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SAN DIEGO – The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is thrilled to announce World of Coffee San Diego 2026 is now open for visitor registration.
Scheduled to take place April 10–12, 2026, in San Diego, California, World of Coffee is the flagship North American trade show formerly known as Specialty Coffee Expo. The event is due to welcome over 15,000 attendees from more than 90 countries, showcasing the best in the global specialty coffee industry: innovation, culture, and sustainability, as well as several networking and business growth opportunities.
Proudly supported by Platinum Sponsors Pacific Foods Barista Series and Sanremo Coffee Machines, and Diamond Sponsor/Official Water Filtration Sponsor Pentair Everpure, with FETCO supporting as Diamond Sponsor/Official Grinding Equipment Sponsor. Colombia will be featured as the Portrait Country with unique activations, coffee tastings, and more.
“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 Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association. “It’s the premier North American platform for business growth, collaboration, and discovery.”
The expansive Exhibition Hall will feature 600+ exhibiting companies offering the industry’s most innovative and cutting-edge coffee products and services, centered in coffee and including bakery, tech, and other businesses that drive the HoReCa industry. Coffee professionals representing the entire value chain—including roasters, retailers, buyers, producers, wholesalers, equipment manufacturers, baristas, and more—will have the opportunity to learn, connect, and discover ways to expand and improve business skills, suppliers, trainers, and more.
Furthermore, the show floor will feature some of the most innovative and trend-setting brands in specialty beverage, prepared foods, baked goods, emerging technologies, and more—everything that contributes to the growth and support of coffee retail and community success.
World of Coffee San Diego will host several special features and events, including:
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World Latte Art Championship: the global competition for latte art excellence, where attendees can witness elite baristas from around the world compete for the 2026 World Latte Art Champion title in a thrilling three-day showdown celebrating the artistry and technical mastery of baristas who transform milk and espresso into visually stunning designs.
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Awards: Attendees will be able to discover new products, companies, and innovations through the Best New Product Awards, Coffee Design Awards, and Sustainability Awards. Both the Best New Product Awards and Coffee Design Awards are now open for submissions until March 9, 2026.
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Sensory Experiences: The Roaster Village and Cupping Rooms will be two areas to discover amazing new coffees from around the world.
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Producer Village: The SCA is proud to announce that a new show feature, the Producer Village, will be on the show floor for the first time in North America. This is the place for attendees to meet coffee producers and distributors working in coffee origin countries and regions.
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Workshops and the SCA Lecture Series: Attendees can attend special education and instruction sessions at the show. The Workshop schedule is now available, and sessions can be booked at registration for an additional fee. The SCA Lecture Series schedule will be announced soon.
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Networking Opportunities: From happy hours with fellow industry peers to evening receptions, parties, and meet-ups, attendees and exhibitors will have several ways to network.
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Coffee Business Lounge: An exclusive meeting and lounge area for high-performing coffee retail and hospitality professionals.
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Green Coffee Connect: Learn about the issues facing the fascinating world of green coffee production from experts in the field and discover new ways to interact with this critical sector.
“Confirming this sponsorship is an enormous source of pride for Sanremo Coffee Machines,” says Elisa Checchin, Marketing Manager at 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.”
“At Pacific Foods Barista Series™, we’re thrilled to welcome the specialty coffee community to the first World of Coffee event in the U.S,” says Drew Deller, Brand Manager, Foodservice for Pacific Foods®. “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.”
Interested attendees can now register at usa.worldofcoffee.org. Register before March 1, 2026, for early bird discounts. All SCA paid members receive a discount on registration and further discounts when booking as a group. For sponsorship, exhibitor, or registration inquiries, email hello@sca.coffee or visit the event website.
About the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
SCA is the global stage for specialty coffee, where culture, commerce, and community collide. As the world’s largest coffee trade association, we bring together diverse voices across the value chain to spark dialogue, fuel innovation, and make coffee a vibrant, relevant force for all. Through collaboration and progressive approaches, SCA supports the industry through research, standards, education, and events.
To sponsor and support World of Coffee and the continued work of the SCA, contact sponsorships@sca.coffee. To learn more, visit sca.coffee or follow @specialtycoffeeassociation on social media.
