Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491356
12 STiR tea & coffee industry international NEWS THAIFEX: World of Coffee & Tea The inaugural World of Coffee & Tea 2014, one of three specialized events of THAIFEX - World of Food Asia, will debut May 21-25 at the IMPACT Exhibition and Conven- tion Center, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand. The exposition offers a comprehensive spectrum of coffee and tea expertise showcasing equipment and ser- vices from more than 100 suppliers around the world along with educational programs. It is also home to the Roaster's Choice Awards which first took place at THAIFEX 2013. The Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) will introduce its well-established education program on all aspects of the specialty coffee sector, from roasting to run- ning a coffee shop. Participants who enroll in the roasting and green bean modules can receive certification recognized globally by governments and international organizations. The event has garnered strong support from key local and international players including Italasia, representing "Illy"; Espressoman, displaying Sanremo coffee machines; K2, a leading distributor of coffee machines in Thailand; Boncafe (Thailand) with cutting-edge products such as the new Una Automatic, a single button coffee capsule system cremesso. Visitors can also expect exhibitors from China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Italy, Korea and Malaysia. Growth in the specialty drinks sector has escalated, in particular cold beverages, according to Pavinee Khetphanas- ant, general manager, Boncafe (Thailand) Ltd. "Coffee shop owners in Asia today are more educated and willing to customize drink choices in response to cus- tomers' demand. In turn, they see the value in investing in better machines and products in their pursuit of superior coffee experience," he said. Alstead Named Starbucks COO seattLe, Wash. — In February Starbucks Coffee Co. an- nounced a new leadership structure that assigns ceo Howard Schultz the task of overseeing innovation and next genera- tion retailing and payments initiatives. Troy Alstead was promoted to chief operating officer and Craig Russell was promoted to evp global coffee. These moves "position the company to leverage its assets and operations, and gain maximum benefit from the retail, consumer, mobile and digital shifts currently under- way in the global marketplace," according to release. The new structure bolsters the financial and operat- ing capabilities as the company looks for growth overseas. In the weeks that followed the announcement Teavana founder Andy Mack left the company and was replaced by Annie Young-Scrivner, now evp Starbucks Coffee Co. and president of Teavana. She reports to Cliff Burrows, group president, U.S. Americas and Teavana. "Under Annie's leadership, we plan to do for tea what we did for coffee by significantly expanding the availability of new and innovative Teavana products in Starbucks and Teavana retail stores and other channels," said Burrows. Mack and his wife Nancy founded Teavana in Atlanta, Ga. In 1997 and built the company into a 280 store chain in the United States and Canada. In November 2012 Starbucks bought the company for $620 million. The Macks had retained enough shares to earn a payout of approximately $335 million. Scott Maw, svp of corporate finance, was promoted to evp and cfo, replacing Alstead. Nine-year retail operations executive and employee Resources svp Rossann Williams was named svp and president, Starbucks Canada. CQI Names Two Executives The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) has named Kimberly Easson vp of strategic partnerships and Camilo Sánchez business development director. The California based non-profit provides training and technical assistance to coffee producers and other individu- als in the supply chain to increase the value, volume and sustainability of high quality coffee production. Easson has been working with CQI for more than a year as a consultant on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Ethiopia AGP AMDe Project, one of CQI's largest and most complex projects. She previously worked 14 years at Fairtrade International holding key roles "Around the world, 40% of the revenue of a coffee shop comes from cold drinks. We believe that in Southeast Asia, the figure is closer to 60%. Consumer demand has been driven by com- panies like Starbucks (Frappe) and McDonalds (Smoothies), but smaller operators are able today to offer high quality beverages that are as good as the multi-nationals, at lower prices," said Khetphanasant. This is the second year for the Roasters' Cup competi- tion organized in partnership with the Barista Association of Thailand. Expert judges will evaluate 20 participants from Southeast Asia. "The Roasters' Choice Award was created to raise the bar in this coffee growing region. We made an impact last year, and hope to see increased participation this year," said Khun Meechai, president of the Barista Associa- tion of Thailand. A Tasting Bar featuring unique flavors from 40 different coffee beans offers visitors a taste of the coffee culture in Asia. Training, certification programs and education will play a pivotal role. "Coffee and tea have always played an essen- tial role in the world of food, drinks and hospitality. With the growth of THAIFEX - World of Food Asia, we felt that this is the best time to provide the industry with a business platform to meet, network and share information with one another, so that it can contribute to the further growth of this sector, according to Michael Dreyer, vp, Asia Pacific, Koelnmesse. Koelnmesse is one of the world's largest trade fair orga- nizers, whose international trade fairs are widely acknowl- edged as global leaders in their fields. Learn more and register at: www.world-of-coffeeandtea.com