World of Coffee Panama 2026: The Ultimate Guide to the Historic Event
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By Juan Carlos Sosa | Boquete Coffee Traders
For the first time in its history, the World of Coffee trade show is coming to a coffee-producing country — and that country is Panama. From October 23 to 25, 2026, the Panama Convention Center in Panama City will host World of Coffee Panama 2026, bringing together over 13,000 visitors and 370+ global exhibitors for three days of specialty coffee culture, competition, and commerce.
This isn't just another trade show. It's a landmark moment for the entire coffee industry — and a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the world to experience Panama's extraordinary coffee heritage at the source.
Here's everything you need to know about the event, why Panama was chosen, and what makes Panamanian coffee so special that the global coffee community is coming to its doorstep.
What Is World of Coffee?
World of Coffee is the premier global specialty coffee trade show, organized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). It brings together coffee producers, roasters, traders, equipment manufacturers, baristas, and enthusiasts from around the world. Previous editions have been held in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East — but never in Latin America, and never in a country that actually grows coffee.
Panama 2026 changes that. As the SCA's Chief Executive Officer Yannis Apostolopoulos stated, this marks a significant step in promoting coffee consumption within producing countries and advancing the sustainability of the specialty coffee sector.
World of Coffee Panama 2026: Key Details
Dates: October 23–25, 2026 (trade show). The World Barista Championship runs October 22–25.
Venue: Panama Convention Center, Causeway, Panama City — a modern, wave-shaped facility located next to the Panama Canal and the Biodiversity Museum designed by Frank Gehry.
Expected attendance: 13,000+ visitors from around the world.
Exhibitors: 370+ global exhibitors, including coffee producers, roasters, equipment brands, and industry innovators.
Organizers: The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), in partnership with the SCA.
Highlights: Roaster Village, Cupping Rooms, educational workshops on sustainability, technology, market trends, and coffee science.
Tickets: Available through the official World of Coffee Panama website at panama.worldofcoffee.org.
The 2026 World Barista Championship Comes to Panama
The crown jewel of World of Coffee Panama 2026 is the World Barista Championship (WBC) — the most prestigious competition in the global coffee industry. Now in its 26th year, the WBC brings together champions from over 50 countries to showcase espresso-based beverages, milk drinks, and signature creations before a panel of expert judges.
Hosting the WBC in Panama is deeply symbolic. This is the country that redefined what coffee could be when Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha stunned the judges at the Best of Panama competition in 2004. Since then, Panama Geisha has become the most coveted variety on the world barista competition circuit — the bean that champions choose when they want to win.
Ricardo Koyner McIntyre, President of SCAP and a member of the family behind Kotowa Coffee — one of Panama's most historic and decorated estates — said it best: Panama sits at the heart of Latin America's coffee-producing region, home to many of the world's most award-winning coffees.
Why Panama? The Country Behind the World's Most Expensive Coffee
Panama was not chosen randomly. This small Central American nation has earned an outsized reputation in the specialty coffee world through decades of excellence, innovation, and record-breaking auctions. Here's what makes Panama's coffee culture unique:
The Geisha Revolution
Panama is synonymous with Geisha coffee — the most celebrated and expensive coffee variety on earth. In 2025, a washed Geisha lot from Hacienda La Esmeralda sold at the Best of Panama auction for $30,204 per kilogram, setting a new world record. The 2025 auction generated over $2.8 million in total sales across 50 lots.
But Panama's coffee story is much bigger than Geisha. The country produces exceptional Arabica, Caturra, Catuai, Java, and innovative blends that showcase the country's extraordinary terroir.
A Terroir Like No Other
Panama's coffee-growing region in the Chiriquí Highlands sits on the slopes of Volcán Barú, the country's tallest peak at 3,474 meters. The province is located roughly 40 kilometers from both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans — a geographic rarity that creates over 100 distinct microclimates within a small area. Different rain patterns from each coast, combined with volcanic soil, high altitude, and the cooling Bajareque mist of Boquete, produce coffees with exceptional sweetness, clarity, and complexity.
The three main coffee-growing areas — Boquete, Volcán/Tierras Altas, and Renacimiento — each bring their own terroir expression to the cup, from the floral elegance of Boquete to the bold fruit notes of Volcán.
