Malaysia reports another F&B industry success in Asia, and this time, for its love of dark brew. The fifth edition of the Café Malaysia series took place this year between the 17th till the 19th of January, 2019 at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC). Café Malaysia 2019 was officially opened by the guest-of-honour, Yang Berhormat Dr Ong Kian Ming, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) on January 17th, 2019.
MARKING 5 YEARS OF SUCCESS
First launched in 2015, Café Malaysia is the largest gathering of the tea and coffee industries in Malaysia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia. As a B2B platform, the trade show is an avenue of collaborations and opportunities for key decision makers of the coffee and tea industries whom seek sourcing destination for their café needs in a country where the number of specialty coffee drinkers has grown rapidly in recent years. Testifying to that, this year, the 3-day multi-sensorial show recorded about 12,000 trade and public visitors with immense passion for coffee and tea.
A GLOBAL PARTICIPATION
Year 2019, however, marks the largest presentation of the Café Malaysia series since its inception. Nearly 180 international, regional, and local exhibitors from 22 countries were hosted this year for the show in Malaysia. The list includes coffee experts from Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, who are members of the ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF).
One of the topics also primarily discussed in Café Malaysia 2019 is the development of ASEAN’s very own set of Coffee Standards which focuses on coffee beans cultivated in the ASEAN region. The standards will feature key differentiations from existing standards originating from the west.
MALAYSIA FOOD TRUCK CONGRESS
The inaugural Malaysia Food Truck Congress was another highlight of Café Malaysia 2019. The congress covered topics such as wholesale purchasing, licensing, marketing, food truck safety, and the fast-changing regulations of the industry. The congress presented a business platform for key decision-makers and industry players to keep abreast of new technological improvements in the food truck F&B sectors, as well as to examine the latest F&B developments and market trends. The Food Truck Show was another supporting event at the show, catering a platform for discussions on planning, permitting, truck fabrication, food safety, production, and innovative ideas in the local food truck scene.
PRESTIGIOUS COFFEE COMPETITIONS
The show hosted three internationally-sanctioned coffee competitions, featuring the country’s top baristas in competing for the prestigious champion titles in the 2019 Malaysia Barista Championship, the 2019 Malaysia Brewers Cup, and the 2019 KL Coffee Club Malaysia Latte Art Championship. The first-place-winners of each of the three championships will be representing Malaysia at the world stage later this year.
2019 was definitely an exhilarating year for Café Malaysia, and Malaysia is looking forward for more. Let us also not forget the minds and hands behind the show – CEMS Conference & Exhibition (M) Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) (a member of ACF), and the Café Owners Alliance Malaysia, as well as the endorser, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).
For more information on this event, you may go to
www.cafe-malaysia.com.
