5 minute read

WORTH THE WAIT

from GCR May 2020

by Prime Creative Media

from GCR May 2020, page 46

COFFEE’S CARBON FOOTPRINT

THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE EXPO AND WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP WILL HAVE ITS TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN NOVEMBER 2020, UNITING THE INDUSTRY AND SHOWCASING THE BEST COFFEE TALENT TO THE WORLD.

It’s been said that good things come to those who wait. It could be Christmas, a birthday, home ownership, a luxury holiday, or in the case of coffee lovers, the 2020 Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE).

In early March, MICE organisers were forced to move the dates of the dedicated coffee expo from May to 3 to 6 November at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The decision was made following the announcements from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews regarding the measures taken by the federal and state governments to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

“The decision was one we could never have predicted but the right decision from government directives,” says Show Director Lauren Winterbottom.

“We take the safety of all our attendees, exhibitors, competitors, judges, volunteers and staff very seriously. We had no choice but to reschedule MICE2020. We also want to ensure we deliver the best possible event experience for all attendees, exhibitors, and competitors. We want to welcome thousands of visitors to our show. We want to hear the cries of supporters in packed grandstands cheering for their national barista champion, and we want to watch large gatherings from the world over join in the fun and celebrations that this event stands for. So if that meant waiting a few extra months, than that’s what we were prepared to do.”

Established in 2012, MICE has become a must-attend event for everyone in the coffee community. Attracting almost 12,000 attendees in 2019, MICE connects café owners, roasters, equipment manufacturers, service suppliers, and more to facilitate real business opportunities. The expo provides a wealth of networking opportunities alongside Melbourne Coffee Week and plans to showcase more than 25 local and international roasters, and producers from across the globe. Once social distancing requirements and travel bans are lifted, the MICE team hopes to host one of the most rewarding industry events of the year.

“We know the worldwide coffee industry is suffering. Hospitality has taken a real hit under the strict regulations underpinning service protocols. We hope the industry remains strong and resilient to withstand the economic pressures ahead and come out stronger. What’s waiting for them on the other side will no doubt be one of the industry’s largest reunions,” Global Coffee Report Editor Sarah Baker says.

MICE is ‘the industry’s event’. It has and always will be the coffee expo dedicated to doing business and having the entire supply

chain represented in the one room. It’s a onestop-shop for new and exhibiting business owners to network, negotiate, and do what it was created to do – generate business. Now that Re:Co and the 2020 Specialty Coffee Expo have been cancelled for the year, Baker says it’s imperative that businesses the world over recognise MICE2020 as a pinnacle for the industry and a must-attend destination.

“We’ve already seen expo cancellations and the rescheduling of major international events like the Olympics, but we have to be grateful that MICE2020 is rescheduled,” she says. “It will be the only industry expo in the Southern Hemisphere for companies to release or promote new equipment to more than 11,000 coffee industry professionals, and have the opportunity to be recognised in the MICE Product Innovation Awards in celebration of the best new products in the past 12 months. That label of authenticity and brand exposure is so important.”

Of MICE2019’s attendees, 35 per cent were café owners and senior management, 11 per cent were origin representatives and traders, and 21 per cent were roasters.

Almost 12,000 people attended MICE in 2019.

“This really is a vital opportunity for businesses to target their offering to one of the largest and most sophisticated coffee cultures in the world,” Baker says.

With that being said, Event Director Winterbottom adds that now is the time to secure the last remaining stalls for MICE2020.

“There’s still time to be part of the Southern Hemisphere’s – if not the world’s – largest dedicated coffee expo this year,” she says. “We invite the world to join us and be part of this specific edition of MICE. Not only is it the ninth instalment of the expo, but a chance to celebrate and support our industry to get back up on its feet when this world crisis is over.”

If that wasn’t enough reason to come Down Under and put Melbourne on your bucket list for 2020, then experiencing the World Barista Championship (WBC) and World Brewers Cup (WBrC) should be. The prestigious competitions will still be held in conjunction with MICE2020 and have the opportunity to crown a worthy winner.

“With the WBC and WBrC extended until November, national champions have more time to perfect their routine, select their coffee carefully, and mentally prepare for what is undoubtedly two of the most esteemed coffee competitions in our industry,” Winterbottom says.

“We’re looking forward to the current situation improving, social distancing dispersing and uniting altogether – something we will no longer take for granted. This really will be a WBC and MICE no-one will ever forget.” GCR MICE last hosted the WBC in 2013, where Pete Licata of the US came out on top.