Montgomery Asia partners with Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) to launch the inaugural International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS) in Malaysia!

Participants can look forward to barista brew-offs and business opportunities with ICBS, as part of the new 3-year partnership with MSCA

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 23 November 2020 - Montgomery Asia, a global exhibitions company with 125 years of experience, is excited to set foot in Malaysia with the launch of the inaugural International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS).

Taking place from 10 to 12 June 2021, the three-day event will showcase a myriad of artisanal food, beverage and café products from esteemed businesses and brands, both from Malaysia and the greater region of Southeast Asia. As part of the partnership, Montgomery Asia will be hosting the next three years of the internationally-recognised Malaysia National Coffee Championship (MNCC), first organised by the Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) in 2014.

"We are excited to bring the International Café & Beverage show to Kuala Lumpur next June. Stepping foot once again into this exciting market and working closely with the Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) to bring the whole coffee industry together to play our part in driving this fast growing industry forward." enthused Mr Christopher McCuin, Managing Director, Montgomery Asia. "Our 125+ years of experience and focus on the global fine food & drink industry will help us deliver a spectacular business experience for all involved. ICBS plays a first step in a strong growth plan across the entire ASEAN region."

Headlining Coffee-Brewing Championships

MNCC 2021, the major headlining event of ICBS, will bring back iconic annual events such as the Malaysia Barista Championship, Brewers Cup, and Latte Art Championship.

At the Malaysia Barista Championship, baristas compete in a brew-off to showcase their service and personalities. The Malaysia Brewers Cup highlights the craft of filtered coffee, challenging the baristas' ability to extract outstanding flavours while brewing coffee by hand. Lastly, the Malaysia Latte Art Championship will see baristas present their art according to planned routines which will be judged on consistency and aesthetics.

For brewers and baristas seeking to compete on the world stage, winners of each event category will stand a chance to represent Malaysia at the World Coffee Championships, sanctioned by World Coffee Events (WCE). The stage, which is hosted by a different country yearly, will see competitors, judges and volunteers from across the country taking part.

"We are pleased to partner with Montgomery Asia and we look forward to working with them over the next three years to deliver yet another successful run of our iconic Malaysia National Coffee Championship (MNCC) to our valued partners and stakeholders,"  said Ms Yip Leong Sum, President, Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA).

Exhibits and Opportunities to Network at ICBS

Coffee enthusiasts as well as F&B professionals can look forward to an exciting roster of exhibitors, including suppliers of coffee beans, general beverages, café food items, the latest machinery and equipment, and innovative packaging designs.

ICBS is supported by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), with Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association as the Official Strategic Partner. Dato' Sri Abdul Khani bin Daud, Chief Executive Officer of MyCEB, said, "We are delighted to welcome the International Cafe and Beverage Show 2021 to Malaysia.  It is encouraging to see a premier international organiser like Montgomery Asia, select Malaysia as a key entry point for their regional expansion. ICBS, with its business lifestyle theme coupled with this partnership, promises to be a must attend event for the whole coffee and café community in Malaysia."

"MyCEB lends its full support to this exciting new exhibition and we wish ICBS and The Malaysia National Coffee Championships every success for June 2021 ahead. Let's Meet In Malaysia, BE Greater Together."

Ms Yip Leong Sum added, "We are confident that Montgomery Asia will curate an overall memorable event that serves as a platform to bring the coffee industry together to brew new business opportunities in the growing market sector."

About International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS)

With a focus on speciality coffee, café lifestyle, services and equipment, ICBS will offer an international standard exhibition in a rapidly developing sector of the lifestyle economy.

ICBS is the marketplace for café owners, managers, and other sections of the F&B community to network and source high quality products. The show will also provide suppliers with branding and sponsorship opportunities within a highly specialised and relevant community.

About Montgomery Asia

Established in 2016, Montgomery Asia is a fully-owned subsidiary of UK-based Montgomery Group, one of the most widely respected exhibition companies in the world since 1895.

Montgomery Asia focuses on the growing Asian market, striving to bring the group's flagship events to the region as well as developing new trade shows that meet the needs of the Asian market, in a safe, controlled manner during these difficult times.

About Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA)

Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA), the national association representing the specialty coffee industry in Malaysia was formed with the vision to build and further develop the country's coffee frontier.

Comprising members from the entire value chain of the coffee industry such as coffee farmers, café owners, roasters, academies, equipment suppliers, coffee related products distributors and manufacturers as well as baristas, MSCA aims to represent as one united voice by the industry for the industry.