What’s happening at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston

On Friday 25 April, the Specialty Coffee Expo will take place in Houston, Texas. The annual event is the largest B2B specialty coffee trade in North America, with thousands attending every year.

Expo brings together a diverse range of coffee professionals, including roasters, café owners, exporters, producers, equipment manufacturers, importers, and baristas. Attendees have the opportunity to network, taste new coffees, take part in educational sessions, and see the latest innovations in specialty coffee firsthand.

This year’s event also marks the first time that the World Coffee Roasting Championships will take place in the US.

Read on to learn more about what’s happening at the 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo, as well as who is exhibiting at the three-day trade show.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

Which competitions and awards are taking place?

Organised by the Specialty Coffee Association, the Specialty Coffee Expo is hosted in a different US city every year.

The 2025 expo will take place in Houston, Texas – a city with a thriving specialty coffee scene. The event will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Expo is perhaps best known for its extensive trade show and exhibition, but the event also hosts several competitions and awards programmes.

For the first time ever, the US will host the World Coffee Roasting Championships. Certified judges score roasters based on their ability to assess the quality and characteristics of green coffee, develop a roast profile that best highlights its sensory attributes, and ultimately achieve the highest cup quality.

The Specialty Coffee Expo also holds the Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards every year.

The Coffee Design Awards – an initiative which recognises and celebrates design excellence in the specialty coffee industry – is split into three categories: Branding, Packaging, and Spaces.

All entrants will be showcased at the Coffee Design Award display at Expo, and judging will also take place at the event.

The Best New Product award, meanwhile, honours new products which add value to the specialty coffee sector. The categories include:

• Coffee accessories
• Commercial coffee preparation and serving equipment
• Consumer coffee preparation and serving equipment
• Specialty coffee beverage additive
• Specialty non-coffee beverage standalone
• Open class (for products which don’t fit in any other category)

This year, all entries will be considered for the People’s Choice Award, where all attendees will have the chance to vote for their favourite product.

Lectures, workshops, and cuppings

There will be over 50 lecture sessions at the 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo, including a wide range of topics – from how to start a mobile coffee business to the macro impact of improving financial access for women at origin.

Workshops will also be held across the three days to provide a more hands-on learning experience for attendees – covering past crop profiling, coffee shop workflow efficiency, understanding fruit flavours in coffee, and more. The Cupping Exchange will feature both public and private cupping sessions, including some of the leading producers and traders in the industry.

The Coffee Science Foundation will display the latest coffee research at this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo, too. Featured topics will include sensory science, coffee genetics & breeding, market research, coffee quality & evaluations, and more. 

Posters will be displayed in a prominent location for the entire event and highlighted during an official Coffee Science Foundation Poster Session.

Who’s attending Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston?

The Expo trade show always features a broad range of exhibitors. From producers and co-operatives to roasters and coffee shops to traders and equipment manufacturers, some of the most prominent companies and brands in the global coffee sector will attend.

Roaster Village

The Roaster Village is at the heart of every Specialty Coffee Expo, serving as a key meeting point for attendees to chat with some of the most innovative and pioneering roasters in the specialty coffee industry. Roaster Village exhibitors will be showcasing some of the latest trends in roasting, sourcing, and brewing – in addition to the wider Expo trade show, which features some of the biggest brands in the global coffee sector.

This year, the Roaster Village will include over 55 exhibitors, such as Those Coffee People, Forest Coffee, InConexus, Lohas Beans, JNP Coffee, Osito Coffee & Cacao, Kaffeelix Roastery, Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity, and more.

Green coffee packaging solutions

Green and roasted coffee packaging companies are always present at industry events. At this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo, Ecotact – a leading manufacturer of nine-layer hermetic packaging solutions – will showcase its full range of products.

With a global footprint in over 54 countries, Ecoatct’s recyclable and reusable bags are engineered around the core belief that freshness is non-negotiable. From compact 200g holding capacity sample bags to 40ft container liners, the brand’s full range empowers farmers, exporters, importers, traders, and roasters to protect quality, reduce waste, and extend shelf life. 

“We support and celebrate each transition in the coffee chain with our innovative hermetic packaging solutions that protect what matters most in coffee: freshness,” says Hanuman Jain, the CEO of Ecotact. “Freshness isn’t just a standard; it’s a responsibility we uphold with care. Through our #PassionForFreshness campaign, we are committed to helping the industry deliver coffee at its best.”

Backed by high-barrier technology, Ecotact packaging ensures that coffee stays as fresh as the day it was harvested from farm to cup. 

To learn more about Ecotact and how its sustainable packaging solutions are shaping the future of quality preservation and circular economy practices in the coffee industry, visit the website and stop by booth 1237 at Expo.

Automated brewing solutions

Every Specialty Coffee Expo always attracts some of the biggest coffee equipment brands in the industry. This year, SEB Professional’s four brands – WMF, Schaerer, Curtis, and La San Marco – will showcase their range of automated solutions for coffee business operators.

Global coffee prices are at historic highs, driven by extreme weather, supply shortages, and growing international demand. For food service operators, that means rising costs and added pressure to deliver consistent, high-quality coffee.

