Themes from the show floors

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in coffee. With two big events returned to the calendar – the London Coffee Festival and the Speciality Coffee Expo in Boston – it felt like a return to the old normal, where coffee friends from across the globe gather amid the latest industry trends.

So what were the highlights from the events? First, new technology. The list of award winners announced by the Speciality Coffee Association board at the Expo featured the finest in innovation across nine categories, from the smartphone-controlled heated Ember coffee mug to Victoria Arduino’s Black Eagle Maverick espresso machine.

In London, we were excited to hear about the upcoming launch of Blend – a mobile app that allows people to review coffee. With the continued growth in roasters and cafes, this is an exciting platform for feedback straight from the audience companies seek to target.

As our Instagram followers will know, alternative milks are also here for the long term. Ever-present at both events (but especially in London), the traditional oat, soy and almond varieties were joined by less traditional potato, hemp and pea alternatives – plus the latest trend to blend multiple milk-alternative ingredients. Find out more about how the flavour of coffee is influenced by dairy-free via the Discover section at Coffee Knowledge Hub.

Knowledge is the final key trend that needs calling out. People came together for RE:CO Symposium with the industry's thought leaders presenting on the latest themes, research and developments in coffee. There were also over 60 lectures at Expo itself – all of which we will be featuring exclusively for Coffee Knowledge Hub members from May.

Not a member yet? Sign up for free via coffeeknowledgehub.com/join.