Kuala Lumpur will take center stage as the host of the inaugural Café Malaysia 2015. The exhibition marks one of the largest gatherings of the tea and coffee industries in Southeast Asia. Conference and Exhibitions Management Services (CEMS), the organizer of Café Malaysia 2015 announced the launch of the show at a press conference held at Feeka Coffee Roasters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon. CEMS expects some 150 exhibitors from 15 countries and an estimated 11,000 visitors from the trade and members of the public when the show opens its doors on May 7, 2015 at the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre.
This trade and consumer event in Malaysia is dedicated to the café and teahouse communities. It brings together the café and teashop owners and managers, importers and exporters, distributors and suppliers of machinery, equipment, and raw materials. It serves as a dynamic B2B platform for key decision makers to source for their café needs and explore new collaborations and opportunities in a country where the number of specialty coffee drinkers has grown over the years. This is mirrored by an increase in the number of cafés in Malaysia, especially in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Euromonitor International 2014, coffee is likely to witness positive growth in the year due to the increasing urbanisation in Malaysia. Young consumers’ demand for convenient and fashionable products will also contribute to growth. The change in lifestyle due to the opening up of the economy will influence buyers’ decisions. The coffee category is likely to remain strong in the forecast period due to the changing drinks preferences of Malaysians.
The recent years have seen many Asian countries propel to the top of the coffee and tea industries. These include Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand from Southeast Asia. On the other hand, Sri Lanka, China, and India make up almost half of the world’s tea exports. Today Malaysia grows about 25,000 hectares of coffee mainly in the provinces of Kelantan, Kedah, Trengganu, Selangor and Malacca. Coffee is also cultivated in the Sabah region at the northernmost tip of the island of Borneo. The number of cafes in Malaysia has been increasing rapidly, supporting the idea that Malaysia’s coffee crop in coming years will likely struggle just to meet the country’s own internal demands.
“The 3-day exhibition will be teeming with networking opportunities for the trade and fun-filled activities for the public on everything coffee and tea. There will also be exclusive workshops, classes and demonstrations of the latest technologies, trends and techniques pertaining coffee and tea. We are delighted to present Café Malaysia to the industry and to the many specialty coffee lovers here”, said Mr Edward Liu, Group Managing Director of CEMS. Mr Liu added that the event in 2015 will also witness the national launch of the Malaysian Brewer’s Cup Championships (MBCC) and the Malaysian National Latte Art Championships (MNLAC).
Malaysia’s top baristas will brew their way to represent Malaysia at the World Brewer’s Cup Championships 2015 and the World National Latte Art Championships. Visitors to the event will be awed by how the masters brew a perfect cup of coffee, distinguish a variety of coffee and decorate their latte. There will also be exclusive workshops, classes and demonstrations of the latest technologies, trends and techniques pertaining to the industry. In addition, there will be various tasting sessions that are nothing short of a feast for the senses.
This afternoon also witnessed the official launch of the Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA). According to Mr Victor Leong, President of MSCA, “the main mission of the formation of the association is to unite, develop and enhance the Specialty Coffee Industry in Malaysia. This would mean, working hand-in-hand with the industry to promote activities and competitions that will benefit not only the industry, but also the cultural and economic factors of the Specialty Coffee Industry.” As the national body for the World Coffee Events, MSCA will be organizing the two major competitions in collaboration with Café Malaysia 2015, the Malaysia National Latte Art Championship 2015 as well as the Malaysian Brewer’s Cup Championships 2015. The Malaysian champions will be sent to the world circuit to compete in Norway in June 2015.
The exhibition is organized by CEMS and is hosted by MSCA. MSCA has most recently joined the ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF) as a member. The event is supported by Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia and the Malaysia Exhibition and Convention Bureau.