A Washington-based organization, which specializes in presenting coffee and tea shows, recently brewed up its 6th metro area Coffee Fest.
The trade show, “Coffee Fest New York ’16,” was conducted from March 11 to 13, in Manhattan, where a diverse mix of about 3,800 baristas, roasters, specialty coffee and tea retailers, distributors, and equipment manufacturers rolled in for the “Best New Product Showdown competition,” “America’s Best Espresso competition,” the “Latte Art World Championship Open,” plus a myriad of classes dedicated to coffee retailing.
If it was a consumer show, attendance for the weekend would have been 10-times higher, said President and Show Manager, David Heilbrunn, adding the event grew by 4 percent over last year. After hosting various types of events, Heilbrunn decided to focus exclusively on trade shows for the specialty coffee and alternative beverage industry in ’98.
His mission? “To help attendees build and refine their specialty coffee businesses.”
Heilbrunn says the entire show was developed for coffee retailers, however, a few people gearing up to break into the business attend, too (early bird, general admission is $30 but increases to $40).
A Washington-based organization, which specializes in presenting coffee and tea shows, recently brewed up its 6th metro area Coffee Fest. (Photo: Dave Schatz/Correspondent)
“Not more than 5 percent of our attendees are people thinking about opening a coffee shop – but most of them already have one,” Heilbrunn said.
Back in 2009 Coffee Fest made a stop at the Meadowlands, but now returns to the Big Apples Javits Convention Center each year for its Eastern show, one of three it produces annually.
A couple from Connecticut who said they were looking at a total investment of $400,000 to open a café in their home town were on their way to a class called: “Opening a new café?”
Asked if they considered a franchise, the answer was an emphatic, “no.” “Up where we are, whoever bought the franchise bought the whole dam region, so, you are not getting in. I want to do my own thing.”
Heilbrunn said he’d be relaunching a more intensive two-day workshop for start-ups at the upcoming Coffee Fest in Dallas: “The Successful Coffeehouse Business Seminar,” will be taught by five facilitators. But participants must own or manage an operational retail coffee business to be eligible.
Shorter, half-hour, “Campfire café” sessions, such as “Getting the New Café Open,” and “Social Media & Website,” an introduction to the essential social media platforms included tips to connect with customers and maximize digital efforts, including “being mobile friendly.”
New products
“We are here to talk about our process as well as our brand,” said Deana McCutcheon, customer service manager, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Co., who said that consumers choose decaffeinated coffee for health reasons or because they don’t tolerate caffeine well
She added that the Swiss Water company decaffeinates all origins of coffee, and would generally be purchased through importers and roasters who arrange to deliver beans to the company’s sole facility, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. It gently removes 99.9 percent of the caffeine from small batches of green coffee using pure water. (The batches weigh as little as 7,500 pounds).
It’s like a filtered French press, said, Christian Krause, brand manager/designer, Brewista Inc., talking his new “Smart Brew” steeping filter designed to brew perfect pour-over coffee with ease.
Depending on the type of coffee roast, “it usually takes two-and-a-half to three minutes, then I let it drain and that takes another minute-and-a-half out,” Krause said. “It’s a very clean coffee because it’s filtered but it also is a very consistent quality of coffee.”
The filter is equipped with a twist shut-off lever, and fits over most common mugs or small servers the company sells.
Brewista’s “Cold Pro Commercial Cold Brew Coffee System” came in second place in the non-consumable best new products category, while another exhibitor’s product, “The Ripple Maker,” placed first.
Ripples Inc. makes a machine for printing birthday wishes, pictures, or greetings on coffee, lattes, hot chocolate, and other foamy beverages.
“Everybody wants their picture on coffee,” said salesman Jonathan Rand. “The cool device catches the eye.”
A shop would invest $1,000 for one or more Ripple Makers but there’s also a small monthly fee according to usage.
“You have to make a canvass to print on,” said Rand demonstrating that better foam leads to better printing.
Does it work on black coffee? “You could – [but] it won’t come out well, it would be like taking a piece of black paper and putting it through a printer.”
In the consumable division, first place went to Just Panela Company, for its “Panela Hand Crafted Sugar; second: Earnest Eats’, energized Hot Cereal Cups; and third: Prana Chai’s, Agave Blend.
There are some 8,500 independent coffee shops in the U.S. “that are not named Starbucks,” said Heilbrunn, estimating that his shows draw a high portion of their operators.
There were 233 Starbucks stores in the Garden State at the end of last year, including 153 company-operated and 80 licensed stores, according to the company.
Dave Schatz
