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What not to miss at MICE2025

Posted by

wpadmin

On March 20, 2025

From 20 to 22 March 2025, this year’s Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) will return to the city considered to be the specialty coffee capital of the world.

The expo brings together some of the leading innovators in the Australian and international coffee markets. Last year’s edition attracted more than 11,000 visitors and 120 exhibitors from around the world – making it one of the biggest and most important events in the industry.

In addition to a trade show, awards, and educational talks, MICE2025 will host the inaugural Melbourne Coffee Festival in partnership with Breville, connecting coffee professionals and enthusiasts with industry experts to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Read on to find out what not to miss at the event.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

The Melbourne Coffee Festival

Every year, MICE features an exhibition that includes some of the most renowned roasters, cafés, coffee equipment brands, and importers. The 2025 edition will also include an all-new event feature: the Melbourne Coffee Festival. Targeted towards industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts, the festival focuses on disseminating information, improving brewing skills, and supporting the wider coffee community.

“We are really excited to be launching the Melbourne Coffee Festival at MICE,” said Lauren Chartres, MICE Show Director. “We know how important crafting a beautiful cup of coffee is to Australia’s home brewers, so we wanted to create an area that specifically caters to their needs, interests, and questions – as well as baristas who want to finesse their skills.”

Co-hosted by platinum sponsor Breville, a leading home coffee equipment manufacturer, the Melbourne Coffee Festival will feature a demonstration stage where attendees interact with the brand’s latest equipment, watch tutorials from industry experts, and take part in hands-on coffee tastings and experiences.

“Partnering with Breville, we want to help consumers unlock professional performance at home,” Lauren adds. “There’s a lot of information out there, but there’s nothing like learning something firsthand from professionals in an environment that welcomes questions, curiosity, and collaboration.”

As part of the event, Beanz, Breville’s coffee subscription service, will host 12 masterclasses featuring some of Australia’s pioneering specialty coffee roasters, including Proud Mary, ST. ALi, Seven Miles, MECCA, Veneziano, and Pablo & Rusty’s, from 10am to 2pm every day of MICE2025. Attendees can register for the sessions with different roasters at the respective links.

A mirrored glass backdrop will give attendees a unique view behind the espresso machine, furthering their understanding of coffee extraction and barista skills.

“Espresso is at the heart of Breville’s product portfolio, and there’s no better place to celebrate that than the Melbourne International Coffee Expo,” said Candi Hart, Breville General Manager of Marketing & Specialty Coffee for Australia. “MICE is a key opportunity for us to engage with Australia’s passionate coffee community, connect with industry leaders, and demonstrate how our products empower coffee lovers – at home and in cafés – to achieve barista-quality results.”

Attending any of the masterclasses automatically enters attendees into the draw to win a Breville coffee machine or a six-month Beanz subscription.

Alongside the demo stage at the Melbourne Coffee Festival, local specialty coffee roaster The Bean Cartel will serve coffee, espresso martinis, and other coffee-themed drinks at the Espresso Bar, offering visitors the chance to learn about upcoming industry trends.

Australia's Richest Barista competition at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo.

Competitions & awards

Every year, MICE holds the Product Innovation Awards, which recognises some of the leading pioneers in specialty coffee. Exhibitors have the opportunity to showcase their latest innovative products. The categories include:

Coffee preparation equipment (i.e., espresso machines, brewers, and roasters)
Ancillary electrical equipment (i.e., grinders, milk frothers, etc.)
Coffee accessories (including cups, tampers, cleaning products, etc.)
Specialty beverages (syrups, spirits, dairy and dairy alternatives, etc., used in conjunction with coffee to create a specialty beverage)
Roaster packaging excellence (packaging innovation or design)

Entries are judged by an independent panel of industry leaders and association partners. The winner will be announced at the official MICE afterparty on 22 March.

The Coffee Industry Heroes Awards, meanwhile, recognises individuals in the specialty coffee community who are committed to their craft and have positively impacted the industry. The categories include:

Community Champion – an individual who volunteers their time towards a charity or community organisation and is involved in a social service outside of their own business for the benefit of the wider community
Next-Gen Talent – a person under 30 years of age who showcases their passion for their craft and has made a significant contribution to the business they are part of
Lifetime Achievement – an individual who has been a part of the coffee and café industry for more than 20 years and has made positive contributions towards the Australian and global coffee markets

The awards ceremony will be held on 22 March from 7:30pm to 11pm, where the winner will also be announced.

