Melbourne International Coffee Expo exhibitors reveal why the dynamic tradeshow is essential for brands wanting to introduce their products to a switched-on industry audience.
There are plenty of international tradeshows catering to the coffee market, but there’s only one that takes place in the epicentre of contemporary coffee culture. First established in 2012 as a platform to connect industry buyers and sellers and celebrate the city’s evolving coffee community, Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) has blossomed into one of the world’s leading industry events, attracting visitors and exhibitors from all over the globe.
With thousands of roasters, green-bean importers, coffee educators, equipment specialists and service providers under one roof at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, international and local coffee brands seize the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the audience of café owners, baristas, enthusiastic home brewers, and those looking to make coffee part of their foodservice offering.
From coffee beans to milks, espresso machines to packing materials, every link in the supply chain is represented at the three-day event. For many exhibitors, having the opportunity to engage with potential customers face-to-face, many of which might not be based in the same country, is the most valuable element.
It’s this opportunity for connection that has led the team at VortX KleanAir Systems in the United States (US), a producer of planet-friendly EcoFilters for roasting equipment, to take part in MICE for the past three events.
“Tradeshows such as MICE allow companies like VortX a face-to-face opportunity with thousands of businesses and consumers interested in their products in a condensed period of time. This generates serious leads and can inevitably shorten the sales process,” says Daniel Kleist, VortX International Sales Representative.
“MICE enables us to introduce our unique wet scrubber to a large audience of specialty coffee roasters. Having a unit on-site at MICE enables us to demonstrate the EcoFilter’s functionality to companies that need to clean their stack emissions and want to do it in an environmentally friendly way.”
As a US-based company providing clean-air technology to roasters across the world, Kleist highlights MICE’s location in Australia as a strong selling point.
“MICE in particular presents an opportunity for VortX to get its product seen in Australia, which has one of the more developed specialty coffee communities in the world. This is a great tool for international companies looking to break into the local Australian market,” he says.
“2024 was our third consecutive year exhibiting at MICE and we’re looking forward to bringing the VortX EcoFilter back to the event in 2025. We recently brought on exclusive Australian distributor Richard Muhl, so we’re looking forward to introducing him to everyone at our booth at the show, alongside our representatives from the US.”
Melbourne is not just recognised as a key hub for coffee culture in Australia but also the Asia-Pacific region. Attendees and exhibitors of the 2024 event travelled from every continent to share knowledge, trial products, and connect with the global coffee industry.
Simon Zhang, Overseas Marketing Specialist at MHW-3BOMBER, says the popular specialty coffee wares provider based in China sees MICE as a chance to connect with international buyers.
“As a premier coffee event, MICE offers us the opportunity to connect with professional café owners, roasters, equipment manufacturers, and service providers. The reputation and influence of MICE aligns perfectly with our target market,” says Zhang.
“Tradeshows like MICE are crucial to the coffee industry. They are not only platforms for showcasing new ideas, innovations, and technologies but also vital venues for communication and collaboration within the industry.”
Zhang says the MHW-3BOMBER team plan to utilise their stand at the 2025 event to showcase the company’s products to a broad audience of international coffee companies.
“We believe the interactive experience provided by MICE will allow visitors to personally experience the uniqueness of our products, which will help enhance the international visibility of the MHW-3BOMBER brand,” he says.
“Furthermore, we plan to use MICE’s international influence to strengthen our brand in Melbourne and across the Asia-Pacific region. We look forward to establishing long-term cooperative relationships with local buyers and exploring new market opportunities.”
With COVID-19 impacting the annual coffee events calendar over the past few years, MICE organisers recently announced that the expo would return to an earlier position in the year. The 2025 event will take place from 20 to 22 March.
“MICE’s strategic timing in the annual calendar, following key global events and preceding others, makes it a must-attend for those serious about coffee,” says Zhang.
“MICE stands out from other tradeshows due to its specialised focus on coffee. As Australia’s first and only coffee-dedicated tradeshow, it has carved out a niche that attracts a highly relevant and engaged audience. MHW-3BOMBER is thrilled to be a part of this community and to contribute to the high standards MICE is known for.”
Also returning to MICE2025 is international roaster manufacturer Loring Smart Roast. Lachlan Cox-Tuck of CT Roasting Solutions, the independent representative of the brand, says the event’s sole focus on coffee makes exhibiting very beneficial.
“Tradeshows bring all sectors of an industry together in one space and help businesses to build new relationships and meet new clients in a very short space time,” says Cox-Tuck.
“Exhibiting at MICE allows us to meet with new prospective customers and catch up with current customers from all over Australia and New Zealand over a three-day period, which would otherwise not be possible in this timeframe.”
Alongside the much-anticipated line-up of industry exhibitors, the next edition of MICE will also feature a host of educational and business events and activations. New for 2025 is the Roasters Playground, which will see more than 50 roasters host tasting sessions in one dedicated area across the expo.
The new feature is sponsored by international equipment manufacturer La Marzocco, which is supporting roasters to have a presence at the event.
“Thanks to the generosity of our partners at La Marzocco, roasters are able to access MICE without having to sacrifice too much time spent away from their roastery or café,” says Show Director Lauren Chartres.
“We want roasters to be able to focus on what they do best, which is to provide coffee lovers with delicious beans.”
Following the success of the Global Coffee Report Leaders Symposium in 2024, the knowledge-sharing series is set to return with an extended program. Industry leaders will express their insights on the latest issues impacting the world of coffee and engage in topical discussions.
For more information or to get involved, click here.
This article was first published in the November/December 2024 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
