Brazil’s top international coffee forum announces Walter Longo as its first 2026 speaker, putting artificial intelligence at the heart of the coffee industry.
The XXV International Coffee Seminar – Santos has made its boldest move yet for the 2026 edition: Walter Longo, one of Brazil’s leading voices on innovation and digital transformation, is the first confirmed speaker for the event.
AI Takes the Stage in the Coffee Sector
On May 20, Longo will deliver a keynote on Artificial Intelligence and its impact on business models. The choice aligns directly with the seminar’s central question: “Is Brazil’s coffee sector ready for a disruptive world?” — a theme that challenges the industry to engage with the same technological shifts reshaping global supply chains.
An advertising executive and business administrator with postgraduate studies at the University of California, Longo is a digital entrepreneur, international speaker, and managing partner at Unimark Comunicação. He sits on the advisory boards of MGB and Cacau Show, the board of Neoway, and the Digital Committee of Hospital Albert Einstein, and is the author of several books.
Santos: A City Built on Coffee
Scheduled for May 19–21 in the port city of Santos, São Paulo state, the seminar is organized by the Santos Commercial Association (ACS) in partnership with industry entities. The biennial event gathered representatives from 36 countries at its last edition. Organizers expect to surpass 1,000 attendees in 2026.
“The XXV International Coffee Seminar consolidates Santos as the official venue for the event, given the relevance of its port complex to the national and international economy, the historical and commercial connection the product has with the city, and the infrastructure offered to visitors in the realm of events and business tourism.” — Mauro Sammarco, President of ACS
Santos has been central to Brazil’s coffee trade since the late 19th century, when the Port of Santos became the primary export gateway to Europe and the United States. Today, the city remains home to exporters, trading companies, logistics operators, and specialized service providers — making it a natural hub for discussions on global competitiveness and the future of the coffee supply chain.
A Full Agenda for the Entire Chain
The program includes panels and keynotes for producers, exporters, cooperatives, traders, roasters, manufacturers, researchers, logistics operators, and financial institutions. A business fair will also feature equipment, inputs, and technologies for coffee production and processing.
Alongside digital transformation and AI, the seminar’s traditional pillars — markets, exports, logistics, sustainability, production, quality, and commodity forecasting — remain firmly on the agenda.
Event Info
XXV International Coffee Seminar – Santos
Dates: May 19–21, 2026
Venue: Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
Registration: www.seminariocafesantos.com.br
Photo: Press Release
