The International Café and Beverages Show (ICBS) 2024, a premier exhibition dedicated to artisan food, beverages, and café products, successfully concluded with a remarkable turnout of 15,703 visitors at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. This three-day event, organised by Montgomery Asia, not only exceeded expectations but also reinforced its status as the leading platform for the café lifestyle sector, attracting industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts from across the region.
Held from 23 to 25 May 2024, ICBS saw a 60% increase in floor space compared to its 2023 edition, showcasing Malaysia’s diverse and thriving café culture. The exhibition included popular country pavilions from Singapore, Taiwan, China, as well as Japan and Vietnam Roasters, offering Malaysian businesses valuable opportunities to connect with regional suppliers. Over the course of the event, 1,200 baristas and 2,000 café owners attended, exploring new ways to enhance their skills and offerings to café patrons.
Reflecting on the success of the event, Christopher McCuin, Managing Director of Montgomery Asia, stated, “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of ICBS 2024. A massive increase in participating companies and nearly 15,703 visitors (a 44% year-on-year growth) speaks volumes about the tremendous potential of this exhibition and the rapid growth of the café and F&B industries here in Malaysia. We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners and sponsors for their exceptional contributions, especially the support from Malaysian government agencies, including the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).”
The Malaysian National Coffee Championship (MNCC), hosted by the Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA), made a triumphant return to ICBS for the third time. Baristas from across the nation showcased their extraordinary talents in three categories: the Malaysia Barista Championship 2024, won by Jason Loo from Contour Coffee Roaster; the Malaysia Latte Art Championship 2024, won by Nicky Voon from 103 Coffee; and the Malaysia Brewers Cup 2024, won by Ang Wei Liang from One Half Coffee Roastery.
ICBS 2024 also hosted the inaugural Bakin’Love ‘Next Top Baker’ final face-offs, where the top five finalists competed using Bakin Love pre-mixes and UNOX ovens to create masterpieces inspired by the theme “Malaysian heritage buildings.” Saarvin Nair emerged as the Champion, with Malik Arif and Nik Farah securing the First and Second Runner-up positions, respectively.
Christopher McCuin added, “The café lifestyle industry is dynamic and ever-evolving. In line with this, we are thrilled to announce new products and events alongside 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% of this year’s exhibitors rebooking and pre-booking their space for 2025 before the 2024 show had even concluded. Consequently, we are excited to share that we will expand our floor size by 50% for ICBS 2025, promising an even more vibrant and engaging event.”
Key supporting partners for ICBS 2024 included the ASEAN Coffee Federation, Barista Guild Asia, Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industries, Barista Association of Thailand, Hotel & Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Philippine Coffee Board, Lao Coffee Association, Myanmar Coffee Association, Singapore Coffee Association, Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia, Thai Coffee Association, and Vietnam Coffee Cocoa Association.
For more information about ICBS 2025 and My Food, visit the ICBS website: https://intl-cbs.com/.