Cairo, March 6 The warm fragrance of coffee wafted through a hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival.
Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which concluded on Saturday, brought together professionals, local specialty coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers, reports Xinhua news agency.
With live jazz music playing at the gala, visitors have explored many different coffee specialties, preparation methods as well as coffee-making and grinding machines.
"We aim to develop the culture of coffee in Egypt and market our new products to coffee lovers," Mohammed Amir, a manager of a local coffee brand, told Xinhua.
"It is a celebration of coffee and it is important for Egypt who love coffee," Amir added.
According to the coffee division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, Egypt imports about 70,000 tonnes of coffee annually, and the most populous Arab country imports all its coffee consumptions because of its unsuitable climate for coffee cultivation.
Coffee is the second main popular drink after tea in Egypt, said the chamber.
"We care about the customers' taste. That is why we work to develop our coffee products and serve the greatest value of coffee," Khater Abdul-Mohsen, an employee from a Yemeni company working in Egypt, told Xinhua.
Abdul-Mohsen said his company uses high-quality coffee beans grown in Yemen, and their brand is working to attract more Egyptian coffee lovers by serving delicious and affordable coffee.
For a newly established company in Egypt, the festival is a great chance for the company to market its products and let coffee lovers watch the art of coffee making with their own eyes, he noted.
"We can also meet industry professionals from other Egyptian companies to exchange expertise and make business deals," Abdul-Mohsen revealed.
For coffee lovers, the festival gave them a glimpse of the best specialty roasters and coffee shops to enjoy a unique coffee culture.
"I'm a coffee addict, and I want to learn more about coffee. That is why I'm here," Abdul-Aziz al-Fiqi, a doctor from Cairo, told Xinhua during his tour through the festival's booths.
"Seeing so many coffee brands helps me choose the best taste and the highest quality ... The festival allows lovers to pick their favourite coffee from a large variety of products."
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