“Rising coffee prices don’t have to raise your stress levels,” says Adam Pobiner, the Director of Strategic Sales at SEB Professional. “Automated equipment solutions are built to help operators stay profitable and deliver exceptional coffee, even when the market isn’t cooperating.”

At Specialty Coffee Expo Houston, SEB Professional will showcase how smart automated brewing solutions can help coffee shop operators navigate today’s challenges. Automated equipment is designed to give operators greater control over every cup, ensuring precision, reducing waste, and delivering consistent results across locations, staffing levels, and dayparts. 

Whether an operator serves quick grab-and-go or customised crafted beverages, SEB Professional’s automated solutions can help protect their bottom line.

To learn more about SEB Professional’s brands, visit the website and stop by booth 1821 at Specialty Coffee Expo Houston.

Plant milk brands

Each Specialty Coffee Expo brings together pioneering plant milk brands. At this year’s event, Blue Diamond Growers, the world’s leading almond marketer and processor, will debut its new Barista Blend Almondmilk, revealing a package redesign to reinforce the brand’s legacy in supporting small, family-owned almond orchards and coffee shops nationwide.

As a farmer-owned cooperative, Blue Diamond Growers works with its approximately 3,000 California almond farmers to grow and harvest quality almonds that are transformed into a diverse line of products.

“The Barista Blend Almondmilk’s new packaging tells the story of our more than 100-year legacy as passionate almond innovators. The origin of our almonds begins at local California orchards and reaches cafés nationwide for the perfect serve,” says Carmen Bourgaize, the Chief Commercial Officer at Blue Diamond. “We are excited to refresh our packaging to better represent our brand and heritage.”

Designed to froth, steam, and mix into a range of coffee beverages, Blue Diamond Barista Blend Almondmilk is a rich and creamy non-dairy milk that delivers both taste and performance. It’s available exclusively for food service locations, including both independent cafés and national chains.

To learn more, visit the website and stop by booth 301 at Specialty Coffee Expo to try samples and speak to the team.

Producers & exporters

Specialty Coffee Expo attracts some of the most prominent specialty coffee producers and exporters in the world. This includes Cumbres – four generations of dedicated coffee producers cultivating exceptional lots across six farms in Ciudad Bolívar, Antioquia. With strong partnerships with growers in ten regions across Colombia, Cumbres offers specialty coffees with unique flavour profiles and interesting varieties with direct traceability year-round.

“Being part of the entire coffee chain – from growing our own specialty coffee to export – inspires us, sip by sip, as we reach consumers eager to discover new coffee profiles,” says Ricardo Restrepo, the general manager at Cumbres. “For us, watching each bean make its way into the world is one of the most heart-filling experiences.”

Cumbres honours tradition through sustainable practices and meticulous post-harvest processes, showcasing the finest Colombian coffee. From careful cultivation to expert processing, its coffees reflect authenticity, quality, and passion.

To learn more about Cumbres, follow the company on LinkedIn, contact the team at comercialusa@cumbres.com.co, and visit booth 653 at Specialty Coffee Expo.

Take a look at who else is attending the 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo

Alongside these brands, a number of other specialty coffee companies will exhibit at the event. These include:

• MTPak Coffee
• Latte Art Factory
• Cover Your Assets CYA
• Slow Pour Supply
• Ally Coffee
• AeroPress 
• Balzac Brothers & Co.
• Bellwether Coffee
• BlendIn Coffee Club
• Breville
• Cafetto
• Covoya Specialty Coffee
• Cropster
• Dalla Corte
• DiFluid
• Ecotact
• Expocacer
• Fiorenzato
• Guatemalan Coffees
• Hardtank
• Hawaii Coffee Association
• IMF Coffee Roasters
• Merakitech Limited
• OutIn
• Rancilio
• Renude
• Royal Coffee
• Santos
• Stronghold
• Timemore
• Thermoplan

After parties and events

Leading up to and across all three days of Expo, many companies and organisations will be hosting their own activities and events. Some of these include:

Thu 24 Apr

• RoasTronix Summit: Exploring the Future of Coffee at the University of Houston
• Mirra x Fifth Vessel Bar Takeover at Fifth Vessel Coffee Co.
• Oatly and Houston Coffee Collective party and latte art throwdown at Brass Tacks
• Expo’s Greatest Scavenger Hunt at the Café Imports booth

Fri 25 Apr

• Koatji & Fifth Vessel Latte Art Jam at Fifth Vessel
• Sip & Social BlendIn Coffee Club and Refuge after party

Sat 26 Apr

• Katz Coffee Leap-Over after party

Please note that some events are invite-only, and attendees may need to register beforehand, with some events possibly already sold out.

The 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo, taking place from 25 to 27 April in Houston, is set to be the biggest edition yet. Next year, the event will rebrand as World of Coffee San Diego, joining the SCA’s European, Latin American, and Asian WoC events.

If you are taking part in the expo in any capacity, make sure to register and book for any activities prior to attending.

To learn more about the Specialty Coffee Expo, visit the official website.

Photo credits: Ecotact, SEB Professional, Blue Diamond, Cumbres, Specialty Coffee Association

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Ecotact, SEB Professional, Blue Diamond, and Cumbres are sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind.

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