Coffee and cocktails abound at this year’s New York Coffee Festival
Image: Vanessa Facenda
Similar to all the conferences, conventions and exhibitions I have attended this year, the New York Coffee Festival ‘looked and felt’ like its pre-Covid iterations — strong attendance and happy coffee vibes. Event organiser, Allegra Group, reported that the 7th NY show, which took place 6-8 October at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan, had more than 9,000 attendees and over 80 vendors and sponsors.
I was out of town so I was unable to attend the show on the professional’s day – the first day – so instead wound up mingling with consumers the day I attended, which was packed and chaotic, not my ‘cup of coffee’ (pardon the bad pun). Consumer attendees were excited to sample the many offerings ranging from lattes and cold brews to chai teas and matcha to chocolate, and even coffee cocktails. The mix of new and returning exhibitors included Onyx Coffee, Parlor Coffee, Blueberry Roasters, Joe Coffee, Blank Street, Consulate General of India, De’Longhi, ansa, Aeropress, Dona Chai, Rishi Tea, Matcha Direct, Oatly, Hotel Chocolat, Raaka Chocolate, Bailey’s and Smirnoff, amongst others.
Newcomer Café Carrizal was offering samples of single origin Dominican coffee, while Wild House Coffee, another first timer, highlighted its rare Himalayan coffee. Bee 10 Coffee, another new exhibitor, is actually a bee farm, but was showcasing a line of instant coffees blended with different varieties of honey – definitely a unique taste and not for everyone – but it will likely appeal to consumer segment that are fans of 2-in-1 instant coffee mixes.
Bodum, long respected for its French presses and numerous other coffee-brewing devices and accessories, touted its new line of roasted coffee, both whole bean and ground. The company quietly launched it in 2022 but only in select markets, but is now making the line widely available.
The NY Coffee Festival also offered a roster of education sessions across of variety of topics such as Women in Coffee: How to Prioritize Gender Equity across Coffee Supply Chains, Mindful Morning Coffee, Matcha Made in Heaven and Improve Your Brews.
Jeffrey Young, CEO of Allegra Group was pleased with this year’s attendee turnout. “There’s turnover among exhibitors, as many companies are still struggling following Covid, but we do have a several new exhibitors. Attendance is up over 2022 and up slightly from pre-Covid numbers.”
Continuing its charitable component, 100% of profits from the New York Coffee Festival are donated to Project Waterfall each year, which, in partnership with NYC-based charity: water, delivers life-changing water projects in coffee-growing regions. Allegra reports that over USD $2 million has been raised to date. According to Allegra, this year’s event raised over $31k for Project Waterfall. To learn more about both charities, visit: Project Waterfall at projectwaterfall.org and charity: water at charitywater.org.
The New York Coffee Festival will return in 2024, with dates TBA.
- Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
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