Coffee is having quite a moment. And all the latest developments will be showcased at HostMilano (at fieramilano from 13 to 17 October 2023) thanks to the presence of SIC – the International Coffee Show, where the leading players along the whole production line from the green bean to the beverage in the cup will present their innovations.

The world’s favourite hot drink is probably also the one that has seen the most interesting developments in recent years.

World-class Latte Art at Host 2023

That fact will be made clear by the numerous coffee-related events taking place at Host 2023. This year’s edition will once again feature the Milano Latte Art Challenge, the professional competition devised by Trismoka, the historic Italian roastery, appearing at HostMilano for the fifth time. It is the defining challenge for Latte Art specialists: 12 of the world’s top baristas will compete for the title and the grand prize. There are nine disciplines, starting from simple, traditional forms and working up through ever more complex styles and techniques, from the classic “leaf” pattern to etching and free design.

The contest will take place over three days, starting with the preliminary stages and continuing through to the final, when the champion will be named. The current winning latte artist is South Korea’s Um Paul, who won with a performance who used cappuccino as his medium.

The return of the exciting ALTOGA contests

The spotlight will also be on the events run in collaboration with ALTOGA – the National Association of Roasters, Coffee Importers and Food Wholesalers. There are three unmissable occasions, organised in partnership with AICAF – the Italian Academy of Coffee Masters. And, following on from its success in 2021, this year sees the return of Coffee Addition, the original ‘travelling’ format run by coffee master Gianni Cocco, holder of two Guinness World Records, who will present a range of master events on the stands of participating companies.

The eighth Italian Coffee Shop Grand Prix will showcase the work done with coffee-based products by national and international baristas in cafés and bars: contestants will be given 13 minutes to prepare two cappuccinos, two espresso coffees and two cold coffee-based drinks featuring a product taken from Italy’s food and wine culture. The Moka Challenge 2023, meanwhile, will set out to find the person who extracts the best coffee using the “Moka” method.

ALTOGA will work in partnership with the Latte Art Grading System for THE LAGS BATTLE and THE WLAGS BATTLE world championships: one of the most important global circuits for latte art, involving thousands of certified baristas from 50 countries.

All the very best in coffee production, then, will be on display at Host 2023, as part of SIC – the International Coffee Show.