Lucy Ward
Head of Operations and Sourcing at ST.ALi Coffee Roasters
Lucy Ward is a leading Australian green coffee buyer and the Head of Operations & Procurement at ST.ALi Coffee Roasters. Raised in country Queensland, she brings a considered, practical approach to specialty coffee sourcing.
Lucy works closely with producers across multiple origins, building long-term relationships centred on quality, transparency, and sustainability. Her work spans both ends of the supply chain, informed by a strong interest in how customers perceive value in specialty coffee, what drives purchasing decisions and shapes demand. This perspective allows her to develop buying programs that better align consumer expectations with the realities faced by coffee producers.
11:45am - 12:30pm
Thursday 26th March 2026 Day 1
The Coffee Value Gap
What's changed in a year? How are we balancing rising costs and café consumer expectations? Do cafés still need to raise their prices? What are customers willing to pay? Learn about the Australian Coffee Value gap, the power of collective movement, and how to communicate price increases with customers.