The inaugural North American edition of World of Coffee will occur from April 10 to 12, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center in California. The event, rebranded from the former Specialty Coffee Expo, will feature the 2026 World Latte Art Championships, competitions, workshops, and over 670 exhibitors. Attendees can also join numerous afterparties and explore San Diego's specialty coffee scene.
San Diego's Marina district, near the Gaslamp Quarter, will host this major B2B trade show for the global coffee industry. Thousands of roasters, baristas, producers, and equipment makers are expected. Exhibitors including Ecotact at booth 3723, Perfect Moose at 1549, OutIn at 4027, and MTPak Coffee at 3916 plan launches and demonstrations of sustainable packaging, automation, and portable solutions. Hanuman Jain, CEO of Ecotact, described North America as a key market for its price influence and consumption scale, noting, “Events here are critical for us; they provide a valuable platform to showcase our sustainable, innovative solutions.” Jan Adriaens of Perfect Moose added, “WoC is the ideal place to show how automation can support baristas instead of replacing them.” Ariana Wang of OutIn highlighted their pop-up space for interactive coffee experiences, while Mark Zhou of MTPak Coffee emphasized learning roaster needs on the show floor. Pre-event activities start April 8 with cuppings and workshops at venues like California Roasting Collective and Rikka Fika. Afterparties continue through April 12, including Covoya Coffee's event at Rustic Root and La Marzocco's themed party. Local spots like Goldchild Coffee, Rikka Fika, and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters offer tours of the city's vibrant scene. US specialty coffee consumption reached a 14-year high in 2025, with 48% of adults drinking it daily, per the National Coffee Association.