Applications for the scholarship open on March 1, 2026.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR
Photos courtesy of Chi Sum Ngai
With International Women’s Day approaching, the topic of gender inequity within the specialty-coffee world is top of mind. And while gender inquality is a pressing issue within the coffee world at large, coffee roasting in particular remains one of the most male-dominated sectors of the industry.
According to Cafecita Coffee, over 75% of coffee roasters in the U.S. are men, with women roasters earning 16% less than their male counterparts on average. In an effort to combat these statistics, Coffee Project New York offers an annual Women Coffee Roasters Scholarship, an initiative they plan to take to Medellín, Colombia, in 2026.
Now in its fifth year, the annual scholarship will give six female-identifying coffee professionals the chance to complete the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Roasting Foundation course, instructed by Coffee Project New York’s co-founder and Head Roaster, Chi Sum Ngai.
Sum shares the motivation behind their decision to take the scholarship to Colombia this year, citing how difficult it’s been for those outside of the U.S. to enter the States in recent years. “Last year was a very challenging year—two of our students couldn’t come to class because of visa issues. So, this year, I’ve decided to bring the class to Colombia,” Sum told Barista Magazine. “My friend Juan Medina, the founder of Coffee Five Project and a 4th generation coffee farmer, has graciously agreed to host us at their lab in Medellín.”
Empowering women through roasting
Since its inception, the Women Coffee Roasters Scholarship has sought to address a persistent imbalance within specialty coffee: the under-representation of women in roasting. While women have long played central roles in coffee production worldwide—often in the least visible and lowest compensated positions—roasting has remained largely inaccessible to women, largely in part due to outdated perceptions around women’s physical strength and ability to operate heavy machinery.
“Coffee roasting continues to be one of the most gatekept corners of the industry,” Sum says. “We’re committed to changing that reality by providing training, mentorship, and resources for women already working in coffee.”
The team at Coffee Project New York shares their belief that roasting represents one of the clearest pathways to leadership and higher wages within specialty coffee. Since its inception, the scholarship has benefited over 20 recipients, allowing them to participate in a customized SCA Roasting Foundation course and, upon passing course exams, receive official SCA certification.
Creating coffee leaders at origin
Since its first year, the Women Coffee Roasters scholarship has sponsored women from El Salvador, the Philippines, Vietnam, Guatemala, Mexico, and more—and, in 2026, Coffee Project New York hopes to expand their reach even further.
The coffee company’s decision to take the initiative to Colombia—one of the world’s most significant coffee producers—represents a greater call across the industry to center origin countries. The move reflects the team’s overarching commitment to expanding access to coffee education and career opportunities, to women around the globe.
Learn more & apply
Applications for the 2026 Women Coffee Roasters Scholarship open March 1, 2026, and close March 31, with recipients announced in April. For updates, visit the Coffee Project New York website.
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