Coffee and tea event opens with 50 exhibitors

Specialty Coffee&Tea Convention 2009, the first international specialty coffee and tea event crafted for the Arab World, has opened with over 50 global companies showcasing the latest products, equipment and trends in the industry.

The first-ever National UAE Barista Championship, which is a major highlight of the convention, will concurrently hold its preliminary competitions, with the championship round to be held on November 12, the culminating day of the event.

Organised by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and IC&E, the convention features a focused exhibition, a high-profile conference, targeted educational sessions and workshops, and a wide range of opportunities for networking, business sourcing and market intelligence.

On the other hand, the National UAE Barista Championship gathers professional baristas from all over the UAE who are vying for a spot in the 2010 World Barista Championship (WBC) in London.

'Specialty Coffee&Tea Convention 2009 will feature an array of discussion points that are crucial in the growth of the regional industry, while various networking activities have been organised to facilitate a wide range of investment opportunities and optimise the business potential of all participants,' said Anselm Godinho, managing director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organisers of the event.

A special conference with the theme 'In Pursuit of Sustainable Quality: From Seed to Cup' is being featured in the convention, focusing on global trends in coffee and tea consumption, regional investment opportunities and other urgent issues on quality, sustainability and corporate responsibility. Renowned international experts and professionals led by Ric Rhinehart, executive director of SCAA, and Jose Sette, head of Operations of the International Coffee Organization (ICO), are attending the conference.

Key topics at the conference include Global Trends in Coffee Consumption, Opportunities and Threats; Improving the Quality of Coffee – Service and the Product; Promoting the Health Benefits of Coffee; The State and Future of Coffee in the GCC Region; Differentiating Tea - History and Trends; Local Investment Opportunities, Franchising and Setting up in the Region; Assessing Consumer Liquidity – Supply and Demand; and Corporate Social Responsibility and Fair Trade Focus. There will also be networking activities and workshops on Espresso Fundamentals, Basics of Cupping, Roasting and Specialty Tea.

The World Barista Championship (WBC) is a non-profit organization jointly owned by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and Specialty Coffee Association of Europe.