SCASA News: What's Brewing in Education

What’s Brewing in Education at SCASA?

By Claire Strydom and Henning Lubbe Directors: Portfolio: Education & Training | SCASA

As we enter the 2025/26 coffee season, the Specialty Coffee Association of Southern Africa (SCASA) is placing education and training at the centre of its strategic focus, with a refreshed and inclusive approach to professional development. The aim is simple: to empower every coffee professional — from barista to business owner — with meaningful, accessible learning opportunities.

Here’s what’s brewing in our education pipeline:

Workshops & Learning Events

SCASA will roll out a dynamic calendar of structured workshops and panel discussions — both online and in person — across key locations such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. These events, led by experts, are geared toward building core and advanced skills in a way that speaks to current industry needs.

Key themes for 2025/26 include:

• Producer Chats & Cuppings: Conversations with coffee producers and cuppings of new or unique beans.
• Competition Preparation: Guidance on how to present at competitions, build competition sets, and understand competition rules for both competitors and judges.
• Business Management for Coffee Businesses: Workshops on business strategies and operations for café owners and coffee entrepreneurs.
• Green Coffee Sourcing and Buying: Best practices in coffee sourcing, featuring insights from industry experts.
• Roasting Practices: Training on roasting advancements and techniques for both newcomers and experienced roasters, including discussions on improving roasting skills and sensory evaluation.
• Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Preventative maintenance for coffee equipment to avoid malfunctions, with contributions from specialists.
• Skills Development for Entry-Level Professionals: Practical skills training for baristas and café owners, including customer service and team building.

The goal is to rotate topics across a two-year cycle, ensuring as many areas of the industry are covered as possible.

Digital Education & Resources

To supplement the in-person offerings and support both formal and informal learning, SCASA will develop a robust digital presence that provides bite-sized, high-impact educational tools. This includes:

• Short-form videos and infographics: Educational videos and infographics on coffee-related topics such as sensory analysis, competition preparation, and coffee sourcing.
• Social media series: A social media series focused on competition rules and industry trends.
• Sensory flavour wheels, cupping protocol posters, and defect guides: Digital resources available for sale.
• A public directory of ASTs (Authorized SCA Trainers): A list of current South African AST’s and any courses they are offering alongside their contact info.

These digital tools not only help extend SCASA’s reach but also offer on-demand access to quality information that members can use in their own time and pace.

Introducing SCASA’s CPD Initiative

All of the above activities form part of SCASA’s newly introduced Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme — a major step in promoting lifelong learning, professional recognition, and consistent quality standards across our industry. The CPD initiative is a strategic step towards the professionalisation of the South African coffee industry, offering coffee professionals structured learning opportunities.

The CPD programme will undergo a soft rollout starting in early 2025. This gentle launch will allow members to engage, provide feedback, and adapt to the programme in real time, while SCASA fine-tunes its offering for long-term growth.

Here’s what you need to know:

•             Each CPD point corresponds to one notional hour of learning.

•             Points are digitally tracked and internationally recognised, and will be awarded for participating in various activities including webinars, seminars, and workshops.

Designations are awarded at: 

• Bronze (10 points)
• Silver (24 points)
• Gold (30 points)

Participation is open to: 

• Individuals (baristas, professionals, enthusiasts)
• Companies (with nominee limits based on membership tier)

CPD isn’t just about certificates — it’s about recognition, progression, and creating a national standard that gives credibility to coffee professionals and businesses alike.

At SCASA, we believe education is not an event — it’s a journey. By fostering a culture of lifelong learning, collaboration, and shared growth, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more professional coffee industry in South Africa.

Take part in the survey:

https://forms.gle/Ln4yMmf93avgRW6S6

To learn more or to get involved in CPD activities, visit: �� www.scasa.coffee �� info@scasa.coffee �� Instagram: @scasa.coffee

Let’s grow together — one cup, one class, one connection at a time.