MILAN – After intensive consultation, the Specialty Coffee Association has decided to cancel the 2021 World of Coffee (Woc) due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The event was scheduled to take place in Athens this June. The organizers are continuing to pursue an alternative solution for the 2021 World Coffee Championships (WCC), which were to take place at the WOC trade show, and we will have more information on that subject in the coming weeks.
“We are sad to cancel WOC but remain committed to doing what is best for the health of our staff and the many thousands of professionals that come together at this event every year” said Yannis Apostolopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of the Specialty Coffee Association, in a press release.
“On February 4, we announced that we were in conversations with our partners regarding the viability of moving forward with the 2021 events in Athens. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had talks with government and health officials in Athens, exhibitors, sponsors, competitors, judges, and many community members regarding the viability of holding the event. We want to thank every one of you for your patience and support as we assessed the situation and came to the final decision.
Our updated 2021-2023 trade show and world competitions schedule is as follows:
Specialty Coffee Expo (North American trade show)
- September 30 – October 3, 2021: New Orleans, LA, United States
- April 7-10, 2022: Boston, MA, United States
- April 20-23, 2023: Portland, OR, United States
World of Coffee (European trade show)
- June 16-18, 2022: Warsaw, Poland
- June 22-24, 2023: Athens, Greece
World Coffee Championships
- November 19-22, 2021: World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, and World Coffee Roasting Championship – Taipei City, Taiwan
- We seek alternative solutions for the 2021 World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and Cezve/Ibrik Championship. More information in the coming weeks.
For the full listing of upcoming events, visit our events calendar here: https://sca.coffee/events/.
Information for World of Coffee Exhibitors and Attendees
If you are a registered WOC attendee or exhibitor, please check your inbox for an email from worldofcoffee@sca.coffee. The email contains important information about an automatic credit paid towards the 2022 World of Coffee in Warsaw. If you have not received an email, please contact our events team using the WOC website’s contact form: https://worldofcoffee.org/contact-us.
Information on the World Coffee Championships
With the WOC trade show’s cancellation, the SCA seeks a new location and date to hold the 2021 World Coffee Championships later this year. We will have more information on that in the coming weeks. We encourage anyone with questions regarding the WCC to read the FAQ on our website and contact us here if you have any additional questions.
Once again, thank you for your patience and understanding. As always, I want to remind you to visit our website to learn more about our initiatives. Check out the newly-launched SCA Coffee Directory, the New In Coffee and Design in Coffee digital showcases, and find videos, podcasts, and much more at SCA News,” concluded Apostolopoulos.
