Tea and coffee conference announced for UAE

The Middle East’s first speciality coffee and tea trade show will take place in Dubai this November catering for the huge rise regional demand for the beverages.

According to organisers The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), the show will act as a global business platform for roasters, suppliers and franchise operators to invest in the region.

SCAA senior director of event management Lilly Rocha said: “The convention is a well timed initiative that will help consolidate the economic potential of coffee and tea trade in the UAE and ultimately influence the industry’s growth in the rest of the Arab World.”

With more than 4,000 coffee and tea shops across the UAE catering to 65% of the consumption of coffee and tea within the country, IC&E managing director Anselm Godinho said he was confident coffee house growth would continue over the coming months.

Godinho noted: “Costa Coffee, for example, now has more than 50 stores in the UAE and plans to double its holdings over the next 24 months.”

The show will also host the inaugural Middle East Barista Championships, where the winner will represent the Arab region at next year’s World Barista Championships in Chelmsford, UK.

“We want to start an initiative to actually have a certified programme for the region’s baristas and to get the industry working together and competing against each other,” commented Godinho.