As part of the Melbourne Coffee Festival, Breville will also co-host daily latte art smackdowns with Golden Brown, which will take place at 1pm every day at the Lelit Stand. Tickets to compete are available here.

Attendees at the Global Coffee Leaders Symposium at MICE2024.

Lectures and panels at MICE2025

On top of competitions and awards, MICE2025 will also feature two educational series targeted towards roasters, coffee shops, and other retailers.

The Café Owners Education Series will include a series of lectures and panels which provide practical advice on operational efficiency, marketing, profitability, and sustainability, aiming to help owners and operators run their businesses more effectively.

Topics will include:

The Power of Signature Drinks
Espresso Economics: Balancing Rising Costs and Consumer Expectations
Retention Strategies for Staff and Consumers
The Future of Coffee
Straight to the Source: 1-on-1 With Coffee Farmers

Co-hosted with BeanScene magazine, the sessions will take place across the three-day event. Full access to the lectures and panels is included in the MICE ticket.

MICE2025 will host the second GCR Down Under Leaders Symposium. This series will explore issues that the global coffee industry is facing, as well as have a more specific focus on the impact on the Australian coffee sector.

Organised in partnership with the Global Coffee Report, two sessions will be held on the mornings of 20 & 21 March 2025. The topics and speakers will include:

Expansion On A Global Scale
- Shae Macnamara – founder of Expat.Roasters
- Michael Meates – founder of Day For It Hospitality
- Jody Leslie – General Manager at Toby’s Estate
Changing Coffee Culture: The Megatrends Shaping Its Future
- Gerd Müller-Pfeiffer – former Nestlé & Kraft Foods Executive and founder of International Coffee Consultant
Coffee At Scale
- Jared Chapman – Head of McCafé
- Liam O’Brien – 7-Eleven Product Owner Dispensed Beverages
- Sam Taylor – National Coffee Manager at Soul Origin
The Supply Challenges We Face
- Luke Terrey – Sales and Account Manager of Condesa Co Lab
- Stephen Bannister – General Manager at Cofi-Com
- Angelo Augello – CEO and director of Bean Alliance Group
- Dominic Enthoven – Principal Advisor at MPC International

The inaugural symposium at last year’s MICE sold out, so attendees are encouraged to register in advance.

Who is attending?

A key part of every MICE event is the trade show featuring some of Australia’s most well-known roasters and coffee brands, as well as leading international companies.

“This year, we are thrilled to bring our four core coffee brands – Breville, Lelit, Baratza, and Beanz – together under one roof at MICE,” Candi said. “This is a unique opportunity to showcase our full ecosystem of specialty coffee solutions, from precision grinding to barista-quality espresso and curated beans, all designed to elevate the coffee experience for professionals and home enthusiasts alike.”

All four brands will showcase their latest products at booth D18, giving attendees the opportunity to interact with innovative equipment that caters to both home and commercial needs.

Breville and Lelit will also host hands-on demos with machines and grinders, offering visitors the chance to win a Breville or Lelit espresso machine and a bespoke prize package, including Golden Brown coffee. Five Breville machines will be given away per day, with winners announced hourly between 11am and 4pm.

Attendees will also be able to meet the teams from Artistic Roasters Code Black and Golden Brown at the Breville, Lelit, Baratza, and Beanz stand – an opportunity to network and connect with influential figures in the specialty coffee community.

Other exhibitors will include:

IMF Roasters
Slayer Espresso Australia
Typhoon Roasters
AeroPress Australia
Hario Australia
Huskee
La Marzocco Australia
Loring Smart Roast
Allpress Espresso
Axil Coffee Roasters
Criteria Coffee
Fieldwork Coffee

MICE2025 will also present a brand new feature sponsored by La Marzocco, Riverina Fresh, and MILKLAB to showcase and celebrate leading roasters. The Roasters Playground will allow exhibitors to book half-day sessions at a set-up stand with all equipment provided, breaking down barriers to showcase their brand.