SCAP and the Best of Panama
The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama was founded in 1996 when five pioneering producers from Boquete, Tierras Altas, and Renacimiento joined forces to showcase the quality of Panamanian coffee during a period of historically low global prices. Today, SCAP has nearly 100 active members exporting award-winning coffees worldwide.
More than two decades ago, SCAP created the Best of Panama (BOP) — the annual competition and auction that has become the most prestigious and highest-grossing coffee auction in the world. The BOP has been the launchpad for every major Panama coffee record and the platform that introduced Geisha to the global stage.
Panama's Coffee Brands You Should Know Before the Event
Whether you're attending World of Coffee Panama 2026 in person or following from home, here are the farms and brands that define Panama's coffee identity — all available to order online from Boquete Coffee Traders:
Café Palo Alto — Panama's most beloved everyday Arabica, grown by the Tedman family in Boquete for over a century. Smooth, balanced, and the perfect introduction to Panamanian coffee. (Fun fact: James Hunter Tedman of the Café Palo Alto family serves as a SCAP board member.)
Kotowa — One of Panama's most historic and award-winning estates, led by the Koyner family. Ricardo Koyner McIntyre currently serves as President of SCAP and has been instrumental in bringing World of Coffee to Panama. (Read our full Kotowa guide.)
Finca Lérida — One of Panama's oldest coffee estates, founded in 1929. A boutique farm and birdwatching destination on the slopes of Volcán Barú, producing exceptional Geisha and estate-grade Arabica. (Read our full Finca Lérida guide.)
Lamastus Family Estates — Home to Elida Estate, the highest coffee farm in Panama and holder of multiple world auction records. Their Geisha lots have sold for over $13,500/kg at auction.
Café Unido — Panama's most celebrated specialty roaster, sourcing from over 50 highland farms across Chiriquí. (Read our full Café Unido guide.)
Janson Family Coffee — A three-generation farm in Volcán, offering a window into the terroir of Panama's other premier growing region beyond Boquete.
Café Suarez — One of Panama's oldest coffee families, cultivating in the Alto Quiel highlands since 1900. Their washed Geisha is a standout.
Gran Del Val — Specialists in honey-processed Geisha, producing a uniquely sweet and silky expression of the variety from 1,600 meters in Bajo Mono.
For the complete rundown, read our 12 Best Panama Coffee Brands guide.
Beyond Coffee: Panama's Artisan Chocolate and Hot Sauce
Panama's food scene extends well beyond coffee. If you're visiting for World of Coffee, make sure to explore the country's artisan chocolate and hot sauce traditions:
And if you’re turning the trip into a proper visit to Panama’s coffee country, the easiest way to plan it is the Boquete Travel Guide — a 54-page insider PDF I wrote as a Panamanian, covering which coffee farms welcome visitors (with contact details), where to stay, how to get from Panama City to Boquete, and where locals actually eat. For anyone flying in for the event and extending into the highlands, it pays for itself in the first couple of days:
I Love Panama Chocolate — Handcrafted bean-to-bar chocolate made with cacao from Bocas del Toro, produced in the historic Casco Antiguo neighborhood of Panama City.
Oro Moreno — Panama's premier artisan chocolate brand, founded in 2013 with a refined, European-influenced approach to Panamanian cacao.
Bocao Panama — Artisan chocolate crafted with 100% Panamanian cacao from Bocas del Toro.
D'Elidas Hot Sauce — Panama's signature hot sauce brand, made with the fiery ají chombo (Scotch bonnet) pepper. A Panamanian pantry staple since 1992.
Can't Make It to Panama? We'll Bring Panama to You
World of Coffee Panama 2026 is going to be an incredible experience for anyone lucky enough to attend. But if you can't make the trip to Panama City in October, you don't have to wait to taste what all the excitement is about.
At Boquete Coffee Traders, we ship Panama's finest coffee, artisan chocolate, and hot sauce directly from Panama to your door — anywhere in the world — in 5 business days or less via FedEx or DHL. Every order over $70 ships free.
I'm Juan Carlos Sosa, the founder. I live in Panama and source every product we sell from the country's finest producers, and I'd love to share the flavors of this country with you — whether you're a first-time buyer or a longtime connoisseur.