry’s premier coffee event, the conference features over 200 hours of education on topics such as: growing and processing; roasting; brewing and serving; quality and standards; sustainability; industry trends; coffee cupping; business best practices; espresso basics; and more. International attendees--- including coffee producers, exporters and importers, roasters, retailers, manufacturers and baristas---will discover more than 700 exhibit booths featuring everything relating to coffee.

Online registration and more information for the conference is available at www.scaa.org  or www.scaashow.org.

NOTE TO EDITOR: Complimentary press registration for the conference is available to qualified media at http://scaa.org/press_registration.asp

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About the SCAA
Founded in 1982, SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association with over 3,000 member companies. SCAA members are located in over 40 countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The SCAA's mission is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee, providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee excellence and sustainability. The SCAA's dedication to excellence in coffee is realized through the setting of quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for members. The SCAA's annual conference is held in a different U.S. city each year and is the coffee industry's largest gathering and exhibition.