What’s happening at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago

On Friday 12 April, the Specialty Coffee Expo will return to Chicago, Illinois. The annual event is one of the biggest – and most important – in the global coffee industry, with thousands attending every year.

Expo brings together coffee professionals from across the supply chain – from roasters to producers to equipment manufacturers to coffee business owners. Here, attendees get the chance to network, establish new connections and partnerships, and see the latest innovation in specialty coffee.

Read on to learn more about what’s happening at the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo, as well as who is exhibiting at the three-day trade show.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

Which competitions and awards are taking place?

Organised by the Specialty Coffee Association, the Specialty Coffee Expo is held in a different US city every year.

The 2024 expo will once again take place in the historic city of Chicago, Illinois – which is home to some of the country’s most influential specialty coffee roasters. The event will be held at McCormick Place near the shore of Lake Michigan, and located just minutes from downtown Chicago.

Expo is perhaps best known for its extensive trade show and exhibition, but the event also hosts several competitions and awards programmes.

For the first time since 2019, the US will host two World Coffee Championships at this year’s Expo: the 2024 World Brewers Cup and 2024 World Cup Tasters Championship.

On top of these two competitions – which are sure to attract big crowds – Expo will also include the 2024 US Coffee Roasting and Latte Art Championships. Both winners will go on to represent the US at their respective world finals at World of Coffee Copenhagen in 2024.

Awards

Every year, the Specialty Coffee Expo also holds the Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards.

The Coffee Design Awards – an initiative which recognises and celebrates design excellence in the specialty coffee industry – is split into three categories: Branding, Packaging, and Spaces.

All entrants will be showcased at the Coffee Design Award display at Expo, and judging will also take place at the event.

The Best New Product award, meanwhile, 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 additive

Specialty non-coffee beverage standalone

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

This year, all entries will be considered for the all-new People’s Choice Award – where all attendees will have the chance to vote for their favourite product.

Lectures, workshops & cuppings

Over 50 lecture sessions will be hosted at the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo, including a wide range of topics – from de-escalation training for baristas to what sustainability means for coffee producers.

Workshops will also be held across the three days to provide a more hands-on learning experience for attendees – covering sensory analysis, latte art skills, and more. The Cupping Exchange will feature both public and private cupping sessions, including some of the leading producers and traders in the industry.

The Coffee Science Foundation will display the latest coffee research at this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo, too. Featured topics will include sensory science, coffee genetics & breeding, market research, coffee quality & evaluations, and more.

Posters will be displayed across all days of the event, and there will be an official Coffee Science Foundation Poster Session on Friday 12 April from 1pm to 3pm.

Who’s attending Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago?

The Expo trade show always features a broad range of exhibitors. From producers and co-operatives to roasters and coffee shops to traders and equipment manufacturers, some of the most prominent companies and brands in the global coffee sector will be in attendance.

Roaster Village

The Roaster Village is at the heart of every Specialty Coffee Expo – serving as a key meeting point for attendees to chat with some of the most innovative and pioneering roasters in the specialty coffee industry. Roaster Village exhibitors will be showcasing some of the latest trends in roasting, sourcing, and brewing – in addition to the wider Expo trade show which features some of the biggest brands in the global coffee sector.

This year, the Roaster Village will include exhibitors such as Balzac Bros, JNP Coffee, Sancoffee, White Rhino Coffee, Forest Coffee, Intelligentsia, MAME Coffee, and more.

Innovative roaster manufacturers

Every Specialty Coffee Expo always attracts some of the biggest roasting equipment brands in the industry. This year, Bellwether Coffee – one of the leading sustainable machine manufacturers – will showcase its new Bellwether Shop Roaster.

The company’s first-ever small-format, high-throughput automatic electric machine can fit into any retail environment – giving businesses the ability to roast hundreds of pounds of coffee each week.

The Shop Roaster is available in countertop format or with a Continuous Roasting Upgrade, which includes access to the Bellwether Green Coffee Marketplace – a global library of coffees paired with custom roast profiles.

Ricardo Lopez is the founder of Bellwether Coffee.

“Our platform enables businesses to reduce costs, grow revenue, and differentiate their brand with the added benefit of roasting low-carbon coffee that supports living incomes for farmers,” he says. “Because we’re lowering the barrier to entry to roast on-site, we’re allowing more retailers to deliver fresher coffee.”

Roasting up to 40 pounds of coffee per batch, the Bellwether Shop Roaster enables retailers to reduce costs by up to 50%. Moreover, its revolutionary technology reduces the carbon footprint from a pound of coffee by up to 90%.

To learn more about Bellwether Coffee, visit the website and stop by booth 1138 at Specialty Coffee Expo Chicago.

