The 2026 edition of Cafés de Colombia Expo wrapped up on Sunday at the Corferias exhibition center in Bogota after four days dedicated to showcasing the diversity of Colombian coffee, connecting producers with buyers, and introducing specialty coffees to new consumers.
The trade show brought together more than 180 exhibitors, surpassing the participation figure from the previous edition, in an event that once again placed the quality, origin, and cultural value of one of the country’s most renowned products at the center of attention.
Beyond the business opportunities, the event highlighted a message shared by numerous participants in conversations with ColombiaOne: the industry’s challenge is not simply to produce high-quality coffee, but also to teach people how to recognize it.
The goal, several exhibitors explained, is to “educate the palate,” both in Colombia and in international markets, so consumers can understand the differences between regions, varieties, processing methods, and flavor profiles, while appreciating the work that goes into every cup.
Colombian Coffee Expo 2026 draws record crowds, with 180 exhibitors
Organized by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia and Corferias, Cafes de Colombia Expo has established itself as one of Latin America’s leading industry trade shows.
This year’s edition ran from October 15 to 18, featuring a trade exhibition that brought together offerings from different coffee-producing regions and participants from across the supply chain, from coffee growers and roasters to distributors, baristas, and consumers.
The increase in business participation follows a year in which the trade show recorded 180 exhibitors — 21 more than the previous year — and attracted more than 40,600 visitors, while the official closing figures have yet to be released.
Nevertheless, organizers aimed to consolidate the major leap achieved in last year’s edition, when visitor numbers rose by more than 40% compared with 2024.
Over the weekend, Colombian Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo and several cabinet ministers visited the exhibition center in the country’s capital, including Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara, Agriculture Minister Indalecio Dangond, and Environment Minister Fabio Arjona.
“I have witnessed a demonstration of Colombia’s ability to turn its specialty coffees into a truly world-class product,” Vice President Restrepo said, adding that the trade show was “impressive.” He also urged “all Colombians to take part so they can learn about coffee production across every corner of the country.”
En Cafés de Colombia Expo recibimos a @Rodrigo_Lara_, @MinInterior; Indalecio Dangond, @MinAgricultura; y @fabio_arjona, @MinAmbienteCo.
Para la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros es un gusto recibirlos en este encuentro que muestra la importancia del café para Colombia y el mundo.
El café es desarrollo rural, empleo, economía y bienestar para miles de familias. Durante generaciones ha sido uno de los grandes motores del desarrollo económico y social de Colombia, llevando el trabajo de nuestros caficultores a los mercados del mundo.
Por 100 años hemos trabajado por el presente y el futuro de la caficultura colombiana.
¡Hoy más que nunca, COLOMBIA ES CAFÉ!
@infopresidencia @ViceColombia @AbelardoPTE @GermanBahamon
— Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (@FedeCafeteros) October 18, 2026
From Neiva to Bogota: a story of expansion
The fair was launched more than a decade ago in Neiva, the capital of the department of Huila, one of Colombia’s most important coffee-growing regions. Since 2015, Bogota has served as its regular host city, thanks to Corferias’ infrastructure and its ability to bring together companies, producers, buyers, and domestic and international visitors.
The 2026 edition, the fair’s 17th, also took place ahead of the centennial of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, an organization representing a large share of the country’s coffee producers, which will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027.
The anniversary offers an opportunity to examine the transformation of an industry that has moved beyond a focus on producing and exporting green coffee to develop its own brands, specialty coffees, and offerings designed to capture greater value in international markets.
One recurring message among exhibitors interviewed by ColombiaOne was the need to change consumers’ relationship with coffee. In a country known worldwide for producing it, many consumers still cannot distinguish between commercial and specialty coffee or understand how altitude, climate, coffee variety, and bean processing affect flavor.
In this context, “educating the palate” means learning to identify the aromas, acidity, sweetness, body, and distinctive notes that set each coffee apart. It also means understanding that two Colombian products can offer very different sensory experiences depending on where they originate and how they are grown, fermented, roasted, and brewed.
For producers, this education has economic implications. When consumers recognize a coffee’s quality and origin, they are more likely to pay a price that reflects its characteristics. Differentiation also enables small brands and producer associations to find commercial opportunities beyond selling raw materials.
The challenge is both domestic and international. In Colombia, where coffee is part of the country’s cultural identity, exhibitors are seeking to help consumers better understand the diversity of coffee produced nationwide and move beyond the widespread traditional consumption of lower-quality coffee, despite the country’s long history of exporting high-quality beans.
Abroad, the goal is to ensure that Colombian coffee is seen not merely as a prestigious designation of origin, but as a diverse offering with sensory profiles and characteristics linked to specific territories. In this regard, exports of green coffee beans — for roasting in the destination country — are increasingly being complemented by sales of finished coffee products.
Beyond efforts to consolidate the U.S. market — and amid growing obstacles in the European Union, where Colombian producers say it is becoming increasingly difficult to establish a stronger foothold — China is seen by many as the vast market to conquer in the coming years.
Family-owned companies that export to the US
Among the 180 exhibitors, the diversity of operations stands out, ranging from family-run microbusinesses and fledgling ventures to cooperatives that have spent decades perfecting their products.
We spoke with Cristian, manager of Agrocafe, which is exhibiting at the fair for the first time. The company is based in El Tambo, a small municipality in the southern Colombian department of Nariño, just over 100 kilometers from the Ecuadorian border.
“We are a company with an 11-year history, made up of 52 families devoted entirely to coffee production, and today our main customer is a coffee roaster in California,” says the young manager of a company seeking to make its mark amid the fair’s wide array of coffee offerings.
Another example is Josue Omaña, from Cafe Zabdi, in Salazar de Las Palmas, in the northeastern department of Norte de Santander. “Salazar de Las Palmas was the first municipality in Colombia where coffee seeds were introduced, thanks to Father Francisco Romero.”
Omaña explains that the priest “would assign his parishioners the planting of a little coffee seed as penance” and that, thanks to this practice—and the number of sins committed by local residents—“this beverage, now the second most consumed in the world, spread throughout the region and eventually across the entire country.”
More than a commercial showcase
The Cafes de Colombia Expo program included specialized activities and knowledge-sharing sessions, along with brewing and roasting competitions and the Colombia Land of Diversity National Quality Competition. These initiatives provide opportunities to showcase techniques, compare results, and highlight coffees that stand out for their distinctive attributes.
The fair also connects producers with roasters, distributors, and potential buyers in a sector where building business relationships and ensuring traceability can be just as important as achieving a high score in a tasting.
The 2026 edition thus concluded with attention focused on a question that goes beyond attendance figures or the number of participating companies: how much value can Colombia generate from its coffee?
For exhibitors who championed consumer education as a priority, the industry’s sustainable growth depends on bringing that knowledge to both foreign markets and Colombian consumers themselves. Producing good coffee is only part of the job. The other is ensuring that those who drink it know how to recognize what is in their cup.