Here’s what’s happening at World of Coffee Athens 2023

This year, the Specialty Coffee Association’s flagship European World of Coffee trade show will take place in Athens, Greece from 22 to 24 June. The annual event is one of the biggest and most exciting in the global coffee industry, and hosts several World Coffee Championships every year.

Alongside an annual WoC event in Dubai – as well as the first-ever WoC Asia to be held in Busan, South Korea from 1 to 4 May 2024 – World of Coffee Athens is sure to attract thousands of visitors.

Read on to learn more about WoC Athens 2023, as well as some of the key events and activities taking place at the three-day trade show.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

Awards programmes & competitions at World of Coffee

As the SCA’s flagship European event, World of Coffee takes place in a different city across the continent every year. In 2022, the trade show was held in Milan, Italy – and brought in more than 10,000 visitors.

This year, World of Coffee will be held in Athens, Greece – one of the oldest cities in the world. Greece also has a thriving and unique coffee shop scene, which is heavily influenced by more traditional coffee culture, as well as specialty coffee.

Alongside an extensive trade show, WoC Athens will also host two awards programmes: the Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards. These two initiatives recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation in the global coffee industry.

The Best New Product award honours new products which add value to the specialty coffee sector. The categories include:

Coffee accessories

Commercial coffee preparation and serving equipment

Consumer coffee preparation and serving equipment

Specialty coffee beverage flavour additive

Specialty non-coffee beverage standalone

Open class (for products which don’t fit in any other category)

The Coffee Design Awards, meanwhile, celebrate some of the most innovative product and packaging designs. The three categories are branding, packaging, and spaces. Judging criteria is based on five main aspects: innovation and/or improvements, design, education, agroecology, and science.

The winners of both awards will be announced and celebrated at the event.

World Coffee Championships 2023

One of the most highly anticipated events to take place at WoC Athens is the 2023 World Coffee Championships, which begin on 21 June. This year, the World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Cezve/Ibrik Championship will all be held in Athens.

The World Barista and Brewers Cup Championships in particular are two of the most highly regarded and esteemed competitions in the global specialty coffee sector – and are sure to attract some of the biggest audiences at the event.

Lectures, workshops & cuppings

Every year, World of Coffee welcomes some of the industry’s leading experts to deliver lectures and workshops to attendees.

In partnership with the Coffee Knowledge Hub and Simonelli Group, this year’s event will feature more than 25 lectures which cover a diverse range of topics. These will include:

Infused coffees from producer and consumer perspective. Are these coffees a good business opportunity or a problem for the industry?

A scientific approach to improving your sensory skills

Understanding quality: the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment

Alongside lectures, the SCA will also hold workshops across the three-day event. These one to three-hour sessions will provide participants with more in-depth knowledge about specific topics. Some of these include:

Programming for flavour: Dialling in coffee equipment

Physical and sensory evaluation of experimentally processed coffees

Coffee & the senses: A multi sensorial experience workshop

The Cupping Rooms are also a big part of every WoC event. Exhibitors can book one-hour slots, which are either open to the public or reserved for invited guests. The final 2023 cupping schedule will be announced shortly.

Following the launch of the new Coffee Value Assessment at the 2023 Specialty Coffee Expo in Portland, the SCA will implement its revised cupping protocol and form at WoC Athens cupping sessions.

Who is attending World of Coffee Athens?

World of Coffee events are perhaps best known for their extensive trade shows, which feature a diverse range of producers and co-operatives, roasters, importers and exporters, coffee shops, coffee equipment manufacturers, and more.

Some of the most prominent companies and brands in the global coffee sector will be in attendance, with many of them hosting their own booths.

Espresso machine & grinder manufacturers

Many of the industry’s leading equipment manufacturers and distributors will be at World of Coffee Athens. This includes Gruppo Cimbali – a pioneering Italian espresso machine and grinder manufacturer.

Andrea Clerici is the Group Business Director at Cimbali.

“We are happy to be presenting again at this year’s WoC – one of the biggest events in the coffee industry,” he says. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand where they can experience our products through a number of activities co-hosted with our partners.”