Award-winning milk foaming solutions

Automated milk foaming solutions have become increasingly popular in the specialty coffee industry, and some of these brands will be exhibiting at the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo, including Latte Art Factory.

Sven Keysers is the CEO of Latte Art Factory.

“With staff shortages and rising wages, it has become imperative that café owners find ways to automate processes and conserve resources,” he says. “This allows baristas to focus on managing multiple orders and engaging with customers.”

The Latte Art Factory is a three-time SCA award winning automated milk foamer designed to revolutionise café operations – including streamlining workflow and reducing waste – and improve customer satisfaction.

In addition to its precise temperature control, consistent foam quality, and ability to dispense both hot and cold foam, the Latte Art Factory is compatible with a wide range of milks and other beverages, such as cold brew – meaning coffee shop operators can offer on-tap beverages.

To learn more about Latte Art Factory, visit the website and stop by booth 2060 at Specialty Coffee Expo Chicago.

Revolutionary grinders

Grinder manufacturers always have a big presence at Specialty Coffee Expos, and Fiorenzato will be exhibiting at this year’s event.

The company will announce the launch of two new coffee grinders in Chicago: the AllGround Sense and the AllGround Probrew.

Giulia Bagato is the Marketing Manager for Fiorenzato.

“Whether you want to enjoy espresso, Moka pot, or filter coffee, and whether you are a coffee lover or a skilled barista, the AllGround line is perfect for your needs,” she says. “AllGround is for all!”

The AllGround Sense is tailored to the needs of micro roasters, specialised coffee shops, baristas, and coffee enthusiasts. It features a built-in weighing technology to ensure accurate dosing every single time, and also includes a touchscreen that lets users easily select the exact grind size and dose for espresso or filter.

The AllGround Probrew, meanwhile, excels at minimising retention and waste thanks to its low-retention bellow, which replaces the traditional hopper. The grinder also comes with a metal cup and Dark-T® burrs specifically designed to produce the ideal grind size for filter brewing.

To learn more about Fiorenzato’s new grinders, visit this link and stop by booth 1036 at Specialty Coffee Expo Chicago.

Essential barista equipment

Every Specialty Coffee Expo trade show floor is occupied by brands selling barista and brewing equipment. This year, Rattleware will showcase its latest and most popular products.

Established in 2007, Rattleware prides itself on true coffee craftsmanship – specialising in smallwares tailored for the ever-evolving specialty coffee industry. The brand’s products are meticulously designed to elevate coffee preparation standards and streamline café operations – enhancing workflow efficiency while maintaining beverage quality as much as possible.

Ed Schultz is the CEO of Rattleware.

“We pride ourselves on our global warehousing infrastructure, yet our focus always remains on fostering strategic alliances with industry-leading distribution partners to further enhance our reach and efficiency,” he says.

Rattleware’s commitment to maintaining product quality and ongoing innovation are driven by continuous customer engagement and feedback – making it a trusted name in the global coffee market to serve coffee professionals the world over.

To learn more about Rattleware, visit the website and stop by booth 1834 at Specialty Coffee Expo Chicago.

Take a look at who else is attending the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo

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

MTPak Coffee

Ally Coffee

Marco Beverage Systems

AeroPress

Baratza

Covoya Specialty Coffee

Dalla Corte

DiFluid

Ecotact

First Crack

Guatemalan Coffees – which is also the Portrait Country Sponsor for this year’s Expo

Metropolis Coffee Company

Royal Coffee

Timemore

TORR Industries

Stronghold

Sulotco

Yara

Cropster

IMF

After parties and events

Leading up to and across all three days of Expo, many companies and organisations will be hosting their own activities and events. Some of these include:

The Barista League’s and Rancilio’s Welcome to Chicago party on 11 April

YETI’s coffee, cocktails, and pizza evening in partnership with Proud Mary Coffee and La Marzocco on 11 April

Matryoshka Coffee’s and Created Co’s latte art throwdown on 12 April, which will take place at booth 2057 at Expo from 14:00 to 16:00 local time

World of Coffee Runners 5k, hosted by Big Shoulders Coffee, on 13 April

Dark Matter Coffee’s Coffee is Dead event on 13 April

A screening of Ma’am Tere – a film about the Filipino coffee sector – with an exclusive coffee cupping on 14 April

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

The 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo will take place from 12 to 14 April in Chicago – and is sure to be one of the biggest events yet.

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

To learn more about the Specialty Coffee Expo, visit the official website.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, Downing Imagery, Bellwether Coffee, Latte Art Factory, Fiorenzato

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Bellwether Coffee, Latte Art Factory, Fiorenzato, and Rattleware are sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind.

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