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Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 720 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

The fifth World Coffee Conference and Expo 2023 wrapped up at Bengaluru Palace Grounds this week, with the theme Sustainability through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture. It was inaugurated by a galaxy of leaders from industry and government, including Massimiliano Fabian, Chair of the International Coffee Council, and Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry.

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The spectacular event featured participants from 80 countries, with 128 speakers, 208 exhibitors, and over 10,000 visitors. There were skill-building workshops, roundtables, growers’ conclaves, and even awards for categories like best barista.

The four-day event was organised by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) in collaboration with the Coffee Board of India, Government of Karnataka, and coffee industry associations.

In this photo essay, we showcase the wide range of exhibits on display as well as the dome-shaped Coffee Museum. See also my earlier photo essays on Coffee Santhe 2015, Mango Mela 2018, and Mango Diversity Fair 2019. 

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Exhibitors displayed coffee brands, brewing machines, and related products like coffee-blended chocolates, cold drinks, skincare creams, and even art from coffee beans. States such as Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Nagaland had colourful pavilions showcasing local varieties of coffee.

Earlier editions of the coffee conference were held in England (2001), Brazil (2005), Guatemala (2010), and Ethiopia (2016). Established in 1963, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) has promoted coffee trade and fostered cooperation among coffee-producing and consuming nations, with a recent thrust on sustainable development.

Speakers included Gunter Pauli, author of The Blue Economy. “The livelihood of farmers and ethics should be at the core of the business model,” he emphasised. He explained how coffee waste can also be used to create functional products like textiles.

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“Adoption of sustainable practices which is the theme of this conference is apt and the discussions have resulted in enlightening insights,” said Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Additional Secretary, Dept of Commerce, Govt of India.

The conference also featured a Startup Conclave with speakers such as IB Bopanna, Founder Director, CHOMBUKA Coorg Coffee. He urged entrepreneurs to tap into opportunities for value addition at the farmer’s level and beyond.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and showcase the breadth of your creative side?

(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at WCC 2023.)

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.