Competition Categories

Participation Eligibility

If you're part of the specialty coffee and tea industry and have a product (introduced to the marketplace after April 25, 2024) that's pushing boundaries, this is your chance to drive increased visibility. The showcase is open to exhibiting companies with a minimum 10’ x 10’ booth in the Exhibit Hall. Check out the rules, submission criteria, and judging process below.

Prizes and Recognition

The Best New Product Award is more than just an award. It's about celebrating innovation and introducing groundbreaking products that shape the future of specialty coffee and tea. Winners receive prestigious trophies, recognition, and the opportunity to captivate both judges and attendees.

Judging

SCA’s panel of experienced judges ensures fairness and excellence. They bring years of industry expertise and will rigorously evaluate each product based on specific criteria, ensuring the most deserving products get the spotlight they deserve.

Plus, there's the People’s Choice award, where every attendee at the Specialty Coffee Expo gets to cast their vote for their favorite product!

Each product is judged on a 1-5 scale (with 5 being best) on each of the following criteria:

• Does the product provide enhanced functionality and additional user comfort, safety, or convenience over existing products? 

• Does the product or service create value for which customers will pay? 

• Does the product satisfy a specific need? 

• Is the product in line with consumer preferences? 

• Does this product improve/enhance the knowledge of the coffee community? 

• Does this product offer an appealing alternative to existing products in form, color, texture, or material? 

• Is there a clear sustainability message or value to the product or service? 

• Overall 

Rules and Definitions

• Must be an exhibitor in the Exhibit Hall with a minimum 10’ x 10’ booth.

• Coffee cannot be a main ingredient in Specialty Beverage Stand-Alone or Specialty Beverage Additive categories.

• Entry must be new to your company and introduced into the marketplace no more than one year prior to the first day of Expo, April 25, 2025.

• Entry can be debuted at Expo and must be available for sale to industry and must be commercially available in that trade show’s market, same continent as the show, within six months.

• Prototypes are not allowed.

• Entries must be available in the exhibitor booth and have supporting data indicating the entry's intended use. Exceptions may be made for product entries deemed too large to display. Supporting data may include, but is not limited to, demonstration on-site, product literature and statistics, podium and/or poster presentations, etc.

• SCA reserves the right to reclassify or decline an entry. Please note that, if less than three entries are received in a specific category, categories may be combined, or an entry may be reclassified.

• Best New Product awards are at the discretion of independent judges and SCA.

• All Specialty Beverage Stand-Alone or Specialty Beverage Additive will have the opportunity to present their products to judges in-person on Friday, April 25 between 12pm and 5pm at Expo.

• The Top 3 Entries in the categories of Coffee Accessories, Commercial Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment, Consumer Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment, and Open Class as identified through an online judging process prior to Expo-will be invited to present their products to judges and attendees in-person on Friday, April 25, between 12 – 5 pm.

• All entries will be considered for the all-new People’s Choice award whereby all attendees of Expo will have a chance to vote digitally for their favorite Best New Product of 2025.

• Entries will be judged on the criteria listed above.