The International Café and Beverages Show (ICBS) 2024, the premier showcase of artisan food, beverages, and café products, successfully concluded, drawing 15,703 visitors to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The three-day event, organized by Montgomery Asia, surpassed expectations and reinforced its position as the leading platform for the café lifestyle sector, attracting industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts from across the region.
ICBS 2024, held from 23 to 25 May, expanded its floor space by 60% compared to its 2023 edition, reflecting Malaysia’s diverse and thriving café culture. The Singapore, Taiwan, and China Country Pavilions, as well as the Japan and Vietnam Roasters Pavilions, were popular with attendees, providing Malaysian businesses with opportunities to connect with regional suppliers.
Over the event’s duration, 1,200 baristas and 2,000 café owners participated to explore opportunities to further improve their skills and offerings to their café patrons.
Commenting on the event’s success, Christopher McCuin, Managing Director of Montgomery Asia, said, “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of ICBS 2024. The significant increase in participating companies and the almost 15,703 visitors (a 44% year-on-year growth) highlights the tremendous potential of this exhibition and the rapid growth of the café and F&B industries in Malaysia.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners and sponsors, 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 Speciality Coffee Association (MSCA), returned to ICBS for the third time. Baristas from all over the country showcased their extraordinary skills 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 also hosted the inaugural Bakin’Love ‘Next Top Baker’ final face-offs. The top five finalists used Bakin’Love pre-mixes and UNOX ovens to prepare masterpieces based on the theme “Malaysian heritage buildings.” Saarvin Nair emerged as the Champion, with Malik Arif and Nik Farah as the First and Second Runners-up, respectively.
“The café lifestyle industry is dynamic and ever-evolving. In line with this, we are thrilled to announce the introduction of new products and events alongside the 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 concluded. 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,” added McCuin.
“Coffee is the cornerstone of any café experience. Cafés also offer customers a holistic experience that includes delectable dishes and cuisines. To continue our efforts to remain a leading event for the café and beverages industry, we will debut My Food @ ICBS, showcasing domestically grown and developed products. We have selected ‘The Flavours of Your Community’ as My Food’s theme to highlight uniquely Malaysian cuisines, ingredients, and dishes,” said McCuin.
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.
