MICE2017 wrap
Melbourne awoke on 30 March with that feeling of excitement and anticipation, much like diehard footy fans on the eve of the AFL Grand Final, or children the night before Christmas.
For the Australian coffee community, our version of Christmas was about to spring to life, with presents in the form of copious amounts of delicious coffees, five Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Australian coffee competitions, and a family reunion of national and international coffee representatives.
At 9am, one hour before the doors to the sixth instalment of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) officially opened, exhibitors could have been forgiven for thinking otherwise. The aisles were pumping with people, reunions, and free-flowing coffees, and like many of the 120 exhibitors have since expressed, in true Dennis Denuto style (yes, we’re quoting The Castle), there was a certain “vibe” in the air. It was a positive unity of the industry’s best baristas, roasters, suppliers, and traders all under the one roof of the Grand Pavilion.
It didn’t take long for the sounds of cuppings to echo through the big tent, nor the frothing sound of steam wands put to work.
People came in droves to do business, proved
