EVENTS

Coffee expo to host World Barista Championship in Melbourne

The Melbourne International Coffee Expo is set host the World Barista Championship in 2022 after its postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Melbourne International Coffee Expo had secured the prestigious World Barista Championship for the 2020 event before the COVID-19 pandemic threw the occasion into disarray. MICE is the largest dedicated coffee show in the Southern Hemisphere where more than 145 exhibitors descend on the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, demonstrating speciality coffee, technology, and trends.

Some exhibitors already committed to the event include Barista Group Co, Premier Producers Australia, Soy Boy (Asia) and The Freedom Foods Group. The first event in over three years will finally allow the latest coffee-related technology to be showcased to the industry, this includes the best new espresso machines, automation, sensor technology and software updates. The industry is ever evolving and three years is a long time to innovate new ideas. Exhibitors are also in the running for the MICE Product Innovation Awards during the event.

MICE show director Lauren Winterbottom said organisers were excited to run the event again. “We knew Australia was a renowned coffee destination, and now we have the chance to share our coffee culture with a global audience,” said Winterbottom.

The World Barista Championship is produced annually by World Coffee Event, a subsidiary of the Specialty Coffee Association.

Its competitions involve time-restricted performances by baristas in front of a live audience and judges.

The World Barista Championship has 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 organisers.

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. “We were devastated that we can’t proceed with our plans as we had hoped,” said Winterbottom.

“While expo plans have been delayed, we know that next year will be a huge celebration of the world coffee community coming together after three years apart.”

Up to 70 per cent of the exhibition spaces are still available, but are going fast. F

"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 World Barista Championship has been rescheduled for the 2022 MICE event in Melbourne. The Melbourne International Coffee Expo showcases the latest innovations in the industry.