The Middle East’s only exhibition dedicated to coffee and tea, the Dubai International Coffee & Tea Festival (DICTF), is set to make its grand debut in the emirate this December, throwing the spotlight on the growth of the industry that is being driven exclusively by consumer demand. More than 7,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, which will be hosted for the first time at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from 14 to 16 December, 2017. DICTF will feature the International Coffee Championships and the International Tea Masters Cup. Both these events will reiterate Dubai’s standing in the Coffee and Tea World, not just as yet another city of cafés but as a serious destination where professionals get together to highlight coffee and tea in Business – as a commodity and in professional development through training and competitions. There is already a huge surge in consumer demand within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to complement the volumes of tea and coffee that are being re-exported from UAE. DICTF will showcase best-in-class café products as well as some of the top talent in the preparation and service of coffee and tea from across the world. The Festival is the only regional exhibition that also focuses on education and training in the café industry through its over 40 coffee education course offerings, which draws the attention of coffee enthusiasts from around the Arab World.
The event comes at a time when the coffee business is booming and demand is increasing at an unprecedented rate. More than 4000 tea and coffee houses are presently operating in Dubai alone, where around 82 per cent of the population consumes more than two cups of either coffee or tea each day. Anselm Godinho, Managing Director of International Conferences and Exhibitions, DICTF’s organiser, said: “Over the last few years, the flourishing coffee and tea industry has continued to expand alongside the evolving café culture in the region. DICTF aims to address the dramatic changes taking place in the regional and global stage, providing regional industry players access to suppliers and professionals from all over the world which allows them to interact, generate new leads, learn, and exchange experiences and knowledge under one roof.” DICTF, which is supported by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), is expected to offer fresh new concepts, new features, and innovative products to cater to the growing specialty coffee and tea industry in the UAE and the region. The exciting three-day event will include displays of products that are critical to the functioning of an interactive and successful café business. There is no other venue in the Middle East where buyers can exclusively explore the functioning and benefits of a range of brewing equipment, espresso machines, roasters and other tools and accessories that make some cafés stand out from others. “The range of interactive activities on the event floor is tailored for buyers in search of better products; for baristas and roasters seeking continuing professional development and training; for entrepreneurs looking for direction and opportunity to get them started in the business; and for traders hoping to cash in on this lucrative industry,” said Godinho.
