Rwanda coffee producers and marketers are exhibiting Rwanda’s high-quality coffee at the prestigious coffee expo in Chicago, USA
The annual event is one of the biggest – and most important – in the global coffee industry.
“Thirteen Rwandan companies are among the 575 exhibitors representing 68 countries at the Coffee Expo in Chicago, Illinois. The three-day (12th-14th) event drew 12,000+ participants, including exhibitors, producers, toastmasters and baristas,” the Rwandan Embassy in the US said on Saturday.
The 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo kicked off at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois from 12 to 14 April.
The Specialty Coffee Association is a non-profit, membership-based organisation that represents thousands of international coffee professionals.
The association’s purpose is to foster global communities and improve the quality, sustainability, profitability, and equity of the speciality coffee supply chain.
For the first time since 2019, the US is hosting 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 have attracted big crowds – the Expo also includes 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 that 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 that 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, and Open class (for products which don’t fit in any other category).
This year, all entries have been considered for the all-new People’s Choice Award – where all attendees have the chance to vote for their favourite product.
