Lights, Camera, Coffee! 

Latte Art Champion Umpaul (at right). Photo by Jordan Johnson

[C]offee Fest Los Angeles 2019 is officially in the books. The event, which took place in the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 25–17, brought together representatives and leaders throughout the specialty beverage industry. This year, Coffee Fest goers also had the opportunity to attend the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo as well as the Healthy Food Expo, giving them access to more than 550 exhibitors with innovative new products. 

From the educational seminars in the mornings to the multiple heated competitions and evening events such as the opening night reception at Prank Bar, Coffee Fest LA offered ample opportunities for attendees to build their skill set, discover new trends, and network. 

First-time Coffee Fest attendees Julie Ford and her daughter Kayla Lendon, co-owners of Caffe Paradiso in Vicksburg, Mississippi, were convinced to attend the event by their partners from the Joe Coffee ordering app. Both women proclaimed that the event had been enormously useful for them, connecting them to resources they hadn’t thought existed and learning invaluable knowledge to implement in their business

Winners from Coffee Fest Los Angeles 2019:

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Consumable

• • First place: Thaiwala – ThaiTea
  • Second place: 1883 Mason Routin – Cardamom Syrup
  • Third place: Monin Sea Salted Caramel Toffee Syrup

Non-Consumable

• • First place: Almond Cow – Almond Cow
  • Second place: International Food Packaging – EarthPro Compostable Hot Cups/Lids
  • Third place: Hive Roasters – Cascabel

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS “Best of Fest”

• • Exhibitor: Starburst Power Energy Concentrate &
    Fruit Fusion, Product: Tiki Breeze Energy Power

LATTE ART WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN

• • 1st Umpaul 
  • 2nd Zhong Hu
  • 3rd Lance Hedrick

AMERICA’S BEST COLD BREW

Still

• • 1st Flat White Coffee
  • 2nd Copa Vida
  • 3rd Augie’s Coffee 

Nitro

• • 1st Black Ring Coffee
  • 2nd geN Brewing
  • 3rd Klatch Roasting