In the heart of Melbourne, something magical was brewing from July 17th to 19th: the 10th Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE). 

For Progreso, though we are familiar with the European and American coffee markets, the Australian terrain was a bit uncharted, and thus Rianne van der Bom, our Progreso Asia Program Manager stationed in Indonesia, went out to explore what was happening in this corner of the world, and how did it resonate with the global coffee narrative?

During the MICE, the spotlight shone brightly on the sale of green coffee, those unroasted gems that hold the promise of flavors yet to be unveiled, to local and national roasters.

Furthermore, there is a wide offer of coffee equipment and related products for roasters and coffee bars. And then there were the Australian Barista Championships, where baristas metamorphosed into alchemists. With each carefully crafted cup, they wove stories of origin and process, capturing the essence of the lands from which the beans hailed. 

Next to local producer organizations, Brazil and Indonesia were well-represented. Both country´s presence was easy to explain: Brazil, is a steadfast supplier to the Australian market, while Indonesia’s proximity made its presence felt, bridging the gap between source and destination.

According to Rianne, her participation in the 10th MICE was ´an interesting experience down under and we’re happy to have been able to share some insights specifically with some of our Rwandan cooperatives that provide high-quality coffee to a Melbourne-based trading company´. 

Credits for the main image: MICE