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60 Tea & Coffee Trade Journal | www.teaandcoffee.net T ea & Coffee World Cup returns to Eastern Europe this year for its 21 st annual symposium and exhi- bition, taking place in Krakow, Poland, May 10-12 th at the recently inaugurated International Exhibition and Convention Centre Expo. It's an exciting time for the coffee and tea industry in Eastern Europe. The tea market is becoming more sophisticated and coffee consumption, although still primarily soluble, is on the rise—and Krakow provides an ideal gateway to the east. In addition to being a historic tourist destination with ample hotels and hospitality infrastructure in place, great- er Krakow is the commercial capital of Poland and is one of the most densely populated and industrialized areas in all of Europe. It is home to major roasting and packing companies, and yet, there are not many professional, industrial coffee and tea trade shows held in this part of Europe, which is why the 2014 show, held in Warsaw, was well-received by the Eastern European attendees. Hence the return to Poland! Companies, both new and returning favorites, are signing up daily. In fact, exhibitor space is ahead of projections. Aside from Poland, attendees will con- verge from countries throughout Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, etc.), Russia, the European Union, as well as from Argentina, Africa, India, Japan and China, among many others. In the past, participating companies included a mélange of both new and seasoned exhibitors, including Ahlstrom, Astra, Bosch, Buisman, Cablevey, Colombini, Dethlefsen & Balk, Eigenart, Florapharm, Fuso, Gladfelter, Marden Edwards, Mokate, Oxalis, Premier's Tea, Ruben Gandia Hilados, Rychiger, Simar, SSP, Tecnomeccanica, Teamac, Uganda Coffee & Tea Farmers Trade Union, Wipf, Yamanaka and Zwirnerei, among others. As always, this year's show will offer a variety of interactive coffee and tea, educational classes, as well as tasting ses- sions. Classes will range from both coffee and tea cupping, to coffee grading, tea brewing and blending, and coffee science. TC World Cup Krakow is also debut- ing "Tea Meditation & Mindfulness," a 'zen-focused' class that brings tea together Eastern meditative practices to teach par- ticipants how to develop patience, equa- nimity and non-reactivity. Additionally, T&C World Cup will also host the first-ever Tea Masters Cup Poland, an international competition that will bring together professional tea masters to demonstrate their skills in different ways of working with tea. The Tea Masters Cup comprises competitions in three categories: tea preparation, tea pairing and tea tasting, and the winner in each category will compete for the title of World Champion in June. Poland is a country with long and rich tea traditions, the fourth largest tea consumer in Europe with per capita tea consumption (one kilogram of tea annually) and the ninth largest in the world according to London- based market research firm Euromonitor International. The aim of the Tea Masters Cup is to foster the development of high cultural traditions involving tea consump- tion and raise the status of tea culture among consumers. The competition will not only provide an opportunity to iden- tify the best of the best among tea masters, but also to expand knowledge about tea, to discover new opportunities, and to establish professional contacts. Tea & Coffee World Cup 2016 will also highlight the latest trends in coffee roast- ing and tea packing equipment, exporting, brewing, retailing and marketing. If you have not yet registered to exhib- it or attend Tea & Coffee World Cup Krakow, visit www.tcworldcup.com or, for further information about the show including floor plans and available exhibi- tor discounts, please contact www. tcworldcup.com. tcwc preview Tea & Coffee World Cup Krakow Preview Continuing its focus on the Eastern European market, Tea & Coffee World Cup returns to Poland in 2016, but this time Krakow hosts the 21 st annual symposium and exhibition. By Zachery Bridgeman