Colombia’s favourite product internationally celebrates every year at Corferías. We went down to Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026 to find out what’s going on
Colombian coffee is rightly famous worldwide, drunk right across the globe and synonymous with the highest quality. Uniquely among large producers, the country almost exclusively grows top-grade Arabica beans rather than the cheaper Robusta. At Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026, all this and more is on show at Corferias in the heart of the city.
This is an extra special year, with the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros celebrating a century. This extraordinary collaboration between coffee producers is the key to Colombia’s worldwide fame. By banding together, it remains viable for small farmers to stay in business with costs centrally arranged.
That means that most coffee in Colombia still comes from these small operators, even if it ends up in an aggregated bag. The avuncular and gregarious Igor from the Cuckoo Café project explained how they work with 70 female-owned farms around Popayán to help them build a sustainable future, often moving away from coca.
Even the heavy hitters such as Juan Valdez and Buendía are intimately tied to the Federación de Cafeteros, the former most obviously by its very name. As coffee is a major motor of the economy throughout the country, particularly for employment, it’s no surprise to see plenty of actual farmers wandering throughout the event.
After all, this is not just a chance to try some quaffable coffees and experiment with bizarre paraphernalia. There is a serious agro-industrial side to Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026, from heavy machinery to 4x4s, wellies and fertilizers. Then there’s bags, cups and even spoons to think about, whether you’re a roaster, toaster, grower or barista.
Perhaps the most poignant reminder of how central coffee is for much of the country is found at the Risaralda stand. Under a banner saying that Risaralda will rise with coffee is a pillar on which you can write a message on a post-it note as the department faces a long post-earthquake rebuild.
What’s at Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026?
First up, loads of coffee from every department that produces it, which is most of Colombia. There are stands for the biggest players – we were particularly impressed by Tolima, Antioquía and Cauca. But there’s also coffee-flavored beer, coffee-friendly soy milks and viche being hawked.
There will be plenty of people on hand to guide you towards the tastes that suit you, with no shortage of coffee tastings on offer. Both James Rodríguez and Sofia Vergara have brands exhibiting, alongside a plethora of small independent stands.
There’s plenty to buy for the home to in places like la Feria de la Greca, whether you’re interested in rinky-dink macchiato machines, glammed up French presses or even just a fancy spoon for measuring out. There are thousands of cups of course, as well as kettles, grinders and even small home roasters.
Maybe you want to tell the world how much you love coffee, and Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026 has your back here too. T-shirts, jumpers and socks will promote anything, and the innovative hecho en café design house makes jewellery, accessories and decorations out of waste materials from the coffee making process.
At the back is an area that will host various national barista and roasting competitions, with the winners to be announced on the final day. There’s also an absolutely fascinating and delightful mini-museum on the history and future of the Federación de Cafeteros to be found there.
Cafés de Colombia Expo 2026 takes place from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th October at Corferías, Carrera 37 #24-67. Buy tickets online from the website for COP$28,000. Open until 8pm except Sunday (7pm).
