Busy 'Seoul Cafe Show'... Full of Healthy Food and Beverages, Eco-Friendly Products Popular

Held at COEX from the 23rd to the 26th for four days
672 companies from 35 countries, 3533 brands participating
This year's theme is "New Era, New Beginning"

On the 23rd, visitors are tasting juice samples at the freshly squeezed juice booth during the 22nd Seoul Cafe Show held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Hyewon, Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] “We blend a whole apple at once. Try our healthy and delicious fruit and vegetable juice.”

At the juice booth filled with the fresh scent of fruit, a rapidly spinning juicing machine continuously produced fresh fruit and vegetable juice. The fresh fruit aroma blended strangely well with the roasted coffee beans at the adjacent coffee booth, attracting visitors who stopped to capture the machine quickly blending apples, oranges, and more on their cameras and taste the drinks.

The ‘2022 Seoul Cafe Show’ held on the 23rd at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, was bustling all day with industry insiders and visitors eager to grasp the latest food and beverage trends. Visitors sampled their favorite coffee and drinks, roaming the venue with bright expressions.

Marking its 21st year, the Seoul Cafe Show is held over four days throughout the entire COEX this year on an unprecedented scale. The exhibition carries the theme “New Era, New Beginning,” conveying aspirations for a leap into a new era and a fresh start. A total of 627 companies from 35 countries, including coffee-producing countries such as Brazil, Peru, Honduras, Ethiopia, and Colombia, as well as Canada, the United States, Japan, and Switzerland, participated with over 3,533 brands, exchanging coffee and food and beverage cultures and allowing visitors to experience related trends.

This year’s exhibition featured booths filled with fruit and vegetable juices, various types of tea, granola and nuts, yogurt, and other food and beverage products beyond coffee. Unlike previous years’ events, which were packed solely with coffee-related products, the changed scene reflects the increased interest in health in food and beverage culture after COVID-19, according to event officials.

A visitor A (40 years old), who runs a cafe in a provincial area, said, “These days, customers say they have drunk too much coffee and often look for fruit juices, tea, or bakery products,” adding, “I came to Seoul to get information because I want to expand my cafe business.”

At the exhibition venue, booths of manufacturers and sellers of eco-friendly containers, packaging, and reusable cups attracted more visitors than in previous years, following the eco-friendly trend. Starting from the 24th, the sale of disposable plastic bags will be basically banned at convenience stores nationwide, and the use of paper cups or plastic straws will be restricted in restaurants, so self-employed people running restaurants and cafes are busy gathering various information.

Visitor B (50 years old), who runs a restaurant in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, said, “Sometimes customers dislike paper straws because they quickly get wet, become soggy, and smell,” adding, “I came to the exhibition to find new paper straws with better coating that last longer.”

This year’s Seoul Cafe Show program is diversely composed of the ‘Trend Unpack Show 2023’ revealing 2023 food and beverage trends, the special showcase ‘Cherry’s Choice’ featuring industry hit items, the ‘World Coffee Leaders Forum’ where visitors can meet the world’s top coffee experts, the eco-friendly campaign ‘Thank You, Coffee’ for the sustainable future of coffee, and the ‘Seoul Coffee Festival’ that will enhance the coffee experience.

On the 23rd, visitors are looking at paper cup products at the 22nd Seoul Cafe Show held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Hyewon, Asia Economy

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.