Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam : Top-notch baristas hailing from all over Vietnam will converge on one platform to compete against each other for the coveted chance to be champion of the Vietnam Barista Competition (VBC).

Held concurrently with Food&HotelVietnam2013 (FHV2013) from 24 to 26 April 2013 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC), VBC contestants will be judged by a panel of distinguished experts from the coffee industry. The panel will be headed by Mr. Ross Bright, Master Roaster at Spinelli Coffee and a certified World Barista Championship judge. As part of the award, the winner will get the exclusive opportunity to compete against national champions from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Taiwan and more at the FHA Barista Challenge 2014 held in Singapore alongside the brand new SpecialityCoffee&Tea exhibition.

Making its debut in 2014 to cater to the fast growing needs of the world’s top as well as emerging coffee and tea enterprises, SpecialityCoffee&Tea is one of the six specialised trade shows of Food&HotelAsia (FHA).

VBC is one of the exciting competitions specially designed to not only liven up the FHV2013 exhibition show floor but also aims to generate more awareness of the barista profession in Vietnam and bring the barista skillset to a higher level. The crowning of the competition champion will be witnessed by keen industry professionals comprising of caf management personnel and coffee industry buyers.

Newly launched Latte Art Challenge

Baristas are also encouraged to participate in the Latte Art Challenge event, to be held for the very first time. The Latte Art Challenge, held together with VBC, will be hosted by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, Singapore Charter (SCAE SC). Aspiring baristas can also participate in the Basic Barista Course which will be conducted after the Latte Art Challenge. Successful course participants will receive certification by a trainer from SCAE SC.

Aspiring and established baristas can register interest here (email: [email protected]) to participate in VBC and its associated events.

An effective springboard into Vietnam’s vibrant foodservice & hospitality industry

Vietnam’s most established and choice business platform for professionals from the food and hospitality industry, FHV2013 will occupy 8,880 square metres of exhibition space to house a lively mix of over 380 exhibitors from 30 countries/regions including 10 international group pavilions, each offering the latest products and innovative solutions for Vietnam’s food and hospitality industry.

The biennial trade show will present a window of opportunity to regional and international exhibitors who are keen to enter Vietnam and establish important contacts with local distributors and sellers from across the region. In addition, they will also be exposed to exclusive opportunities to extend their reach into budding markets outside Vietnam, namely the rest of the Indochina regions Cambodia and Myanmar.

Home-grown exhibitors will be able to leverage on the opportunity to reach out to new local customers who are not currently exposed to their products, expanding their brand presence in the local market. FHV2013 will also act as a launch pad for resident exhibitors to present their offerings to various regional attendees, thus receiving a boost into promising markets beyond the region.

FHV2013 is organised by Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd and local organiser VCCI Exhibition Service Co Ltd.