STIR UP A BIT OF BUSINESS AT DUBLIN’S FIRST EVER COFFEE & TEA FESTIVAL 2014

The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance (IFSA) and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE- Irish branch) are proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival, to take place from 12th-14th September 2014 at the Industries Hall in the RDS Dublin. From harvesting to brewing and catering to equipment, the Dublin Coffee Festival will showcase every aspect of the coffee & tea world and all the enjoyment that goes with it.

Said Sean Martin, Chairman, IFSA “This is a very exciting event for the coffee and tea community in Ireland. Through the platform of the Festival and this collaboration between IFSA and SCAE, we will be focussing our efforts on educating and inspiring the public and the national media to embrace speciality coffee and teas and the associated culture and lifestyle.  These two bodies have worked together for over 14 years now in staging the Irish Barista Championship and have sent many competitors to the European and World championships with high levels of success recorded annually.  This collaboration has also presented the Irish Coffee community with the opportunity to stage the largest coffee event in the World in 2016 – the staging of the World of Coffee exhibition in Dublin and the hosting of the World Barista Championship 2016, where over 65 Nations will compete and over 5000 International coffee and tea professionals will spend a week in Dublin enjoying the event and all that Dublin and Ireland has on offer.”

The Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival will be brimming with features for all to enjoy.

The Roasters’ Village
Located at the very front of the show the Roasters’ Villagewill house a vast range of Coffee and Tea mirco roasters and retailers all wishing to engage with the public and tell the story of their particular blends. This taste sensation will set the scene for the visitor and open their eyes and palates to the variety on offer at the a show and throughout the country.

The Cupping Room
The Festival will construct a purpose-built cupping room allowing members of the public and media to cup and taste a wide variety of teas and coffees from different Origin countries for the very first time in Ireland.

The People’s Stage
The idea behind the People’s stage is to showcase a range of video footage and presentations from Farmers, importers, green bean traders, and coffee and tea enthusiasts never before seen or experienced in Ireland. It will act as an educational platform allowing thepublic understand the tea and coffee growing and harvesting process first hand.

The Festival Roastery
In association with Industry members the Festival team will construct a micro roastery at the event allowing thepublic and media to experience the roasting process first hand and hear thefirst crack for the very first time at the very first Dublin Coffee and TeaFestival!

National Competitions
Coffee excellence is the hallmark of SCAE and its Irish chapter have been running live competitions for over a decade now in order to seek out the very best baristas to represent Ireland overseas and at the World Barista Championships. At the Festival, SCAE will run a number oftheir national competitions allowing the public to view the very best in action over the 3 days.

The National Home Barista Championships
The Festival will be home to a new event showcasing the emerging new trend of ‘home barista’. Over the recent years there has been a steady growth in the number of consumers purchasing their own espresso machines for use at home and experimenting in roasting and brewing methods. This competition will allow the home baristas take to the stage to demonstrate their skills and compete with pride with an audience!

The Food Village
This area will comprise a range of hand-picked artisan food and beverage suppliers whose product compliments the coffee and tea drinking experience. Bakery, chocolate, water, pastry, juices and shakes will all be represented in the Food village.

Fringe Events
The Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival is not just an exhibition it is a celebration of the exciting ‘scene’ that goes with coffee and tea and so a number of fringe events will be available such as visits to roasters / coffee trails; the Festival Club (running each evening  in a city centre venue.

A host of companies in the industry are being invited to be part of the movement thatwill stimulate the coffee and tea community such as Origin Countries, Importers and Roasters, Mirco Roasters, Machinery/Equipment suppliers, Speciality Retailers, Artisan Food and Beverage manufacturers and many more.

See WWW.dublincoffeefestival.com for more details
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Pictured at the launch of the Dublin Coffee & tea Festival 2014 were (l to r)Patrick Bewley (Bewleys) Garath Scully (Master Roaster for Robt Roberts) Stephen Morrissey (former World Barista Champion) Colin Harmon(Current National Barista Champion)