The latest new coffee trends at Host Milano 2019
For coffee lovers, 2019 is the time to dare. Superfood coffee, Nitro Coffee, Goth Latte (the latter with activated carbon), egg coffee and flower extracts are the five hottest trends according to recent international research. Up at the top are also Cold Brew, the must-have for next summer, speciality blends, single-origin beans and alternative brewing methods.
How can these creative ideas be turned into business multipliers, perhaps by exploring hybrid solutions with the pastry and bakery sectors, for instance? Sic – Salone Internazionale del Caffè, the time-honoured event organised by HostMilano (at fieramilano from 18 to 22 October 2019), will be the opportunity for coffee professionals to meet all the most important Italian and international players and attend an unparalleled schedule of events, contests and training sessions in the presence of the world’s most highly regarded baristas. It will be the unique opportunity to sample a preview of tomorrow’s trends in terms of format, layout and technological innovation.
Host 2019 – Training, events and awards focusing on innovation and design
HostMilano is more than news from companies. It will also be about responsibility, innovation, ergonomics and design, thanks to SMART Label Host Innovation Award, a competition organised by Fiera Milano and HostMilano, in partnership with POLI.Design (Milan Polytechnic Consortium) and sponsored by ADI (the Italian Association for Industrial Design). A pool of international experts will evaluate and choose the products, services and projects that stand out from all others in terms of functionality, technologies, environmental sustainability, ethics or social implications.
Trends, training and contests. In addition to presenting the intrinsic qualities of coffee and brewing methods, HostMilano will include a packed calendar of events and seminars in the booths of fieramilano to see the best professionals on national and international level at work up close.
The Gran Premio della Caffetteria Italiana, with the best Italian baristas selected during the year in five stages from the north to the south of the country will be in the spotlight. The Latte Art Grading Battle Championship, presented by AICAF Italian Academy of Coffee Masters and ALTOGA, the Italian National Association of Coffee Roasters, Importers and Food Wholesalers, on the other hand will focus on certifications. The Latte Art Grading System represents the only international certification system of its kind and present today in 22 countries of the world. Last but not least, will be Coffee Addition, presented by Gianni Cocco, AICAF Italian Academy of Coffee Masters and ALTOGA, the Italian National Association of Coffee Roasters, Importers and Food Wholesalers. The format, within Host 2019, will be held across various stands that will sign up for this initiative and for which a seminar (“master”) will be organised. The objective is to involve customers in an explosion of news related to the “mitigation” world, which in this case will be that of coffee.
Host 2019 will also be organising TO COFFEE, the event where coffee will be the excuse to talk about sustainability, education and cross-contaminations.
TO COFFEE is a five-day cultural event organised by coffee expert Andrej Godina in team with the staff of the Umami Area association. TO COFFEE will explore coffee as action focusing on production process sustainability.
TO COFFEE will be the meeting place for coffee and cocoa product cross-contaminations in the scope of a project co-financed by the EU through the Erasmus+ programme. The last appointment of the Cocoa Project will be held during HOST with a dedicated training programme dedicated on the world of premium quality chocolate. Finally, Fabio Milani, trainer and owner of the Italian section of the European Bartender School, will burst into the TO COFFEE space with Coffee & Spirits workshops and master classes. It promises to be a unique opportunity to exchange experiences between the mixology and coffee worlds that seldom have the opportunity to meet.
In Italy, speciality beans and alternative brewing methods meet tradition
Being present in Milan – the capital of the Italian lifestyle – is important also because Italy is becoming more and more a workshop of new cafeteria trends. The country that invented the espresso is discovering the new brewing methods and the original aromas. Original and interesting ideas ready to be replicated worldwide can spring from the encounter between Italian tradition and cosmopolitan novelties.
This is certainly due to the opening of major international chains in Italy, but also to increasingly greater cohort of baristas able to offer different products, not unlike sommeliers, and present the intrinsic qualities of each suggestion to their customers.
This is also merit to the famous “Third Wave”, that by introducing single-origin products and ethical sourcing has changed the perception of the world of coffee. Starting from the increasing attention to sustainability (such as disposable pods made with recyclable materials and the use of increasingly green technologies) or by the search for products which are always unique and original. How? By using tools such as certifications, attractive packaging, attraction locations and, of course, cups with customised shape, thickness and capacity. Because having exclusive models in relation to different types of coffee and to the beverage preparation methods is one of the factors which can make the experience for end consumer truly unique.
What will be the must-haves for the next summer? Firstly, cold brew coffee. Neat or with coconut milk, almonds milk, tonic water, juice or Chinotto, it is the ideal base for mixing alcoholic or soft drinks. It is preferred with respect to shaken coffee for its simplicity and lack of sugar, in addition to its unmistakable aroma. Not less on-trend will be nitro coffee, that has won over consumers in the United States and northern Europe and Asia and which is preparing to land increasingly massively in Italy, too. With a thick creamy surface, not unlike a stout beer, it promises to be the ideal preparation for becoming the most popular beverage during warmer months, thanks to its freshness and its thirst-quenching properties.
The reference event for a sector worth EUR 17 billion worldwide
Everything that revolves around coffee is in full health in Italy and nearly everywhere in the world as confirmed by the Ulisse Information System. World trade in the Coffee – Coffee Machines – Vending Machine industry reached a new peak in 2018 with total in excess of EUR 17 billion (the average increase over the current decade is close to 10% a year). What is more, growth prospects for the sector as a whole are good for years up to 2022 (+6.1% average per year in Euro).
Particularly in good health are the Premium-Price segments (this market share rose from 11.2% to 25.7% of the world total in 2008-2018 period) and those of Medium-High range, which increased by almost 7 points with respect to ten years ago. On world level, exports are driven by the high-added-value import demand of countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, Spain, Canada and the USA, with newcomers China and Hong Kong, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Australia. Main exports from Italy in the sector – which totalled EUR 2.7 billion in 2018, confirming Italy as global market leader in Premium-Price exports and specifically in the vending machine segment – are especially Germany, France, the United States, Russia (on the rise), the United Kingdom and Austria.
