LESLY NASSILA was delighted to speak with DR. ARSHIYA BOSE of Black Baza Coffee Co., the winner of the for-profit category in the 2025 SCA Sustainability Awards. Black Baza Coffee Co. is a self-described “activist company”, coffee roaster and green bean business based out of Bangalore, India. Founded by Dr. Arshiya Bose, this women-led enterprise seeks to reimagine the coffee value chain to ensure both people and nature can thrive.  

LESLY NASSILA spoke with COLLEEN ANUNU, Senior Advisor for Coffee at Fairtrade International, the non-profit winner of the Specialty Coffee Association’s (SCA’s) 2025 Sustainability Awards. Lesly and Colleen discussed how the organization places farmers at the center of its model—empowering them through decision-making power and control over how Fairtrade premiums are used. While Fairtrade is best known for providing coffee smallholders with an economic safety net, it also supports their transition toward deforestation-free and more sustainable agriculture through an EUDR-focused partnership with Satelligence. Anunu emphasizes that relational value chains and pricing premiums are not mutually exclusive, reminding the coffee industry that both can coexist to build a more equitable and resilient sector.

As presented to SCA members on August 30, the SCA Board of Directors, led by President Pamela Chng, nominated a group of seven professionals from a pool of dozens who responded to our annual call for nominations made in June. As the number of candidates this year is equal to the number of open seats, there is no need to proceed with a voting process, and the SCA Board has confirmed the seven professionals listed below as members of the SCA Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 7.4(f) of the SCA Bylaws.

Today during the first round of the 2025 World Barista Championship at HostMilano, Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos and Colombian Coffee Growers Federation/Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) CEO Germán Alberto Bahamón Jaramillo took to the competition stage to jointly confirm and announce World of Coffee Bogotá 2027 featuring the 2027 World Brewers Cup, set to take place over three days from September 30 – October 2, 2027 in Bogotá, Colombia.