Turn a trip to Australia into reality when MICE2026 takes place in March. Discover firsthand why Melbourne is internationally renowned for its coffee and explore a tradeshow unlike any other.
If New York is known as the city that never sleeps, Milan the city of fashion, and Prague the city of a hundred spires, then Melbourne is the city of coffee.
There’s no official rulebook to ordain the Australian city as one of the world’s best, nor to justify its ranking over Sydney, but ask any Melburnian about their morning coffee order, favourite coffee shop out of the 2800-plus options, or how they brew at home, and everyone has a passionate response.
The only way to experience Melbourne’s discerning coffee obsession, however, is to immerse yourself in it.
This year, 31,708 visitors descended upon Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) to experience the Southern Hemisphere’s largest dedicated coffee tradeshow. According to MICE moderator Sarah Baker, the expo has become the world’s destination for coffee.
“Australia is a bucket-list destination for many people. It’s a commitment in distance, but once you’re there, it really is a land of opportunity – and a coffee lover’s paradise,” says Baker.
MICE’s first iteration in 2012 saw unlikely support from international representatives, while its second edition hosted the World Barista Championship. In the decade since, the tradeshow has hosted hundreds of participants and producers for Let’s Talk Coffee, the Global Coffee Report (GCR) Symposium, and additional World Coffee Championship events. But, most importantly, MICE has become a serious business opportunity for global brands wanting to enter the Australian market.
Over the years, international exhibitors have used the Australian expo as a platform to test and trial prototype equipment with the local’s penchant for coffee in mind.
“Australia’s high population of milk-based coffee drinkers has been a point of conversation for many brands wanting to test their products against Australians’ high standards. Many have adjusted their products based on feedback, an understanding of volume, and market needs,” says Baker. “For brands seriously looking to enter the Australasian sector, there’s no better testing ground than coming to MICE to connect with the local café owners and baristas who are the ultimate adjudicators to quality and product efficiency.”
In return, MICE offers national exhibitors and visitors the chance to connect with international representatives, and learn about global trends and products that can support their business growth.
“We want MICE to be a one-stop shop to make all the trade connections you need to be a successful business. International travel for many local businesses is a steep commitment, so why not choose MICE as that one professional event that gives you everything you need under the one roof – from new supplier contacts and network opportunities to knowledge sharing and industry insights. It could be your business they choose next,” says Baker.
In 2025, 61 per cent of MICE attendees had direct authority for purchasing decisions. Fifty per cent were café and hospitality owners or of senior management. Sixty-one per cent were trade attendees.
In 2026, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, MICE will fly the international flag again with its annual Global Coffee Report Symposium. The event, targeted at industry decision makers, is a ticketed breakfast event held on site before the doors to MICE open for day two of the expo. It will invite industry-leading-panellists to discuss the success stories of international roasters, changing consumer behaviours, and market volatility; the influence of coffee on-the-go and the future of coffee; and the expansion of quality coffee in the broader hospitality sector.
“This year’s sold-out Symposium, with keynote speaker Gerd Mueller-Pfeiffer speaking about the megatrends shaping the global market, was a huge success. It demonstrated that the Australian market is hungry for knowledge beyond our shores, and that the local market faces many of the same challenges and economic barriers as the international coffee market. It was a pleasure to moderate this year’s event, and we’re excited to do it again with a greater influence on foreign market success,” Baker says.
Education continues on the show floor with the popular Café Education sessions, with hourly discussions on practical topics to ensure a visit to MICE leaves attendees more empowered with the right information to make successful business decisions. Topics will range from AI in the workplace to cold coffee takeovers, the coffee value gap, enhancing customer experience, how to scale smart, achieving market longevity, and how to become the world’s best coffee shop (a title held by Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters’ Chippendale location through the inaugural World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops rankings in 2025).
“We had some visitors this year come to MICE only for the education sessions, who never left their seats, taking notes the whole time,” says Baker. “If we can add value to our visitors and connect them to influential people and topics they should be addressing for their own business, then that’s valuable time at MICE – beyond the copious samples of free coffee.”
As the year nears an end, now is the time to put MICE on your must-visit list for 2026. MICE is one of the first events on the international coffee calendar for the year, and on the back of a Host Milano year, will no doubt present Australians with the first taste of new technology and innovations unveiled in October.
“Come for the coffee, and stay for the Melbourne experience,” says Baker. “Go on a café crawl around town, soak up the coffee culture, talk to local baristas, and overload in some of the highest-quality food menus the country has to offer.”
What’s more, Melbourne is a stone’s throw away from New Zealand, and a doorway to the greater Asia Pacific, which for anyone needing to convince their boss, is a valuable ‘research trip’, too good to pass up.
“Come Down Under to see why Melbourne really is a global destination for coffee, and experience a coffee expo with its own unique Aussie flair,” says Baker. “One visit, and you’ll be back.”
Top tips to experience Melbourne:
- Enjoy a Magic (a double ristretto shot with ¾ steamed milk)
- Flat white (a single or double espresso with a thin layer of microfoam milk)
- Avo (aka avocado) on toast for breakfast
- Attend an AFL (Australian Rules Football) game
- Catch a tram
- Get lost in the city’s famous laneways (Hosier Lane) and discover street art, hidden bars and hole-in-the-wall cafés
For more information, visit internationalcoffeeexpo.com
This article was first published in the November/December 2025 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
