You don’t need to have attended many history lessons in school to recall that many cultures can trace their beginnings back to Greece. Some of those countries had a major influence on the development of the eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans; others came to influence world history.

Coffee cultural encounters on a Greek high street

Now history seems to be repeating itself—but this time in coffee. That idea surfaced at the 3rd edition of the Greek Coffee Exhibition and Conference held in Thessaloniki at the end of February and the beginning of March. The event—called CoffeeBiz, and organised by CoffeeNet magazine—was the manifestation of new and old coffee cultures joining forces to create a better coffee culture for the region. Being there was just like travelling backwards and forwards in coffee history within a few seconds: it was a very educational experience in coffee culture.

Traditional Greek brewing in an ibrik

Going back in history, the Greeks definitely have had their own traditional way of preparing coffee: in an ibrik, short, strong and sweet. Throughout the coffee world this traditional coffee would normally be called Turkish coffee, but, if you value your life, don't call it that to a Greek. He or she will claim that the Turks learned the skill from the Greeks during an uninvited stay some hundred years back.

All that is history, but lots of Greek families still enjoy their coffee in this traditional way, just as the Brazilians take their cafezinho. The taste is not that different either, which can be easily understood just from walking past the exhibition stand of a traditional Greek trader. The Rio smell is unmistakable, and next to it, the more mysterious and undefined Santos aroma: all in all it’s a very educational experience for those who want to travel back a while in coffee history. But as in the rest of the coffee world, evolution does take place.

Evolution through soluble

In Greece, after Rio and Santos, the next evolutionary step came via soluble coffee—or rather specifically via Nescafé, but not in the way we see it served in most places on the planet. Here the beverage comes as a cold frappé, served in a slim glass, with Nescafé, ice cubes, water and regular milk or milk powder as the main ingredients.

A huge national success, this iced drink has penetrated to even the most remote of the Greek islands, as any holidaymaker will attest—you simply cannot avoid it. Although I admit it goes very well with the surroundings and the climate, to my mind it is not coffee, but simply another beverage in the coffee family. It just confirms the opinion that Darwin was right in his evolution theory. This drink is definitely a speciality in its original meaning of the word, although I greatly doubt it falls under the definition of "speciality coffee" as interpreted elsewhere in the speciality coffee sector. But who cares? For the time and place, it is good.

But now even the Nesfrappé (as it is usually named) is under attack—from drinks that are much more familiar to other speciality coffee people. The lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso-based drinks are forming a coffee cultural invasion. Italian espresso brands are flooding the markets, with espresso machines, accessories and all the accoutrements of the US-inspired coffee bar culture.

Some traditional Greek roasters are turning around and launching their own espresso brands, but, still hung up in the Rio/Santos tradition, not all of them have completely understood what hit them. Some of them are at the start of a steep learning curve, while others are well advanced and are still seeking new knowledge.

CoffeeBiz included well attended workshops on several aspects of the industry

New alliances in coffee

Even the casual observer of the Greek market will note the formation of new alliances based on these changes in the market. With its Nesfrappé product under attack from espresso-based beverages, Nestlé, (which has traditionally had virtually a soluble monopoly in the country) did the only logical thing, and launched its own espresso brand, Buondi (or rather borrowed it from its operation in Portugal, where Buondi is a top brand). This is now moving into the market alongside Nestlé’s Nespresso at-home espresso channel. Will we see this kind of market evolution in the rest of the world, or just at this coffee frontier? Only Vevey will know!

On another stand at the exhibition the huge local Illycaffè dealer had set up shop, after having represented the Italian roaster for 10 years. Now in Greece it may not be so easy to sell just an espresso to a restaurant or café that wants to offer both instant coffee frappés and espresso-based lattes. So the Illycaffè dealer has added a soluble from Kraft to his offer list, among a few other things. That’s what I call responding to the market, and although the two brands looked a bit unusual sitting next to one another, as they say, what your eyes see, your mind believes.

The exhibition featured a number of impressive stands

The epitome of Greek style

The majority of the CoffeeBiz exhibitors presented themselves in an extremely tasteful and sophisticated way at the show; in fact it was one of the most elegant coffee exhibitions I have attended. Perhaps the rest of the world should embark on the same steep learning curve. The stylish exhibition covered an area of a total of nearly 5,000 square metres, allowing space as well for other coffee-related events like an impressive barista championship.

According to the organisers, almost 7,000 persons attended the exhibition; while entrance was free, it was limited to trade only.

The event also included a two-day conference blending national and international presentations, although Greek coffee trade wasn't quite ready for all of these, especially the ones that looked into the future.

In short, suppliers of fair trade, organic, rainforest, and other coffees with a cause are advised not to hold their collective breath while waiting for those market segments—among others—to take off.

On the bright side, for the first time, a genuine Brazilian grower — Henrique Cambraia — presented estate coffee from Sul de Minas both in the exhibition and at the conference. At the end of his conference presentation, he served three types of the same estate coffee, the result of natural, pulped natural, and washed preparation methods. The session was a good tasting experience for those attending, and it surely opened new gateways to coffee varieties and broadened some coffee horizons. The farmer himself said that he had never had so many strange coffee questions in his entire life as he had on the 4 days on his stand. His conclusion: there is still some room for knowledge improvement in the market.

Brazilian coffee grower and exporter Henrique Cambraia (l) teaming up with Greek national winning barista Stefanos Domatiotis

The brilliant baristas

A part of the CoffeeBiz event was the 3rd Hellenic Barista Championship, which brought together some 25 competitors from all over the country. The organisers had built a spectacular and set for the contest, which took place over three days. To witness and experience the knowledge and the skills of these young coffee entrepreneurs was inspiring. Having been a judge at the competition for all three years, I can confirm that a vast improvement in barista skills and coffee understanding has taken place. You really had to be sharp to get to the final, and last year’s winner Manelis Andrianakis was beaten only by the smallest possible margin by Stefanos Domatiotis, who will go on to represent his country with flying colours at the World Barista Championship in Trieste in June.

It was a great coffee event, but even walking the streets from the fair back to the hotel came as a great coffee learning experience. Coffee in many variations was by far the most popular beverage served at the bars, cafes and restaurants on the high street. Here, single chairs are out; comfortable sofas are in. Coffee is a social beverage here in Greece; they understand that and are moving along that road—all the way. I will drink to that.

In the end, what makes Greece even more interesting is that it probably serves as a gateway and source of knowledge to many emerging markets in the Balkan region, eastern Europe and the Near and Middle East. That’s the very best reason for CoffeeBiz’s organisers to team up with the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe and make the next show—in Athens in March 2005—a world event.