Women-Powered Coffee Summit 2025 Wrapped

Introduction

We came to Chiapas expecting conversations about coffee, but left inspired by the women producing it. 

Last week, the IVL Creatives team travelled to San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, for the Women-Powered Coffee Summit 2025. Unlike most coffee events, this summit puts women producers at the centre of the conversation, creating a space where stories, knowledge, and opportunities are shared.

We were honoured to be invited as speakers to co-host a workshop alongside Latinas in Coffee, sharing practical strategies to help women coffee producers tell their stories, connect with buyers, and sell more coffee.

In this blog, we share some of our highlights from the Women-Powered Coffee Summit 2025 and why it remains one of the most inspiring gatherings in the coffee industry.

Co-hosting a workshop with Latinas in Coffee

The main reason we came to the summit was to co-host the workshop “From Farm to Feed: Social Media That Sells Coffee” together with Latinas in Coffee.

The workshop was designed to help coffee producers use social media as a tool for storytelling, visibility, and sales. To make the session as accessible as possible, the entire workshop was delivered in Spanish by our founder Isabelle van Lier & Giselle Barrera. This allowed all producers to participate, ask questions, and share their experiences in their native language.

Throughout the workshop, we covered why social media matters for coffee producers, how to build a simple content strategy, optimise an Instagram profile to appeal to coffee buyers, create engaging content, and apply best practices for posting on Instagram. 

Throughout the summit, we also hosted a stand at the Ideas Marketplace, where producers could stop by to ask follow-up questions, receive feedback on their social media profiles, and continue the discussion one-on-one.

The most rewarding part was seeing how eager producers were to learn once they realised that social media doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, the most powerful marketing asset is simply sharing the story behind the coffee and the people who produce it.

What we learned & loved

The highlight for us was undoubtedly the farm visit. We've spent years writing about coffee producers, sustainability, and supply chains, but the Women-Powered Coffee Summit gave us our first opportunity to visit a coffee farm ourselves.

The producers were incredibly welcoming, the coffee forest was beautiful, and the long, bumpy drive through the mountains was more than worth it. There was something special about seeing the place where the coffee begins and meeting the people behind it. The warmth, resilience, and generosity of the producers are difficult to put into words.

The biggest lesson we took away? Coffee is, and always has been, about people. 

Throughout the summit, we met inspiring women from every part of the coffee value chain, from producers and exporters to roasters, consultants, and entrepreneurs. Each had a different story to tell, but they all shared a willingness to support one another, share knowledge, and create opportunities for other women in the coffee industry. 

A few women-owned coffee businesses we especially loved:

Bean Voyage
We couldn't write this recap without thanking the organisers of the Women-Powered Coffee Summit. Bean Voyage hosted an event unlike any other we've attended. Their commitment to supporting women across the coffee value chain was visible in every detail. Special thanks to Abhi and Sunghee for the warm invitation and beautiful energy you bring to everything you do.

Latinas in Coffee
We met Latinas in Coffee at the Specialty Coffee Expo Houston and can only say good things about our collaboration. This was our first live workshop, and first ever workshop in Spanish and we could not have done it without Giselle (we miss you already). 

Kaveri Coffee Works 
Kaveri Coffee Works is on a mission to elevate Indian coffee on the world stage by delivering authentic taste and tradition in every cup. Tanya was one of those women you meet and instantly feel like you've known for years (sending hugs). 

Swelter Coffee
‍Swelter Coffee roasts delicious, ethically sourced coffee delivered straight to your door. Stephanie, we already miss our chats.

Finca Las Piedritas
Meeting Flor from Finca Las Piedritas was inspiring. As a coffee producer herself and one of the driving forces behind Bean Voyage, she embodies everything the summit stands for: resilience, sisterhood, and a deep commitment to supporting women in coffee.

Populus Specialty Coffee Roasters
‍Populus Specialty Coffee Roasters was another unforgettable connection. Based in Finland, Populus focuses on sourcing and roasting high-quality coffees while building strong relationships throughout the supply chain. Thanks for keeping us awake on the airport shuttle Sari!

Building a sustainable coffee brand? Let's grow it together.

After a week at the Women-powered coffee summit, one thing became clear: the coffee industry is full of inspiring women building incredible businesses that deserve to be seen.

From producers and exporters to roasters, consultants, and entrepreneurs, we left inspired by the women shaping the future of coffee.

If you're a sustainable coffee brand that needs help with your branding, website, social media, advertising, and more, we'd love to hear your story.

Contact us or plan a call to grow your coffee brand together.