Harvest forecasts are good, there is an increasing demand for quality, and the arrival of NFTs and A.I. are making the world of coffee more and more interesting.

As we look forward to SIC, the Coffee Show that will be held at HostMilano from 13 to 17 October, we asked two of the companies taking part – a green coffee importer and a roastery – to give us a sense of how things currently stand.

“The coffee harvesting situation varies from one production area to another,” says Alberto Polojac of Imperator. “CONAB estimates suggest that Brazil’s harvest in the current year will total around 60 million sacks, up 10% on last year. Vietnam is also expected to have a good year, with high volumes. The main problems will be of a logistical nature, causing some problems of availability in the short term.”

An increase in coffee consumption worldwide is expected, especially in Asia and the Middle East. “In Italy consumption is generally stable, but there is a growing demand for special, and high-quality coffees, due in part to a reduction in the price difference. We will see if that higher demand will also lead to a normalisation of prices, which today are still rather high. We have for some time now been seeing changes in consumer demand, especially among Gen Zers, mostly concerning such aspects as ethics, sustainability and traceability, as well as the story that is being told around coffee.”
What will you be bringing to Host2023? “We are still at the planning stage on this, but we expect the focus to be on the latest trends and innovations in the coffee sector, with particular attention to sustainability and social responsibility: there is one idea we will definitely be bringing that we can’t reveal for now. The main innovations concern new technologies, support for companies through artificial intelligence and NFTs, especially in the field of certification and traceability along the production chain.

“The factors that stimulate innovation can come from inside or outside the company, but our aim is always to cater to changing consumer needs, and so customer requirements are to a large extent what prompt us to innovate,” Covim explains. “Today, customers want a product that is of excellent quality, but which also pays particular attention to sustainability, and we are firmly committed to keep improving the technology of our plants and deliver a high level of quality, using compostable materials wherever possible.”

The Genoa-based roastery will be bringing many new ideas to HostMilano next October: “We will be presenting the rebranding of Covim which concerns not just the brand but also the packaging and our stand will be completely revamped. In addition, we will be exhibiting our instant coffee range and some other interesting product developments, like the single-origin Honduras coffee, which comes with organic and Rainforest Alliance certification, both in the loose bean ranges and in the various capsule systems.”