The International Coffee & Tea Festival (ICTF), the region’s only dedicated trade event for the specialty coffee and industry, recently concluded its 8th edition in Dubai, UAE registering a record footfall of over 7,000 trade visitors.

The event engaged with and educated café owners, hospitality management professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, and tea and coffee enthusiasts about the latest brewing technology and café equipment, including mixers, grinders, brewers, and roasters. Both visitors and exhibitors, commended ICTF as a niche event for those looking to venture into the coffee or tea business or those looking to enter the local market as suppliers for coffee shops and tea boutiques.

Sanoona Rahim, founder, Alsanono Food Stuff Trading LLC, said: “Our presence at this year’s edition of the International Coffee and Tea Festival marks our first ever participation as an exhibitor, having attended previous editions as a visitor for the last three years.

“We have found this event as a strategic platform to launch niche products, which has prompted us to utilize our presence and showcase our authentic tea from Sri Lanka coming straight from the factory to consumers. We are highly satisfied with the key response that we have received at the show and want to leverage the event to promote our brand Embillian tea in the UAE’s growing beverage market.”

The Barista and Latte Art Championships fascinated visitors with highly interactive performances while the debuting Brewers Cup and Cup Tasters Championships were successful in drawing a huge crowd.

The names of the winners were announced on the concluding day of ICTF, following an entertaining competition that was spread over the three days. Ma Encarnacion Eson of The Espresso Lab in Dubai won the title of the National UAE Barista Champion and will represent the country and compete against 54 contestants for the coveted 2017 World Barista Championship in Seoul, Korea.

Marvin D Soliven of Nostalgia Café, also in Dubai, was named the Latte Art Champion, while Mark Anthony Uy of The Espresso Lab and Julain Loayza Sanjines of Dubai’s Mokha 1450 were the winners of Brewers Cup and Cup Tasters Championships, respectively.

Anselm Godinho, managing director, International Conferences & Exhibitions, organizers of the ICTF said: “In the last 8 years, the International Coffee and Tea Festival has grown in importance due to its unique and innovative features, including the B2B exhibition, the SCAA-certified coffee training, Brew Bar Presentation and Seminars, and the Championships.”

“We are delighted to host a successful show where we continue to educate consumers so that they can appreciate and know the difference that specialty coffee would bring to their café experience. The show has also offered opportunities to exhibitors to reach out to potential clients and make their mark in the region’s growing café culture,” he added.

ICTF will return in 2017 with more offering of fresh concepts, new features, and innovative products to cater to the growing specialty coffee and tea industry in the UAE and the region. – TradeArabia News Service