“TriestEspresso Expo” returns in November

Trieste’s specialist biennial fair “TriestEspresso Expo”, scheduled for November, is set to be all sold out. Organised by Fiera Trieste Spa in collaboration with the Associazione Caffè Trieste, the event will take place at the Fiera campus in Trieste from 12 to 15 November (12 opening seminar; 13-15 trade fair). The event – now a worldwide focus for all aspects of the coffee industry, and enjoying commendation from Internazionale – is literally being taken by storm by leading producers in Europe, who have already been allocated over 5,500 m2 of the ground floor of the Fiera’s pavilion (total area 8,000 m2). Top entrepreneurs in this sector from round the world clearly have this Expo date in their diaries.

It is certainly no coincidence that this sector is witnessing growth in the capital city of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In this Province alone, the sector turnover is almost Eur 500 million. Trieste hosts 54 local units with over 800 employees, while the city also boasts the Mediterranean’s leading port for coffee, with traffic covering 15% of the entire national complement in the industry. It is in Trieste, in fact, that a Distretto del Caffè – Coffee District – has been created: its goals, borne out in collaboration between coffee and research, are being affirmed through the celebrated “TriestEspresso Expo” showcase, as innovative projects with the University of Trieste and many of the other scientific institutes in the area, and its contribution to development of aspects of logistics and port traffic.

The 2008 edition of “TriestEspresso Expo” opens on 12 November at the Stazione Marittima with a seminar on “Il mercato mondiale ed il futuro della produzione caffeicola” (The world market and the future of coffee-growing), which will see the participation of the leading producers of green coffee as well as distinguished speakers.

In 2007, coffee imports to Italy totalled 7,402,301 bags, showing a 6.78% increase over the previous year. Again last year, roasted coffee exports reached 1,935,035 bags, an increase of 11.23% over the previous year. Recalling that the roasted coffee export figure for year 2000 was some 987,000 bags, this represents a doubling in just seven years.

Again in 2007, the Port of Trieste was top of all Italian ports for customs clearance of the black bean with its 27.16%, followed by Savona with 25.67% and then Genoa with 14.84%. Stocks at the Port of Trieste at the end of February 2008 amounted to 1,139,537 bags (of 60 kg), including 233,875 bags of Natural Arabica and 72,121 of Other Sweet types, plus 833,541 bags of Robusta (data from Comitato Italiano Caffè [ed.]).

More on : www.triestespresso.it – espresso@fiera.trieste.it