STiR coffee and tea magazine

30 STiR coffee and tea | 2025 Issue 1 Spring (Mar/Apr/May) Why Tradeshows Survive Buyers who attend tradeshows are curious and motivated. Surveys indicate that 92% go primarily to see new products and services. According to a FaceTime analysis of 250,000 UK live event visi- tors, attendees spend an average of 5.5 hours at a live event. The study found live events are twice as effective as TV ads, three times more effective than print media, and four times more effective than ra- dio. Live events leave a lasting impression, as 69% of visitors surveyed two weeks after the event said they had already recommended or would recom- mend brands they had seen at the event. According to The European-based Global As- sociation of the Exhibition Industry UFI, during the months following the declaration of a global Covid-19 emergency in 2020, the exhibition indus- try worldwide contracted by 68%. Globally, an es- timated 10,000 tradeshows were canceled. Exhibi- tions in the US plummeted 98% during the first half of 2020 compared to 2019, and attendance at sur- viving shows plummeted from a high of 35 million. In 2021, attendees cautiously returned. The SCA Expo attracted 10,000 at- tendees in 2022 and 420 exhibitors to Boston. Attendance grew to 12,000 the following year in Portland, Ore., a show that featured 574 exhibitors. Two years later, in April 2024, SCA reported record attendance in Chicago, with 17,000 coffee and tea professionals from 85 countries – a 23% increase over 2019. SCA is projecting that 17,000 will attend the Houston Expo in April 2025. A post by The Barista, a UK-based blog for the coffee industry, reports that following Covid-19, Freeman Exhibit Surveys showed that 46% of beverage event attendees now visit only one show per year. According to Tradeshow Labs (TSL), senior executives at US companies attended an average of 55.5 tradeshows in 2019. That declined to 15 in-person events in 2020-21. In 2023, the average climbed to 47.2 in-person events, down 19% compared to 2019 but climbing. According to a study released in early 2024, event marketers in the US, facing fast-paced inflation, dialed that estimate back to 42.4 in-person regional trade shows throughout that year. The average number of intended national and international events declined to 12.5 and 5.1 in 2024, respectively. The same survey revealed that only a little more than one-third of US event marketers' exhibit-marketing budgets were expected to increase in 2024. Specialty Coffee Expo SCA's April 2024 Expo was the most successful in 35 years, setting sales and attendance records that topped 2019. Six hundred and two companies exhibited, making it North America's largest B2B specialty coffee show. SCA reports that 75% of attendees influence purchasing decisions and that 25% have more than $1 million to spend on goods and services during the follow- ing 12 months. The educational program featured 50 lectures, scientific poster sessions, workshops, and a cupping exchange. Two examples of on-trend activities stood out. The Green Coffee Connect program was the most innovative, matching suppliers with coffee buyers and reserving private meeting rooms to negotiate sales. SCA is attempting to change the perception of coffee value to include intangibles, moving away from a rigid cupping scale of 0-100. That work continues with a new Re:co* activity called Spotlight, which debuts in April, two days before the Houston Expo. *See: Spotlight: Focused Interaction for a Select Few Sidebar SCA will also reconvene the Retail Buyers Lounge, a casual hangout with food and samples. During the day, various firms pitch and take part in panel discussions while attendees enjoy a buffet lunch. Attendees come to the SCA Expo and return every year to build relationships, writes SCA. "Unlike coffee festivals and enthusiast events, the Specialty Coffee Expo attracts seasoned buy- ers and businesses investing in coffee and allied products and services. It's the ultimate platform for networking and sharing with the best in the business." National Coffee Association Convention The NCA Annual Convention is a hotel-sized event hosted in a different US location each year to encourage attendees to experience diverse contexts and coffee communities. This year's event, from March 6-8 in Houston, Tex- as, will draw more than 800 coffee professionals and executives, influential thought leaders, and key decision-makers. In 2024, 30% of convention at- tendees were from outside the US. The association's press office writes, "The NCA Annual Convention pro- vides the highest level of networking with key decision-makers: 86% of 2023 Convention attendees were presidents/CEOs, VPs, directors, or managers. It is not a trade expo but does incorporate an exhibit hall, which drew 27 exhibitors in 2024." The event is known for its unique and dynamic environment, conducive to doing business and having meaningful conversations. The agenda includes ample time for high-impact networking against local food, music, and top- notch entertainment, as well as educational sessions exploring the latest con- sumer trends, industry innovations, economic forecasts, and regulatory issues. Many shows utilize digital tools to facilitate further networking and connecting sellers to buyers. Tradeshows and festivals offer an excellent opportunity to taste coffees from unique origins worldwide. Photos courtesy SCA/Skandia Shafer

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