The 27th Annual Exposition of the Specialty Coffee Association of America kicks off today in Seattle at the Washington State Convention Center.
Following a record-breaking attendance year, 2015 will mark the fourth time The Event has been held in the Emerald City and the third time Starbucks will serve as the Official Host, previously holding the distinction in 2005 and 2014.
“Last year we had the honor of welcoming over 10,000 coffee professionals from all over the world to the 26th Annual SCAA Event for the first of our 2-year engagement in Seattle, WA.” said Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the SCAA. “Our 2015 return to the Emerald City is poised for an encore success.”
Also announced this week was the SCAA’s partnership with Ethiopia as the 2015 Official Portrait Country Sponsor.
The partnership with the Portrait Country is an extension of the SCAA’s commitment to origin and plays a pivotal role in the overall theme of the show; they not only introduce attendees to the coffees of their homeland, they also present a significant cultural component to the show in the form of entertainment, presentations and local gatherings
“Ethiopia is enthusiastically preparing for the Portrait Country at SCAA’s Event! It is a unique opportunity to showcase Ethiopia’s heritage and diversity—from the birthplace of Arabica coffee to specialty coffee’s hometown in Seattle,” expressed State Minister of Trade of Ethiopia, His Excellency Yaekob Yalla.
“We look forward to strengthening relationships and establishing new partnerships, and feature Ethiopia’s recent innovations in quality and traceability
About SCAA
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is a non-profit trade organization and the world recognized leader in coffee knowledge development.
With over 12,000 members located in more than 40 countries, including member companies and their employees, SCAA members represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, including producers, roasters, importers/exporters, retailers, manufacturers, baristas and other industry professionals.
For over 30 years, the SCAA has been dedicated to creating a vibrant specialty coffee community, recognizing, developing and promoting specialty coffee by setting and maintaining quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee consumption, brewing and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for its members.
