Dubai: Every December, the world’s coffee and tea industries descend on Dubai for the annual Dubai International Coffee and Tea Festival (DICTF).
The most recent edition bore witness to what organisers called “the world’s richest coffee championship,” offering a prize pot of over $60,000 (Dh220,380) for the best barista.
Away from the competition, the 2018 expo saw producers from around the world displaying their products and services in hopes of tapping in to the Middle East’s booming coffee trade.
“The 2018 DICTF... [opened] against the backdrop of a burgeoning coffee and tea industry in the local market,” said Anselm Godinho, managing director of International Conferences and Exhibitions, the organisers of the DICTF. “DICTF... provide[s] individuals and businesses alike with a platform to capitalise on the thriving opportunities in the industry today.”
Godinho said he was “overwhelmed by the huge turnout on the first day” of the event, adding that he was confident more would visit in the coming days to check out the products, services and technological advancements in the production, storage and distribution of coffee and tea.
