THOUSANDS of chocolate lovers and coffee fans are expected to visit a major exhibition which got underway yesterday.
Around 65 companies from around the world are showcasing their products at the three-day Chocolate and Coffee Exhibition, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis.
Countries represented are Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Palestine, Italy, Spain, Azerbaijan, Greece, Malaysia and Indonesia.
“At least 50,000 people are expected to visit the expo, up from 29,500 last year,” said organiser Bidayaat Company president Dr Hala Jamal.
The focus this year is on promoting local Bahraini brands for franchise in the global market.
“We enlarged the space this year and more companies are taking part; at the same time it is just not an exhibition, there are a number of other activities,” said Dr Jamal.
“We want Bahrain to be the hub for this kind of exhibition, attracting people from all over the world.
“Our target is to see Bahraini entrepreneurs and businesses have branches all over the world.”
One of the exhibitors is showcasing traditional coffee grinders and coffee pots, some more than 80 years old, in an effort to display the heritage and coffee culture of Bahrain.
The Individual Social Responsibility Society, Ata’a, is exhibiting traditional coffee pots and other devices used to grind and roast coffee.
“I collect many antiques and artefacts and I took part this year to showcase our heritage and my collection of grinders and coffee pots that date back 100 to 200 years,” said Habib Tarada Museum owner Habib Tarada.
“I have brought a traditional coffee roaster pan and an 80-year-old grinder that finely grinds the coffee beans along with old mortar and pestles used to grind the beans.
“I travel across the Arab countries searching for traditional coffee pots and add them to my collection.”
Meanwhile, six Indonesian companies have also set up a pavilion for the first time.
“We are now the third top coffee producer in the world and aiming to be the second largest,” said Indonesian Embassy chancery head Hardiyono Kurniawan.
“We have so many different types of coffees we can offer and we are eyeing Bahrain as a hub.”
A major attraction at the pavilion is one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world, known as the Kopi Luwak going for $1,000 per kilo.
Expensive
Kopi Luwak, or civet coffee, is coffee that includes part-digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet.
Fermentation occurs as the cherries pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated with other faecal matter, they are collected.
“The civet can smell and taste the best among the coffee berries,” said Mr Kurniawan.
“Then the coffee beans are collected and processed making it the most expensive in the world.”
Free medical checks are also being offered to visitors by Al Kindi Hospital at a special health corner which will also feature presentations by a paediatrician, a dietician, a general practitioner and a dentist to discuss coffee and chocolate.
The expo, being held under the patronage of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority chief executive Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, continues until tomorrow from 11am to 10pm.
Entertainment activities on the sidelines include a children’s corner, a coffee drawing corner, a design your coffee shop corner, a selfie station and several competitions.
Follow @chocoandcoffeeexpo on Instagram for more details.
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