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The 2026 Cafe & Dessert Fair opens August 13, giving everyone a chance to see what’s new in coffee and desserts under one roof. It runs four days, through the 16th, at Hall 10 of KINTEX’s second exhibition center in Ilsan, Goyang. It’s an industry trade show, but it’s open to more than just cafe owners and people planning to start one — anyone who wants to taste new beans and desserts can walk through too.
Hours run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except the last day, the 16th, when it closes at 5 p.m. — worth building that into your plans so you’re not rushing at the end. Walk-in admission is 15,000 won for general visitors. Pre-registration comes with its own process and perks, so it’s worth checking your registration status and how to actually get in on the official website before you head out.
Beans to Desserts, All in One Place to Compare
Inside, you’ll find everything from whole beans, green beans, ground coffee, and drip bags to cakes, macarons, cookies, chocolate, and tarts. There’s also equipment for actually running a shop — bakery dough and ingredients, coffee extraction gear, ovens, ice machines, dough mixers. The real advantage of a trade show like this is getting to compare a bunch of different products’ features in the same space instead of hunting them down one by one.
Drinks and Packaging Are Worth a Look Too
On the drinks side, you can check out syrups, fruit concentrates, milk tea, sodas, traditional teas, black tea, and kombucha. There’s also wine, beer, and traditional Korean liquor for cafes trying to connect with evening service or meal menus. If you’re a cafe owner planning fall and winter menu additions, it’s worth doing more than just tasting — ask about minimum order quantities, storage conditions, and delivery cycles while you’re there.
Eco-friendly paper cups, straws, boxes, and tableware are a big part of the floor too. If your shop does a lot of delivery or takeout, packaging isn’t just about price — durability, how well it holds heat, and whether it actually keeps food from leaking all matter. Picking up the actual product and putting it together yourself tells you things photos can’t. There’s also consultation available on interiors, tableware, furniture, and branding.
Tasting the Same Beans, Made Differently
There’s a new hands-on booth this year built specifically around comparing coffee side by side. They grind the same beans through three different grinders and let you taste how the aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste each come out differently. It’s a fun one even if you’re new to coffee — it shows you that grinding matters just as much as the beans themselves.
There’s also a cupping program comparing beans from different origins, varietals, and processing methods. It’s not about picking a “good” or “bad” cup — it’s about learning to pick out sweetness, acidity, aroma, and body as separate qualities. Cafe owners can use it to help decide on new beans to carry, and regular visitors can use it to actually put words to what they already like about their favorite coffee.
Just a heads-up: the hands-on programs will likely have limited hours and limited spots. Check the event guide and on-site signage to see whether you can just walk up or need to sign up in advance. And if you taste a bunch of strong, aromatic things back to back, it gets hard to tell them apart — drink plenty of water between samples, and it helps to decide ahead of time which beans you actually want to try first.
Questions Anyone Thinking of Opening a Cafe Should Ask
There’s also a CADI Insight talk show running during the fair, covering practical stuff — the actual process of opening a cafe, how to run one day to day, how to figure out a brand direction, menu development, and where the franchise market is heading. If you’re only vaguely thinking about opening a cafe someday, this is your chance to skip the shiny new products for a minute and actually ask about startup costs, fixed monthly expenses, and realistic sales projections.
When you’re looking at equipment, the sticker price alone doesn’t tell you much. Add up installation, regular maintenance, how long repairs typically take if something breaks, and the cost of consumables — that’s what gives you the real number. For ingredients, ask about shelf life, how much fridge and freezer space you’ll need, and how much prices swing by season. Even a product that tastes great in a sample can turn into a headache if it doesn’t fit your shop’s layout or your actual customers.
If you’re planning to talk to distributors or suppliers, it helps to walk in already knowing your shop size, expected order volume, and target price range. Bring business cards, and take photos and notes on anything you’re interested in — you’ll want to compare later. Resist signing anything on the spot; check the terms, return policy, and whether it’s an exclusive deal before committing to anything.
A Little Planning Goes a Long Way, Even for a Day of Sweets
If you’re just there to browse, tastings, samples, and on-site sales are the main draw. Not every company is doing the same thing, though — some won’t be sampling or selling on-site. Popular items can sell out early, and some of the hands-on programs may have long waits. Splitting your interests into coffee, desserts, and equipment ahead of time makes it a lot easier to actually get through a hall this big without wasting your visit wandering back and forth.
Worth checking the venue details ahead of time too — it’s Hall 10 at KINTEX’s second exhibition center. If you’re taking public transit, check travel time and your last ride home; if you’re driving, factor in parking fees and how crowded it might get. If you’re planning on buying beans or desserts, bring an insulated bag and something to carry it all in. And if you have food allergies, always check ingredients before sampling anything.
The Cafe & Dessert Fair is as much about tasting what’s trending right now as it is about getting an early look at where the cafe market is headed next season. Regular visitors get to discover what they actually like, cafe owners get to compare products and costs side by side, and anyone thinking about opening a shop gets a reality check on what it actually takes. Double-check the official schedule and your registration before you go, decide what you’re actually there for, and it turns into a day that gives you more than just something sweet to remember.
Source: Cafe & Dessert Fair official website visitor guide and exhibition overview; KINTEX event information; Beyond Post.
