What am I doing there, anyway? 12 good reasons to visit coffee fairs and festivals
Visiting a trade fair: It costs time, costs nerves, achieves nothing – Have I forgotten anything?
The obvious disadvantages of visiting a trade fair or festival are clear. And yet thousands of visitors come to coffee fairs like the World of Coffee and coffee festivals in Hamburg or Frankfurt every year.
So it’s time for an overview of the pros.
This article is for you if
You have never been to a coffee trade fair and are wondering whether it would be worth it.
You are thinking: What exactly are they all doing there?
You need a handful of good reasons and a few tips for a worthwhile visit.
Visiting a coffee trade fair costs time and money. And besides, what exactly are you looking for?
If you are considering visiting a World of Coffee or a coffee festival, here are 12 good reasons to do it with pleasure.
#1 | Discover something new
There is always something new. New coffee tools, new coffee machines, new roasting technology, new drinks for the café bar, new coffee socks. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse, a coffee trade fair or festival is always the place to find out what’s hot and what’s not. These events are the first port of call for introducing innovations to a larger (specialist) audience and getting direct feedback. And who doesn’t love trying new things?
#2 | Taste coffees from new roasters
It seems obvious, but… you rarely – in fact, never – get the opportunity to try so many different coffees from so many different roasters. A feast for your taste library! It’s the perfect opportunity to learn about new processing methods (hey, anaerobic thermal shock fermentation) and to set aside prejudices about some coffees (yes, Canephora can also taste fruity). What’s more, every roastery uses a different roasting style, which opens up an unexpected range of flavor combinations. And what if the coffee or espresso tastes amazing? If possible, take the coffee with you straight away.
#3 | Get inspired
Inspiration is something that hits you unexpectedly, even though you weren’t actively or consciously looking for it. Fortunately, coffee festivals and fairs are full of it! It’s often the things we don’t expect that inspire us or solve a long-postponed problem in one fell swoop. Just going with the flow, without a plan or time pressure, can help.
#4 | (Re)meeting coffee people
Coffee festivals and fairs are a fantastic opportunity for two things: meeting people you know and making new contacts. It’s just nice to see familiar faces again and have a chat, preferably over a good coffee. What’s new, what are you planning, how are you? At the same time, it is equally nice to make new contcts and meet new coffee people. What motivates them, what are their plans, what are they up to next? Fortunately, it’s easy to get into conversation with coffee people: we all love to talk about our favorite drink (at least until there is wine or beer).
#5 | Try coffees from green coffee traders: cuppings!
There are many ways to find a new coffee for your assortment, and one of them is to look at what green coffee traders offer at trade fairs. Here it is important to keep your eyes open, because cuppings are organized differently: they can be held at traders’ booths or in specially designated cupping areas. At traders booths, cuppings take place at specific times, which are also displayed at the stand and take place exactly there. There is the “Africa Cupping at 11 a.m.” and the “Central America Cupping at 3 p.m.”.
At specially designated cupping areas, the organizer provides a schedule of when which green coffee trader and which coffee can be expected.
#6 | Travel, Travel, Travel
Pack your bags! Coffee festivals and coffee fairs are one of the best reasons to finally (?) visit another city. Because, despite all the enthusiasm for coffee, there is still life outside of it, and exploring it is just as beautiful and fulfilling: Where can you eat well, what is the city known for, what do people drink here, what architecture should you see? It can therefore be useful to arrive a day early or stay an extra day to soak up the culture and atmosphere.
#7 | Networking, parties, social life
For some, a coffee festival or coffee trade fair is also judged by the quality of the evening program: where do the trendy parties take place, where do people meet for dinner in small groups, where is a showroom opening or a special cupping? In most cases, evening events are advertised in advance, for example on Instagram or in green coffee traders’ newsletters.
Sometimes you only find out by chance or when you meet coffee-loving friends and colleagues. Coffee people know how to party, so one thing is for sure: after the official event ends for the day, the party will continue somewhere else.
#8 | Knowledge, baby!
At coffee festivals and coffee fairs, you have the opportunity to make extensive use of the lecture or workshop program. Experienced speakers explore current issues or you have the opportunity to try something out in a hands-on workshop. It’s hard to get this much concentrated knowledge, perspectives and experiences anywhere else. And sometimes it doesn’t even cost anything extra, as it is included in the festival price. It is also good for the aforementioned inspiration.
#9 | Just get out of town!
A coffee roaster recently said it and got right to the point. This is perhaps one of the best reasons to go to a trade show: just get out of your routine, get out of your daily grind, get out and do something different! Especially for micro-roasters or small teams, it can be very rewarding to do something different and to have a good destination for a company day out (yes, that’s right!). The costs are a business expense and the experience has a motivating and profitable effect.
