NCA debuted a new convention format in Houston
Many NCA Convention attendees went to the rodeo in Houston. Credit: Pexels/Mark Thomas
The National Coffee Association (NCA) held its annual convention last week (6-8 March) in Houston, Texas and introduced a new abbreviated format. Rather than having only a board meeting, Coffee Gives Back (day of community service), and the welcome reception on the opening day, the NCA offered a robusta workshop in afternoon along with presentations in the evening that included a welcome from the NCA Chair, Jonathan White, evp, White Coffee. Cheryl Hung, vp of Dig Insights, who typically speaks during the general session on the first full day of presentations (the second day of the convention), followed White and shared information from the upcoming Spring 2025 NCDT Report (National Coffee Drinking Trends — the content is embargoed until the report is released in April). The NCA also offered a tour of the Port of Houston on the morning of 6 March.
Beginning presentations on Thursday, rather than Friday, enabled the NCA Convention to conclude on Saturday morning rather than in the late afternoon. In his State of the Association presentation on 7 March, president and CEO Bill Murray, said the new format was in response to attendee feedback, which said that many attendees would prefer not to lose their entire weekend to a convention. Concluding Saturday morning would allow most attendees to depart in the afternoon or evening.
Murray also touted the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledging in January 2025 that coffee with less than five calories per serving is good for your health.
This year’s keynote speaker, Seb Terry, was quite different than in years past. He is the author of Strong Alone, Better Together: Turning Individual Growth into Collective Transformation, in which he wrote about goals he set for himself after experiencing a loss. I was curious to see where he going with his presentation as many of his goals were quite frivolous – walk a red carpet, get married in Las Vegas – and others were odd such as ‘deliver a baby’ — not his own, anyone’s. But Terry did say how he wanted to help someone and after doing so (he assisted a paraplegic man in running a half marathon by pushing his wheelchair the entire way), it changed his life. He then asked the audience to think of a goal they have and to share it with the person sitting next to them. Terry said that sharing a goal with one person helps the likelihood of that goal increasing 42%. He highlighted goals from two members of the audience, one of which was Matthew Oelson, founder of Brew North Roasters, who is a new member of the NCA, and a young roaster. His goal is to go to Peru to develop a direct trade relationship with farmers. For sharing his goal, engaging in a ‘test’ activity with Terry on stage, the NCA is now funding a trip for Oelson to Peru. Terry summarised by saying that vocalizing goals and sharing them with others, they are more likely to be realized because “collectively we’re stronger together.”
In the final general session of the NCA Convention on Saturday, 8 March, returning favourite, Scott Clemons, partner and chief investment strategist with Brown Bros Harriman, presented The Economic Dashboard: What to Watch in 2025. Clemons’ sessions are always well attended and generate many questions as he is able to make economics and finance easily digestible by ‘lay persons’, but this year, his presentation was truly packed and the audience questions were numerous — with many questions being left unanswered as time ran out.
Clemons covered a lot, noting that the economic environment is increasingly fragile, and outlined key economic inflection points to watch this year:
- The combination of a weaker labour market in the US, rising household debt, and a falling savings rate may begin to weigh on personal spending.
- Trade and tariff policies of the Trump administration threaten to reignite inflation while disrupting economic activity.
- Tighter immigration policy could lead to further inflationary pressure through wage growth.
- The interplay between economic activity and inflation will dictate Fed policy and interest rates as campaign rhetoric becomes political reality.
Clemons did point out that tariffs not new – every president dating back to George Washington has used tariffs to level an unfair playing field or protect a nascent American industry – but many of the current tariffs are questionable. However, he did add that despite the uncertainty, it is a good environment for investing.
In conclusion, Clemons said, “We are in the early days of an unprecedented litany of economic experiments – some intentional, some accidental – that will have implications for the global economy and financial markets.”
I will discuss content from the many breakout sessions in my NCA Convention review, which will appear in T&CTJ’s April issue.
