Shanghai to host pair of major international coffee events

The Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor is abuzz with coffee exhibitors and enthusiasts. [Photo/Hongqiao Pinhui]

Following the seventh China International Import Expo, Shanghai is set to host two major international coffee competitions. The events are expected to draw numerous experts and enthusiasts looking to explore trade and consumption in the industry.

Part of the Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival, the Hongqiao International Specialty Coffee Exhibition and the "Taste of China" Green Coffee Beans Competition will be held from Nov 22 to 24 at the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center, also known as Hongqiao Pinhui.

Coffee beans from 15 countries, including Ethiopia, Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam, will contend for top prizes. The competition will also feature beans from China's Yunnan and Hainan regions.

This event will integrate public taste preferences into the evaluation system, alongside international standards, to create a unique "China rating" for foreign coffee beans, so as to help Chinese consumers enjoy coffee that suits their tastes.

The Golden Bean Coffee Roasters Competition, the world's largest coffee roaster competition, will open its East Asia division in Shanghai for the first time. It will run from Nov 22 to 26, with nearly 100 roasters from countries like Japan and South Korea registered to compete.

Seven accompanying activities will be held at Hongqiao Pinhui's Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor, featuring nearly 30 exhibitors. Participants include top coffee roasters from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as well as South Korea and various international coffee estates. A forum on expanding into Southeast Asian markets will be held, sharing successful experiences and practical tips to help coffee enterprises explore overseas markets.

As coffee culture thrives in China, the nation's coffee trade is booming. Last year, China's coffee import trade value rose to seventh place globally. This year, coffee import volume in the first half surged 1.93 times to 142,800 metric tons compared to the same period last year. Export trade also saw significant growth, with both volume and value more than doubling.