Following a record-breaking year in 2025, how can attendees make the most of their time at this year’s Melbourne International Coffee Expo?
While the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) trade floor alone is a treasure trove of discovery, organisers of the 2026 event are building in plenty of golden opportunities outside of the confines of the main expo.
An exciting line-up of activations are set to celebrate, educate, and connect the industry, including the BeanScene Café Owners Education Series; Coffee Industry Heroes Awards; the return of the Roaster’s Playground and Trip to Origin; and the inaugural MICE at Night.
Although attendees are spoilt for choice when it comes to curating their own MICE experience, each of these initiatives operate with the same goal in mind: creating opportunities for connection.
“For some, it’s going to be the connections made through engaging with Trip to Origin, for others it’s going to be celebrating the industry at the official MICE afterparty and awards,” says Siobhan Rocks, General Manager – Events at Prime Creative Media, which organises MICE.
“It’s important to us that we are able to facilitate attendees creating different points of connection in their own way.”
The BeanScene Café Owners Education Series, sponsored by Grounded Packaging, will allow for café owners to step back from their day-to-day to obtain a stronger grasp of the industry in 2026, while providing actionable tips to ensure their businesses aren’t just existing, but thriving.
Topics to be covered include café management, the future of Australian-grown coffee, and navigating the cold coffee revolution.
“MICE is where the café community comes together, and the BeanScene stage is a place where owners can connect on shared industry topics,” says Siobhan.
“Our goal is to create an environment where owners feel empowered, inspired, and ready to take their business to the next level.”
The event will also feature the Global Coffee Report (GCR) Leaders Symposium, aiming to bring together leading roasters, business operators, and industry decision makers to unpack the trends, opportunities, and challenges shaping the global coffee landscape.
Attendees can expect a dynamic schedule from an extended panel of experts, and the opportunity to network and connect directly with industry leaders in the coffee industry.
MICE also marks the second year of the Coffee Industry Heroes Awards, which Siobhan says are “a real celebration of the trailblazers, the legends, and the newcomers within the coffee and café industry”.
“We’re putting people who are in the industry in the middle and shining a light on them as part of that,” she says.
This year will also see the expansion of four awards: the Sustainability champion, Coffee Educator, Best new café, and Home grown hero.
Following a record-breaking 2025, MICE organisers are harnessing that momentum, including the return of the highly successful Roaster’s Playground. It’s also the must-see event Siobhan recommends for MICE first-time attendees.
“It’s the best representation of the Australian coffee scene: it’s a celebration of the diversity of different roasters, and it’s a cost-effective way of getting their product out there. If there’s any argument on how good coffee is in Australia, it’s because of these people.”
The event will also see the expo’s first extended-hours event, MICE at Night, which will turn the exhibition floor into an industry party for one night only.
Siobhan says it will allow key members of the coffee industry even greater access to the show.
“Although MICE typically runs across three action-filled days at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, we have found café owners and operators can sometimes struggle to engage with the show as it falls during peak business times,” says Siobhan.
“We know how hard baristas, managers, and café owners work, so MICE at Night will be an opportunity for them to let off steam while they network.”
She says the most exciting part of putting together this year’s event is the number of new exhibitors who’ve never attended MICE before, allowing the expo to continue to grow alongside the vibrant industry it serves.
“It’s really great to see a show that’s been around for 13 years go through a phase of reinvention.”
MICE will be held from 26 – 28 March 2026 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
For more information, visit
internationalcoffeeexpo.com/attend
