• Between April 4–6, 2025, COFFeEAST returns with a larger, more dynamic and more vibrant edition. Baristas, roasters, artisans, designers, technology manufacturers, renowned brands and coffee enthusiasts set the pace for a weekend of lots and lots of coffee.
The regional festival awaits its visitors in the Laminor Hall in Bucharest, with over 250 exhibitors and numerous activities that focus on the cult and culture of coffee in Eastern Europe: tastings, championships, live music, conferences, workshops, relaxation areas and networking.
COFFeEAST is a social and professional event where coffee culture is intertwined with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. For 3 days, the festival becomes a destination with a vibe of modern and cool Romania for all those who share the passion for coffee, taste and design – from professionals to enthusiasts.
The festival's founder, Mihai Panfil, is a pioneer of specialty coffee in Romania:
“We started COFFeEAST out of the desire to create a space where the Eastern European coffee community could meet, be inspired and grow. In 2024, the festival’s debut exceeded all expectations – tens of thousands of visitors, hundreds of brands, entrepreneurs and an energy that confirmed to us the extraordinary potential of the region, but also the need for such an event. From year to year, COFFeEAST aims not only to reflect the evolution of the coffee industry in the region, but also to inspire, accelerate it and actively contribute to attracting tourists and curious people from all over the world, putting Eastern Europe on the international map of coffee culture” declares Mihai Panfil, the founder of the festival.
What can you do at the second edition of COFFeEAST?
More than a festival, COFFeEAST is becoming an annual ritual for coffee lovers. The 2025 edition expands its horizons with an extensive program:
- GreatEast Cup, the main stage that hosts the barista in a competition with creative, individual or team challenges.
- Acoustic concerts, the secondary stage that attracts visitors with live acts signed by local and international artists – Moonlight Breakfast, Diana Căldăraru, Delta pe Obraz, Corina Sîrghi, Mara Halunga & Cauê de Marinis.
- A bustling market with 150 micro-roasters, local artisans and artists who sign the best in coffee, design objects, sweet and savory dishes, craft beer and drinks, local wines. Visitors can taste the products and buy them to take home.
- Eastern Coffee Shops Bar, where baristas from over 40 local and regional coffee shops will prepare and serve coffee on a rotating basis, especially for festival visitors.
- Short introductory coffee workshops: festival-goers can practice the steps for making good coffee at home, play with latte art techniques, learn how to choose the best milk and the best water for coffee, all in interactive workshops.
- Conferences for professionals and enthusiasts: international experts hold engaging conversations, inspired by topics such as innovation, education, and creative entrepreneurship.
- Coffee tastings: sessions cupping organized by green coffee importers from all over the world.
- Tradeshow areas: interactive stands where local and international brands, from emerging names to iconic brands in coffee and other related fields, prepare creative activations, tastings, product launches and immersive experiences.
GreatEast Cup, coffee competition with international jury
COFFeEAST supports regional talent through the GreatEast Cup – a dynamic competition with individual and team events that highlight the creativity of Eastern European baristas. Winners are rewarded with prizes of up to €2.000 and international experiences, including coffee trips.
The competition jury includes internationally recognized names in the specialty coffee field:
- Samo Smrke – coffee science researcher at ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences), passionate about flavor chemistry and innovation in specialty coffee.
- Ratislav Kašar – award-winning mixologist and international consultant, with notable appearances in bartending and coffee competitions globally.
- Anastasia Shishkina – Q Grader and green coffee specialist, with over 11 years of experience in curation and quality control.
- Rana Ibrahim – founder of Barista Hustle Arabic & Qahwet el Souq, educator and promoter of specialty coffee in the Arab world.
- Davide Orazi – New York Coffee Masters champion and trainer with extensive experience, active in international competitions.
- Manos Mamakis – Master Roaster, multi-award winning trainer, double world vice-champion Coffee in Good Spirits.
- Gabriel Carol – founder of PAGA Microroastery, two-time Brewers Cup champion and Q Grader, specializing in sensory analysis.
- Alan Jarrar – barista and trainer with extensive experience, founder of Jokes Aside Coffee Roasters & STAV SE, juror and active competitor.
Tickets and schedule
Tickets can be purchased online, from http://www.coffeeast.eu or directly at the entrance. A one-day ticket costs 30 lei, and a subscription for all three days of the festival costs 45 lei. Each day, the ticket includes the first coffee of the festival, offered to visitors at the entrance. Access for children under 14 is free.
During the 3 days of the festival, COFFeEAST opens its doors between 10:00-18:00. The detailed program and the list of exhibitors can be consulted on the official website of the festival, www.coffeeast.eu.
Partners
Strategic partner: Banca Transilvania;
Main partner: Napolact;
Supported by: Victoria Arduino, Nuova Simonelli, Mini, Mobila Dalin, Oblic Studio, Biodeck, Aquaphor;
Media partners: Radio Guerrilla, The Perfect Daily Grind, Modern Romania, Urban.ro, De-Corina.ro.
About COFFeEAST Festival
COFFeEAST is the first regional festival dedicated to coffee culture in Eastern Europe. The debut edition attracted 20.000 visits and brought together over 150 exhibitors, demonstrating the rapid expansion of the coffee market in the region, supported by creative entrepreneurs and an educated, curious and passionate audience. With a social and professional character, COFFeEAST aims not only to reflect the evolution of the coffee market in Eastern Europe, but also to inspire and accelerate it.
About Mihai Panfil, founder of COFFeEAST
With over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, Mihai Panfil signs initiatives that shape the specialty coffee territory in Romania through: roasting and specialty cafes, business consulting, green coffee curation, authorized distribution for high-quality professional equipment, internationally certified educational programs, HoReCa retail, entertainment catering and hospitality.
Since 2013, pioneering in the specialty coffee field has resulted in the opening of Origo Coffee, the first specialty coffee shop with its own roastery in Romania. Today, Origo is a team of over 50 multidisciplinary experts.
Article and photo source: Press release
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