Host Milano has declared 2019 as the “time to dare” for coffee lovers.
The biannual Italian event celebrates three core segments of the Ho.Re.Ca industry – Food Service Equipment with Bread, Pizza and Pasta; Coffee/Tea with Coffee and Vending Machines, Bars and Gelato/Pastry; Furnishings and Tableware.
In terms of coffee, Host Milano has determined superfood coffee, nitro coffee, goth lattes (made using activated charcoal), egg coffee, and flower extracts as the five hottest trends according to recent international research. Cold Brew, speciality blends, single-origin beans, and alternative brewing methods are all common Australian offerings that Host Milano says are catching on overseas.
“Over the past two years, coffee, always a big thing in Australia, has just gained more and more popularity. Cafés are opening in record numbers and there is extreme competition in the market to stand out. This is driving innovation in the market to create loyalties and drive customer service. This success is being strengthened by the younger generations who are drinking coffee more than any generation before them,” Host Ambassador Kerri McConnel says.
“This is driving innovation as cafés, bars and restaurants focus on the things that are important to these young coffee drinkers, for example ready-to-drink coffees, like cold brews, which are quick and easy to buy, available in environmentally friendly glass bottles.”
Kerri says sustainability is key on Australian consumers’ minds, with reusable cups becoming more common. Customers are also demanding a higher quality beverage.
“Consumers are also focusing more on the quality of coffee, and specialty coffees are popping up everywhere. Cold filtered and cold drip coffees started trending in the past two years and will continue,” she says.
“Nitro coffee will develop further and the use of coffee in cocktails will increase. Over the past few years, the use of other milks – soy, almond – have become firmly entrenched on the Australian market, but in 2019, more milks will be asked for including cashew, rice, coconut, oat and macadamia milk.”
Host Milano says it will provide opportunities for Australian companies to showcase their advances to a global audience. Salone Internazionale del Caffè, held at FieraMilano from 18 to 22 October, will provide an opportunity for coffee professionals to meet important Italian and international players and attend a broad schedule of events, contests, and training sessions.
Host Milano will also hold the Smart Label Host Innovation Award, a competition in partnership with Poil.Design and sponsored by the Italian Association for Industrial Design. A pool of international experts will evaluate and choose the products, services and projects that stand out from all others in terms of functionality, technologies, environmental sustainability, ethics or social implications.
Host Milano will also organise To Coffee with Andrej Godina, five-day cultural event discussing sustainability, education and cross-contaminations in coffee.
Coffee industry representative at host Milan will include Astoria, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, Eversys, Evoca Group, Franke, Gruppo Cimbali, Julius Meinl, La Marzocco, Marco Beverage Systems, Rancilio Group, Simonelli Group, Slayer Professional Espresso, UCC Europe, and Wega.
For more information visit host.fieramilano.it