The intake of tea in the UAE has reached about seven million kg per annum, while consumption of coffee is expected to reach Dh359 million ($97.7 million) by 2016 growing at a rate of 4 per cent, said the organisers of an upcoming coffee and tea festival in Dubai.

The sixth edition of the International Coffee & Tea Festival (ICTF) focusing exclusively on coffee and tea in the Middle East will be held in Dubai from November 12 to 14 at the Meydan IMAX Gallery.

The event will spotlight the region’s popular café culture and showcase some of the best coffee, tea and related F&B products, equipment and services in the market today.

The 2013 edition of the International Coffee & Tea Festival (ICTF) welcomed over 6,500 visitors from over 20 countries across the world, receiving positive feedback from exhibitors, which further reinforced its position as an instrumental event supporting the development of the region’s specialty coffee & tea market.

Mark Barnett, owner and product developer of Synesso, said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of our participation at the International Coffee & Tea Festival. Synesso was successfully launched within the Middle East at the show which truly showcased excellence in an industry-relevant format.”

“Our sponsorship at this event proved to be a worthy investment, with our espresso machines attracting the attention of the hospitality sector which seeks to raise the bar of coffee service even above what is currently available in the market. We have established various business leads through the festival and we look forward to being involved once again in the 2014 edition.”

“We compliment the International Coffee & Tea Festival for giving a strong voice to the specialty segment of the hot beverage industry in the Middle East and for providing a business-intensive platform to coffee and tea distributors to promote themselves,” said Ranjith Abeykoon, from the Sri Lankan Tea Board.

“We strongly support the Festival’s initiative to raise awareness of specialty tea in this region and by collaborating with the show, we have opened up pathways for increased trade opportunities that will enhance the standard of the industry here in the future.”

Ryan Godinho, UAE’s National Liaison for World Coffee Events and Special Events Coordinator at ICTF, said: “Coffee and tea have increasingly become an integral aspect of the UAE culture and have become the most consumed and widely appreciated beverages in the country.”

“This development in the UAE has opened up the market for new, quality-driven varieties of products, latest brewing equipments, and unique methods of preparation. Over the last five years, the event has successfully contributed to the regional industry development and has served as the ideal platform for promoting excellence in specialty beverages.” – TradeArabia News Service