Over 50 Exhibitors from 5 countries displayed their products and technologies at the World Tea & Coffee Expo ™2013 (WTCE 2013), the only trade show on the Hot Beverage sector in India ( http://www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com ). Held at Mumbai India from 15th Feb – 17th Feb 2013, this unique and niche trade event attracted over 3500 business visitors from 8 countries and generated estimated business deals worth Rs 35 crore.
On display were national and international Brands, manufacturing and packaging technology, storage technology, Flavored Beverages, hi-tech vending machines, retails chains as well as a variety of products from importers and exporters of Tea & Coffee. New age products like Herbal tea, Green tea, White tea, Java tea and Lemon grass tea alongwith a variety of Cappuccino products could be seen for the first time in India at this trade exhibition. Hi tech machinery for mass-producing Tea Bags and Plastic based but food grade raw material for tea and coffee disposable cups were also on display. Trade Buyers and business visitors were able to acquaint themselves with the trends in the Indian & Global markets and could decide on the future course of business expansion. A number of alliances were struck and large business deals took place.
Contiguous Conferences & Seminars by Industry leaders charted out the course for the modernization, expansion and upgradation of the Global Hot beverage sector as also predicted the future growth and impact of the Independent Café Culture.
According to Mr Suresh Kotak, Chairman, Kotak Commodities Ltd, who inaugurated the trade event, “Thriving Independent Upscale Café Culture will ensure huge growth in domestic Ready to Drink (RTD) Tea & Coffee sectors aided by the health benefits of Tea & Coffee. The event being first of its kind, where interaction was so intense, that it is bound to address some real serious issues impacting the industry.”
According to an Assocham study the domestic tea industry is growing annually at 15%. The study further states that India accounts for nearly 30% of global Tea output and nearly 25% of tea produced worldwide is consumed in India. Cafe chains (both Tea & Coffee) are expected to generate a turnover of $410 million in India by 2017. Internationally, the market for RTD tea and coffee in terms of revenue is expected to reach US $125 billion by 2017 as against US $69 billion in 2011 (estimated) signaling an anticipated annual growth of 10.9 % 2012 to 2017.
Mr Ravi Thapa of Manjushree Plantations Ltd, one of the major exhibitors says, “We were delighted to be part of the World Tea & Coffee Expo 2013 in Mumbai on Feb 15-17, 2013. The experience was enriching and the connects valuable. This was a great opportunity to interact with organizations and individuals on a common platform. The exchange of thoughts, ideas and developing relationships for mutual growth and development was very meaningful. We wish you all success in the second edition and onwards.”
Another major Exhibitor Mr K V Vishwanathan of dph International Gmbh, Germany pens his experience in these words “We are into packaged tea bags. Our Principal’s Managing Director was also here along with our regular buyers whom we had invited to the Expo. There hasn’t been a single dull moment here at WTCE.”
Echoing similar sentiments is Mohd. Noor Zaki Yahya of Balung Plantations, Malaysia, “We have displayed some very exciting range of teas here in WTCE like java teas and lemon grass teas which are very rare teas and organic teas. From our participation in WTCE, we are sure that there is lot of potential for these teas here in India as everybody seems to be interested in these high end teas. We have lot of footfalls to our stall and our participation really went off well.”
WTCE has thus emerged as the definitive & only business Platform for Hot Beverages Sector which has prompted the organizers to seek a bigger venue in Mumbai to accommodate a larger number of Exhibitors and visitors for the 2nd edition. The 2nd edition will also include a Conference, Workshops and Seminars which will be addressed by industry leaders from India and abroad.
Says Priti Kapadia, Director, Sentinel Exhibitions P Ltd, the organizers of this event, “The hot beverage sector has evoked keen interest not only in India but also in other tea and coffee drinking nations. The biggest need of the hour is to provide this sector an organized platform from where they can not only trade but exchange ideas and interact with other players/ buyers and traders in the industry. WTCE is one such attempt in the direction. ”
The Trade exhibition was supported by leading Trade Bodies like Tea Board of India. (Govt of India), Federation of Indian Tea Traders Association (FAITTA), Bombay Tea Traders Association (BTTA), India-China Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Small and Medium Business Development Chamber of India, Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Assoc (CISTA) and Darjeeling Tea Association.
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