Bahrain Coffee Festival Brews Global Flavour Diversity
TDT | Manama
Email: hasan@newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain’s coffee festival came alive this week as the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre hosted a captivating coffee festival from 9 to 13 December, drawing professionals, enthusiasts, and exhibitors from around the world. The event unfolded as a celebration of brewing culture, showcasing the full spectrum of the industry from traditional craftsmanship to modern café innovation. Local and international coffee shops took part, offering visitors a rich journey through distinctive aromas, roasting styles, and tasting experiences. Stands displayed freshly roasted beans, both local and imported, while equipment suppliers filled the halls with the buzz of grinders, espresso machines, and brewing tools.
The festival also featured an extensive range of café essentials, lining up everything from professional coffee machines and advanced grinders to ice makers, orange juice extractors, and high-performance blenders. Accessories such as paper filters, drippers, and barista-grade cups highlighted the growing sophistication of Bahrain’s coffee culture and its expanding market for specialty brewing.
Equipment
A key exhibitor was Immatek, a company specialising in commercial kitchen and café equipment. In an exclusive interview with Daily Tribune, owner Ali explained that Immatek caters to large companies, major coffee shops, and specialty cafés, offering a wide line-up of machines and tools designed to meet the demands of modern operations. Their catalogue ranges from fully automatic machines to ice makers, orange juicers, and advanced blenders, in addition to coffee beans and essential brewing accessories.
Ali highlighted the company’s specialty machines engineered for high-precision brewing. Each group head can be individually programmed to control temperature and extraction time, allowing baristas to fine-tune every cup and deliver flavours tailored precisely to customer preference. He added that this capability reflects the evolving expectations of Bahrain’s coffee consumers, who increasingly seek quality, consistency, and personalisation.
Origins
Ethiopia’s heritage as the birthplace of Arabica coffee was a prominent feature of the festival. Representatives from the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia joined the event to showcase their traditional coffee ceremony and introduce visitors to Ethiopia’s renowned coffee varieties. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Tribune, Teninet Tadese Wudie, Third Secretary at the Consulate General Office, detailed the unique profiles of several celebrated Ethiopian beans.
Haraz offered mocha-like richness, Sidamo presented delicate sweetness and balanced acidity, while Guji stood out for its bright citrus and floral notes that many Bahrainis described as exceptionally smooth and pudding-like. Other varieties, such as Legati and Limu, highlighted Ethiopia’s diverse growing regions and the deep cultural roots of its coffee traditions. The Ethiopian booth became one of the most visited corners of the festival, offering insight into the flavours, rituals, and origins of a globally treasured beverage.
Celebration
Across its bustling aisles, live demonstrations and cultural showcases, the Bahrain Coffee Festival stood as a testament to the Kingdom’s growing presence in the global coffee community. It brought together heritage, innovation, and international exchange, giving local visitors a rare opportunity to experience the world’s coffee traditions under one roof. With strong participation from embassies, roasteries, café owners, and equipment suppliers, the festival reaffirmed Bahrain’s role as an emerging hub for speciality coffee and café culture.
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