#10 | See what’s possible for your own stand next year
A visit can also be a fact-finding mission to determine whether it would be worthwhile to participate as an exhibitor in the following year. To do this, you need to check the audience and whether it fits your business, the atmosphere on site and the organization as a whole. In recent years, many trade fairs and coffee festivals have increased in professionalism. If you are impressed by what you see at the trade fair, you can talk to the organizer on the spot about the conditions for participating.
#11 | Coffee championships
At the World of Coffee, the Amsterdam Coffee Festival and the Frankfurt Coffee Festival, coffee championships take place in different disciplines. Coffee professionals compete against each other in cuptasting, brewing or latte art and want to go home as German or world champions at the end. Watching and cheering guarantees good entertainment and sometimes nerv-wracking excitement. Coffee championships are a specialty coffee specialty and always a highlight of a trade show or festival.
#12 | Atmosphere
This is the friendly paraphrase for: What are we actually doing here and why? Why are we looking for the better coffee, the better shot, the better brew? Why do we stay up late to tinker, travel thousands of kilometers for a handshake or prepare for months for a competition that is over for us after 8, 10 or 15 minutes? World of Coffee and coffee festivals remind us of exactly that: that special atmosphere with others who are sometimes just as crazy about coffee in all its forms as we are. It reminds us of the diversity of the drink and what can be made from it.
Taste coffee, talk about coffee, take coffee home – coffee festivals are a paradise for connoisseurs, like here at the Frankfurt Coffee Festival.
Fancy a coffee event? With these little tips, you’ll get more out of it.
If one of the reasons has made you keen on going to a trade fair or festival, here are some more tips to make your visit a highlight. Because trade fairs and festivals can be really intense, and with these tips you’ll always stay fresh and in a good mood:
Tip: Catering
This depends a bit on the local conditions, but at a World of Coffee or a Coffee Festival there is always good catering on site in the hall. Keep in mind that at some point everyone else will want to eat something and the waiting time will be longer. Maybe you should bring an apple or a banana with you and always have a water bottle with you to fill up. And every backpack has room for small snacks or sweets.
Tip: Fresh air
A lack of air quickly makes you feel tired and reduces your concentration. Event locations may be equipped with modern filter systems, but nothing beats a breath of fresh air outside the hall. This is where point 1 “catering” can be integrated.
Tip: Breaks
Even if there is always a lot to do at a trade fair or festival, a sit-down break now and then helps. Whether inside or outside – it doesn’t matter. At the World of Coffee, the area in front of the stage at the World Championships has proven to be practical: there are plenty of chairs or benches and there is also something to see.
Tip: Good shoes
The same applies here as for food: on one day it may not be as important to wear comfortable shoes as it is for three days in a row.
Tip: Cupping spoons
To be well equipped for the cuppings mentioned above, it is best to bring your own cupping spoon. Green coffee traders also offer a number of cupping spoons for tasting, but it is always unclear whether the number is sufficient for the participants. Even if they are washed in between, it is easier for you to come with your own spoon.
Your trade fair highlights in 2025
Here is a small overview about planned and scheduled Coffee events, trade shows and coffee festivals from january thru june in 2025 for Europe and the globe:
Europe:
- Vienna Coffee Festival 2025
A celebration of coffee with tastings, exhibitions, demonstrations, and more. (viennacoffeefestival.cc) - Nordic Coffee Fest 2025
The largest coffee event in the Nordic countries, scheduled for March 1–2, 2025, in Gothenburg, Sweden. (https://www.nordiccoffeefest.com/) - Danish Coffee Festival 2025
The ultimate coffee experience, planned for March 21–23, 2025, in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Website) - Amsterdam Coffee Festival 2025
A coffee experience made in the Netherlands, planned for April 3–5, 2025, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (https://www.amsterdamcoffeefestival.com/) - Dublin Coffee Festival 2025
The return of the beloved festival, scheduled for April 12–13, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland. (https://www.dublincoffeefest.com) - Tallinn Coffee Festival 2025
The 9th edition of this festival, planned for April 26–27, 2025, in Tallinn, Estonia. (https://tallinncoffeefestival.ee) - Glasgow Coffee Festival 2025
Scotland’s largest coffee event, planned for April 26–27, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (https://glasgowcoffeefestival.com) - World of Coffee Geneva 2025
Taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, for the first time, from June 26–28, 2025, at the Palexpo Exhibition and Convention Center. (worldofcoffee.org)
Worldwide:
- World of Coffee Dubai 2025
The leading coffee trade show in the Middle East, scheduled for February 10–12, 2025, in Dubai, UAE. (https://dubai.worldofcoffee.org/newfront) - African Fine Coffees Conference 2025
Africa’s largest coffee trade show, planned for February 26–28, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (https://afca.coffee/) - World Brewers Cup 2025
Scheduled as part of the World of Coffee Jakarta from May 15–17, 2025, at the Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia. (https://asia.worldofcoffee.org/) - Specialty Coffee Expo 2025
Scheduled for April 25–27, 2025, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, USA. (https://www.coffeeexpo.org/)
