Over 30 000 enthusiastic coffee-lovers, amateurs and industry experts from all over the world gathered over the past weekend in a melting pot of coffee culture in the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane for the annual London Coffee Festival. The three-day event, lasting from the 28th to the 31st March 2019, boasted several workshops, talks and demos for a hugely varied audience.  

Catering for all levels of coffee fanatic, there were several workshops throughout the festival starting from the fundamentals of Latte Art all the way up to coffee-related competitions between industry-leading entrepreneurs. Although many attempts at Latte Art by certain participants of the workshops were rather abysmal, the inescapable enthusiasm and endless patience of the instructors made taking part in the demonstrations irresistible for people of all ages and ability levels.

A main focus of the festival seemed to be sustainability, with a large number of stalls focussing on finding newer, more environmentally friendly ways of enjoying one of the world's favourite hot drinks. Upon first arriving, you are greeted by the stall of the Orangutan Coffee UK project, flaunting some extremely furry orangutan teddies. The team were dedicated to preserving the life of the vulnerable orangutan in the Sumatra region from where they source their coffee. Along similar ethical lines, charitable organisations whose purpose was to give something back to the communities that they rely on served as an eye-opener to some of the issues that surround the drinks which many of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives. The work of companies like these is truly inspiring and sets the standard for a future world of collaboration and equality.

Aside from coffee, there were products on show from all areas of the food and drink market. For high-performance athletes, there was a selection of activated snacks available to try and buy with impressive discounts, including promising start-ups, each with their own power food solutions. For the guilt-free attendees, frozen yoghurt, donuts and artisan bakes lined the rows of innovation within the venue.

No matter who you are – skilled barista, prospective industry owner or simply someone who can’t resist an morning cappuccino – this gathering of people who all share the same love of coffee is fascinating to experience. Whether for market research or a fun day out, this festival is definitely worth it. 

The date of London Coffee Festival 2020 has not yet been announced, but for more information about any part of the day visit www.londoncoffeefestival.com.