KUALA LUMPUR: The International Café and Beverages Show (ICBS) 2024 - the premier showcase of artisan food, beverages, and café products - has attracted 15,703 attendees including industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts from across the region.
Organised by Montgomery Asia, the three-day exhibition exceeded expectations, solidifying its status as the premier platform for the café lifestyle industry.
Montgomery Asia managing director Christopher McCuin said a massive increase in participating companies and almost 15,703 visitors (a 44 per cent year-on-year growth) speaks volumes about the tremendous potential of the exhibition.
This also showed the fast growth of the café and food and beverages (F&B) industries here in Malaysia.
"We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners and sponsors for their exceptional contribution, especially the support of Malaysian government agencies, including the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation," he said.
ICBS 2024, which ran from 23 to 25 May, increased its floor space by 60 per cent compared to its 2023 edition.
Over the three days of the show, 1,200 baristas and 2,000 café owners participated and attended to explore opportunities to further improve their skills and the offerings to their café patrons.
ICBS also hosted the inaugural Bakin'Love 'Next Top Baker' final face-offs.
The top five finalists battled using Bakin Love pre-mixes and Unox ovens to prepare their masterpieces based on the theme "Malaysian heritage buildings."
"The café lifestyle industry is a dynamic and ever-evolving one. In line with this, we are thrilled to announce that we will introduce new products and events alongside the ICBS to further enhance the experience for our exhibitors, delegates, and visitors from Malaysia and the region.
"The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with over 85 per cent of this year's exhibitors rebooking and pre-booking their space for 2025 before the 2024 show had even concluded.
"As a result, we are excited to share that we will expand our floor size by 50 per cent for ICBS 2025, promising an even more vibrant and engaging event," added McCuin.