COTECA Sets Attendance Record

HAMBURG, Germany

Hamburg Messe teamed with STiR coffee and tea and the German Roasters Guild in September to host a successful COTECA (Coffee Tea and Cocoa/Global Industry Expo).

An estimated 3,600 attendees and nearly 200 exhibitors from 40 nations attended the fourth edition of the three-day event. STiR was the Global Media Partner and promoter.

Kaffee Campus, an educational program of the roasters guild and COTECA, “complemented one another ideally in their program and were equally well received by the trade visitors,” said Bernd Aufderheide, president and c.e.o. of Hamburg Messe und Congress.

Arkadius Michalczyk, secretary-general of the roasters guild praised the coordination and a crowd. “Our exhibitors were able to get plenty of good business leads very quickly, so they are satisfied,” said Michalczyk. He and project manager Karoline Stündel, along with chairman Klaus Langen and many guild volunteers, organized cuppings, competitions, and an ambitious conference.

The workshops were fully booked, and the expert presentations attracted a large audience. A special highlight was the “Wall of Coffee”, where visitors reviewed 170 coffees from a wide range of countries, many of which were available for tasting.

Michalczyk is enthusiastic about Germany’s growing number of local roasters and public interest in specialty coffee. In Germany six firms control 85% of the market. “The quantity of specialty coffee is less than 1% of the total market,” according to Michalczyk.

Hamburg is a major tea port in Europe with many global firms headquartered along its massive harbor on the Elbe River. Exhibitors included Hälsson & Lyon, Wollenhaupt, Dethlefsen & Balk, and J.Fr. Scheibler. Suppliers from Indonesia, India, China, Taiwan, and Japan were surrounded by exhibitors with packaging, flavoring, and services. Dozens of regional coffee roasters attended along with a contingent of 13 green coffee traders and tea importers from across the continent.

“COTECA was great,” said Judy Fernández-Melzig, “We naturally met our regular customers here, and were also able to gain a great many new leads, in particular to companies based abroad – we feel that is extremely positive. Our stand was busy all the time.”

Organizers said the event drew praise from attendees, 91% of whom were pleased with the information available, 93% highlighted the opportunity for expert discussions, and 90% were pleased to meet and cultivate international contacts.