The specialty coffee world is setting its sights on Southern California this April as the industry's premier North American gathering prepares to welcome thousands of professionals from across the globe.
World of Coffee San Diego 2026 opens its doors April 10-12, marking a significant evolution for what coffee enthusiasts previously knew as Specialty Coffee Expo. Registration is now available for an event that organizers expect will draw more than 15,000 attendees representing over 90 countries, all converging on San Diego to explore the latest developments in specialty coffee.
The transformation reflects broader changes within the industry. This isn't just a rebranding exercise—the event represents a comprehensive platform where the entire coffee value chain comes together, from the farmers who grow the beans to the baristas who craft the final cup.
A Gathering of Global Proportions
The scale of World of Coffee San Diego speaks to the specialty coffee industry's continued expansion and relevance. With more than 600 exhibiting companies confirmed for the expansive Exhibition Hall, attendees will encounter everything from innovative brewing equipment to emerging technologies that support coffee retail operations.
The show floor goes beyond traditional coffee equipment and beans. Visitors will find businesses spanning the full HoReCa (Hotel/Restaurant/Café) spectrum, including specialty beverage producers, prepared food companies, bakery suppliers, and technology providers—all elements that contribute to successful coffee retail operations.
Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association, emphasized the event's strategic importance. "World of Coffee brings the global coffee community together for three dynamic days of learning, connection and opportunity. In alignment with the Specialty Coffee Association's Ignite Coffee's Future campaign, the event unites professionals across the value chain to build meaningful relationships and strengthen the specialty coffee industry – making it more resilient, more connected and ready for what's next," said Apostolopoulos. "It's the premier North American platform for business growth, collaboration and discovery."
The gathering serves roasters, retailers, buyers, producers, wholesalers, equipment manufacturers, baristas, and various other professionals who keep the specialty coffee industry moving forward. Each group brings unique perspectives and needs, creating an environment ripe for collaboration and business development.
Major Industry Support
Several leading companies have stepped up as major sponsors, underscoring the event's significance within the industry. Pacific Foods Barista Series and Sanremo Coffee Machines serve as Platinum Sponsors, while Pentair Everpure has signed on as Diamond Sponsor and Official Water Filtration Sponsor. FETCO rounds out the diamond-level support as the Official Grinding Equipment Sponsor.
The sponsorship commitments reflect genuine enthusiasm about the event's potential impact. "Confirming this sponsorship is an enormous source of pride for Sanremo Coffee Machines," says Elisa Checchin, marketing manager with Sanremo Coffee Machines. "Continuing to work closely with the SCA and the wider coffee world drives us to improve year after year Being here in San Diego is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting, growing and adding value to the coffee community worldwide."
Drew Deller, brand manager for foodservice at Pacific Foods, expressed similar excitement about the event's debut in its new format. "At Pacific Foods Barista Series™, we're thrilled to welcome the specialty coffee community to the first World of Coffee event in the US," says Deller. "We're proud to sponsor an event that brings together coffee professionals from around the world to celebrate innovation and craft. With decades of experience creating plant-based beverages designed specifically for coffee, Pacific is committed to helping baristas elevate every cup."
Colombia Takes Center Stage
This year's event will spotlight Colombia as the Portrait Country, offering attendees unique opportunities to dive deep into one of the world's most renowned coffee-producing regions. The designation means special activations, dedicated coffee tastings, and educational opportunities focused on Colombian coffee culture, production methods, and the country's distinctive contributions to the specialty coffee landscape.
For many in the industry, Colombia represents the gold standard in coffee production, combining ideal growing conditions with generations of expertise. The Portrait Country feature allows attendees to explore these elements in depth, potentially forging new business relationships and gaining insights into sourcing and production practices.
Competition and Excellence
Among the event's highlights, the World Latte Art Championship stands out as a major draw. This global competition brings together elite baristas from around the world to compete for the 2026 World Latte Art Champion title across three days of intense competition.
The championship celebrates both artistry and technical skill, as competitors transform milk and espresso into visually stunning designs under pressure. For spectators, it offers a chance to witness the highest levels of barista craftsmanship, where precision pouring meets creative vision.
Beyond the spectacle, the competition serves an important function within the industry—elevating standards, showcasing technique innovations, and inspiring baristas at all skill levels to refine their craft.
Recognition and Innovation
World of Coffee San Diego will present several awards programs designed to highlight excellence and innovation across different aspects of the industry. The Best New Product Awards, Coffee Design Awards, and Sustainability Awards each recognize different forms of achievement and advancement.
