After three years of postponements and cancellation due to COVID-19, the Melbourne International Coffee Expo is set to return with a bang in 2022.
For the first time in three years, thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Melbourne International Coffee Expo returns in 2022.
This year will see Victoria’s capital city once again host some of the world’s premier coffee companies and manufacturers from September 27 to 30.
A who’s who of exhibitors have already committed to the expo and organisers are putting out the call to potential exhibitors to join the ranks, and with only around 20 stands remaining, time is running out to be part of one of the world’s most important coffee events.
MICE is the largest dedicated coffee show in the Southern Hemisphere.
More than 200 exhibitors fill the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition centre, demonstrating speciality coffee, equipment and roasting manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, equipment technology, and showcases the world’s leading coffee trends.
In 2020 exhibition stands had sold out before the expo, and organisers are expecting similar demand for 2022.
“MICE launched in 2012 with the purpose of bringing the global coffee community together and that’s exactly what this world-class expo has done,” said MICE Show Director Lauren Winterbottom.
Satake, the company that developed the first two-colour sorting machine for green coffee beans, will also be showcasing at MICE in 2022.
Other exhibitors scheduled for the event include Opem, specialists in packaging for coffee including pods. AF Systems, and aroma recovery, extraction, and evaporation specialists Flavourtech.
ADM Packaging, experts in domestic packaging material production and BWT Water, which specialises in water treatment research, have also signed on for the expo.
ICA Spa, manufacturers of packaging machinery such as pouches and vacuum packs, will also have a presence at the expo.
Demonstrating MICE’s focus on highlighting all sectors of the industry, Pentair, a company that provides water treatment solutions for the coffee sector, has also committed to the expo as an exhibitor.
This is just a taste of the extensive list of exhibitors already set for MICE 2022 but there are still spaces left and organisers are encouraging others within the coffee space to take the opportunity to showcase what they do.
Some of the other exhibitors already include De’Longhi, AMC Roastery Supply who are the distributers of Diedrich Roasters and packaging automation machine manufacturers Actionpac, and Australian Beverage Corporation who distribute original equipment manufacturers WMF, Dalla Corte and Mahlkonig.
Exhibiting at MICE is a great way to showcase a brand to thousands of qualified experts as the expo routinely attracts more than 11,000 attendee’s each year, from café owners and roasters to equipment manufacturers and service suppliers.
MICE is also presenting Melbourne Coffee Week to run alongside the expo, from September 24 to October 1, which will help spread the coffee vibe throughout the city.
The benefits of exhibiting at MICE are numerous, with several auxiliary events schedules to excite the crowds and showcase everything the industry has on offer.
Roasters Alley returns to showcase more than 25 local and international coffee roasters while Origin Alley is set to feature farmers and green beans from all over the world.
In February MICE also announced the Product Innovation Awards which will recognise the best new products on the market.
The Awards offer the chance for exhibitors to showcase their newest products to a wide-ranging MICE audience before they are judged by an independent panel of industry leaders, as well as those in attendance at MICE.
As well as the Product Innovation Awards, MICE will play host to the World Barista Championship and World Brewers Cup competition.
MICE was set to host the competitions in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans and international travel.
“We are thrilled to have secured these prestigious World Coffee Championships,” said MICE Show Director Lauren Winterbottom.
“We already knew Australia was a renowned coffee destination, and now we have the chance to share our coffee culture with a global audience.”
The preeminent international coffee competitions are produced annually by World Coffee Events, a subsidiary of the Specialty Coffee Association. Both competitions involve thrilling, time-restricted performances by the baristas on a stage in front of judges and a packed audience.
Each focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience.
There are two rounds with the first seeing competitors complete two coffee services, a compulsory service, and an open service.
For the compulsory service the competitors will have to prepare three beverages while utilising whole bean coffee, which will be provided by the competition.
For the open service portion of the competition, competitors must utilise any whole bean coffee and prepare a presentation for the beverage preparation.
The six competitors who receive the highest score from judges will then go onto the finals where they will battle over who can compete the best open service.
Very limited exhibition spaces are still available and stakeholders in the industry are being encouraged to contact organisers, at internationalcoffeeexpo@primecreative.com.au, to book a spot.