Gruppo Cimbali will host one stand at WoC Athens, which will include its LaCimbali, Faema, and Slayer brands. The MUMAC Academy (Gruppo Cimbali’s coffee education centre) will present the M200 and the E71e espresso machines at the “It’s only Roast ‘n’ Brew” event. During this, the company will invite different roasters to prepare coffee on these two machines.

For the Faema brand, Gruppo Cimbali will showcase its President GTI espresso machine. Mumac Academy Trainer Angelo Sportelli will also provide demonstrations and training opportunities using the Faemina espresso machine.

Across the three-day event, 16 different roasters are invited to prepare coffee using Cimbali’s Steam LP and single-group Slayer espresso machines. Cimbali will also host an espresso competition in partnership with Comandante, as well as the technology-focused “Barista on Decks” training sessions.

To learn more about Gruppo Cimbali, visit the website and stop by Stand 3-H10 in Hall 3 at WoC Athens.

Water filtration systems

Some of the coffee sector’s leading water filtration companies will be present at WoC Athens. This includes Pentair – a global water treatment company with a focus on sustainability.

Ronny Billemon is a Foodservice Technical Support and Applications Engineer at Pentair Europe, as well as the company’s coffee ambassador.

“Water shouldn’t be a concern when it comes to making high-quality coffee,” he says. “With our Claris Ultra range, water quality is optimised to ensure you prepare great coffee.”

Pentair will host its own booth at WoC Athens, where it will showcase its Everpure Claris Ultra water filtration cartridges.

The Everpure Claris Ultra is designed using new patent-pending water filtration and conditioning technology. The cartridges combine mineral reduction and corrosion protection technologies within one compact unit. As well as this, Claris Ultra cartridges also include protection from limescale and metal migration, and maintain pH level according to EU drinking water regulations.

In turn, Claris Ultra cartridges optimise water quality to help baristas and home brewers prepare excellent espresso and filter coffee, as well as making high-quality ice cubes for iced drinks. With efficiency in mind, Pentair’s Everpure Claris Ultra cartridges also reduce energy consumption, which can decrease costs, too.

To learn more about the Everpure Claris Ultra cartridge range, visit Pentair’s website and make sure to stop by Booth M45 in Hall 3 at Woc Athens.

Green coffee packaging solutions

Several prominent green and roasted coffee packaging companies will exhibit at WoC Athens 2023. One of these is Ecotact – a leading green coffee packaging supplier.

Hanuman Jain is the CEO and founder of Ecotact.

“Ecotact is leading the way to create a better and more sustainable future for the coffee industry and beyond,” he says. “We are committed to revolutionising the coffee industry by providing hermetic packaging solutions that protect green coffee and ensure that farmers receive fair prices for their hard work.

“Our brand promises to keep innovating in terms of sustainable packaging solutions to minimise our carbon footprint,” he adds. “At Ecotact, we believe that sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.”

Ecotact has helped to pioneer packaging solutions to preserve green coffee freshness, even while in transit. The company’s nine-layer hermetic packaging technology maintains coffee quality, while also keeping sustainability in mind. Ecotact’s product range is also mostly recyclable and reusable.

At WoC Athens 2023, Ecotact will showcase three of its latest products. The Ecotact Biome Tray is designed to be used during cuppings and tastings, as well as displaying roasted coffee beans. The five-panelled Ecotact Penta Pak hermetic packaging is 100% recyclable and is designed to preserve coffee freshness and quality. Finally, the reusable Ecotact Farmer D’lite storage solution is designed specifically for producers to store parchment and green coffee.

To learn more about Ecotact’s green coffee packaging solutions, visit the website and stop by Booth M2 in Hall 2 at WoC Athens.

Producers and co-operatives

Some of the industry’s most innovative coffee producers and co-operatives will be in attendance at WoC Athens. One of them is Sancoffee – a specialty coffee co-operative from Brazil which focuses on direct trade relationships and environmental, social, and governance initiatives.

Allan Botrel is the Business Development Manager at Sancoffee.

“Every harvest brings renewed excitement,” he says. “Following positive results from our impact on farmers, we can see how hard work and dedication translates into the cup.”

Booth visitors will have the chance to learn more about how the co-operative’s work has supported communities at origin.

For the past three years, Sancoffee has also been carrying out research into carbon emissions in the supply chain – and will be sharing some results at the event. Sancoffee is now carbon negative, and will be assessing the carbon footprint of all member farms in the coming months.

