MICEmovesdatestohostAustralianCoffeeChampionships

Recently,WorldCoffeeEvents(WCE)announcedthedatesforthe2019WorldBaristaChampionship(WBC)andWorldBrewersCup(WBrC)asbeingmid-April2019.GenerallytheseWorldCoffeeChampionshipsareheldmid-year,toenableallparticipatingcountriestoholdtheirNationalCoffeeChampionshipsintheearlypartoftheyearandprovideenoughtimefortheirChampionstopreparefortheworldstage.WCEplaysavitalroleincontinuingtoturnthespotlightonbothourbaristasandourindustryonagloballevelandMICEunderstandstheimportanceofthesecompetitions.Asaconsequenceofthis,wepartnerwiththeAustralianSpecialtyCoffeeAssociation(ASCA)tohosttheAustralianCoffeeChampionshipseachyearasafeaturewithinthetradeexpo.MICEistraditionallyheldinlateMarchorearlyApril.ThedatesforMICEin2019hadbeenannouncedpriortotheannouncementoftheWBCandWBrCdates.Unfortunatelyonthisoccasion,withWCEholdingthosetwocompetitionsattheSpecialtyCoffeeExpoinBostonjustafewshortdaysafterMICE,thismeansitisvirtuallyimpossibleforthewinnersoftheAustralianBaristaChampionshipandAustralianBrewersCuptohaveenoughtimetotraveltoBostontocompete.TherelationshipbetweenMICEandASCAisalong-standingandimportantone.TheAustralianCoffeeChampionshipsprovideanexcitingfeatureforMICEandanotherreasonforthecoffeecommunitytocometogether.Forthecompetitions,MICEprovidesaready-madeplatformandaudienceforthecompetingbaristastoshowcasetheirskills.MICEiscommittedtobothASCAandWCEandtoensuringthatwecansupportASCAintheoperationandsuccessfuldeliveryofthecompetitions.WehaveworkedhardinthebackgroundwithASCAtolookatallavailableoptionsforthisunusualsituationandhaveagreedthatwewillmaketheunprecedenteddecisiontomovethedatesofMICEfromApriltoFebruary.GiventhatMICEisalready70%sold,thisdecisionhasimpactedasignificantnumberofbusinesseswithinthecoffeecommunity.MICEhasalreadycontactedanddiscussedthisdecisionwithallcommittedexhibitorsandsponsorsandwewouldliketothankthesecompaniesfortheirwillingnesstosupportbothASCAandMICEinmakingthismove.ThenewofficialdateofMICEis7–9February2019.“TheAustralianSpecialtyCoffeeAssociationrecognisesthesignificanceofMICEasAustralia’spremierspecialtycoffeeexpo.ASCAhasbeenpartneringwithMICEsinceitsinceptionin2012,whentheeventwascreatedtogiveAustraliaitsowndedicatedmeetingplaceforcoffee

professionals,”saysASCAPresidentBrentWilliams.“WithourmissionbeingtoadvancespecialtycoffeeinAustralia,itmakesperfectsensethatwewouldachievethisgoalinpartnershipwithaflagshipeventlikeMICE.TheAustralianCoffeeChampionshipsareafanfavouriteatMICE,andprovideourcompetitorsandsponsorswiththeopportunitytoexperienceaworld-classcompetitioninourownbackyard.”DavidMakin,OwnerofAxilCoffeeRoasterssaysfromanindustryperspective,thechangeofdatetoaccommodatetheASCAAustralianCoffeeChampionshipsmeanskeepingaunitedevent.“Ithinkit’safantasticmovesowecanallbetogether.Althoughthecompetitionsarequiteremovedfromtheeverydaycoffeeworld,theyhaveanimportantroletoplayinbringingtheindustryaltogetheronceayeartoseewhat’snewandcutting-edge,”Davidsays.OnaCoffeeFounderSasaSesticsaysthechangeofdateisimportantfromacompetitionperspectiveandindustryleaderslookingtoattendthe2019WBC.“ThepreparationtimeforanAustraliancompetitorheadingtotheWBCinBostonstraightafterMICEwasgoingtobeverytightintermsoforganisinglogistics,roasting,expensesandresources.Itwouldn'tgivetheAustralianrepresentativethebestchancetorepresentthecountryontheworldstagesoI’minhugesupportofhavingMICEinFebruary,”Sasasays.“MICEisnotMICEwithoutthecompetitions,andthenationalcompetitionsarenotnationalswithoutMICE.Thetwohavebeenconnectedforsomanyyears,soI’mthrilledwecankeepthemtogether.”AboutMelbourneInternationalCoffeeExpo(MICE2019)TheMelbourneInternationalCoffeeExpo(MICE)isthelargestdedicatedcoffeeshowintheSouthernHemisphere.MICE2018welcomedmorethan120exhibitors,featuringthelatestinespressoequipment,coffeebrewingdevices,exoticandexpensivecoffeebeans,roastingequipment,andmore.In2019,MICEwillbeheldattheMelbourneConventionandExhibitionCentre.Formoreinformationvisitwww.internationalcoffeeexpo.comForfurthermediainformation,contactSarahBaker:sarah.baker@primecreative.com.auorcall+61396908766FollowMICEonTwitter@MelbCoffeeExpo#MICE2019,onFacebookwww.facebook.com/MelbCoffeeExpoorInstagraminstagram.com/melbournecoffeeexpo