The event is set to welcome more than 400 senior industry leaders at The Pullman Paris Montparnasse across the three days.
According to Allegra Strategies’ Project Cafe12 EU report, the French branded coffee shop market is forecast to grow at more than 10% per annum over the next three years.
In the same report Allegra states that the European market continues to grow - with growth observed in 19 out of 23 countries surveyed. The whole market was estimated at 13,816 outlets in Oct 2012, with an expected growth of 4.4% per annum, while the economy in many countries remains flat.
This Symposium combines a tailored Supply & Innovation Day, a Paris city Study Tour of latest coffee and food concepts, a European Coffee Awards evening and the European Coffee Symposium conference.
The conference will bring together some of the most knowledgeable leaders and entrepreneurs from across the industry coming together to share their success stories and insight into the forces shaping the marketplace.
The conference, titled 'The Future is Now', will explore several key themes with a strong focus on French and European markets.
Other speakers include CEO of Columbus Café, Nicolas Riché, and Costa Enterprises' managing director Jim Slater and director General Steve Holloway with Eric Maillard, managing director of Ogilvy & Mather, France providing insight from outside the industry.
Commenting on the choice to hold the event in Paris, Jeffrey Young, managing director, The Allegra Group, said: “France has been long thought of as espresso drinking market with low coffee standards and highly traditional consumption behaviour, but times are changing. Paris in particular is now seeing a phenomenal rise in new artisan concepts across coffee, food and informal restaurant outlets. Paris is now attracting international players such as Pret A Manger and Costa Coffee, with the French market offering significant scope for growth.”
The event is sponsored by United Coffee, Solo Cup Europe (now part of Dart Container) Brita Professional, Teisseire and Contigo®.