From March 8–10, 2026, Coffee Fest New York returned to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, bringing together coffee professionals, café owners, roasters, beverage innovators, and foodservice brands from across the country. As one of the leading specialty coffee trade events on the East Coast, the show served as a hub for discovering emerging trends, networking opportunities, and innovative products shaping the future of the coffee and café industry.
The event featured a wide range of exhibitors showcasing specialty coffee, tea, plant-based beverages, café equipment, syrups, sustainable packaging, desserts, and wellness-focused products. From independent startups to established brands, exhibitors highlighted the growing consumer demand for premium quality, sustainability, and unique café experiences.
In addition to the exhibition floor, Coffee Fest New York offered educational workshops, business seminars, and hands-on training sessions for coffee professionals. Topics included café operations, beverage innovation, digital marketing, menu development, profitability strategies, and customer engagement. The event also included live demonstrations and barista competitions that brought energy and creativity to the show floor.
One notable aspect of Coffee Fest is its strong focus on independent businesses and founder-led brands. Compared to larger national expos, the event provides a more personal environment where attendees can directly connect with company founders, marketing teams, and decision-makers. This creates valuable opportunities for collaboration, brand partnerships, and business growth within the specialty beverage space.
As coffee culture continues to evolve, Coffee Fest New York 2026 reflected broader industry trends including functional beverages, wellness-driven products, sustainable sourcing, and premium artisanal experiences. The event demonstrated how cafés are increasingly becoming lifestyle destinations that combine quality products, community, and storytelling.
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For beverage and food brands seeking visibility in the specialty café market, Coffee Fest New York remains an important platform for building relationships, exploring new partnerships, and staying connected with the latest developments in the industry.
Featured Exhibitors
Lotus Plant Power
Lotus Plant Power is a fast-growing plant-based energy drink company best known for its colorful energy concentrates used in coffee shops and soda bars across the United States. Founded by herbalist Scott Strader, the brand positions itself as a cleaner alternative to traditional energy drinks by using plant-based caffeine, botanical extracts, amino acids, B vitamins, coffee fruit, and ingredients like lotus flower and guayusa tea. Lotus has become especially popular among younger consumers because cafés can create visually striking customized drinks in flavors and colors such as Blue Lotus and Pink Lotus, making the brand highly social-media friendly while tapping into the booming functional beverage and wellness market.
Hacco, Inc.
Hacco, Inc. is a New York–based company focused on bringing traditional Japanese fermentation culture—especially koji fermentation—into modern food and beverage products. The brand positions itself as “born in New York, inspired by Japanese fermentation,” and develops organic, plant-based, refined sugar–free products for both consumers and foodservice professionals. Their lineup includes products like Organic KOJI BARISTA (a fermented rice beverage for coffee shops), KOJI AGAVE sweetener, and fermented rice flour. Hacco emphasizes clean ingredients, natural sweetness created through fermentation rather than added sugar, and collaboration with long-established Japanese fermentation specialists such as Uonuma Jozo Co., Ltd. and Marukome USA. The company is also trying to introduce “hakko” (Japanese fermentation culture) to the U.S. specialty food and coffee markets, including showcasing products at events like the Specialty Coffee Expo and Expo West.