Both the Best New Product Awards and Coffee Design Awards are currently accepting submissions through March 9, 2026, giving companies time to showcase their latest innovations and designs. These awards provide valuable recognition for businesses pushing boundaries and solving problems within the specialty coffee sector.
The inclusion of Sustainability Awards reflects growing industry awareness of environmental and social responsibility. As consumers increasingly consider the ethical and environmental implications of their purchases, coffee businesses that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability gain competitive advantages.
Sensory Exploration
For those wanting to taste their way through the event, two dedicated areas offer extensive sampling opportunities. The Roaster Village and Cupping Rooms give attendees chances to discover new coffees from producers and roasters worldwide.
Cupping—the standardized method professionals use to evaluate coffee quality—allows participants to assess different coffees side by side, developing their palates and potentially identifying new products for their businesses. The Roaster Village complements this with opportunities to meet the people behind various coffee brands and learn about their approaches to sourcing, roasting, and flavor development.
These sensory experiences serve both educational and practical purposes, helping coffee professionals stay current with flavor trends while potentially identifying new suppliers or products to bring into their operations.
Direct Producer Access
In a significant development, World of Coffee San Diego will introduce the Producer Village to North America for the first time. This dedicated show floor area connects attendees directly with coffee producers and distributors working in origin countries and regions.
The Producer Village addresses a persistent challenge in the coffee industry: the distance—both geographic and relational—between the people who grow coffee and those who ultimately sell it to consumers. By bringing producers directly into the trade show environment, the feature facilitates relationship building and knowledge exchange that benefits everyone involved.
For coffee shop owners, roasters, and buyers, direct producer access means better understanding of farming practices, harvest timing, processing methods, and the challenges producers face. For producers, it offers valuable market insight and opportunities to establish direct trade relationships that can provide more stable, profitable arrangements than traditional commodity trading.
Education and Skills Development
The event's educational programming includes both workshops and the SCA Lecture Series, providing structured learning opportunities alongside the more informal knowledge exchange happening throughout the show floor.
Workshop schedules are now available, with sessions bookable during registration for additional fees. These hands-on learning experiences typically cover specific skills or knowledge areas in depth, giving participants actionable insights they can implement in their businesses.
The SCA Lecture Series, with its schedule to be announced soon, typically features industry leaders and experts sharing insights on trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the specialty coffee landscape. These presentations help attendees understand broader industry movements and position their businesses accordingly.
Networking and Community Building
Beyond the formal programming, World of Coffee San Diego recognizes that some of the most valuable exchanges happen in casual settings. The event schedule includes multiple networking opportunities, from happy hours with industry peers to evening receptions, parties, and meetups.
These social elements serve important business functions. The specialty coffee industry, while global in scale, often operates through personal relationships and trust built over time. Face-to-face interactions at events like this lay groundwork for partnerships, supplier relationships, and knowledge sharing that continue long after the event concludes.
The CoZee Business Lounge offers an exclusive meeting and networking space specifically for high-performing coffee retail and hospitality professionals. This dedicated environment provides a quieter alternative to the bustling show floor while still facilitating the connections that drive business growth.
Green Coffee Focus
Green CoZee Connect represents another specialized program area, focusing specifically on the green coffee sector—the unroasted beans that form the foundation of the entire industry. This feature brings together experts to discuss issues facing coffee production and helps attendees discover new ways to interact with this critical sector.
Understanding green coffee—its sourcing, pricing, quality assessment, and the complex global systems that bring it to market—separates casual coffee enthusiasts from serious industry professionals. Green CoZee Connect makes this specialized knowledge more accessible while highlighting the importance of sustainable, equitable relationships with producing regions.
Looking Ahead
As World of Coffee San Diego approaches, the event represents more than just a trade show. It functions as a snapshot of where the specialty coffee industry stands and where it's heading—what innovations are gaining traction, which sustainability practices are becoming standard, and how relationships across the value chain continue evolving.
For anyone serious about specialty coffee, whether running a single cafe or managing a major roasting operation, the gathering offers concentrated access to information, products, and connections that would take months to assemble otherwise. The consolidation of so many industry players in one place creates unique opportunities for business development, problem-solving, and industry advancement.
With registration now open and April approaching, coffee professionals have a limited window to secure their spots at what promises to be a defining event for North American specialty coffee. The combination of global participation, comprehensive programming, and industry-wide representation makes World of Coffee San Diego a significant marker on the 2026 calendar for anyone invested in the future of specialty coffee.
