An upcoming event will support the large number of specialty hot beverage businesses across the Middle East, in addition to developing the coffee and tea culture of Gulf states like the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A Sept. 20 press release describes the 2016 International Coffee and Tea Festival be held at the Meydan Gallery and Convention Center in Dubai Nov. 2-4.
The announcement estimates that over 3000 new cafés and similar businesses have been opened in the UAE since 2014.
According to planners, the trade show helps support the region's growing demand for high-quality hot drinks.
The 2016 International Coffee and Tea Festival will include numerous workshops, product and equipment displays, and demonstrations of items like espresso machines, barware and brewing equipment -- as well as a number of national competitions including the UAE Barista and Brewer’s Cup.
Baristas in the contest will be judged on a 15-minute drink preparation session where they will put together multiple espresso drinks in front of a live audience. The winner will go to the 2017 World Barista Championship in Seoul, South Korea.
Planners are excited about what this event has to offer the industry.
“Since its inception eight years ago, the International Coffee and Tea Festival (ICTF) has grown to become an anticipated and prestigious event for the café industry in the Middle East,” Anselm Godinho, managing director at International Conferences and Exhibitions, which organized ICTF, recently told Gulf News Journal. “Known to showcase unique facets of coffee, tea, bar and café products, equipment and services and what is trending in the industry, ICTF caters to the investors and operators of cafes, aspiring café owners, the hospitality industry in general and individuals interested in coffee and tea as a business or a commodity. Those who are eager to learn more about coffee and tea as a business or a profession also find the competitions and training modules offered at the event highly beneficial and valuable.”
Godinho said the event has been a key player in promoting the coffee and tea industry in the Middle East.
“International Conferences and Exhibitions LLC (IC&E) has been instrumental in raising the bar for cafés in the region with the show and has succeeded in increasing the number of players working in the coffee and café business around the region,” Godinho said. “ICTF 2016 will provide a global platform for all stakeholders -- from coffee bar equipment suppliers, green coffee growers and traders, tea traders to showcase their products and services, to a regional audience of over 7000 buyers and enthusiasts.”
Additionally, Godinho said the event also includes the most advanced and only certified coffee training workshops operated and governed by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
More details are available at www.coffeeteafest.com.
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