Compostable cups turn Edinburgh Coffee festival 'green'

Biodegradable cups will turn this year’s Edinburgh Coffee Festival into a sustainable event, organisers have said.

More than 3,000 people are set to visit the trade-cum-consumer show, in its third year, at the Corn Exchange in the city on October 14.

The compostable cups are being supplied by Vegware and Frank Green as the festival aims to become a zero waste event.

The show has grown rapidly as popularity since its first edition in 2015 as interest in craft coffee – similar to other artisan industries such as beer and gin – has soared.

Show organiser Martin Dare said: “Customers are getting choosier about their coffee. While we’re still loyal to our local coffee shop, we’re venturing further to try new shops, different brewing methods and meeting up with like-minded coffee lovers.

“In our third year now, the Edinburgh Coffee Festival brings everyone together under one roof to talk to roasters and baristas, taste loads of different coffees and get to know the great coffee scene we have.”

Pru Whitwell, blogger for Scotland Coffee Lovers adds: “While big companies like McDonalds and Greggs have run ads that take a swipe at ‘hipster coffee shops’, not only are people turning toward better coffee, from independent coffee shops, increasingly customers are also choosing to eat better food. It’s a complete package.”

Forty speciality coffee and tea exhibitors and some of the best coffee cocktails, food and cake around will all descend on the show.

Edinburgh’s speciality coffee scene continues to ‘out-pace the majority of cities in the UK, as more high quality shops open up to more customers with ever-more discerning coffee and tea palates’, say organisers.

Edinburgh is one of the top three cities in the UK outside of London for specialty coffee and right across Scotland more consumers are taking their foodie fascination toward coffee, according to the company behind the event.

In tune with latest consumer trends the Festival will include:

Demonstrations and talks on tasting, technical coffee and tea skills, social responsibility, and to how to set up a coffee shop.
Stalls by local roasters and coffee shops, cake and doughnut makers, hot and cold street food, sellers of brewing equipment
Half-day ‘Introduction to coffee’ course for half price (book early to avoid disappointment!). Home brewers and people starting their coffee career will learn about the science of roasting, sensory (viewing, smelling, tasting) and barista skills.
Vegware and Frank Green will help the Festival to be a zero waste event. Edinburgh-based Vegware will furnish all exhibitors with fully compostable cups and dispose of waste sustainably. Frank Green are also offering their stylish SmartCups at a discounted price with each ticket purchase – so you can continue to look after our planet with every coffee.

Martin adds: “This year we are continuing to support Mercy Corps; the Edinburgh-based organisation that tackles the world’s toughest challenges. Mercy Corps works with coffee farmers to help them build more sustainable livelihoods. In Colombia, a new initiative strengthens the autonomy and economic empowerment of 1,800 rural female coffee farmers in Southern Cauca, and we are delighted that Mercy Corps will be joining us to talk more about the project.”