SCA Dubai Decision Brews Controversy
The Specialty Coffee Association announced a new annual World of Coffee Dubai trade show and has canceled an upcoming competition scheduled for September 2018. News of a new location for the 2018 competition is expected shortly.
The new event, staged in partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), will be part of the GulfHost Show beginning in March 2020. The event is being scheduled in addition to SCA’s World of Coffee show that takes place each year in Europe.The move comes after the association and its competition arm, World Coffee Events, was criticized in September 2017 for selecting Dubai as the host city for the 2018 World Coffee Championships. SCA members said that the laws of the United Arab Emirates’ and its human rights record involving members of the LGBTQ community could put competitors in legal jeopardy.
With the new World of Coffee Dubai event now scheduled and what SCA terms “new directions in partnership,” the SCA, World Coffee Events, and DWTC canceled the World Coffee Championships at GulfHost 2018.
In a press release, World Coffee Events said it will share more details about the location of these competitions on May 25.
“This will be the premium coffee show in the region, attracting coffee producers, manufacturers, retailers, traders, baristas, roasters and the broader industry,” SCA stated. “Designed to meet the specific needs and interests of the region’s coffee communities, the show will include the addition of SCA trade show features such as education from their Coffee Skills Program, Best New Product Awards, Design Lab Exhibits, lectures, and workshops.”