As part of the Right Side Coffee team, we've had the privilege of attending numerous editions of World of Coffee , the flagship event of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) . This festival brings together the most passionate people in the world of specialty coffee, from roasters and baristas to producers and enthusiasts. This year's edition in Copenhagen was no exception, offering a unique platform to explore new trends and technologies and strengthen relationships within the industry.
Marcos has given us access to his personal blog from those festival days, and this is what we found:
Day 1: Departure from Barcelona
On June 26th, I left Barcelona for Copenhagen to attend World of Coffee. My first task was to collaborate with the Sibarist team, who had reserved an official tasting space for us on the 27th. Additionally, on the 28th, we would have a special filter coffee event at their stand, alongside Ryan, the second-place world filter coffee champion.
Day 2: First Day at the Festival
I arrived at the festival early, unsure of how the tasting would go. It was the first time we'd used the equipment in this setting, and the challenge was calibrating everything perfectly before the guests arrived. In these situations, where everything moves at breakneck speed and the equipment is constantly being transported, there are always unexpected issues. The water had an extremely high PPM level and the temperature was too low, which complicated things a bit. Fortunately, the SCA team and the volunteers were a great help, and the tasting went perfectly.
We set up two tables with 12 coffees each, and around 15 people per table, mainly importers. These events are usually an excellent opportunity to showcase the new season's coffees to interested parties in the industry. The tasting was a success, and many of the attendees were already familiar with our coffees, having tried them the previous week at our café in Barcelona.
After the tasting, we packed everything up and began our tour of the festival's three pavilions. There's so much to explore that it's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially after skipping breakfast and drinking a lot of coffee in the morning. I visited the Sibarist team to thank them for the space, which turned out to be a huge success. People were impressed with our coffees, which made me very happy.
Day 3: Cafes and Discoveries
On June 28th, at 11:00 AM, we served coffee at the Sibarist stand, and I had the opportunity to chat with some interesting people. We discovered a project in Copenhagen where they are growing coffee in greenhouses, experimenting with different varieties, soils, and irrigation systems. It was fascinating to see how innovation continues to expand in the world of specialty coffee.
We also visited the Roasters Village, which had two sections featuring European and international roasters. It was a great opportunity to learn about the latest trends and innovations without having to travel too far. Three trends stood out: the rise of the Robusta variety, the growing interest in decaffeinated coffee, and co-fermentations.
Day 4: Last Day of the Festival
On the last day of the festival, I got ready to pack up all the samples I'd collected and get organized before heading back to the event. I returned to the festival to say goodbye to the Sibarist team, thank them for inviting us, and continue visiting other roasters. We exchanged the last samples, which is a common practice at these events, almost like trading cards.
One of the most important purchases I made was a refractometer and a colorimeter, essential tools that will help us achieve even greater consistency in our coffee cups. I also attended some courses on the SCA's new cupping standards, crucial for staying up-to-date with best practices.
The roasting championship had finished, so I asked my friend to pick me up from the hotel with my bike disassembled. We headed out for more hot dogs, since in Denmark, hot dogs are as iconic as paella is in Spain.
Until next time!
World of Coffee in Copenhagen was an enriching and enlightening experience. From tastings and events at the Sibarist booth to visits to roasters and discovering new trends, every moment was an opportunity to learn and connect with other coffee enthusiasts. This festival not only allowed us to showcase our coffees and strengthen relationships, but also to explore innovations and trends that are shaping the future of specialty coffee.
We're returning to Barcelona with fresh ideas, new tools, and renewed enthusiasm to continue offering the best coffee to our customers. We're eager to put what we've learned into practice and continue our mission to elevate the quality and culture of coffee in every cup we serve.
See you at the next World of Coffee!