The UK’s biggest coffee event is returning to the capital this April. Find out what’s in store at London Coffee Festival 2023.

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It’s back – London Coffee Festival returns this month for four days of unmissable exhibitions, competitions, educational sessions, and more.

Between April 20 and 23, the annual event will host thousands of attendees at The Truman Brewery in Brick Lane for its highly anticipated eleventh instalment.

More than 24,000 attended last year, with almost 10,000 consisting of qualified hospitality buyers and decision-makers from across the coffee, hospitality and food service industries.

With so much in store, we’ve rounded up the highlights to provide you with a helpful guide to this year’s London Coffee Festival.

Learn and be inspired at The Lab

Designed to educate, inspire, and entertain, The Lab is the go-to place for those looking to gain coffee industry insight and stay ahead of the latest trends. It comprises a fascinating line-up of talks, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive demos, as well as multi-sensory tasting sessions.

On the Saturday, Ryan Garrick of WatchHouse will host a panel on the value of relationships in the supply chain, Dan Collison of Farm Africa will discuss How Wild Coffee is Protecting Wildlife and Forests, and four panellists will reveal the importance of content creation in the sector.

The next day, UK Brewers Cup Champion Matteo D’Octavio will explain how to improve Moka pot extraction, while Professor Jonathan Morris and James Harper will outline the history of espresso and where its future lies in a live podcast.

Enjoy the excitement of Coffee Masters 2023

Although it may not enjoy the same level of attention as some of the other barista competitions, Coffee Masters ticks a lot of boxes that others don’t.

In its aim to find the most talented barista, it offers each competitor the same equipment, coffee, and milks to ensure there is no unfair advantage. It also challenges them across a broad range of disciplines, including cupping, brewing, latte art, and signature drink-making. 

This year, UK specialty roaster Pact Coffee is providing the beans, while the milk is supplied by Trewithen Dairy. Sixteen competitors will then have to battle it out in front of a panel of industry figureheads to win the £5,000 cash prize. Last year, Rastislav Kasar of Four Boroughs won in a hotly contested showdown, and this year is primed to be just as exciting.

Discover the genius of induction heating with Heylo Coffee

Heylo’s espresso and milk modules caused a ripple of excitement when they were first unveiled in 2021.

Developed and fine-tuned with input from world-champion baristas, they offer coffee shops the ability to build and deconstruct their coffee bar setup as and how they wish. Their use of induction heating makes them more energy efficient compared to traditional machines, while they also provide baristas with control over a range of parameters, including flow, pressure, and temperature profiles.

At this year’s London Coffee Festival, Heylo will have its very own stand opposite the Roaster Village (W07), where it will showcase its espresso and milk modules in all their glory. A number of guest roasters will be pulling shots for visitors, who will have the opportunity to see how steamless milk frothing and temperature manipulation can produce a better cup of coffee.

Among those offering their coffees will be Old Spike Roastery, a specialty roaster that offers meaningful employment to those affected by homelessness. This is in line with Heylo’s overarching mission to create a more sustainable supply chain – both socially and environmentally – summarised in its tagline #LessGuiltyCoffee.

Get hands-on with Latte Art Live

Despite the emergence of increasingly innovative milk-steaming technology, latte art remains a highly regarded skill in the coffee industry.

Latte Art Live at London Coffee Festival is an interactive zone, offering a series of workshops, masterclasses, and one-on-one competitions that celebrate the sought-after craft.

Sessions include an introduction to advanced latte art pour techniques, a lesson on sustainable latte art practices, and a primer on how to achieve great results using oat milk.

Explore the finest Italian espresso machines with Elektra Coffee

Elektra is known around the world for its exquisite espresso machines that balance vintage aesthetics with the latest technology. And, for the first time ever, the Italian brand will showcase its machines at London Coffee Festival at Stand G09.

At the heart of Elektra’s display will be the Barlume, an iconic espresso machine popular among coffee enthusiasts in the UK. During the four days of the festival, baristas and industry professionals will have the opportunity to experience the Barlume firsthand, while gaining insight into its aesthetics, temperature control, and extraction quality.

In addition to the Barlume, attendees will also have the chance to discover Elektra’s latest espresso machines, the Verve and Verve Mini. Designed for those who enjoy brewing their own high-quality coffee at home, the Verve range includes an integrated app for complete control over each and every brew. Elektra’s stand is not to be missed.