Photo courtesy of Coffee Fest
Coffee Fest, bringing retailers, distributors, and manufacturers together for more than twenty years, buzzed the Portland Metro area this past weekend, offering up everything from demonstrations to samples, cuppings to competitions, trends to education. As described on the Coffee Fest website, “If it looks like coffee, smells like coffee, goes well with coffee, or is coffee, you are guaranteed to find it at Coffee Fest.” This proved to be true as we trekked our way through the 90+ booths at the Oregon Convention Center, tasting our way up and down the aisles in a maybe not-so-orderly fashion.
This year’s highlight for Torani was the utterly amazing Sweet Heat Syrup, which they showcased in a Mango Real Fruit Smoothie…delish! Just enough of a bite to know it’s there, not so much that it’s uncomfortable. While it was great in a mango smoothie, I couldn’t help but imagine other flavors I would love to try! Torani has also rolled out three new sweetener syrups—Agave, Honey, and Cane Sugar—for use in coffee, cocktails, sodas, teas, and more.
Stopping by the Monin booth was a treat. This year they highlighted their Soda Collection with such syrups as Old Fashioned Ginger Ale and Old Fashioned Root Beer, Orange Tangerine, and Vanilla Crème. With fantastic new flavors such as these, they still wowed with sweet concoctions such as lavender vanilla, a floral take on a Crème Soda that smelled and looked as heavenly as you might imagine.
Oatmeal is still as hot as it was in the 2013 show. Straw Propeller Gourmet Foods continues to impress with their innovative oatmeal flavors, and this year’s new addition of a children’s line, with smaller but sweeter portions that appeal to the youngsters hitting the coffee shops with their families. And Umpqua Oats has hit yet another homerun with its amazing Vanilla Almond Crunch, sure to be a coffeehouse favorite!
Dr. Smoothie booth at Coffee Fest PDX 2014. Photo Credit: Christina Graiff
If smoothies and frappes are more your thing, then Coffee Fest 2014 in Portland didn’t disappoint. Cappuccine, Dr. Smoothie Brands, Frozen Bean, Jet, and Ghiradelli chocolate Co. were whipping up decadence in their blenders: frozen concoctions of chocolates, fruits, nuts, and even vegetables were tantalizing the tastebuds of show-walkers. Cappuccine received second place honors in the Best New Product Consumables for their Tart Culture Smoothie.
Manish Shah, Maya Tea Co. Photo Credit: Christina Graiff
It seems as though every year has a top-trending product, and this year was no different. 2014 is sure to be the year of the chai tea, with the aromatic blend of Indian spices and herbs filling the air on every aisle of the show. This tea, prepared black, with or without milk, with or without sweetener, is hitting the market with a force. Oregon Chai continues to offer their tried-and-true concentrate or powder, with just the right amount of spice and sweet. And Maya Chai offers their Original and extra-spicy Devi 11:1 concentrates—just blend with milk and enjoy hot or cold. Stay tuned, too, for Raga, Maya Chai’s unsweetened version of their amazing blend,available in 2015.
Coffee beans, espresso machines, water filtration systems, blenders, teas, chocolates, cup sleeves and other accessories, and even Espresso Supply’s third place winner in the Best New Product Non-Consumable category—Bonavita 1.7L Gooseneck Variable Temperature Kettle, sure to become a favorite in shops across the nation. You name it, and Coffee Fest 2014 had it. A conglomerate of vendors and coffeehouse owners alike mingled the aisles, networking with and learning from one another, swapping ideas and comparing trends, and in general sharing a love of coffee. I will definitely attend next year’s Coffee Fest (again at the Convention Center)…will I see you there in 2015?
