The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe has been working with professionals in the coffee industry for more than 15 years, now it’s reaching out to consumers with an exciting new membership programme launching at The London Coffee Festival 2014. The speciality coffee industry is thriving as coffee aficionados flock to artisan cafés across the globe in a bid to indulge their passion for their favourite bean. Keen to encourage this rising interest in speciality coffee, SCAE (pronounced ‘Sky’) is launching a new membership programme especially for consumers. The Coffee Lovers membership is open to anyone who is not commercially involved with the speciality coffee industry and offers consumers a gateway into the coffee community. The London Coffee Festival celebrates London’s bustling and vibrant coffee scene. With over 20,000 visitors expected, The London Coffee Festival promises to be an unmissable event fordiscerning coffee lovers and those working in the coffee scene, making it the perfect place to launch SCAE’s new consumer membership. To help celebrate, 5 percent of all new member fees at the festival will go towards UK Coffee Week’s Project Waterfall Campaign, whilst on the SCAE stand, there will be speciality coffee sample giveaways. Membership Manager Jayne Richards said the following regarding the new launch; “As a trade association, SCAE has spent the last 15 years working with the industry to improve the quality of coffee in producing and consuming countries but we also recognise the importance of engaging and embracing the most important person within the whole coffee supply chain – you, the consumer. One way that you can help this process is to join our association as a consumer member – Coffee Lover. There are many bene­fits to being a member of SCAE, including receiving free samples of speciality coffee which I hope you will enjoy!” Annual membership costs £25+VAT (€30 in euro areas) and benefits include: • A one-month free subscription of speciality co­ffee from UK co­ffee roasters, via the Blank Box Company • Access to educational courses, information and resources • A free subscription to SCAE’s biannual Co­ffee Love magazine • Invitations to consumer events and networking opportunities • Regular E-Zines with updates on latest co­ffee trends and developments • Invitations to co­ffee field trips • A SCAE membership badge and certificate To find out more about Co­ffee Lovers membership visit SCAE at stand SR29 at The London Co­ffee Festival (3-6 April, londonco­ ffeefestival.com ), or log on to scae.com Sorce: press-release SCAE