How a coffee festival will take consumer education beyond the barista

The inaugural Melbourne Coffee Week  will arrive on that city’s calender from March 10 – 17, and Melbourne cafés and coffee roasters will invite consumers to taste their brews, learn more about coffee, and witness the world of coffee competitions.

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“Some may argue that each day in Melbourne is already a celebration of coffee. But like any good celebration we want to make it last, so we will unite the city in one big coffee extravaganza,” Melbourne Coffee Week director Simon Coburn said.

“Local businesses will be opening their doors and showing the world what Melbourne coffee is all about. We’ll be seeing cupping sessions, smackdowns, machine demonstrations, and more – the city will be talking about coffee more than ever,” he added.

Coburn said that Melbourne Coffee Week is about growing the coffee industry and celebrating Melbourne’s coffee history.
Highlights include:

  • Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) National Coffee in Good Spirits Championship on March 10
  • Australian Brewers Cup Championship and Australian Cup Tasters Championship at Veneziano Coffee Roasters on March 11
  • Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Australian International Coffee Awards ceremony on March 16
  • National Aeropress Championships at Proud Mary Coffee Roasters March 17

    Cafés and coffee roasters around Melbourne will be listing their satellite events on the Melbourne Coffee Week website.

    Melbourne Coffee Week will close off with the biggest coffee event in the Asia Pacific, the Melbourne International Coffee Expo. Taking place from 17 – 19 March, the Melbourne Showgrounds will turn into a dedicated coffee paradise. MICE will host the highly anticipated Australian Barista Championship and a roasting competition, where coffee will be roasted live, on-site.

    “Melbourne Coffee Week is the perfect time for people to learn about what we do, understand why we’re passionate about what we do, and ask questions,” Ross says. “There’s so much knowledge in our industry that needs to be shared, and we want people to ask and be inquisitive about coffee.”

    According to Coburn, the Melbourne International Coffee Expo has become the largest coffee-dedicated event in the Asia Pacific, and one of the biggest in the world.