It was a full two days! Each year, tea has a bigger presence at Caffè Culture, and this year was no exception. With 12 ESTA members, three producer countries represented under one roof, and more than 15 tea companies exhibiting, there was plenty to celebrate.
It was also a great opportunity to meet so many of our members in person, some for the first time, and for members to connect with each other.
We also enjoyed spending some relaxed time together after the first day of the show, making the most of the opportunity to catch up beyond the busy exhibition floor.
TEA HUB
Tea Bar
We served speciality tea from our brew bar, sponsored by Mount Everest Tea Company GmbH, Reginald Ames Ltd and Cha Dan.
Two different tea flights were served: one served hot and one served cold, featuring teas from around the world.
For the hot brews, we used Cha Dan, and for the cold brews, we used Filter-in Cold Brew Bottles from HARIO.
Matcha Bar
Our Matcha Bar brought tea to life at Caffè Culture, serving hot and cold matcha and hojicha lattes throughout the show. Matcha and Beyond and SUKI Tea Makers supplied the matcha and hojicha, Oatly provided its Barista Edition oat milk, and Marco Beverage Systems supplied their Milkpal machine to prepare and serve the drinks. Marco also fitted our stands with their Mix Font 3-button tap that dispenses water at 3 different volumes and 3 different temperatures on demand.
Panel Discussions
The Tea Opportunity: Why It Deserves More Space on Your Menu
ESTA board member Oscar Woolley of SUKI Tea Makers and Olivia Nottin of Matcha and Beyond explored how cafés and hospitality businesses can make more of tea, from matcha and hojicha to iced teas and creative serves.
Their message was simple: make it visible, make it valuable and make it profitable. By giving tea more attention on menus, highlighting quality and considering pricing and margins, cafés can make the most of the opportunities tea offers — alongside coffee, not instead of it.
The Future of Speciality Tea: Shaping the Next Generation of Tea Culture
ESTA member Maximilian Frick of Mount Everest Tea Company and ESTA board member Konstantinos Papatheodorou of Mlesna Hellas – To Tsai took to the Caffè Insights stage to discuss how speciality tea can reach new consumers and adapt to changing drinking habits.
They highlighted the importance of understanding different consumer groups, particularly younger, trend-oriented audiences, and bringing higher-quality teas into new drinking occasions. From matcha lattes to sparkling and ready-to-drink teas, the opportunity lies in positioning speciality tea as a modern beverage choice that goes beyond traditional tea consumption.
COMPETITIONS
Tea Tasting Competition
The Tea Tasting Competition put participants' tasting skills, concentration and speed to the test, leading to a closely contested final. Two of the three finalists correctly identified four out of five teas, leaving time as the deciding factor.
It was an impressive display of tasting skills from all the competitors, with congratulations to our winner and finalists.
1st: Josh Clarke
2nd: Mero Lam
3rd: Juria Takahashi
Matcha Latte Art Competition
The Matcha Latte Art Competition brought eight competitors together at Caffè Culture to demonstrate their skills and creativity. Ernie Fernandez Jr. took first place, followed by Gordon Yuen in second place. The competition offered a great opportunity to see the talent and techniques involved in matcha latte art.
A big thank you to all our sponsors and volunteers who helped make this year’s event possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!
OUR SPONSORS
Annemarie Tiemes and Merijn Gijsbers
In cooperation with the Amsterdam Coffee Festival, ESTA Beleux organised the Matcha Latte Art Battle for the third time.
Registrations sold out days before the show, reflecting the interest in matcha and matcha-based drinks in coffee/tea bars all over Europe.
It was inspiring to see so many talented baristas compete against each other. The energy was high, the pours were sharp, and the level of talent on that stage was incredible.
The judge panel consisted of Merijn Gijsbers, Maryam Ueyama and Naomi Doedelz
The judge panel: Maryam Ueyama, Naomi Doedelz and Merijn Gijsbers
Congratulations to Megan Virginia Brown Suarez, the winner of the competition, and Feyz Topal, the runner-up.
Megan Virginia Brown Suarez, the winner
A big thank you to all our sponsors
Oscar Woolley and Annemarie Tiemes
Oscar Woolley
With 14 participants showcasing skills, 14 ESTA members meeting and many visitors educated along the way this was a major success.
Oscar Woolley and Annemarie Tiemes represented ESTA at The Liquid Minds Stage at IFEX, The Irish Food Expo.
ESTA delivered two high energy competitions, two packed masterclasses including the hit “Pop Tea” with Genmaicha and collaborated with Liquid Minds and IFEX to put speciality tea front and centre.
Oscar Woolley with participans and ESTA members
Huge thanks to SUKI Tea Makers, Annemarie Tiemes (all the way from the Netherlands!), and all partners. And congratulations to Hanna Gulyas and Kyle Banikish!
ESTA was present at Horecava, the leading annual Dutch trade fair for the foodservice and hospitality industry, hosting the Dutch Tea Tasting Championships and the Dutch Matcha Latte Art Championships.
The Tea Tasting Championships was all about detecting the subtlest differences in tea, and a great mix of serious focus, fun and lots of energy.
Congratulations to the winners: Simone Bianchi claimed the win, Aissam finished second, and Alex Haak took home trophy number three.
The Matcha Latte Art Championships isn’t just about how beautiful the latte looks, the quality of the drink itself plays an essential role. That balance makes it fairer and brings it closer to a real café experience, where taste and presentation go hand in hand.
Jesse Fook took home first place - well done to him and to all who participated!
Huge thanks to our sponsors Brita Nederland, Hario Europe, Mount Everest Tea (Tea Tasting), Alpro (Matcha latte competition) and Kaori Taste of Japan (Matcha latte competition)
And everyone who took part
📸 Credit for all photos: Connor Houtman
