Royal Coffee’s Development Stage event is returning to Oakland, California, this fall, with the two-day coffee symposium taking on the theme “Frontiers: Coffee Beyond the Cup.” Taking place Sept. 18-19 at The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room, the third annual event will feature coffee conversations, tastings and workshops exploring sensory science, smallholder farmer support and consumer-focused research. The Friday program includes sessions titled “Bolivian Coffee Frontiers,” “Healthcare Frontiers in the Coffeelands,” “Sensory Perception of Coffee Flavor: From Chemistry to Drinking Experience” and “Strengthening Small Farm Competitiveness: Consumer-Centered Strategies for Specialty Crops.” The event name nods to the development stage in coffee roasting, while also serving as a broader platform for growth and experimentation, according to the organizers. Development Stage launched in 2024 with a program that brought coffee professionals into conversations with people working in fields such as chocolate, wine, food, perfume chemistry and fermentation.