The Speciality Food Festival 2015 one of three B2B food shows running at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 27 - 29 October will feature the UAEs first-ever National Cezve/Ibrik Championship.

Owned and organised by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), the National Cezve/Ibrik Championship will see the UAEs best baristas prepare coffee using one of the oldest and most traditional methods, and in the region where it was first created.

With an independent panel of judges, the participants brews will be evaluated on criteria including taste, beverage presentation and technique. The winner of the National Cezve/ Ibrik Championship will represent the UAE when the World Cezve/Ibrik Championships are staged at Gulfood in February next year.

Commonly referred to as Turkish coffee, Cezve/Ibrik is the centuries-old art of brewing coffee in a small, long-handled pot. Ibrik is the preferred coffee-making method in many parts of the world including Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Cezve or Ibrik is such a traditional method of brewing in the UAE and we expect the National Cezve/Ibrik Championship at this years The Speciality Food Festival will generate tremendous interest throughout the UAE and around the Arab world, said David Veal, SCAEs Executive Director.

Coffee is much more than just a beverage; for centuries, coffee has been an intrinsic part of life, not just in the UAE, but all over the world. This dedicated National Cezve/Ibrik Championship will return the coffee-making focus to traditional methods of preparation in what is now one of the worlds fastest-growing coffee markets, Veal added.

With Middle East coffee sales contributing eight per cent of a global market worth the USD85 billion in 2014 according to a Market Intelligence report by Euromonitor, a host of international coffee, gourmet and organic food suppliers traditional exhibitors at The Speciality Food Festival - are eyeing the region as key growth territory over the next few years.

Annual increases of 2.5 per cent in the GCC regions per capita income through to 2019 are expected to fuel regional demand for discretionary and high-priced food products such as organic food, cut-vegetables, ready-to-cook meals, marinated meat and flavoured milk according to the Alpen Capital GCC Food Industry 2015. The regional organic food market alone is estimated to reach USD 1.5 billion by 2018 a 400 per cent increase on 2009.

Opportunities for global suppliers to leverage increasing regional demand for high-end food products has ensured this years Speciality Food Festival - the only event in the Middle East dedicated to gourmet professionals and global suppliers is expected to attract more than 200 exhibitors from over 50 countries - is already 95 per cent sold-out.

In-line with regional and global F&B demands, the sixth annual Speciality Food Festival will be bigger than ever in terms of floor space, exhibitors and visitors, said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events Management, DWTC. This years event will feature a raft of new national pavilions and a broad-range of international and local companies, including a significant stable of Europe's finest food companies from France, the UK, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Open 10am-6pm from 27- 28 October and from 10am 5pm on 29 October 2015, The Speciality Food Festival is organised alongside Sweets and Snacks Middle East and SEAFEX. The three niche food shows are for trade and business professionals only. General public and persons under the age of 21 will not be permitted entry. Registration is available at the show upon proof of trade status.