MICE, Melbourne & the World Barista Championship 2022
27 Oct 2022
If you've been slingin' hot caffeinated beverages, namely coffee, for decent amount of time then the term 'MICE' will mean more to you than simply the plural of 'mouse', or at least it should. For those unacquainted, in the world of coffee, MICE stands for 'Melbourne International Coffee Expo'. On 27-30 September 2022, the expo was back following a two year hiatus for reasons you can guess. 'Back' is a dramatic understatement. If you speak TikTok then you'll be familiar with the phrase 'Coming in Hot'! Thanks Lecrae and Andy Mineo. On her 'humble' return, MICE also hosted the World Barista Championship (WBC) and Word Brewers Cup. In terms of high stakes coffee, this is the Mount Everest. If you're new to the coffee space, according to the letter of the law, 'MICE was created as Australia’s first and only coffee-dedicated trade show' in 2012 with the purpose 'to connect buyers and sellers, and bring industry members together in a dedicated space'. In reality, it's a week of geeking out on beans, machines, and setting new records on how many 'spros' humans can consume over a four day period. The unofficial activities extend far beyond the walls of the expo - early mornings and late nights - to extract (pun-intended) as much flavour out of the Melbourne pilgrimage as possible. Enter White Horse's Head of Coffee, Dominick Majdandzic (aka 'Domtron'), for a hot take on the
return of MICE...
As someone who has attended and exhibited at MICE many times over the years, what was the vibe on its return in 2022? DOM: I feel like I follow a lot of social media and keep in touch with what releases are coming up in the coffee industry. To be honest, given that it's so easy to stay in touch these days, I was not expecting to be surprised for MICE 2022. Thanks for your honesty, Dom... (tough crowd) DOM: Australia is no stranger to coffee shows or expos. We've been doing them for years, but there is something special about MICE. It's the largest gathering of coffee professionals in this country and I'm always eager to learn and see what others are doing, from local and international coffee roasters, to coffee machine suppliers, grinder companies, packaging solutions and much more. I feel like there is a 'but' coming... DOM (now smiling): However, I was humbled to have some fascinating conversations with a number of people, one of which was Dan from Specht Design - talking to him about his passion for taking a domestic or commercial espresso machine and turning it into a dream. Think Pimp My Ride for coffee machines!
return of MICE...
As someone who has attended and exhibited at MICE many times over the years, what was the vibe on its return in 2022? DOM: I feel like I follow a lot of social media and keep in touch with what releases are coming up in the coffee industry. To be honest, given that it's so easy to stay in touch these days, I was not expecting to be surprised for MICE 2022. Thanks for your honesty, Dom... (tough crowd) DOM: Australia is no stranger to coffee shows or expos. We've been doing them for years, but there is something special about MICE. It's the largest gathering of coffee professionals in this country and I'm always eager to learn and see what others are doing, from local and international coffee roasters, to coffee machine suppliers, grinder companies, packaging solutions and much more. I feel like there is a 'but' coming... DOM (now smiling): However, I was humbled to have some fascinating conversations with a number of people, one of which was Dan from Specht Design - talking to him about his passion for taking a domestic or commercial espresso machine and turning it into a dream. Think Pimp My Ride for coffee machines!
Rocket Espresso 'pimped' out by Specht Design.
Dom at the Toby's stand after making his own blend.
Path, North Melbourne.
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