Through a partnership with Clever Coffee in Denmark, Sancoffee will also launch its carbon-neutral coffee at the event. The co-operative will also present women-produced coffees from the Nascentes project, as well as other lots from this year’s harvest. Cupping sessions run during all three days of the event from 11:30am to 12:30pm local time.

To learn more about Sancoffee’s work, visit the website and stop by Booth 19A at WoC Athens.

Other companies at WoC Athens 2023

Alongside these brands, a number of other specialty coffee companies will exhibit at the event. These include:

Ally Coffee

MTPak Coffee

AeroPress

Dalla Corte

Cropster

Rancilio

Covoya

Marco Beverage Systems

Guatemalan Coffees

Stronghold Technology

IMF Roasters

Taf Coffee

Roastelier by Buondi Craft

Fiorenzato

Sanremo

Toddy

Latte Art Factory

Sucafina

Pinhalense

Heylo

Elektra

Fairtrade

Lallemand

BWT water+more

!FEST Coffee Mission

Aillio

Roasters Villages

Following growing demand, World of Coffee Athens 2023 will feature two Roaster Villages: Roaster Village East and Roaster Village West. The two Villages will act as meeting points for the thousands of producers, roasters, baristas, and green coffee traders in attendance.

Located on the show floor – and sponsored by Rocket Espresso Milano, La Marzocco, Macap, and Mahlkönig – exhibitors will include Falcafé, 19grams, Coffee Collective, Nordic Approach, La Cabra, and Supremo Coffee.

Green Coffee Buyers and Sellers Programme

For the second consecutive year, the Green Coffee Buyers and Sellers Programme will be held at World of Coffee Athens 2023. The overarching aim of the programme is to facilitate the sale of green coffee.

Registrants can use the World of Coffee mobile app to connect with buyers and traders, with 20-minute meeting room slots available. Green coffee buyers and sellers of any size are welcome to register to the event – which is sponsored by Barista Attitude and COHONDUCAFÉ Foundation.

Other events & activities

Alongside other prominent competitions at WoC Athens, espresso machine and grinder manufacturer Dalla Corte will host the second iteration of the World Espresso Championship on 25 June.

Tristan Creswick is Dalla Corte’s Business Development Manager for Oceania & Southeast Asia, and the founder of the World Espresso Championship.

“With the World Espresso Championship, Dalla Corte is proud to support the global coffee community, and highlight the importance of craftsmanship and artistry in creating the perfect espresso,” he says.

Dalla Corte has been making high-quality espresso machines and grinders for the past two decades. The company’s multi-boiler technology helps to maintain temperature stability and consistency in coffee extraction.

Following its debut at MICE in Melbourne, Australia last year, competitors will take part in a knockout-style barista competition. Registration is only open to current national Barista and Brewers Cup Champions – adding to the competition’s prestige.

The second World Espresso Championship will take place on the top two floors of 360 Degrees Hotel in Athens on 25 June. Competitors will use the Dalla Corte Zero espresso machine, and make use of its new freestyle extraction technology.

Dalla Corte invites WoC attendees to stop by the second World Espresso Championship, which takes place one day after WoC Athens ends.

To learn more about Dalla Corte and the World Espresso Championship, visit the website and stop by stand N20 in Hall 3.

After parties & meet-ups

Across all three days of WoC Athens, many companies and organisations will be hosting their own activities and events, with some taking place in the evenings. Some of these include:

The Barista League’s Big Opa on 23 June at 7pm local time, hosted at The Underdog

Cropster and Algrano’s after party, with more details to come soon

International Women’s Coffee Alliance fundraising reception on 23 June

La Marzocco and Beyond the Bean’s rooftop party, with more details to be announced soon

Please note that some events are invite-only and attendees may need to register beforehand, with some events possibly sold out.

For those attending World of Coffee Athens 2023, there are plenty of events and activities to engage with – as well as opportunities to network with other coffee professionals.

If you are taking part in any capacity, make sure to register and book for any events and activities prior to attending.

To learn more about World of Coffee, visit the official website here.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, La Cimbali, Ecotact, Dalla Corte, Sancoffee

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: La Cimbali, Pentair, Ecotact, Dalla Corte, and Sancoffee are sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind.

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