Coffee festival here this weekend

Kota Kinabalu: A coffee festival brewing this weekend is likely to be right up the alley of coffee lovers who happen to be in town.

Some 20 independent café operators and firms in the coffee industry from across the country, Japan, Korea and Taiwan have picked the city as a meeting point for the inaugural ‘KK Coffee Festival’.

This is in view of the thriving coffee scene in Sabah with Sabahans consuming more than 200 million cups of coffee, involving over 1,000 tons of coffee beans annually and growing, according to national statistics.

The event organised by Borneo Café Alliance, which is a subsidiary unit under the Federation of Sabah Industries, is to be held at the Suria Sabah mall from Dec 2-4, with the opening scheduled for Friday by Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.

Its Chairman Yap Cheen Boon said the festival among others is aimed at promoting professional standards and hygiene quality among those related to the coffee industry.

“The level of coffee sophistication in Sabah has improved due to rising awareness of consumers on enjoying coffee.

“Indirectly, the coffee culture in Sabah augurs well for the tourism industry as it also demands a better hygienic standard among operators,” he said at a press conference on the festival here on Tuesday.

Also present were the Borneo Cafe Alliance Vice Chairman Dick Lee and committee member Mike Wong.

During the festival, 32 baristas are also expected to show their abilities behind the coffee machine to produce the most aesthetic cup of latte in the ‘Latte Art’ competition.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to win a brand new camera worth RM1,200 for taking the best shot in the coffee-themed photography competition called ‘Coffeegrapher.’

A coffee-theme art gallery featuring coffee-stained art masterpieces by artists will also feature at the Festival, alongside 32 exhibition booths.

Source: Daily Express