Big Step Coffee Goes to Houston
Last week, I traveled to Houston for the annual Specialty Coffee Expo, hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). It’s one of the biggest events in the coffee world—basically the gathering for anyone in the industry, from roasters and café owners to importers, equipment makers, and producers. The weekend was packed with lectures, panel discussions, competitions, and cuppings. Figuring out how to tackle it all was a challenge in itself!
[Photo courtesy of the Specialty Coffee Association | www.sca.coffee]
I decided to attend this year because the chance to connect face-to-face with fellow roasters, importers, and producers was too good to pass up. In addition to the networking opportunities, I attended some fantastic sessions on sourcing, sustainability, and the future of specialty coffee—topics that are incredibly relevant to what we’re building at Big Step.
This year’s expo was held in Houston, Texas—a diverse and dynamic city that felt like the perfect backdrop for a global coffee event. I didn’t have much time to explore, but I did squeeze in some excellent meals and got a small taste of Houston’s growing specialty coffee scene.
[Photo courtesy of the Specialty Coffee Association | www.sca.coffee]
One of the highlights of the weekend was meeting the team from JNP Coffee, an importer that works directly with woman-owned farms in Burundi. Their model is incredibly inspiring—focused not just on quality, but on empowering communities through education, training, and economic sustainability. The work they’re doing on the ground is deeply impactful, and it reminded me why I got into this in the first place.
Another standout element of the expo was the Coffee Design Awards, which recognized some of the most creative and intentional branding across the industry. From packaging and print materials to in-booth design, the winners showed how thoughtful visuals can tell a story just as powerfully as the coffee itself. As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about how Big Step shows up in the world—from our logo to our labels—it was exciting to see how other brands are pushing boundaries and using design to reflect their values.
[Pictured above: Ember Goods of Olympia, WA won an award for their packaging. Photo courtesy of the Specialty Coffee Association | www.sca.coffee]
I came home with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation for the ways coffee can support livelihoods, encourage collaboration, and open doors for innovation around the world. At Big Step, we may be a small operation—but we’re proud to be part of a global supply chain that values fairness, transparency, and long-term impact.