The International Coffee & Tea Festival, which is the only dedicated trade event for the coffee and tea industry in the Arab world, opened today (November 6) at the Meydan IMAX Gallery in Dubai.

The event, running for the fifth consecutive year, is open to trade professionals as well as the public over 18 years of age, until November 9.

The event is expected to boost UAE’s flourishing cafe industry and introduce several new brands and products to the market over the next three days. SCAA-certified training sessions and skill-building workshops held alongside the trade show are also expected to benefit local café businesses that gross over Dh300 million ($81.6 million) a year.

The Coffee Preparation, Grading and Roasting workshops, as part of the festival’s commitment to impart specialty coffee training, received an enthusiastic response from amateurs and budding professionals. The latest array of beverage related offerings on display were a key attraction for visitors who enjoy top quality brews.

The initial rounds of the highly anticipated 5th National Barista Championships and the 2nd National Latte Art Championships set the momentum on the opening day by attracting huge crowds. The final day of the festival will reveal UAE’s Barista Champion who will represent the UAE at the World Barista Championships to be held in 2014.

Ryan Godinho, national coordinator for UAE World Coffee Events, said: “The International Coffee & Tea Festival was conceptualized as a complementary initiative to support the growth of the hot beverage market in the GCC, particularly the UAE, and has over the years seen an immense response from the hospitality sector.”

“This is going to translate into long term business benefits for the regional industry players and cafe operators. From the positive response we are seeing today, we expect the remaining three days of the show to be very well-received by the region’s coffee & tea fraternity. We are prepared to serve the best and remain dedicated to the specialty coffee and tea movement in the Middle East,” he added.

The International Coffee and Tea Festival is organised by International Conferences & Exhibitions LLC (IC&E) and provides a one-stop destination for all aspects of coffee, tea, and café products, equipment and services in the Middle East. – TradeArabia News Service